Age: 26
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 9” (1.8 m)
Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
Email address: krb84108 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Date: August 16, 2005

Backpacking Background:

I was first dragged on a backpacking trip eight years ago and have been addicted to it ever since. My adventures vary in length from a weekend to over two weeks. I am slowly shifting my backpacking style to a light-weight approach. I recently upgraded to a hammock to reduce weight. From spring through fall I typically backpack in the mountains or desert, while in winter I often go snowshoeing. I typically see a wide variety of climates ranging from 10 F (-12 C) with snow to 90 F (32 C) and sunny with just about everything in between.

Product Information:

Manufacturer	Speer Hammocks
Website	www.speerhammocks.com
	SPE	Wing Inserts
Model Tested	4x4 with Eight Wings	(4) 1/2" (1.27 cm) Closed Cell Foam
Also Available	2x2 with Four Wings	(4) 1/4" (0.64 cm) Closed Cell Foam
Listed Weight	4.6 oz (130 g)	3.2 oz (91 g)
Measured Weight	4.4 oz (125 g)	3.2 oz (91 g)
Listed Dimensions	Total Extended Width - 40 in (102 cm) Main Panel - 20 in (51 cm) x 46 in (117 cm)	1/2" x 5" x 20" 1.27 cm x 12.7 cm x 51 cm
Measured Dimensions	Total Extended Width - 40 in (102 cm) Main Panel - 20 in (51 cm) x 45 in (114 cm)	0.4" x 4.9" x 20" 1 cm x 12.5 cm x 51 cm
Packed Size	6" x 5" 15.2 cm x 12.7 cm	0.4" x 4.9" x 20" 1 cm x 12.5 cm x 51 cm
MSRP	$45 US	$8 US
Color	Grey	Blue

Field Conditions:

Through two months of testing, I have used the Speer Hammock Segmented Pad Extender (with my Hennessey Hammock) in Bryce Canyon National Park, Fish Lake National Forest, the Wasatch Mountains and the Uinta Mountains. The terrain has varied greatly and has included wet and muddy corridors, slickrock, steep and rocky terrain, snow-covered trails and plain old dirt paths. Temperatures have ranged from 35 F (2 C) to 95 F (35 C). I have seen all types of weather ranging from heavy rain to sunny. The elevations experienced have been between 4,000 feet (1,220 m) and 11,000 feet (3,353 m).

Field Review:

Sleeping in my hammock on the Segmented Pad Extender (or SPE) has been a relatively comfortable experience so far. Whether lying on my back or side I am surrounded on three sides by insulation. I am also able to curl up in a fetal position and still remain on padding material when using the SPE. This fits me well as I tend to sleep curled up on my side when at home. I am even able to comfortably toss and turn while on the Segmented Pad Extender. Essentially the SPE adjusts to fit me, which allows me to sleep more like I do when I am at home and not on the trail.

So far, I have tried four or five different insulating configurations and prefer to have foam inserts in one side of the wings and rolled up clothes in the other. The foam inserts provide a smoother surface and are not lumpy when laying on them. In addition to my preferred setup, I've tried the following insulation configurations:

Inserts in the inner wings with clothes in the outer wings
Clothes in the inner wings with inserts in the outer wings
Inserts at shoulder height with clothes at hip level
Clothes at shoulder height with inserts at hip level

All methods provide adequate insulation (in the temperatures I have experienced) and are not uncomfortable. In my opinion, however, sleeping on lumpy clothes is not as comfortable as sleeping on foam inserts.

My Preferred Insulation Configuration for Side Sleeping
(Foam Inserts in One Side of the Wings with Rolled Up Clothes in the Other Set of Wings)

Temperatures have remained pretty warm and I have not yet needed a secondary pad for warmth. In fact, on a few occasions I've had to unzip my sleeping bag to cool off before falling asleep. Having only one pad in the SPE has not been a problem at all as its snug fit prevents the SPE from sliding up and down the pad unless I purposefully move it myself. This has been the case whether using either my Exped SIM Light 3.8 or my closed cell Therm-A-Rest Ridgerest. The Pad Extender's texture does not bother my skin in any way and I have not noticed any any weird noises when maneuvering around while on the SPE. I was initially worried that the wings, when wrapped around me would feel confining, but that has not been the case at all.

Assembling the SPE is easy to do even when in the field. Shoving inserts or rolled up clothes into the wings requires minimal effort and putting the SPE on my sleeping pad is simple to do even after a full day of hiking. Packing up the SPE is also an easy process and I have not had any problems folding it down to the size of its zip-lock sandwich bag storage sack. I would like to see the foam inserts pack to a smaller size. They do not easily roll up like my sleeping pad and take up a little more room than I like. It's not to say that storing the inserts is a problem. They can be crammed into every corner of my pack, but I would like to see something that is more compactable. Inflatable inserts are an alternative I would like to see become available (particularly for use in warmer temperatures).

My biggest complaint about the SPE is its inability to retain the foam inserts in the wings. The inserts easily slide in and out and if I try to move up or down while on the pad, the inserts usually end up coming out of the wings altogether. Perhaps some sort of cinch cord could solve this problem. This is not a huge issue as they usually end up staying right above or below the wings and therefore still provide some insulation. Rolled up clothes do not seem have this problem. I believe this is due to the volume. Rolled up clothes take up substantially more space and create more friction between the clothes and the wings than is created between the wings and a single insert. I have not yet attempted to use two inserts in a single wing and I suspect this will at least help if not solve the problem. This will definitely give me something to look at during long term testing.

It should be noted that the Speer SPE is not completely compatible with the pad locks on my Sierra Designs sleeping bags. The locks are designed to fit around a common sleeping pad and are unable to accommodate the increased pad width supplied by the SPE. While this is in no way the fault of the SPE (as it is designed to increase width thus increasing insulation), I no longer have a method to secure my bag to my sleeping pad.

Testing Plan:

I will continue testing the Segmented Pad Extender on my weekly camping/backpacking trips. The upper elevations are also finally opening up which means I'm bound to see some extremely rocky terrain above tree line in the Uinta and Wasatch Mountains. I still have a weeklong trip in Yellowstone National Park later this August and when fall rolls around I will once again retreat to the desert. I expect to hit Canyonlands National Park, Zion National Park and the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument before the test period is over. I will probably have to end up using the SPE in a tent at least once when trekking through the desert as adequate trees for hanging a hammock are bound to be in short supply. For the remainder of the test period I intend to keep examining the SPE and hope to answer a few more questions about their characteristics in my long term report:

If I have two pads in simultaneously, will they slide against each other or the SPE?
Will the “lightweight, breathable, ripstop nylon” SPE rip, tear, or be damaged by my sleeping pads and vice versa after the full six-month test period?
How well do the wing inserts insulate as compared to my pads?
Will the wing inserts stand up to six months of testing?
Do cold spots develop between the upper and lower wings?
Will the Speer Hammock SPE keep the entrance to my Hennessey Hammock open?
How well does the SPE handle moisture?
If it becomes laced with sand, dirt or mud can it be easily cleaned?
If I am unable to hang a hammock, will the SPE insulate me from the cold ground?

Summary:

The Speer SPE is an adjustable extension to a sleeping pad that provides a customized fit and some added insulation for various sleeping positions. It is easy to assemble or dissemble. The wing inserts slide out a little too easily and its width prevents me from properly using the pad locks on my sleeping bag. The true test for the SPE lies ahead when colder temperatures will make more insulation necessary and not a luxury.

Things I like:

Insulates well (even when sleeping on my side)
Easy to put together
Adjustable for a customized fit of my numerous sleeping positions

Concerns:

Foam inserts easily slide out of the wings
No inflatable inserts available

I would like to thank Speer Hammocks and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test the Segmented Pad Extender.

Read more reviews of Speer Hammocks gear
Read more gear reviews by Ken Bigelow

Field Report

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