Feedback for Underblankets. Please.

[Gwhtbushcraft]

Fabulous bit of kit. It really does keep you snuggy and the manufacture is perfect. I think the bcuk logo on the side is a really nice touch. My only complaint is the pack size; I feel that the stuff sack could be slightly smaller as I managed with a little effort to get it into the stuff sack of a softie kestrel which is a fraction of the size. But all in all I feel it is a very well thought out bit of kit and thank you for organizing the group buys.
George
:You_Rock_

 

[Karl5]

Well, the underblanket took a while to get to me since the Swiss customs people just had to get their grubby fingers on my it. And then charge me for the pleasure, of course...

Anyway, it's here now and it looks very well made indeed. The fluffyness of it makes me want to run out into the woods and try it out immediately.
However, I now have to wait for the Magikelly Hammock from the ongoing group buy (since I have no hammock now ), and also wait for the quilt to arrive, then figure out the best way to put it all togehter, and then I'll be set for a proper autumn/winter trial.

I guess I won't be needing a mozzie net at the moment , but I wouldn't want to be without one when spring/summer comes, so I'm still hoping there'll be a group buy coming up for that too.

/ Karl

 

[oetzi]

First night with the new underblanket. 8°C and I was mostly warm.
But I must learn how tight to fit it, because I hald a cold zone, 7x50", along the center of the hammock almost the whole night.
One minus was the quality of the elasticated cords, thick, heavy and not very elstic. I will replace them with cord used to hold tent poles together.
Dito the toggles for fine adjusting, the springs on mine were too weak to hold a cord under load.
Coorection: the toggles work properly with any other kind of shockcord. It seems that not only the core but also the surface of the OEM stuff is to blame
Otherwise: great design, excellent value for money.
THANK YOU, IAN!!!!!!!

The poncho liner over an additional ridge line was used as a roof to add warmth.
I am already planning how to make a sealable headhole in the yet-to-be-deliverd quilt. So I can leave the liner at home and use the quilt as insulative garment.

 

[wanderinstar]

Oetzi,
Where are the photos taken. I seem to remember you took some others of the same place.
I am surprised on your comment re the shock cords. Thick, heavy and not very elastic As I said on an earlier post I had to repack ALL this last lot of blankets. Didn't see one with any thicker cord than the rest. What actual thickness is your cord?
The cord is the same, I would think, as that used by Snugpak on all there sleeping bags.

 

[oetzi]

Hello Ian.
The place is a Hut in the Odenwald, built around 1911, by the "Wandervoegel" a very early outdoor group from before the war.

As per my comments of the shockcords, I can now differentiate them.
The outer surface of theOEM cords doesnt let the center toggle get hold properly. Its possible, with very little force, to pull them through. Subsequently, they loosened a bit during the night.
I replaced them with (stronger=harder to pull) shockcords as used in tent poles and re-arranged the lashing to my needs:

The orange ones are short and connect the two loops at the short ends with a carabiner in between. My main hold for the underblanket.
The original sewn-in black ones in the middle are only to regulate the pressure of the UB against the Hammock when I lay in, they have nearly no tension on them.
Along the long sides I put separate cords between the edge´s straps to regulate, if needed,
the tension along the sides.
These cords I use are 3-4mm thick and show a higher elasticity then the ones provided by Snugpak. Nothing really important, but I have access to all kinds of stuff at the shop and liked to tinker a bit with various items. And by direct comparison the Snugpak ones dont show as much elasticity as mine.
I never regretted the purchase in any way!
Still, I cant wait to get my quilt and then use both in the woods

 

[oetzi]

As f0or carrying the underblanket and later the quilt, I got myself two of these:
http://intranet.tatonka.com/infosys/infocgi/artinfoe.dll?3304&0
One is large enough to fit the underblanket with ease. With a bit of force a lightweight hammock, too.
I dont own big packs and not always go out for a night. So, the quilt and underblanket can be stuufed into these sidepockets and been added to my 35l pack in a whim

 

[twisted firestarter]

Ian
Having used my underblanket quite a few times now I would like to make a constructive comment. A couple of times when I have been adjusting the sides the elasticated cords have pulled through into the sleeve and I have had to fiddle around feeding them back through. Not a big problem when it's still quite mild but I wouldn't want to be doing that when my fingers are freezing cold. It might help if the sleeve narrowed at the end and the cord had a knot to stop this happening. Hope that makes sense.

The underblanket is my favourite bit of kit at the moment Ian- top job

 

[Neanderthal]

Just been up the Lake District with SOTP, couldn't get onto the camp site first night, so slung my hammock on a very large hill on a 45 degree slope at midnight, couldnt figure how to attatch the underblanket whilst holding a crappy torch and trying not to fall down the slope, so didn't bother, and froze all night. Next night, got onto campsite, set up properly, underblanket nicely attatched, went to sleep, woke up a couple of hours later, and had to undo sleeping bag as I was too hot! these underblankets are the mutts nuts!, cant wait to try it out when its well below zero - Thanks once again, Ian!
Charlie

Charlie,

Which campsite were you at that allows Hammocks?

Cheers
Stu

 

[mjk123]

Since it's a tad chilly here at the mo' I've gone a bit overkill with the underblanket under and a thick sleeping bag on top.

Warm as toast.

Pleasing to me is the small pack size. My sleeping bag is warm , but packs down to a volume about 6 times bigger than the underblanket. I can't find any other option that gives some much insulation for such a small carry size and weight.

Come the summer and small blanket or even a coat plus underblanket will suffice.

 

[wanderinstar]

Rich,
When you say, "the elasticated cords have pulled through into the sleeve " do you mean from the middle or from the ends?

 

[twisted firestarter]

From the ends, it seems to happen when I've adjusted the middle sections whilst in the hammock. Hope that helps.

Another thing I was thinking about earlier Ian- how's about a basic pocket at each end to keep the cords neat when it's not in use?

 

[wanderinstar]

Hi Rich,
I was out at the w/end with Ben and got a few photos which may be helpful. Some of these ideas I have seen before, Wayland and Magikelly to name 2.
So here goes. If you tie the middle cords back on themselves and then insert a carabiner in the 2 loops. This can then be clipped to the end of hammock.

Next thread the outer cords through the loops at the corners and attatch carabiners to the end of the cords. For the purpose of clarity I have fixed a seperate ridgeline on it's own, but you could use tarp ridgeline or mozzie net line. I have fixed 2 prussic loops to ridgeline about 9" in from end of hammock. The end cord carabiners are now passed through the loops and fastened to the opposite loops on blanket,

[/IMG]

Prussic loop attatched to ridgeline.

[/IMG]

You should then have a nice seal round each end of blanket and a very snug bunny inside.

[/IMG]

 

[bikething]

You should then have a nice seal round each end of blanket and a very snug bunny inside.

[/IMG]

If i find one of them bunnies in my hammock i'm calling the ranger! :AR15firin

 

[twisted firestarter]

Hi Ian

Thanks for explaining the way you set-up the underblanket. I do use a ridgeline but with climbing tape instead of rope. I will try out a few configurations to see if I can get a prussic to hold on the tape.

Many Thanks again, I'll post photos if I come up with alternative methods

 

[wanderinstar]

 

[fishaben]

If i find one of them bunnies in my hammock i'm calling the ranger! :AR15firin

I don't even think the ranger could do anything, that looks like one hard bunny, with matrix, bullet dodging moves may I add . Plus, I have many underground contacts .
Ben

 

[Wayland]

It's a bunny that's grown a lot in the last few years I might add...

 

[bikething]

...... Plus, I have many underground contacts .
Ben

UNDERGROUND contacts won't help you when you're swinging in the air !

 

[fishaben]

ha ha, im not stopping anytime soon wayland, wait till the next meet, I may be bigger than you . :11doh: erm, there spider bunnies .
Ben

 

[bikething]

ha ha, im not stopping anytime soon wayland, wait till the next meet, I may be bigger than you .

methinks you eat too much bannock sir!