Helsdon/Chrysalis with a Tensa Stand

[Griddleporn]

I've become fascinated with the Helsdon hammock and was curious if any of y'all have experience with it or its predecessor, the Eureka Chrysalis, on a Tensa stand.

Before anyone jumps in with recommendations for your own favorite bridge hammocks, most of them won't handle a guy of my size. It's either a Helsdon or a Haven Safari. I already have an Amok Draumr and enjoy it (and it works wonderfully with the Tensa!) but I like that the Helsdon doesn't require an air mattress.

If anyone has experience with the Helsdon I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially with a Tensa stand.

Thank, y'all!

[Kmazuro]

I see no one has replied to your question… most likely it’s an unknown around these parts. Here is a shot in the dark. If you can find out the end to end distance of the suspension triangles and post them someone may have some insight. You could always contact “just bill” if the dimensions are similar and ask if he knows if his big guy bridge fits on the hammock stand. Better yet …. Inquire about his big guy bridges. He’s amazing to talk to and work with.
kris

[Griddleporn]

I see no one has replied to your question… most likely it’s an unknown around these parts. Here is a shot in the dark. If you can find out the end to end distance of the suspension triangles and post them someone may have some insight. You could always contact “just bill” if the dimensions are similar and ask if he knows if his big guy bridge fits on the hammock stand. Better yet …. Inquire about his big guy bridges. He’s amazing to talk to and work with.
kris

Thanks for responding. I've talked to both Mr. Helsdon and the awesome Tensa team and both have been very helpful. At this point I may have to be the first one to give it a try and be the first to report. I'm just trying to mentally justify the expense of one more hammock (I just recieved a Dutchware netless yesterday) to myself and figuring out how I'll explain it to my better half.

[Kmazuro]

I know you wanted to avoid where everyone offers their opinions on which hammock you should be using but if you don’t yet have one, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t at least talk to “just bill” at Townsend outdoors. If you’re a big guy…. He has what is called the big guy bridge hammock. He is a wealth of knowledge and Fantastic to work with.Couldn’t hurt.
kris

[Griddleporn]

I know you wanted to avoid where everyone offers their opinions on which hammock you should be using but if you don’t yet have one, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t at least talk to “just bill” at Townsend outdoors. If you’re a big guy…. He has what is called the big guy bridge hammock. He is a wealth of knowledge and Fantastic to work with.Couldn’t hurt.
kris

Yes, I've already researched it along with the Haven Safari and the Helsdon before I posted. Thanks again.

[BER]

The Heldon looks like a remake of the Eureka Chrysalis. If you do a search on "Chrysalis" you will see quite a few threads of discussion. I, in fact, started one in 2010 discussing my attempts at decreasing its (IMO) very substantial weight. It was a very comfortable hammock. But, light it was not.

[Just Bill]

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...-4-Stand/page2

This thread is probably your best bet:

John (OP and bridge owner) got this working for the Big Guy Bridge with help from Latherdome (Tensa).
It requires you to split the stand and I believe Todd and Cheryl offer the extra baseline (splicing) as an upgrade directly from them now (for a reasonable cost)
I've given it a shot and struggled a bit, but a bit more practice would dial it in. From what I can tell- John throws his up on his paddling trips pretty smoothly at this point.


For the OP...
Best of luck with it... there are some die hard fans of the design for sure but not many of them around here to give you feedback.
So if it all makes sense give it a shot. He's got a 14 day return policy so seems relatively risk free provided you can jump on it.


Really- this technique should work on just about any bridge with a fixed ridgeline.
(The Heldson has one and lists the minimum tree to tree distance at 3.5 meters)

BER- a minor technicality... Dave Heldson invented this bridge and had an agreement with Eureka to produce it as the chrysalis.
My understanding is that he is now selling them again directly since Eureka is no longer producing them.

Long story short- same bridge- original designer.

Most of us in the states never heard of Heldson (me included until recently) and most of us wrote off the Eureka branded version due to the weight.
That said- it does also boast a pretty large weight limit of 400lbs. Never seen one in person but I hear it's quite stout.
Seems like it was a bit ahead of it's time but now a bit behind the times for backpacking use; though seems quite capable for front country or canoe tripping.

About the only real points of concern:
There is a secondary piece of webbing that runs from pole tip to pole tip. It looks a bit awkward to me for less than athletic folks to enter and exit but take that grain of salt alongside the fact that I've only seen some pictures and a video. Maybe in person it's a simple 'duck under' sorta thing, but it's also one reason you see folks hanging off the side at a slightly weird angle in the pictures.

The other thing I've heard is that the tarp/rainfly is not adequate for most folks, though it looks like a neat tarp/sock hybrid and I can chime in from my own experience that a stakeless tarp is very easy to use on a bridge so to me not that big a deal, but I think many here are used to a separate tarp that hangs higher.

For nerds-
it's not truly a recessed bar design but more of a short end bar with extended ends.
Or maybe more accurately a split webbing frame with a body suspended below it.

In many ways it's more like the Haven structurally, but it doesn't rely on a pad to make it work.

Without actually knowing the spreader bar width- hard to tell how much shoulder squeeze you'd get.
Basically- the further you get from the bars- the more width you lose.

On the plus side- dropping below the spreaders lowers your center of gravity and increases stability (reduced tippiness).


Thanks Kmazuro for chiming in to help this fella out and fer the kind words.

[BER]

Fair enough Bill. I thought I remembered something of that... It's been a long time

[Griddleporn]

The Heldon looks like a remake of the Eureka Chrysalis. If you do a search on "Chrysalis" you will see quite a few threads of discussion. I, in fact, started one in 2010 discussing my attempts at decreasing its (IMO) very substantial weight. It was a very comfortable hammock. But, light it was not.

Helsdon created the Chrysalis, Eureka stopped selling it and he took over and beefed it up somewhat. I saw your thread, I appreciate your thoughts. I carry my gear on the motorcycle along with the Tensa stand, weight is not an issue. Thanks!

[Griddleporn]

Much info to chew on, which I know you've become famous for Bill! I've watched all of your videos and already subscribed to your YouTube, too. Thanks for all of your knowledge!