I went camping this weekend and was lucky enough to have my new XCL WBBB.
I will be writing up my experience with it and adding some pics as well in a day or so...
Pete
I went camping this weekend and was lucky enough to have my new XCL WBBB.
I will be writing up my experience with it and adding some pics as well in a day or so...
Pete
I love my XLC and interested to see your feedback; I have the exact same setup as you do except my Phoenix is 40 degree.
I also got my first real chance to try out my new XLC this weekend and even though i had only one night in it i could tell the instant i got in it that this is the one for me.
I was alittle worried that my weight would be an issue and that being a wide guy i would feel cramped.
NOT the case, it was perfect, i dont remember much about the hammock from this one night as i fell asleep really fast and slept all night long.
I do however know that i awoke feeling fresh with absolutly no issues at all, no shoulder squeeze, no heel or foot pain and not one bug bite and the bugs were really bad where we were.
I am very happy with my XLC and you will be too !!
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Maiden Voyage Warbonnet XLC Black Bird...
Looks good Pete.
Look forward to reading your write up.
so pretty... gotta love it.
Very nice!!!!!!!
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Henry David Thoreau
Looks perfect, I'm expecting mine next week.
Where to start?
I live and mainly camp in MA sometimes NH, VT & ME. MA is full of nasty little skeeters, and oh how they love getting a taste of me. I was able to use my WL Night owl 1 week prior to getting my new XLC so I have a comparison of the two.
I first started last year with the ENO DN and bug bag they make. Tough to get in w/ that bug net. Also saw stress pulls (tearing in the threads) after a few uses. So I returned that bad boy and replaced it with a Wilderness Logics Night Owl and their bug bag. Very comfortable hammock easy to set up and the bag was easy to use (in and out). But with the bag I didn't want ti sit in my hammock during the day (due to the bag), and my top quilt would fall out on me (user era I'm sure). The real complaint other than that was the bug net. I'm a big guy (300+ and very broad (apparently in the shoulders) and when I Found my sweet spot my face and shoulder was pressed up tight against the net. I know I could talk with Marty about maybe some fixes but wanted to try out the XLC.
So now that you know some history (how new I am to the world of hammocking and my hammock history, oh did I mention I made a killer DIY table cloth hammock?)
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So I went to Harold Parker and found 2 nice trees, about 15 - 16" apart. The weather was great, so i was able to set up the XLC prior to the SF Tarp. I hooked the tree straps first then tried to find the right angle (30 degree), I found it difficult, I was a little intimidated from new hammock. I was trying to get the foot end about a foot higher than the head and have the ridgeline not be so tight. So there was a lot of fiddling around for me (unlike when I just tossed up the DIY hammock).
So now it's set up, I hook out the pull outs for the net and shelf. I laid in my new hammock,zipped up the fly and tried to get in the right spot. Pretty comfy, the net wasn't pressed against my face either. During the first night I felt the ridgeline was too tight so I decided the head end was a wee bit high (3:30 am) so of course like anyone else would do I lowered the head end a few inches. To my surprise I was too low to get out in the morning and had to sort of roll out to the ground (Oh so graceful was I).
So during the second day I re did the rigging, and had a much better night. Now I know what the experienced hangers will think and say (and yes I agree wholeheartedly with it) "You should always set up and try you gear at home". Sadly I live in the city (ish), no trees or real backyard to use and my hammock stand is too short for the 11'.
So for the pros of the XLC:
It's a Warbonnet, nuff said there.
The bug netting is great, it doesn't press against you (or at least e so far).
Once you get it set up right, very comfortable.
Looks cool, like a space ship lol.
Nice large double end stuff sack.
Price, it's an "all inclusive hammock w/ optional winter cover) so a great price.
So for the cons of the XLC:
Big learning curve (at least for me) to set up.
The bug netting has only one zipper pull (but not that big of a deal).
The cinch buckles continuous loop isn't very long (would like it twice as long to tie of some drip lines farther back from the whipping).
Little harder for me to set up my Phoenix (I'm used to being able to reach it from both sides).
So in closing, the XLC is not a Hammock for the faint of heart. It takes a little effort to learn how to set up (at least for an inexperienced hanger like me). The price tag seem high until you step back and look at what you are really getting. If you live in a buggy area as I do, and camp mostly when they come out to find prey, the integrated bug net is AWESOME. The design and workmanship is top of the line. I think as I set up more and more it will only prove that the set up issues I had first run were nothing more than growing pains for me, and it will get easier and easier each time going forward. So this is truly a great hammock and I'm glad I bought it. Thanks for reading and commenting. And Thanks to Warbonnet Guy (whispering w/ a slight Southern drawl) His name is Brandon...
HammockPete AKA Our Little Hero Caylynn Pappyhoove (inside joke with some of my ground dwelling friends) or just Pete
Last edited by Billiard Pete; 07-11-2014 at 05:35. Reason: Typos
Nice write up Pete.
Sounds like you will be one happy camper once you get your setup down.
Got to say that those WB's are some sweet looking hammocks and I plan on adding a WBBB to my hammock quiver in the very near future.
Its always nice to have options.
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