Eureka Chrysalis Deconstructed.

**Shug** · 07-20-2010, 09:26

Cool to see ..........
The hammock and the model are very stylish....
She looks comfy!!!!
Very interesting!
Shug

**GvilleDave** · 07-20-2010, 10:13

Nice job! I was always curious about what the insides of the chrysalis looked like. I like the storage areas at each end as well. Thanks for sharing and keep us posted how it does long term. I have one of Eureka's older family sized car camping tents (Equinox) and it is certainly well built.

**gargoyle** · 07-20-2010, 10:14

pm sent on the cover

**wabi** · 07-20-2010, 10:46

Decided to put my new Chrysalis on a diet with the few items I had on hand.

Starting weight for mine (in stuff sack) 92oz. (5lb-12oz)

Replaced the suspension straps/hardware (steel cam buckles & carabiners) with Arrowhead Equipment's UL cinch buckles on chain links & pair of 13' polyester webbing suspension lines with Dutch clips.
I left all else "standard production" for now, even the factory web ridge line.

Weight reduction = 17oz for a new weigh-in of 75oz (4lb-11oz)

Weighed my current favorite combination (DD Frontline w/10x10 generic nylon tarp) and got a weight of 65oz (4lb-1oz).

I'm sure if I go further with weight reducing mods (like aluminum spreader bars and lightweight ridgeline) I can get it very close to the DD + tarp weight!

Still need to spend a night or two in it, but I have a feeling I may be selling some gathered end hammocks soon.

If I decide to make this my #1 hammock I will probably reduce the weight further by changing the spreader bars and ridgeline.

I'm hoping the fact this hammock is basically a "hanging tent" (which is fully enclosed and relatively small space inside) will make it suitable for comfortable 3-season hanging with the camping accessories I already own. (like a good full-sized self-inflating pad or CCF pad for bottom insulation, and a sleeping bag)

**BER** · 07-20-2010, 15:21

After taking a few more measurements inside, I noted that the width at the spreader bars is actually different (previously both listed as 43"--now corrected in original post). No instructions were provided in the box or stuff sack. Thinking that both were cut the same width, I arbitrarily chose an end with the sewn in tag (citing wight capacity and such) as the head and put the longer bar in there. As it turns out, the hammock is wider at the opposite end.

So after switching the longer spreader to the wider end, I found that my "pillow" (ie the upsweep of the bottom curvature) was lessened and more flat, but that there was a slight ridge across my upper calves (where it had been nice and flat previously). This was not uncomfortable, but over all less comfortable than with the shorter spreader at the wider end. An thus I have switched back.

Therefore if you wonder in why, in the dimensions I listed above, the head end is more narrow than the foot, well, here's the reason.

**BER** · 07-20-2010, 15:32

And now some IX has been ordered (thank you Stormcrow) and some other sundries from Quest. Along with some previously ordered 1.1 RS from BWDD (thank you again Scott), I will try to make an UQ. As mentioned above, sewing is not my forte (unless it involves body parts), so it might not be pretty. This will be a test. (to self: "do not be afraid of the thread injector.")

One other thing, surely not a surprise to those with more bridge hammock experience, but for other bridge newbies like myself: A WB bug net will most definitely NOT fit around this hammock.

**wabi** · 07-20-2010, 15:46

BER,
I did measure the spreader bars in mine this morning and the spreader bar at the head (end with tag & vents in canopy) IS THE LONGER BAR!
I have not removed the spreader bars, so I'm sure this is the way it came from the factory!

I didn't measure the width without bars, but I'm guessing the shorter bar on the wider end is to give more (side to side) sag in the foot area for comfort????

**BER** · 07-20-2010, 15:50

Originally Posted by wabi

BER,
I did measure the spreader bars in mine this morning and the spreader bar at the head (end with tag & vents in canopy) IS THE LONGER BAR!
I have not removed the spreader bars, so I'm sure this is the way it came from the factory!

I didn't measure the width without bars, but I'm guessing the shorter bar on the wider end is to give more (side to side) sag in the foot area for comfort????

Well there you go. Guess I should not have removed the tent cover so quickly yesterday. Can you collapse your spreader bars, fold the hammock in half lengthwise and measure from the top of the orange edging to the bottom edge at the longer bar just to double check for me and make sure my head is on straight? Thanks.

**skoalbandit30** · 07-20-2010, 16:16

always wondered what these looked like inside

**wabi** · 07-20-2010, 19:40

Originally Posted by BER

Well there you go. Guess I should not have removed the tent cover so quickly yesterday. Can you collapse your spreader bars, fold the hammock in half lengthwise and measure from the top of the orange edging to the bottom edge at the longer bar just to double check for me and make sure my head is on straight? Thanks.

I think this should answer the question. -

The hammock width (orange web to orange web) at the head is 43".
The spreader bar (assembled) at the head is 39".

The hammock width (orange web to orange web) at the foot is 46".
The spreader bar (assembled) at the foot is 35".