Yeti report

[10-K]

This weekend I had a chance to pair my new Yeti UQ with my War Bonnet hammock.

I took the hammock, Yeti and also cut a 36" piece of blue foam pad (from Wal-Mart) and took it too. It was a clear night, temps in the lower-mid 50's and relatively calm. Given these conditions i didn't bother pitching the tarp. I used my Mont Bell SS#7 (55*) down bag as a top quilt.

I had the hammmock up and underquilt attached in less than 5 minutes. I positioned the Yeti so that the upper end stopped at my neck and inserted the piece of foam pad from about my knees down.

When I climbed in the hammock the first thing I felt was the warmth from the Yeti. It was like having a little heater under my torso. Very nice! I also didn't have any cool spots under my legs which was nice.

I definitely give the Yeti 4 stars. I woke up a few times during the night and was not cold at all. I only had on a t-shirt and pair of shorts and I was very happy not to feel like I needed to wear long johns to keep the chill off.

Still trying to decide whether to tent or hammock on my upcoming long hike. I'm even toying with the idea of taking just the Blackbird (no tarp or UQ) and using it on warm summer nights and also taking my Lunar Solo tent when being in a tent would be better.

[kanga]

i am so disappointed. the title is misleading.

[Hooch]

Thanks for the report. Are you using a 3 season or 4 season Yeti?

[10-K]

Thanks for the report. Are you using a 3 season or 4 season Yeti?

3 season yeti

[1azarus]

when would being in a tent be better...

[SGT Rock]

when would being in a tent be better...

I haven't found a time it would be in about 10 years now.

[10-K]

I haven't found a time it would be in about 10 years now.

Sleeping, I'd rather be in a hammock no doubt about it.

However, between hiking 800 miles carrying hammock, tarp, underquilt, and accessories *or* a 2 lb Lunar Solo I'd rather carry the tent.

There's almost a 4# difference between the Lunar Solo and the hammock setup. Granted, I'm not particularly fond of the Solo either TTYTT (I like the Duo 100x better).

[SGT Rock]

8.7 oz tarp
7 oz hammock
2.4 ounce bugnet
2.2 ounce suspension

6.5 ounce pad
21.8 ounce bottom quilt
26.2 ounce top quilt

Light enough for me.

[Tinker]

I save money and weight by not using a foam pad (though I could, since I carry one as the frame for my pack and use it as a sit pad/hammock doormat) or an underquilt. I carry a bugnet only when I need it (hopefully - I took it the day before yesterday to the Jug End and it ended up snowing).
My sleeping bag is the underquilt, and it weighs 1-1/2 lbs. and keeps me warm down to freezing (lower with my hammock "tent").
My hammock cost me $17.95 (cheap Byer) and weighs 10.5 oz. My straps are an additional 7.5 oz. for the pair. My lightest tarp OES MacCat standard in spinnaker cloth weighs 10.5 oz. with cords. Stake weight is a couple of oz. using 4 Groundhogs, and my bug net weighs a pound. Warbonnet makes a lighter one if you want full coverage. It doesn't have to cost a bundle and shouldn't weigh a ton.

[SGT Rock]

I use a similar approach...

Summer:
Hammock (ropes, straps, toggles, and body) 9.00 ounces ounces total.
Ridgeline - 0.18 ounce
Bugnet sock - 2.44 ounces
Pad - 6.25 ounces
Top Quilt - 21.02 ounces (Jacks 'R Better No Sniveler)
Tarp - 8.69 ounces (Warbonnet SpinnUL Edge Tarp)
Stakes - 0.57 ounces (4 each homemade arrow stakes)
Total for summer: 48.14 ounces for the whole system...

Spring/Fall:
Remove Ridgeline - -0.18 ounces
Remove Bugnet - -2.44 ounces
Modified JRB Suspension lines - 0.78 ounces
Nunatak Backcountry Blanket - 26.18 ounces (hang the JRB under the hammock and move the Nunatak to top quilt duty)
Spring/Fall: +24.35 ounces
Total package: 72.49 ounces

Winter:
Add back Ridgeline - 0.18 ounces
Winter sock - 6.04 ounces
Piss bottle - 1.48 ounces
Winter: +7.70
Total package: 80.19 ounces.

The quilts and the tarp are made by someone else. Everything else is my own.

[10-K]

I think you guys have a little more hammock experience than me. :)

[MedicineMan]

soon to be available a gathered end hammock in cuben, weight without suspension 3.5 ounces! with amsteel suspension 5 ounce !!

[Jofish]

I'm even toying with the idea of taking just the Blackbird (no tarp or UQ) and using it on warm summer nights

I wouldn't suggest it. Even on a "warm summer night" you'll be cold without something underneath you.

[MedicineMan]

instead of taking nothing consider the new revolutionary UQ material insultex...UQ's being made of this material are being made by MacIntyre....find him at hammockforums...combined with an undercover and reports are showing good at 38F...this UQ i think weighs in around 4 ounces.....but do your homework on this stuff. I've got one en route and will use it in the Smokies this coming weekend to get a rough idea of its capabilities....in the mean time you've got one of the best UQ's ever made-the Yeti! at 12 ounces it kept me warm repeatedly at 32F across NJ and NY

[Just Jeff]

I think you guys have a little more hammock experience than me. :)

Maybe...but you could learn from our experience... :D

Isn't that what this whole forum is about?

Well, that and arguing about the right way to hike... :D

[SGT Rock]

You right. There is no right way to hike...

Even when my stuff weighed more I still chose hammocks over tents. I've gone to ground a few times trying to save weight and end up hating it. I'd pay a weight penalty to stay in my hammocks.

I don't think I have heard of that 4 ounce underquilt. I gotta admit I am a little skeptical. I can't wait to hear how it works MedicineMan.

I'm just glad 10-K is liking his new WB hammock and quilt. If he goes to tent sometimes I totally get it - been there and done that.

[10-K]

Maybe...but you could learn from our experience... :D

Isn't that what this whole forum is about?

Well, that and arguing about the right way to hike... :D

Boy, I don't know the right way to hike - that's for sure. Everything is changing all the time. I learn from experience, and as you say, from folks on this forum.

When I said that you guys have more experience than I do what I was referencing was the lists that Tinker and Sarge posted with their much-lower-than-mine weights.

I've just been hammocking for a little over a month and purchased tarp, hammock and UQ based on recommendations I received from experienced hammockers - but turns out it's heavy compared to the posted lists above. So, what I'm saying is that even when you try to learn from others' experience you still wind up buying and using stuff that isn't quite where you hope to wind up once you know what you're doing.

Unfortunately, experience takes time which I have little of before I leave for NY. I wish I had started hammocking a year or so ago.

Oh, and I just want to add that Sarge is right - I really like the tarp, UQ and hammock that I have and would not hestitate for 1 second to take it on a week or so section hike. Heck, maybe I can start out with it and if it doesn't work out I can ask my wife to mail my tent and ship the hammock back.

I can't remember a time I've been so wishy-washy and indecisive about something as this....

[1azarus]

I think you guys have a little more hammock experience than me. :)
perhaps... but just think about the hammock experience opportunity you have coming up!!! you could go to the front of the class!!! mostly just teasing you, by the way... i'm resisting making an offer on that 3 season, since mine is a winter yeti...

[Nean]

i am so disappointed. the title is misleading.

Yeah, no kidding. I JUST finished the book Lamb, which has a Yeti in it and I thought maybe this was an update.:(

[tiptoe]

In summer I don't think you'll need an underquilt if you take a ccf pad. But if you get to the Whites late, you might want to take one.

[Just Jeff]

10-K - I hope it was clear that I was playing in that post. There isn't a right way to hike, especially when it comes to weight. You're the one carrying it and using it, so the only opinion that matters is yours! :jj:

FWIW, my current winter system is about like yours...I've been using the Blackbird with Winter Yeti and a CCF pad for my legs. Tarp is either the JRB 11x10 when I want full coverage or the MacCat Standard...so not much different from what you're testing. I could save a bit of weight by going to a full CCF pad instead of the underquilt, but I don't find them comfortable so I pay the weight penalty. Of course, the UQ packs MUCH smaller and that's a big priority for me as well.

But I might save the Blackbird for summer and take a normal gathered end hammock w/o a bug net to save some weight in winter. I actually just made a DIY from 1.1 oz silnylon but I haven't slept in it yet...that will be a pretty good lightweight winter hammock as long as I don't get any condensation issues. I'm in Colorado now so condensation may not be as much of an issue as on the humid coasts.

Anyway...the point of all that is just that you have to tinker to find whatever suits your style best. What you have is a solid system...the next great thing is always out there, but if you're happy with what works for you then there's no reason to change, is there?

And if you find that you don't like hammocking enough to stick with it, you already have a torso-sized CCF pad and a tarp, so just go to ground until you can pick up your tent from your bounce box or have someone mail it to you. You won't have any problem selling the Blackbird and Yeti for close to what you bought them for.

[wisenber]

I use a similar approach...



Spring/Fall:
Remove Ridgeline - -0.18 ounces




I'll carry my .18 ounces, thank you. I like to have a place to hang my headlamp and dry my socks. :sun

[wisenber]

Boy, I don't know the right way to hike - that's for sure. Everything is changing all the time. I learn from experience, and as you say, from folks on this forum.

.

Duh! It's left, right , skip right left skip. That is the official way to hike, and there are no viable alternatives.