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Jacks 'R' Better Jeff's Gear Hammock and Pack Cover
Field Report
December 6, 2005
Tester Bio
Name: Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age: 30 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
Weight: 155 lbs (73 kg)
Email address: tjsmith1946@gmail.com
City, State, Country: Pensacola, Florida USA
Backpacking Background
I have been camping for a little over 5 years now, mostly car camping. I have
recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new gear to my “collection”
in an effort to get my gear list tailored more towards backpacking. Most of
my backpacking trips are short duration, not more than one or two nights. I
am planning some longer trips in the near future.
My current pack weight is around 15-20 lb (7-9 kg) without food and water, depending
on if I'm solo camping or taking my son along, as I have to carry some of his
gear. I am a dedicated hammock camper and have tailored my personal gear to
that aspect of camping.
Product Information
Year of Manufacture – 2005
Manufacturer URL – www.jacksrbetter.com
Tested Size - Large (sized to fit 3000-6000 ci [49-98 L] packs)
Tested Color - Blaze (also available in Gray)
Stated Weight – 3 oz (85 g)
Stated Size – 40 x 53 in (102 x 135 cm)
Weight as Delivered – 3.75 oz (102 g) with included carabineer
Size as Delivered – 37.5 x 54 in (95 x 137 cm)
MSRP – $24.95 US
Initial Information/Observations
For more information, please see my Initial
Report. Throughout this report, the Jack's Gear Hammock Pack Cover will
be referred to as JGH/PC.
Testing
Date: October 1-2, 2005
Location: Jackson Red Ground Trail and Wiregrass Trail, Blackwater State Forest,
Florida
Trail Mileage: 10.8 mi (17 km)
Weather: Temperature ranged from a high of 89 F (31 C) to a low of 70 F (21
C), humidity ranged from 55% to 95%. Skies ranged from full sun to overcast.
Winds ranged from calm to 10 mph (16 km/h).
During this trip, the JGH/PC was used in a variety of applications. On the hike
in, it was used as a pack cover. The cover fit very well over my Granite Gear
Vapor Trail and was easy to put into place and secure. I used the included carabiner
to secure one of the loops on the JGH/PC to one of the shoulder straps of my
pack to prevent any wind gusts or snags from pulling the cover off completely.
I did find that in this application, it was easier for me to put the Cover into
place with the elastic band already tightened somewhat than with it fully let
out. I did not receive any rain and therefore at this time cannot report on
how well it handled the rain. It did work to keep debris off my pack during
several breaks by leaving the JGH/PC mostly in place and just pulling it back
in the areas of my pack I needed to access.
Upon establishing camp, I again left the JGH/PC mostly on my pack while I set
up camp. This prevented my pack and gear from getting dirty sitting directly
on the ground. Once I had my Hennessy Hammock set up, I removed the JGH/PC from
my pack and gear and placed it onto my Hennessy as a Gear Hammock. I used the
carabiner to secure the JGH/PC to the ridge line of the Hammock, and looped
the side tie out of the hammock through one of the opposite loops on the JGH/PC.
I then placed my toiletry kit, kitchen kit, food and empty backpack into the
JGH/PC. This placed a total load of approximately 11 lb (5 kg) in the JGH/PC.
I did snug the elastic cord a bit tighter, as this made me feel a bit more secure
about the load contained within not spilling out. The JGH/PC began sliding down
the side tie out quite soon after the load was placed inside. I was able to
fix this with a second small carabiner which I clipped from the loop the tie
out ran through to the plastic ring on the side tie out of my Hennessy. This
worked quite well to keep the JGH/PC from sliding down the tie out any further.
Upon retiring to my hammock for the night, I noticed that the foot end (the
end the JGH/PC was attached to) seemed to be pulling more towards the centerline
of the hammock than usual. I attributed this to the JGH/PC pulling on the side
tie out, but was too tired to try adjusting any further that night. Upon waking
the next morning, I unloaded the JGH/PC and as soon as the weight was released
the Hennessy returned to its properly tied-out position. I intend to experiment
a bit and see if I can find a solution to this situation. The remainder of the
trip the JGH/PC was used again as a pack cover, and functioned as previously
noted.
Date: October 14-16, 2005
Location: Munson, Florida
Weather: Temperature ranged from a high of 85 F (29 C) to a low of 59 F (15
C), humidity ranged from 55% to 95%. Skies remained clear and winds remained
calm throughout the weekend.
This trip was a trails conference held at an organized campground. The JGH/PC
only saw use at this event as a gear hammock, again working well to keep my
gear off the ground. I again experienced issues with the JGH/PC pulling the
side tie out of my Hennessy towards the midline of the hammock. The best solution
I found at this time was to utilize the second carabiner I have attached to
the JGH/PC to also secure the second gear hammock loop to the ridge line of
the Hennessy. This setup allows me access to the contents of the JGH/PC, as
well as providing me what appears to be a more securely closed gear storage
location. I intend to experiment with this setup at home, using a garden hose
to simulate rainfall and see how well it works to keep the contents dry.
Date: November 9-11, 2005
Location: Wiregrass Trail and Hurricane Lake Campground, Baker, Florida
Weather: Clear skies; daytime highs of 87 F (30 C), 72 F (22 C) and 58 F (14
C) with overnight lows of 52 F (11 C) and 32 F (0 C). We did not encounter any
precipitation on this trip, and humidity levels stayed below 75%.
This trip was 1 day hiking on the trail, and 2 days and 2 nights in an organized
campground. As this was during hunting season, the blaze orange color of the
JGH/PC was a welcome feature. This provided plenty of visibility to the rear
of me, as well as being visible over my shoulders when viewed from the front.
On this trip, I again used the JGH/PC with both attachments to the ridge line
to prevent it from pulling on the side tie out of the hammock. This worked quite
well, and appears to allow the JGH/PC to seal against most condensation issues.
Date: December 3-4, 2005
Location: Karick Lake Campground, Baker, Florida
Weather: Overcast skies with some precipitation, temperatures ranged from 76
F (24 C) to 55 F (13 C). I experienced about 20 minutes of heavy rainfall, and
about 2 hours of condensation dripping from the trees after that.
This trip was an overnight at an organized campground. The JGH/PC only saw use
as a gear hammock on this trip. I tried attaching to the side tie out again,
and this method actually worked quite well with only about 3 lb (1.4 kg) of
gear in the hammock. I didn't experience the problems with the JGH/PC pulling
on the side of the hammock that I had previously. During the downpour, I had
several items of spare clothing stored in the JGH/PC and it kept them all dry.
There was considerable condensation/splashed water on the outside, but no problems
with moisture inside the JGH/PC.
Overall Impressions
So far, the JGH/PC has performed within expectations except as noted above.
I have found the JGH/PC rather intuitive to use, even with the lack of instructions
provided. I have found the cover to be quite durable, securely holding more
of a load as a gear hammock than I had anticipated. It has also held up well
to the occasional snag from brush along the trail with minimal problems noted.
The JGH/PC has been easy to clean with the small amount of dirt I have gotten
on it so far, but if this easy cleaning continues will remain to be seen in
further testing. Upon receipt, the cover was within a reasonable amount of the
listed specifications. Small variations are expected, and I don't feel the variations
on the JGH/PC I have are outside those limits.
The JGH/PC is very easy to pack away when not in use, fitting into either the side pocket of my Vapor Trail backpack or even into a pants pocket. I have not experienced any issues in carrying the JGH/PC in either of these manners, nor in using it on the pack.
I find the blaze orange to be a benefit for the areas I frequently hike, as during the testing period there is a considerable hunting community in the woods and the color greatly enhances visibility. The only drawback to the color is if I'm attempting to stealth camp, it tends to make the site a good deal more visible when left hung on my hammock.
Pros
1. Variety of uses
2. Light weight and small size when packed
3. Blaze orange color
Cons
1. Lack of clear directions for use
2. Issues with pulling the side tie out on my hammock
Continued Test Plan
The JGH/PC will continue to be tested in a variety of locations throughout
Northwest Florida and Southeast Alabama. During the testing period, expected
weather conditions range from a high near or just above 70 F (39 C) to lows
approaching or creeping to near 20 F (-7 C). I also anticipate varied levels
of precipitation, from bright sunny days with low humidity all the way to torrential
downpours.
I have numerous trips planned during the test period to include a 3 night backpacking
trip, several one night trips, and several day trips that the JGH/PC will be
utilized on.
The following are a list of issues I intend to continue exploring while testing
the JGH/PC:
- How durable is the cover? Does it continue to hold up well under use?
- How well does the JGH/PC continue to function as a pack cover? Should I
encounter rain while hiking, how well does it protect my pack and contents
from the precipitation?
I also intend to report on any other issues that may arise during my testing of
this product, as well as issues with items already reported on.
My thanks to Jacks 'R' Better and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to test
this item.
Read more reviews of Jacks R Better gear
Read more gear reviews by Anthony Smith
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