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Jacks 'R' Better Gear Hammock and Pack Cover
Initial Report
September 30, 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.
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. 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 in^3 [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) (when used as a ground tarp***)
Weight as Delivered – 3.75 oz (102 g) with included carabiner
Size as Delivered – 37.5 x 54 in (95 x 137 cm)
MSRP – $24.95 US
***Due to safety issues with using the Pack Cover Gear Hammock as a ground tarp,
Jacks 'R' Better no longer advises, suggests, or accepts this use of the Pack
Cover Gear Hammock and my further testing will not reflect usage in this capacity.
Field Information
The Jacks 'R' Better will 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 90 F (32 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 (especially
if this hurricane season remains as active as anticipated.)
I have numerous trips planned during the test period to include a 3 night backpacking trip ending with an overnight at a campground to finish off. I also have several one night trips, and several day trips that the Pack Cover Gear Hammock will be utilized on.
Initial Information/Observations
The Pack Cover Gear Hammock arrived in what appears to be the retail packaging,
which is quite deceptively small given the size of the item. I took the Pack
Cover out of the packaging, and it just seemed to keep unfolding and unfolding.
I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the cover when completely laid out.
It will more than adequately cover my current pack (a Granite Gear Vapor Trail)
which I intend to use for the duration of the test. It appears to be large enough
to cover the frame pack I use occasionally, although that pack is not readily
accessible for this report. The blaze orange color is also quite striking, and
will provide me with adequate orange coverage to the back during the upcoming
hunting season. The Cover did not come with any instructions as to the various
uses listed on Jacks 'R' Better's website. I intend to reference the website
during my use of the Pack Cover in an attempt to utilize all the various suggested
uses. There was a small piece of paper folded up inside the cover which was
a warning to not use the product in close proximity to fires or open flames
due to the silnylon used to construct the Cover.
The Pack Cover Gear Hammock is a large rectangle of silnylon, with an elastic
cord running through the entire edge. The cord ends meet at one corner, with
a slide lock to allow adjustment of the cord. At each of the four corners there
is a small loop of webbing, which are used for various purposes that will be
detailed in later reports. Also included is a small carabiner for when the
Pack Cover is used as a Gear Hammock or for storing the Cover hanging from my
pack.
The Pack Cover is relatively easy for me to place into use on my Vapor Trail.
The Cover is simply placed over my pack, wrapped around, and the elastic cord
is tightened down. The back of the pack, the shoulder straps and the hip belt
are left out of the Cover when it is in place. When used as a ground tarp, the
Cover requires 4 stakes to properly lay out. I'm curious to see how well the
Cover functions as a light ground tarp, as Jacks 'R' Better does list that as
a possible use for the larger size.***
The Cover, when used as the Gear Hammock, will be used with my Hennessy Hammock.
I look forward to trying various methods of securing the Gear Hammock to my
Hennessy Hammock and determining how well it works in the various ways. I'm
also quite curious, due to the lightweight construction and attachment methods,
how stable the cover is with the gear left in my pack and laid in the Gear Hammock
while at camp.
Another aspect that has my curiosity piqued is how well the Cover functions as a water carrying device. I'm curious as to if the Cover in fact holds as much water as Jacks 'R' Better says it will, and if the Cover experiences any seepage with water stored in it.
Test Plan
In addition to the few items mentioned above, the following are a list of issues I intend to explore while testing the Pack
Cover Gear Hammock:
- How intuitive is the setup and use of the cover/hammock? Does it come with
detailed instructions for use, or is it self-explanatory for the operation?
Are all the various suggested uses detailed, or is that left up to the creativity
of the user?
- How durable is the cover? Does it hold up well under use, or does it require
a great deal of care? I tend to be a bit rough on my gear, but am learning
as I switch to more lightweight items to use more care to ensure they last.
Does this cover require more care than other lightweight items?
- As a pack cover, how well does the cover/hammock function in this use?
Does it fit my chosen pack (Granite Gear Vapor Trail) well? What about the
other packs I use from time to time (a smaller daypack and a larger frame
pack.) Does the cover seal the pack adequately to prevent a driving rain from
getting my gear wet, or is it more suited for use with individual gear bags
inside to prevent contents from getting soaked?
- How well does the gear hammock function with the Hennessy Expedition A-sym?
How much gear can it adequately hold when used as a gear hammock? Is it able
to hold my pack with remaining items after I have my sleep system set up?
Does the gear hammock keep items stored within dry when there is rainfall,
or does it need to be set up under the fly of my hammock? How easy is it to
access the items within when the gear hammock is set up in the various configurations
demonstrated on the Jacks R Better website?
- How durable is the cover when used as a ground tarp (as my required size
is listed as being able to be used as a tarp.) Does it work well for a tarp
for breaks taken on the trail? Or is it more of an occasional-use, infrequent
tarp? While it is not specifically a ground tarp, how well does it function
in this use?***
- How true is the cover/hammock to its listed specs (weight, fit size, etc.)
How easy is the cover/hammock to stow away when not in use? Does it fit in
the side pocket of my pack, a pants pocket, or does it need to be stowed inside
the pack itself due to size?
- How easy is the cover/hammock to clean if and when it gets dirty? Does
most of the dirt just brush off, or does it require extensive cleaning? If
it does require cleaning, how complicated is the cleaning required? Does it
require special techniques or solutions?
I also intend to report on any other issues that may arise during my testing of
this product.
My thanks to Jacks 'R' Better and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to test
this item.
***Due to safety issues with using the Pack Cover Gear Hammock as a ground
tarp, Jacks 'R' Better no longer advises, suggests, or accepts this use of the
Pack Cover Gear Hammock and my further testing will not reflect usage in this
capacity.
Read more reviews of Jacks R Better gear
Read more gear reviews by Anthony Smith
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