A detailed look at the Warbonnet Ridgerunner, and a Chicken.

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The Big Lebowski

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 11, 2010
2,320
6
Sunny Wales!
The story-

Having spent a year or so using a Warbonnet Blackbird style hammock, which I really like, it got me thinking about having a dedicated hammock for winter, another for summer.
Toying with the idea one day of hitting foreign shores where they really do get below -10, I mulled over a solution (for me) on down bag compression in asymmetrical
style hammocks. Enter the Warbonnet Ridgerunner.

Its a bridge style hammock, meaning it uses support poles top/bottom to give the user a flat, wide lay. I've been reading up on this style of hammock for a few months
and all the reviews for the WB have been positive. Not as 'tippy' as others and no shoulder pinch issues that I could find, a design problem in bridge style hammocks due to the U shape of the fabric.

I have no experience of other bridge hammocks and this is not so much a review as a simple detailed look with an honest opinion. My summary so far comes from two hours kip.

The hammock-
I opted for the double layer, simply because sometimes I like to use a mat in the gap (as per other hammock) and I generally feel its worth the
extra weight. The RR material, poles and general lay out have been well thought of and are of the highest standard including stitching.
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One feature I really liked was the fact that the bug netting can be unzipped around the head and sides and stows in a neat little pouch in the foot area.
Useful in winter when you are fighting with bag liners, bivis ect and there is no real need for netting due to lack of insects.
I would have personally preferred loops and toggles rather than flat tape, as tying bows with cold hands can be interesting. I can live with it though.

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One concern being the actual maximum user height of the hammock (so this will count for very few) was possible compression issues of down in the footbox/head area.
When you set it up it looks a fair size smaller than an end gathered hammock and I thought 'Jeez, this is going to be close'. It appears that even this has been taken in to account
and purpose build pockets/bellows have been fitted top and tail to accommodate. I thought this was a superb feature being how many people will actually use, or even notice this!

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Another clever feature on the hammock is something Warbonnet call 'saddlebags'. They are fitted on both sides at the head end and are basically two pockes to keep all your junk in~ headtorch, phone ect.
They can be accessed from the inside with the netting zipped up. I managed a phone, set of keys, Silva alpha headlamp (not small) and a sheathed bark rived bravo 1 with loads of room to put more stuff.
It would have been nice to see these double layer possibly (with the negligible weight penalty) but they look sturdy enough if you bear sharp objects in mind.

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It seems that this has been a very well thought out hammock. The bridge/pole system has been smoothed on all edges to reduce/remove damage to your tarp if contacted
and not all tarps due to the wider nature of the bridge will be suitable if you prefer a standard A frame. If you like to have porch open style, no bother.
I opted for the WB Superfly which worked well in a standard A frame, even without the pullouts being used although it was a still night. There's a couple of videos
on the tube of U showing the RR/Superfly to give you an idea.

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Pulleys on the bug net cables-
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I opted for the flat tape and buckles system as I've used this before briefly and liked it.
The straps shown are non standard from Dutchware, although the WB straps are no different really, just plain black.

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Overall impression!? Well, its been with me for less than 48 hours and I was planning to be still in it now, but a phone call dictated otherwise.
Build quality is superb and lots of time has been put into the little things to make a great complete package. Its possibly marginally heavier than some hammocks due to the poles,
but I bought it as a purely winter system for extremes, which it does a superb job of by the looks. I had no bag compression anywhere other than the underside I was lying on.
Using an Alpkit skyhigh 800 I was stupidly warm. Too warm in fact.

As a side note,
you can ditch the poles and use locking walking poles, the type that have camera attachments. I'm not personally a gram counter though.

It is a little 'tippier' than a standard end gathered hammock, but pitching the support straps slightly steeper than I normally would seems to reduce this.

Overall, I really like it. the only way I can describe the lay is like lying in the middle of a trampoline, I had no problems nodding off shortly after climbing in.
Mental note, switch the phone off next time I go out for some 'me' time :p

A big thanks go's to Mat at UKhammocks for swift delivery. One pole was the wrong size on arrival and these things happen.
Quick ring and it was resolved in less than 24 hours with calls to confirm postage ect. now that's customer service! :)

The chicken you ask? spatchcock poussin fire roasted and served with Ainsleys spicy cous cous. Humble but darn tastey!

Live well, al.

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theoctagon

Nomad
Sep 3, 2010
458
0
Yorkshire
Good stuff! I enjoyed reading this, thanks for posting

Have you any photo's of it under the tarp to give an idea of how much room there is etc?


Matt
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
374
60
Gloucestershire
Many thanks - and curses - for that. Although I love my current hammock set-up, it looks as though this could well solve a couple of issues I have with it. Good to hear about the double layer of fabric - it means I can ditch the underblanket and use a Thermarest-type thing instead: still comfy but less weight! And to think I wasn't going to get anything new... for a few months anyway...
 

The Big Lebowski

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 11, 2010
2,320
6
Sunny Wales!
I did put the tarp up, but not until dark. With the superfly pitched about two feet off the ground, there was buckets of room.

I've just moved up from an OEM mac cat which just about covered the gathered end hammock, so it was like moving in to a palace!

Tiley, I tried it with both a torso sized Thermarest clone yesterday, and a full size Alpkit Numo tube mat, both worked really well.
I would have probably gone with the clone overall for autumn/spring, it was 10 deg's yesterday and it worked fine.
 

The Big Lebowski

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 11, 2010
2,320
6
Sunny Wales!
Difficult to judge really with the limited time I had in it. It was very comfy and more of a flat lay. Its cut so your thighs slightly rise, back and calves flat.

I really need to get out for a few days in a row to be the judge of that buddy. Hopefully soon, so I'll post my findings on here.
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,803
2,892
62
~Hemel Hempstead~
More I look at that the more I do like it...

Almost enough to be tempted but £135 is a tad too much to fork out to find out if I'd like it enough to give up ground dwelling :rolleyes:
 

copper_head

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 22, 2006
4,261
1
Hull
Cheers I enjoyed the write up. Im pretty new to hammocking so I'll stick with my DD for now, but maybe an option for the future. I like the idea of a flatter bed.
 

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