Name:
Arron Robinson
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 9.5" (1.77 m)
Weight: 230 lb (104.3 kg)
Email address: mouserar-at-gmail-dot-com
City, State, Country: Dallas, Georgia, USA
Backpacking
Background:
Camping and hiking since 11, I've been
in a constant search for the perfect balance between usability,
durability and weight. These days my camping is generally a mix of Boy
Scout style crew camping, kayak or canoe camping or light to mid weight
hiking. I generally carry 20-25 lb (9-11.3 kg) and sleep in a hammock
system.
Product
information:
Manufacturer: Speer Hammocks
URL: http://www.speerhammocks.com
Listed weight:
3.6
oz (102 g)
Actual Weight:
3.6
oz (102 g)
Listed Dimensions of main panel:
20
x 46 in (508 x 1170 mm)
Actual Dimensions of main panel:
20.25
x 46.25 in (514 x 1176 mm)
Listed Dimensions of side panels:
5 x 20 in (127 x 508
mm)
Actual Dimensions of side panels:
5 x 20 in (127 x 508
mm)
Listed Weight of Closed Cell Foam Wing Inserts:
3.2 oz (91 g)
Actual Weight of Closed Cell Foam Wing Inserts:
3.3 oz (94 g)
Listed Dimensions of Closed Cell Foam Wing Inserts:
5 x 20 in (127 x 508
mm)
Actual Dimensions of Closed Cell Foam Wing Inserts:
5 x 20 in (127 x 508
mm)
MSRP of SPE: $35.00 US
MSRP of Closed Cell Foam Wing Inserts: $8.00 US
Report Date: 10 January 2006 |
 |
The Speer Hammocks Segmented
Pad Extender (SPE) is essentially a large tube of nylon fabric which is
sized to accept a standard 20 in (51 cm) sleeping pad, along with 4
smaller tubes of cloth that are designed to hold smaller insulation
items, such as clothing, leaves or foam pads. The concept is that you
can configure the SPE with the desired amount of insulation and have a
large amount of a hammock bed covered, while not having to carry
oversized pads or expensive specialized equipment such as underquilts
and the like. Instead the user can use
standard pads along with other gear that they may already be carrying
to configure the amount of coverage they need.
The long term testing phase included one mid-length trip, as well as two weekend trips. The first was
a four night outing in the north Georgia mountains. Weather
during the first trip included temperatures ranging from 70 F
(21 C) to 40 F (4 C) and a slight drizzle in the middle of the night on two nights.
The shorter trips were weekend outings into central Georgia.
Temperatures varied, but went from approximately 70 F (21 C) in the daytime
to 45 F (7 C) at night with no rainfall.
During the Long Term testing phase, I continued to have problems
while using the supplied wing inserts and having them stay in place, so
I decided to abandon them in favor of using clothing, leaves and other
materials. After making this decision, it became easier on a couple of
fronts, as I did not have to pack the wings, and whatever materials I
scrounged stayed put better. I found that clothing worked very well, as
it conformed to the space provided, and as long as it was not
overstuffed into the wing pocket, provided a bit of support without
feeling lumpy. Leaves, while insulating really well, were really noisy
when I moved around, and were uncomfortable when they made their way
into my sleeping bag.
I still had some problems with the wings folding inward while sleeping
instead of keeping their position alongside the main pad. I am not sure
if I can think of a way to remedy this, but will continue to try.
One of my thoughts while planning my initial outings with the SPE was
how and where to pack it. This was not a problem due to size or weight
but one of convenience. The SPE is compact enough to roll up with any
closed cell pad or self inflating pad without a problem, or it could be
stored in a small bag along with the wing inserts. After much
consideration, I decided to simply lay it in the bed of my hammock and
pack the hammock with the SPE in place. My thought was that I
would always know where it was and it would be with the hammock even if
I decided not to use the wings or I changed out main pads. This turned
out to be a good option since I forgot about the SPE entirely during a
later trip, only to find it in the bottom of my hammock when setting up
camp. I rolled up some towels and inserted them into the wing sleeves
and was good to go. In the future I will more than likely continue to
keep the Segmented Pad Extender packed in my hammock.
The outings I went on during this phase of testing gave me a pretty
good idea of the performance of the Segmented Pad Extender. Below are
some questions that I'd outlined in my Initial Report that I feel that
I can answer at this point:
- Convenience: One thing I
like about Hammocking is that it is a lot simpler to set up than a
tent/ground sheet, pad, and sleeping bag setup. How much work is involved
in configuring the SPE? Does it take more time than getting a tent set
up? Do the individual pads stay put, or am I going from 1 pad moving to
5 or 6? I did not
notice a significant problem with the configuration of the SPE. If I
was using a self inflating pad, I would unroll the pad, inserting it
into the SPE before it had inflated and adding wing material. The SPE
itself did stay put during use, but the wing inserts slipped out every
night that they were used. When I used other materials to fill the
wings, this slippage did not occur.
- Comfort: Is the SPE
effective at keeping the pads positioned properly, therefore keeping me
ON THE PADS? I know that pad selection is my own educated choice, so
the
SPE cannot actually be responsible for warmth, but if it keeps my
chosen material in place, we are golden. The main pad as well as the
SPE sleeve did stay put, as opposed to shifting out from under me. This
was not necessarily the case with the wing inserts.
- Adaptability: How many
different lofting materials can I cram into the compartments? I see
blue foam, and clothing. What about inflatable shipping material? Do
leaves and other natural products stay put or fall out of the chambers?
Clothing
and
towels performed very well in the SPE. Leaves insulated well, but
tended to be noisy. Inflatable packing material helped a little, but
still had a cooling effect, as heat was transferred to outside air
easily.
- Durability: I will probably
need to wash the SPE. Will it hold up to laundering? Is the material
fairly durable, able to withstand use with natural fiber, pine needles
and the like? I
have
washed the SPE once after the last trip. I have not noticed any wear in
the fabric or stitching, or any discoloration from perspiration.
There seems to be no damage by contact with pinestraw or leaves.
- Overall Design: Is the level
of workmanship high? How small does it pack? Can I leave it in my
hammock and just pack the hammock without adding undue bulk? As stated earlier, the SPE
has taken up residence in my hammock when not in use. It is definitely
small enough to not add undue weight or bulk to my hammock. If I were
to pack it separately, it would fold down to about the size of a wallet
and would fit in a zippered sandwich bag.
The Segmented Pad Extender is
an interesting approach to dealing with the common concern of staying
warm in a hammock system. It performed fairly well in most cases. After six months of testing, I would like to point out the
following areas
of excitement and concern:
|
Excitement:
- The SPE is very
lightweight
- When using clothing and other materials, the side
sleeves work very well to increase insulation base.
- Natural materials work well with the SPE, further lightening my load.
|
Concerns:
- The fabric does not feel good against my skin in hot weather.
- I have a hard time keeping the inserts supplied with the SPE in the
sleeves
|
Thanks to
Backpackgeartest.org and Ed Speer for the opportunity to
share my experiences!
