JRB Nest, or Speer SnugFit. Sell me on one.

**BillyBob58** · 02-15-2008, 13:59

Yeah, that idiot proof Snugfit would be nice. I'm sure I would have got one of those instead if I had a crystal ball and had known they were going on sale the week after I paid full price for a PeaPod! Not that I haven't loved the pod and managed to stay toasty warm, every time I've used it, even down to 10* ( with added space blanket on bottom and warm clothes plus summer quilt on top). It is great, but it requires the same foolin with that an UQ does.

And I have never really found the ideal adjustment. I either have a small amount of air gap beneath me or a small amount of loft compression, probably for the reasons Youngblood has pointed out. But, I suspect the air gaps are not as critical as with a regular UQ, because when you close the thing up you don't have a constantly replenished dose of cold air rushing down there to fill the gap. I don't know, just guessing. All I know is I am always warm unless I have CLEARLY overtightened and compressed the loft. And that really doesn't happen anymore since I have learned about where things need to be. And if it is too loose causing and air gap, I seem to get away with that and still be warm, as long as it's just a "small gap".

But from a more practical approach, I seem to most often just go ahead and hang it with obviously too much sag, and then I routinely toss a spare jacket or vest or whatever I'm not wearing ( and or a space blanket/vapor barrier) in there. Then, I end up with no gap at all and 3 or 4 or 5" of loft under my back and butt. Now, let me tell you, that is warm! But, that is at least potentially a problem, since it won't allow me to wear every single item to bed on top, if needed. But, so far it has not even been close to needing everything on top. It's amazing how little I need on top once the bottom warmth is solidly taken care of.

None the less, though the pod is great, I find myself lusting for the snug fit of the Snugfit. (Or better yet, maybe the next Youngblood/Speer design/collaboration: the Snugfit PeaPod!) And I'm pretty sure that had it been available at recent "on sale" prices, I would have scarfed one up, and had an adjustment free snug-fit plus saved about $100 compared to the PeaPod. Then I would have just used one of my existing sleeping bags on top, or bought a NoSniveler.

**slowhike** · 02-15-2008, 19:40

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

.None the less, though the pod is great, I find myself lusting for the snug fit of the Snugfit. (Or better yet, maybe the next Youngblood/Speer design/collaboration: the Snugfit PeaPod!) ..

i'm thinking a snugfit on a hammock w/ an uninsulated top that zips closed up the center, enclosing you & your top quilt<g>.

**Coffee** · 02-15-2008, 20:09

How about a pod with a built in top section. Completly enclosing you in a giant warm goodness of down.

**BillyBob58** · 02-15-2008, 22:13

Originally Posted by hammock engineer

How about a pod with a built in top section. Completly enclosing you in a giant warm goodness of down.

Can you elaborate? Are you proposing something different than the current PeaPod, which has a built in top section and completely surrounds you?

**BillyBob58** · 02-15-2008, 22:14

Originally Posted by slowhike

i'm thinking a snugfit on a hammock w/ an uninsulated top that zips closed up the center, enclosing you & your top quilt<g>.

Yep, best of both!

**Coffee** · 02-16-2008, 13:22

Kind of. Basically a way to be completly surrounded by down. I have been playing around with this idea, but haven't taken it any farther.

Kind of like a pea pod with instead of the opening at the top, hence no insulation on top, move the velcro to the side. Maybe put some extra insulation on top so it fulls up some of the space above you. This might be warmer, or at least might make it so you do not need a top quilt.

**BillyBob58** · 02-16-2008, 13:49

Originally Posted by hammock engineer

Kind of. Basically a way to be completly surrounded by down. I have been playing around with this idea, but haven't taken it any farther.

Kind of like a pea pod with instead of the opening at the top, hence no insulation on top, move the velcro to the side. Maybe put some extra insulation on top so it fulls up some of the space above you. This might be warmer, or at least might make it so you do not need a top quilt.

Though you can probably improve on it, when the pod opening at the head/foot end is cinched down in normal use, and the top Velcro closed, you are pretty much completely surrounded by down. Though much of it may not be in direct contact with your body. It really is very similar to being in a mummy bag, except a quite large one with some excess room to heat. But none the less, amazingly warm when closed up. I suspect what you are telling me about is some means of getting the down to contact you on top, and the sides and overhead, without the extra space that must be warmed up, or filled with a top quilt and a hood or something to fill the space on above your head? It can be used by me to at least 40* without a top quilt, just good long Johns, but what you are describing would allow the full 20* rating on top without top quilt. I can already achieve this by laying mid-line with a good bit of sag. Then the down lays right on top of me. WARM! But of course, this limits your position options.

So maybe you ( or Youngblood or someone) can engineer one that is a Snugfit on bottom, and which solves the excess room to heat on top, while still retaining the WONDERFUL ability to be sealed in- head to toe, with or without a breathing hole of various sizes-, semi-mummy bag style. It seems to me that simply a larger pod could accomplish this. Particularly if attached to the sides by Velcro the way a Snugfit is. But, the PeaPod is awfully big already, and naturally that would also add weight. And expense!

**Coffee** · 02-16-2008, 17:08

Yeah the cost and weight equation is always the fun part.

After seeing the snug fit and all the work and design that is behind that, I have no desire to go anywhere near it. I don't think I could come close to making it for the cost or as well or better. It would be interesting to see if you could add a top section to it.

This may also go along with our comments on another thread about putting a draft tube on somewhere.

I have a ton of things to try out and make. Time and money wise it will be a couple months before I can get started on any of them. Until then it is fun to plan.

**slowhike** · 02-16-2008, 20:17

i'm thinking about getting one of the snugfits (speer type w/ velcro) & make a simple, non-insulated top from 1.1 ripstop that velcros to the outside of the snugfit.
that would enclose you & your topquilt in a draft free environment.

**angrysparrow** · 02-16-2008, 20:24

Originally Posted by slowhike

i'm thinking about getting one of the snugfits (speer type w/ velcro) & make a simple, non-insulated top from 1.1 ripstop that velcros to the outside of the snugfit.
that would enclose you & your topquilt in a draft free environment.

This winter I've been using my SnugFit inside a light hammock sock. That has proven to be very warm indeed.