Hammock Underquilt - Possible Group Buy?

[mick miller]

Following Sandbag's monumental group buy effort many of us expressed interest in a group buy of hammock underquilts. I've started this thread so we can dip our toes in the water so to speak and get a rough idea of numbers that would be interested.

I've emailed Derek at Woodland Edge, who market the Ian Dent-Willoughby designed and Snugpak manufactured under and overquilts and potentially we can save £10 on the purchase price, provided we can get over 30 orders, this was for a single drop delivery so I'm just checking that a multi-drop would be okay provided we all cover our individual postage costs (around £7). If not, then this may be a non-starter as I cannot see anyone taking responsibilty for a group buy and then organising the postage to individuals too!

So - £ 59.95 each plus £ 6.95 P & P = £ 66.90 inc (This would be to UK addresses only). I'm just checking whether we could do a mixed order of under and over quilts as I know many of the members here already have the underquilt (and seem suitably impressed!).

Now, I'm aware that I'm a new member and there are probably better people (like those you already know from the forum) better placed/ more trusted to take over, however I thought it might be worth while to get an idea of numbers and not to bloat the DD Hammocks thread any further.

So to get things started:

Mick Miller x1 Underquilt

 

[mick miller]

Okay, the multi-drop option is on. However, the order would need to be of the same type to qualify, so 30 x Underquilts or 30 x Overquilts.

 

[UKHaiku]

Mick,
Thanks for looking into this..

Couple questions..

How heavy are the 2 items?
If we were to order 1 of each, seems reasonable that we just pay 1 x £7 postage? The site is a bit vague on this however, since it seems to be only set up to let you order 1 item at a time...


Also, for anyone who already owns these - how small do they pack down please?

 

[jimmyh]

Hi Mick, it's pretty brave of you organise looking at the work Sandbag's had to do. I don't know whether i can wait for a group buy to run its course. I'm planning on using it for my next trip which will be as soon as my Hammock from sandbag hits the doormat. I will see how much interst is generated over the next few days before i order anything.

 

[wanderinstar]

Dave, IIRC the underblanket was 1.5kg and the quilt was 1.2kg.
British Red did a tutorial on both, you will find it here.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24542&highlight=Underblanket+Tutorial

Glad to see someone else is running with this. Good luck.

 

[Mirius]

A quilt would be nice, but outside my price range at the moment

Mick Miller x1 Underquilt
Mirius x 1 underblanket

 

[UKHaiku]

Dave, IIRC the underblanket was 1.5kg and the quilt was 1.2kg.
British Red did a tutorial on both, you will find it here.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24542&highlight=Underblanket+Tutorial

Glad to see someone else is running with this. Good luck.

Thanks for the heads-up..

For info the stats are:

Tarp (3m x 3m sil nylon Tatonka 2), hammock, 4 pegs, mozzi net, 2 x 5m tapes and 2 karabiners weigh 2450g (Note this isn't the DD Hammock, which is 2850g including the 3 x 3 tarp)

Underblanket weighs 1250 g

Quilt just over 1000g

 

[mick miller]

Thanks for that info on the weight. I need to be clear on a couple of points, firstly I'm not organising a group buy (yet), but if we can get to 30 items, all of which need to be underblankets/ underquilts (however you wish to refer to them) then it would be viable and we'd all save a tenner on the purchase price.

Secondly, the delivery costs are as per the woodland edge website, so I guess if you want 2 or 3 it's double or treble the postage? Although it might be a bit premature to be discussing postage costs when we're only at two interested parties and two items. Just a thought.

The payment needs to be one single payment, for some noble soul to collate. I'm happy to do that should we reach 30 items, you may all prefer someone else to?

Sadly, I can't afford to buy both over and underquilt together, so the list needs to be limited to those just wanting the underquilt.

If it all fails, I'll probably just pay the extra tenner and buy one. From what I've read they're essential winter kit and I can see how effective they could be in keeping you toasty, a state I find preferable.

So in summary, 2 down - 28 to go!

 

[Mirius]

Why not modify the buy into a woodland edge one? That'll give you the option of quilts, underblankets and the stove which people are interested in over on the other thread. I'd guess you'll much more easily make it to thirty items that way, and if Woodland Edge are posting out directly (which is I think what you are suggesting) then it'll work just as well. Most of the group buys seem to involve the person organising taking a bulk delivery and then reposting out to everyone, but that is a lot of work and only worth it for everyone if it reduces the postage.

 

[andy_e]

Think the problem may be that Woodland Edge have to buy in batches of 30 of each item from Snugpak.

 

[Mirius]

Ah, now that would make sense.

 

[mick miller]

That is indeed the issue, Woodland edge naturally have to request a quantity to be run off by the folks at Snugpak, therefore the 30 items all have to be the same. I'd love it to encompass all the products, alas it's not possible.

I'm starting to think that it might be like my old petrol lawnmower...a non-starter! Worth a punt though.

EDIT - Just had an email from Woodland Edge and they're looking into alternative postage arrangements which may well reduce the postage costs, multiple buys wouldn't incur any additional costs up to 5 kilos (that's 4 quilts by my calcs). So if a few of you live in one area and know each other you could combine all your orders to one address and save further.

 

[andy_e]

If you have a look at some of the underblanket (and top-quilt) group-buys that WanderingStar ran you'll see that it sometimes took a while for them to gain momentum and even then I missed them all and had to buy mine from Woodland Edge.

 

[mick miller]

Thanks Andy, I'm obviously new so not too aware of the length of time things take to get going. I'll keep the faith for a while longer.

They really do look like an excellent and necessary addition, especially at this time of year. Have you tried it out in winter at all?

 

[andy_e]

Used it in December at the Middlewood meet and also in the first week of the year up north:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27306

Worked a treat - I had been using a 3/4 length Thermarest and my sleeping bag in the hammock until I got the underblanket. While that was fine in Summer months and late Spring, Early Autumn, I did frequently notice cold spots, especially if I woke in the middle of the night. I'd usually have to stuff extra clothing between the layers of my DD to compensate. Now, I reckon for all but the warmest nights, I'll use the underblanket all year and vary my top covering to suit.

 

[UKHaiku]

Mick,
Since you're just looking at underblankets, put me down as a provisional yes - but it depends very much on timing, as I'll also want to get a quilt (and possibly one of their stoves as well) - and if I can negotiate a reduction on postage for ordering all 3 items that will probably match the majority of the GB discount..

Mick Miller x1 Underquilt
Mirius x 1 underblanket
UKHaiku 1 x underblanket (provisional)

 

[wanderinstar]

Well I am really surprised this hasn't taken off yet. Because with the £10 discount it is only a couple of quid dearer than when I was doing group buys. This is certainly the time of year you will be needing them.
I would give it a few more weeks and see what happens.

 

[mick miller]

I will do, there's not too much urgency for me to have one of these yet (the purchase price will hopefully be covered by a sale of other kit - a HUGE 2 man bivvy of the best quality!) and that won't be sold for at least 10 days or so.

There were at least 5 folk that said they were interested in the DD hammock thread, only Mirius has expressed a solid interest from that thread, which is strange.

As I said, I'm happy to organise it but we'd need to reach 30 at least for it to happen.

 

[Dark Horse Dave]

Hi Mick

I'd love one of these and this possible group buy is certainly tempting, but having just done the DD group buy and still recovering from Crimbo I'll just have to wait until later in the year! (Maybe one reason for the slow take-up?)

Cheers,

DHD

 

[mick miller]

Thanks for your interest Dave, I suspect your right, it is very soon after christmas and many people have just bought the DD, I'm going to let this one run for a few more weeks and see what happens.