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Reviews > Shelters > Hammocks > BIAS Hammock Gear Weight Weenie Micro > Owner Review by Derek HansenPhoto courtesy Butt in a Sling Hammock Gear. Butt in a Sling Hammock Gear — Weight Weenie Micro HammockOwner Review by Derek HansenTESTER INFORMATION
BACKPACKING BACKGROUNDI am a lightweight backpacker with a typical overnight pack weight of 15 lb (7 kg) and a multi-day weight of 20 lb (9 kg), which includes food and water. Because I pack less than 20 lb (9 kg), I prefer lightweight trail-running shoes. I prefer backpacking with a hammock as part of my sleep system. PRODUCT INFORMATION
OWNER REVIEW28 MAR 2013 PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONButt in a Sling (BIAS) Hammock Gear is a relatively new hammock vendor that specializes in long hammocks. They claim that longer hammocks are more comfortable by eliminating the all-too-common calf ridge, and allowing for a better, flatter, diagonal lie. Their hammocks are also narrower than most traditional gathered-end hammocks at only 52 in (132 cm) but as wide as 64 in (163 cm). The BIAS Weight Weenie Micro is the lightest hammock in their collection at only 6 oz (170 g), although the weight increases if I choose to add some of the modifications they offer. For its size, it is one of the lightest commercial hammocks on the market. In general description, the BIAS Micro is a very basic, gathered-end hammock, made out of a single piece of 1.1 oz ripstop nylon fabric at the listed dimensions. The edges are roll hemmed and the short ends are sewn with a channel that can accommodate some type of suspension. This product is targeted at backpackers, adventure racers, and ultralight enthusiasts who are interested in shedding ounces and grams off their pack. FIELD USE CONDITIONSI've been using the BIAS Micro Hammock for more than a year now on a variety of trips. This includes dozens of backpacking trips through all four seasons. Here are some highlighted trips: May 15-19, 2012: Damascus, Virginia. I participated in the Appalachian Trail Days and backpacked and camped along the Appalachian Trail every night (I only hiked about 2 miles (3 km) each day to return to town). I enjoyed the refreshing humidity and rain showers. Elevation was 2,400 ft (732 m). Aug 24-25, 2012: Sycamore Canyon, near Williams, Arizona. The elevation was 6,500 ft (2,000 m). During the night, the temperature dropped into the mid-50s °F (10 °C). Sep 14-15, 2012: Kachina Peaks Wilderness, Flagstaff, Arizona. I joined a Venture Crew on a 20-mile (32 km) backpacking trip along the Inner Basin Trail and the Weatherford Trail. The overnight low was in the upper 30s °F (3 °C) and around 70 °F (21 °C) in the day. Elevation ranged from 8,600 to 11,300 ft (2,530 to 3,400 m). Oct 26-27, 2012: Kachina Trail, Arizona. I went on a 13 mi (21 km) backpacking trip with my troop on the San Francisco Peaks. The high temperature was around 50°F (10°C) and the overnight low was around 30°F (-1°C). Elevation was 9,200 ft (2,800 m). FIELD USE RESULTSThe Micro has been a joy to use. I love simple hammocks for lots of reasons: lighter weight, more modular, easier to set up, and easy to get in and out. The Micro lives up to all of these expectations, which is why I've enjoyed taking it on so many trips over the past year. It packs down small too, taking up less space in my pack. The fabric is light, so I'm very cautious about what trips I bring this on so I don't encounter material failures. I made sure to sleep without any sharp objects in my pockets or with clothing that has sharp or protruding elements (e.g., snaps, zippers, etc.). I never had any rips, snags, or tears, but I did have a few loose threads on the end channels that worried me slightly. On my hike up Mount Humphreys, we had to make camp just below 11,400 ft (3,474 m), per regulation. At this altitude and location there was simply no level or semi-level area to pitch camp except for the trail. This was a great place to pitch a hammock, yet the terrain was still a challenge. The only trees available were Bristlecone Pine and we had a limited number from which to choose from. The Micro, being a long hammock, requires a little more space than some hammocks. For this hang, I didn't use a ridge line (I typically don't use ridge lines if I can help it), so I had to be more precise about how I hung the Micro. My suspension system had to be wrapped multiple times in order to create an anchor point at the right spot. Ordinarily finding appropriately spaced trees isn't a problem, but this particular hang required some tweaking, but it worked. I can say that the BIAS' claim of comfort with the longer hammock is true, at least for me. As I would lie in this hammock I often mused about finding a formula or ratio of length to width for the "perfect" hammock. In my heart-of-hearts I think there is some kind of "golden ratio" for hammock length to width, but unfortunately I fell asleep too quickly to give the idea much more thought. I don't know if there is a perfect ratio, but BIAS seems to have found something that works with the micro. That said, the Micro works best with a ridgeline of 9 ft (2.7 m) or more. If the hammock is "choked" up too much with a really deep sag, the diagonal lay becomes too extreme and there isn't enough width to accommodate the lay. The asymmetric lay is somewhat narrower with the Micro than some other hammocks, if they are pitched correctly. On the AT, I used the Micro with my GoLite Poncho Tarp. This is arguably the shortest tarp I used to cover the Micro, but it worked fine. BIAS ships the Micro with a 108 in (274 cm) ridge line by default. With a ridge line, it is possible to use smaller tarps for maximum coverage. The GoLite Poncho Tarp has an asym ridge line of 124 in (315 cm), which provides 8 in (20 cm) of coverage on either end of the hammock. I got my Micro with the Knotty Mod installed. The Knotty Mod is a bit of elastic shock cord sewn into a channel on the edges of the hammock, asymmetric from each other (on the head and foot sides). The shock cord scrunches up the material slightly around the head and foot areas creating micro pockets that helps keep sleeping bags, feet, and heads from flopping off the hammock. The shock cord is adjustable thanks to some mini cord locks. I found that the Knotty Mod really helps in eliminating the fabric from flopping around. I liked the gathered effect it made on the foot end, where I could really sense a sort of "pocket" for my feet to snap into. With the single-layer hammock, I could flip the hammock over so the Knotty Mod would flip its orientation, allowing me to lay with my head on the right or left and still have the pocket on the correct side. SUMMARYThe BIAS Weight Weenie Micro hammock has all the comfort of a large hammock but without the weight.PRO—Lightweight, comfortable, and packs down small. CON—None. Read more reviews of Butt in a Sling Hammock Gear gear Read more gear reviews by Derek Hansen Reviews > Shelters > Hammocks > BIAS Hammock Gear Weight Weenie Micro > Owner Review by Derek Hansen |