HH cold weather product at Trail Day's?????

[pharper]

Did anybody see if Tom Hennessey had his new cold weather product demoed at Trail days? I have already orderd a PeterPan and Smee uq, but was curious to see what HH had created. If it was, did anybody get pictures of it?

Thanks!
-Patrick

[Smee]

Pharper,

Smee here. I just got back from putting your UQ in the mail (UPS). You should be receiving it sometime this week.

I took a quick look at Tom's inclement weather solution. Essentially, he's created a SilNyl bivy sack that encompasses and is shaped like the hammock. It's got a slit underneath so the bottom entry is still functional, and it's got a trapezoidal window (about 12"x30") on the top side in the center that runs diagonally across the center of the shell. On the inside, between the hammock and the bivy, he's attached a light weight pad made from nylon and a thin lightweight foam with a reflective material on the top side. The pad is shaped so that it only lays under the area your body occupies when in the hammock.

I didn't get any of the specifics on weight. It supposedly folds up into a 4"x4"x6"or 8" bundle.

SGT rock spent two nights in it at Trail Days. Hopefully he'll have a full report.

It's really a pretty decent idea. I have my reservations about how effective the lightweight pad will be. It's not much more than the windshield reflector he was recommending last year - and that didn't work below 60 degrees for me.

I also have some reservations about your body being able to warm the volume of air inside the bivy; especially with the open window on top. Seems to me you have a significant exit hole for warm air and an access hole for cold air.

The combination of the UQ and the Hennessey "bivy" could offer some real benefits. We'll have to see.

Like I said. I'm waiting to hear SGT Rock's report.

Enjoy your quilt.

Regards,

Smee

[pharper]

Smee,

Thank you for letting me know about the quilt! I can't wait!

Also, thank you for the reply on the HH product. I had thought that it was supposed to be something like that. I agree with your reservations about the pad... but I am by no means an expert! I will keep checking in with Sgt. Rock's site (as well as here) to wait and see a full report. Thank you for your report, it was very informative... I just thought that it was strange that it seemed like everybody (HH users, anyway) were waiting for this product to be displayed at Trail Days and then I didn't hear anything about it. :)

Thanks again, I can't wait to get the underquilt!

-Patrick

[Hammock Hanger]

I bought (ordered) one of the quilts. I like the versatility of it: jacket, quilt, heat barrier.

I will wait to get the input from Rock on the HH Storm Barrier... Sue/HH

[SGT Rock]

the system he had is basically a concept. He only had something like 20 made, and he is coming up with some ideas already to build it slightly differently.

Here is the quick low-down on the system as it is currently:

The system weighs about 16 ounces, I didn't get a chance to weigh it, but Tom has always been very up front about weight, so I assume this is true. The entrance is slightly offset to the left from the hammock entrance.

The systm has a ~6 ounce sil-nylon "bivy" that surrounds the entire hammock including net, and leaves a small area at the top - about the right place to be above your head so you can still get ventilation. This serves about 4 purposes:

1. Turns the hammock into a double wall tent.

2. Creates a wind barrier around all sides of the hammock.

3. Creates a small dead air space under the hammock.

4. It has the clips to hold a pad in the dead space under the hammock exactly in line with the sleeper so that the pad doesn't compress. The benifit is that the pad cannot slide around under the sleeper and it also is more comfortable sleeping directly on the hammock bottom than on a pad m most times.

The pad is a ~10 ounce pad that is a 30" wide x 60" long mummy shape (17" at the foot) that comes with the system is a four layer system:

1. The bottom is sil-nylon simply because it is light.

2. Then the next layer is open cell foam, similar to what is used inside a Thermarest. The benifit is you get a similar r-value to a thermarest, but since the pad will not have to hold air under pressure, there is not need for the skin of material that is on theoutside of a thermarest that adds all the weight, nor is there the chance that it can puncture. This pad is very thin - about 1/4"

3. The next layer is mylar. I guess Tom still belives in the reflective qualities of the mylar, but since it is light it also serves as a top layer for the open cell foam pad and traps the warmed air without the needed weight of sturdy material like a thermarest.

4. The top layer is mosquitop net.

Actually there is a pocket that is created by the sil-nylon bottom and the mosquito net that contains the pad which is the foam and mylar pad. The idea is if you need extra insulation, you can put clothing, leaves, etc. inside the netting and it will hang in the proper place. You could also put extra pads inside this area such as a short closed cell foam pad or an additional foam and mylar pad that will hold in the exact same place with a small addition of weight.

I spent two nights sleeping in the system and did not get cold at all. Of course I think the temperature never dropped very low - MAYBE in the high 50's. So it wasn't a great test as to the low end limit of the system.

I like the idea of the system in some ways. It would still work well with an underquilt since you could put the quilt between the "bivy" and the hammock in the dead air space. The pad from the system is HIGHLY compressible and seems modular enough that it has some room to grow with your needs.

My concerns are the flexability. With a pad and underquilt, you could always "Go to Ground" in the worst weather that the hammock cannot hack. Using a closed cell fom pad allows a sleeper to still have a pad's benifits on the ground or shelter floor while Tom's system would basically not work well in this mode. Also in this instance, the underquilt and the sleeper's normal bag could all be on top for a great bag combo while Tom's new system wouldn't give any benifit that I can see in such a set up.

I would like to get one and try it out when the weather gets cold to see how well it works.

[pharper]

Thank you very much for your reply and review, it was very helpul in visualizing the concept!

I was also wondering for Peter Pan and Smee... this "Shell" that you are thinking about incorporating into the nest (in addition to the nest, to be precise!), do you think that it would also be able to be used as a ground cloth if you had to go to the ground? I think I remember you saying that it is a waterproof/breathable microporous material and didn't know if it would be suitable for being a ground cloth, either b/c it would do no good... or b/c it wasn't a sturdy enough material...

Thank you again, SgtRock!
-Patrick

[SGT Rock]

Oh, a quick note, I think the price will be something like $99.

[Hammock Hanger]

Oh, a quick note, I think the price will be something like $99.

That sound pretty much the price Tom was thinking of. He said he didn't want the storm cover to cost more then the hammock!

I like the bivy idea... I did end up buying a quilt from the guys here at WhiteBlaze. And should I start camping when it is really really cold will invest in the storm shield. I liked the quilt because of it's versitility.

Sue/HH

[Mundele]

I was hoping that it would not cover the entire hammock, just the lower half (the non-bug mesh part). My back gets awfully cold even in warmer weather, but it seems that covering the entire hammock would make it too stuffy inside.

Do you think this would be an issue?

--Matt

[MedicineMan]

When can the HH bivy be ordered?

[SGT Rock]

I don't know if gettting muggy inside will be an issue, it was not during the time I tried it, but it was mild weather - not really hot or cold. We did get some good rains though, and it vented well enough.

I don't know when hey will be ready for normal purchase since he only had about 20 made. Tom had some ideas to make the pad a little lighter by heat cutting the pieces together instead of sewing.

[MedicineMan]

now that is having ounces!
I just called and talked to Ann, she said Tom will give me a call tomorow.
We leave Wednesday for another 5 day event....would be nice to test this setup on the Tar Jacket Ridge and the Priest. I told Ann money was not an object and I'm game for overnight shipping but she said the product was in Canada :(
We'll see....if I can get one I'll hump it along with the Nest by PeterPan and try various combo's since we'll have four nights aloft.

[MedicineMan]

now that is having ounces!
I just called and talked to Ann, she said Tom will give me a call tomorow.
We leave Wednesday for another 5 day event....would be nice to test this setup on the Tar Jacket Ridge and the Priest. I told Ann money was not an object and I'm game for overnight shipping but she said the product was in Canada :(
We'll see....if I can get one I'll hump it along with the Nest by PeterPan and try various combo's since we'll have four nights aloft.

[Rocalousas]

I spent two nights sleeping in the system and did not get cold at all. Of course I think the temperature never dropped very low - MAYBE in the high 50's. So it wasn't a great test as to the low end limit of the system.

Just go up to the Roan highlands with it. Guarantee it'll get chillier than the high 50s.

[SGT Rock]

I would love to go up to Roan Highlands again LOL. When I was up there I used the Peter Pan/Smee set up and it was TOO warm LOL. In hindsight I would have opened up the ends for a little ventilation. I am now in Louisiana and it is too hot for testing any cold weather gear.

[SGT Rock]

Someone asked for a pic of the new HH cold weather option. I uploaded one today and here it is:

Hennessy Cold Weather System (http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=577/5newhennesystuff.JPG)

[squirrel bait]

Sweet....you guys come up with the coolest (warm) stuff....kudos