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  1. #1
    Senior Member ^shane^'s Avatar
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    Wilderness Logics Light Owl

    Let me start by saying that dealing with Marty was a dream. I ordered the Light Owl on Oct 6 and it was delivered on Oct 13. You can't ask for faster "no special delivery" service from a cottage shop than that. Now, on Oct 13, the wife and I were in NOLA, and the kids grabbed the box off the porch and brought it in the house (and didn't tell me it was here). I sent Marty an email Thursday evening (Oct 20) asking if the hammock would be here before the TX hang, and he called me Friday morning (Oct 21) and provided all of the delivery data and tracking number. A call to the youngest and I find out the hammock had been at the house for a week... dangit.

    And Marty threw in a free pillow. It's nice. I used it already.

    On to the hammock. Here's a shot of the pillow, Light Owl hammock, and the TtTTG 1.9SL netless hammock for comparisons. I put my iPhone on the pillow to give some idea of actual size. I do not have a scale, so I don't have actual weights for either hammock. Note: Dale includes his full size bishop bag with the 1.9SL netless hammock so the size may look large compared to the Light Owl. Packed down tight, the netless SB is a bit smaller than the Light Owl.


    When I opened the box from Wilderness Logics, I saw the black two-ended stuff sack and a set of tree straps. I opened up the stuff sack and pulled out the coyote-brown Light Owl hammock. It is a gathered end hammock with no pull outs or pockets. The hammock is made of two layers of 1.1oz ripstop, with an opening between the layers for you to insert a pad if you so choose. Marty has attached orange 7/64" Amsteel whoopie slings to each end as the suspension. The whoopies even include an idiot bead so I can't pull the loop through and ruin the whoopie.

    Out to the yard...

    I wrapped the straps around my oaks, used a couple of small biners as toggles, and hung the Light Owl.

    (The hammock was hung a little too tight in the 2nd picture. I loosened the whoopies to somewhere between 25-30 degrees and the lay was much better.)

    I played with the hang angle on the Light Owl, beginning near 20 degrees and finally got a nice lie somewhere closer to 30 degrees. I did not tighten up the draw cords for either the head or foot pouch to begin with. The hammock was UBER-comfortable. Zero shoulder squeeze and zero calf ridge. (I really feared a calf ridge issue when I saw the gathered ends.) The hammock is quite a bit wider than the Switchback, so there was a bit more "wall" to the right side on the head end. Without the foot end draw cord tightened the wall is not bothersome.


    Once I was comfortable in the hammock without either end draw cord tightened, I began playing with the foot end draw cord. (Let me stop here and make a comment on the build of the hammock. I think the draw cords should moved towards the center of the hammock about 3 inches from where they are currently installed. I'm 6' and with both ends tightened, I was still too short to get all the way into the "pouches" created.) The idea of creating a pseudo-foobox works. It's not as defined as a WBBB footbox, but there is a pocket created for your feet. That's the positive. The negative is that the wall of fabric on the right side of the hammock grows a lot, completely blocking your view to the right.


    When I tightened up the head end draw cord as well, the left side of the hammock also became a wall of fabric, essentially blocking any view accept skyward. That said, the hammock just got a bit more comfortable. My plan is this: For lounging during the day, the draw cords will be left loose so the view can be enjoyed. When it's evening and time for some Z's, I'll tighten up the draw cords, get really diagonal and dream away.

    I did attempt to lie on both left and right sides. To my surprise, I was able to lay on both sides with similar comfort to a Switchback.

    Here is a comparison of the Light Owl (no draw cords tightened) and the netless Switchback as far as available viewing. First picture is the Light Owl. Second picture is the netless SB.


    I'd like to say that I could pick one hammock over the other as far as comfort goes, but at this point I cannot. I'll need to conduct further research. Maybe next weekend... I'll bring both to the TX hang in a few weeks so anyone wanting to try them out can.

    Marty, that is one fine hammock you sent me. Thanks!

    Go Rangers! JUST WIN!!! (sorry, had to throw that in... going baseball crazy here... my wife is at the game and I'm here at home testing hammocks... who wins?)

    "One of the best things you can do in this world is take a nap in the woods." ~ Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

    "While it may be a lot of work, the view is best from the summit." ~ an anonymous staff member of Philmont Scout Ranch

    Enjoy the day
    Shane

  2. #2
    Senior Member lymphocytosis's Avatar
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    I'd seen some other pictures of how the foot pouch is supposed to work, but your pictures made it clearer for me. Looks like a really nice hammock.

  3. #3
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    Thanks, Shane. I was hoping for a comparison of those 2 hammocks because I have my eye on both of them. Keep me posted on the long term opinion of each.

  4. #4
    Senior Member ^shane^'s Avatar
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    Well... the Light Owl is Shane tested and Shane approved. Spent two of the three nights of the Texas Hang in the Light Owl. I would say it's now my favorite hammock, just barely over the Switchback. Call it 1 and 1a.

    The comfortable lay in the Light Owl requires quite a diagonal, whereas the comfortable lay in the Switchback is closer to straight down the hammock. The Light Owl likes a bit of sag, while the Switchback likes a tight hang. MacEntyre had me string the Switchback tighter than I ever had before and it was more comfortable than I've ever felt it before, so there is some sort of magic there...

    I did not use the elastic in the sides to create a "head box" or "foot box" in the Light Owl either night. Pamela and I were hanging together under our Honeymoon Suite and had zero wind issues. I think the only time I'll ever use the elastic on the sides is if I'm trying to get some additional wind protection in the cold.

    I added a removable structural ridgeline to the Light Owl to be able to dial in a consistant sag. I climb in and fall right into the right spot every time. Now I have three issues...
    • Tarp coverage. I'm going to need a 12' ridge tarp. Oh, Adam...
    • Bugs. I think a Fronkey bug net is in my future.
    • Underquilt suspension. The hammock is a foot longer than most and I'm afraid I'm stretching the suspension a bit too much. I'll either re-string or just add an extension when hanging them on the Light Owl.
    I knew the Light Owl was good when Old Gringo got out of it after a test hang and said "That is one fine hammock." Thanks Marty. The hammock rocks.
    "One of the best things you can do in this world is take a nap in the woods." ~ Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

    "While it may be a lot of work, the view is best from the summit." ~ an anonymous staff member of Philmont Scout Ranch

    Enjoy the day
    Shane

  5. #5
    Senior Member opie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ^shane^ View Post
    Underquilt suspension. The hammock is a foot longer than most and I'm afraid I'm stretching the suspension a bit too much. I'll either re-string or just add an extension when hanging them on the Light Owl.
    You wont need any extension. The standard suspension on both the incubator and WL UQ work and function just fine on the NO and LO.

  6. #6
    Senior Member flatline's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ^shane^ View Post
    I added a removable structural ridgeline to the Light Owl to be able to dial in a consistant sag. I climb in and fall right into the right spot every time. Now I have three issues...
    • Tarp coverage. I'm going to need a 12' ridge tarp. Oh, Adam...
    • Bugs. I think a Fronkey bug net is in my future.
    • Underquilt suspension. The hammock is a foot longer than most and I'm afraid I'm stretching the suspension a bit too much. I'll either re-string or just add an extension when hanging them on the Light Owl.
    I knew the Light Owl was good when Old Gringo got out of it after a test hang and said "That is one fine hammock." Thanks Marty. The hammock rocks.
    I'm a NO/LO guy and my SRL measures 110".
    either (NO or LO) fits well under my WB Superfly and under my OMW (132").
    i also have a WL net that works very well.
    (as a side note: i'm a WL junkie)

  7. #7
    Senior Member Cookie's Avatar
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    Thanks for the review. I'm 6'3" so this big ol' hammock has really caught my eye...I'm still not sure how the draw cords can create the foot box? Can't seem to picture it...does the draw cords pull up the fabric under your legs?
    "Sometimes only nature felt real, while all human monuments and actions seemed to be the settings and the plots of dreams"

    "So many people live in the past or the future and betray the present."

  8. #8
    I just got the LO and it's just too big for me.
    But it is very comfortable..
    Last edited by spaceweaseal; 11-15-2011 at 00:13.

  9. #9
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    Owl in flight

    My lite owl still flying towards Oz, has been at it for about two weeks now poor thing must be buggered by now!!!

    Hope I fit well in the owl I'm normal sized this is one a big hammock

    Don't know about the whole Hogwarts owl post thing seems to take them awhile to fly half way around the world

  10. #10
    Senior Member flatline's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by I-NT View Post
    My lite owl still flying towards Oz, has been at it for about two weeks now poor thing must be buggered by now!!!

    Hope I fit well in the owl I'm normal sized this is one a big hammock

    Don't know about the whole Hogwarts owl post thing seems to take them awhile to fly half way around the world
    you're gonna really like it I-NT. the L/O is a dream (for me).

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