Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1double layer Hammock (Images)

[ULWalkingPhil]

Purchased my first hammock a month ago from the US, arrived a couple days ago.

Also purchased a Warbonnet Camo Superfly and a Warbonnet 3-season Under Quilt as well as Whoopie Slings and Tarp guy lines with tensioners and a Tarp Ridge Line with Prussic for easy setup and takedown.

Setup for the 2nd time this morning, Plan to camp out in my backyard tonight to make sure all is as it should be. Leaving for a 4 days solo hike next weekend than followed by the Bushwalkers Pilgrimage at the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, run by the Sunshine Coast Bushwalkers Club.

Very happy with the entire setup. Light, Comfortable and easy quick setup. Did I mention Comfy?

Total weight of Hammock, fly, rope and Under Quilt is 1.6kg
All of this will be replacing on my solo hikes, Tent 3.6kg and Downmat 1.2kg Total 4.8kg

Summer time i'll be saving even more weight, because I will not need to take the Under Quilt with me, saving a further 354 grams. I've also saved some weight on my pack, replacing my One Planet pack with a Aarn Bodypack, saving a further 500 grams.

Weights: (all these weights are what's supplied on makers website)
Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1 Dbl with Woopie slings 681 grams
Warbonnet Superfly 538 grams
Warbonnet 3-season UQ 354 grams
Guy lines for Superfly 40 grams
Ridge Line 31 grams

The whole setup is very compact when packed away.

Found it all very simple and quick to erect. The whoopee slings are great. Not one knot needed to be tied.
The prussic knots have no problems holding the tension on the Superfly. What does concern me are the s-biners used to connect the fly to the prussic on the tarp ridge line. Maximum they can hold is 2.2kg. I don't think there strong enough. So far there holding just fine, Don't know if I can trust those S-biners on a hike. I'll be replacing those quick smart.

[ULWalkingPhil]

More images.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Images

[ULWalkingPhil]

Future images

[ninjapuppet]

Thats fantastic Phillip.

You're very fond of your gear and it shows through the effort you go to in putting all those photos up. Greatly appreciated for those photos.


Is there any chance you can post up a photo of the setup all packed up in its stuff sacks? just wanted to see how large the thing packs.

cheers

[ULWalkingPhil]

Thats fantastic Phillip.

You're very fond of your gear and it shows through the effort you go to in putting all those photos up. Greatly appreciated for those photos.


Is there any chance you can post up a photo of the setup all packed up in its stuff sacks? just wanted to see how large the thing packs.

cheers

Thanks ninjapuppet.

I'll take some photos tomorrow with all packed into there stuff sacks.

I'm laying in the hammock now as I type on my iPad. Spending my first night in the hammock tonight.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Just, woken from my first night sleep in my hammock. I had a great nights sleep. My back feels great. Normally I wake up with a bit of a sore stiff back, not today, I feel great.

[ninjapuppet]

Placebo effect maybe?

[ULWalkingPhil]

Nope, it's not in my mind. Had to look up google to see what Placebo effect stands for.

I really did wake up feeling great. It's been a proven fact, you only have to read on a hammock forum and see how many others are finding the same as I have.

Maybe these hammocks are not for everyone, but it works great for me. I took a risk purchasing one without trying first and glad I did take that risk. Did my research online, read reviews after reviews and chosen the Warbonnet Blackbird hammock.

[photohiker]

Glad its working for you Phil, looking forward to a report after your next walk.

Are you a back/front/side sleeper, and did you sleep in your normal position? What are you using for a top quilt? sleeping bag, or something else?

What will you do if you find yourself at camp with no trees? Is it possible to pitch it on the ground and get a sleep?

[ULWalkingPhil]

Glad its working for you Phil, looking forward to a report after your next walk.

Are you a back/front/side sleeper, and did you sleep in your normal position? What are you using for a top quilt? sleeping bag, or something else?

What will you do if you find yourself at camp with no trees? Is it possible to pitch it on the ground and get a sleep?

Back sleeper, sometimes side sleep, but that's only to try to get more comfy in my bed. Prefer to sleep on my back.

I slept all night on my back.

For a top quilt I used my Adventure Designs -4 Olga down sleeping bag, its a old oneplanet bag. I used it as a top quilt. Only zipped up to about a foot and a half. I'm going to purchase a top quilt, but not till next year. Winter almost over here.
I felt toasty and warm last night. Temp got down to 9 degrees Celsius. I could feel a little cold under my lower legs, must purchase a ccf pad tomorrow and cut it down to fit into the foot area of my sleeping bag.

What will I do if I don't find any trees? Good question. I think it will be rare I ever find myself in this position.

[ULWalkingPhil]

The tarp ridge line with the prussic knots. I think there slipping a bit when I tighten the Camo Superfly. Brandon did warn me about this, He likes to use straight line, so you can get a tighter pitch. Might have to redo the prussic knots in question to a 4 wrap instead of a 3 wrap, I'm not going to have a chance to take photos of the gear stored in it's stuff sack today, It's been raining outside and tarp is wet. Will take the photos tomorrow.

[forest]

Hey there
I noticed on your marlin spike hitch that the whoopie sling is over the stick you used as a toggle.

Bad idea that one

Make sure you get that whoopie sling over and tight on the actual "knot", not on the toggle.
The toggle is just there to stop the knot coming undone. You will one day end up on the deck using the whoopie straight on the toggle (Trust me, that advise come from learning the hard way )

[forest]

Sorry forgot to say....

Nice set-up !!!

[ULWalkingPhil]

Hi forest, not sure how the whoopee sling should be on the hitch, do you have a photo? I certainly don't want to end up on the ground.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Added Comparison photo showing the size of my Hammock Gear when packed into there stuff sack.

[Marwood]

not sure how the whoopee sling should be on the hitch, do you have a photo? I certainly don't want to end up on the ground.

Check out Shug's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7NZVqpBUV0. @ 3:56 he has a mock slow-mo piece on tying the marlinspike hitch.

[photohiker]

Weights: (all these weights are what's supplied on makers website)
Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1 Dbl with Woopie slings 681 grams
Warbonnet Superfly 538 grams
Warbonnet 3-season UQ 354 grams
Guy lines for Superfly 40 grams
Ridge Line 31 grams

So 1644 grams against your original 4800g

Weights are interesting stuff. For comparison sake, my tent/sleep system without sleeping bag (actual weights):

Scarp1: 1520g
Neoair Reg: 419g

So 1939 grams, you're already 300g ahead. You'll also gain some advantage when you switch to a top quilt instead of a sleeping bag. (you probably have a lighter bag than me anyway, (mine's 988g)) The Warbonnet 3 season Mamba long is 653g and rated to 0 Farenheight (-17C) so another 335g saved.

Leaving the functionality differences aside, its a sobering equation: with the top quilt, $775 saves you at least 3156g (0.25/gram) but against my already reasonably light kit, 630g ($1.23/gram)

I'll be sure to be checking campsite trees from now on...

[photohiker]

not sure how the whoopee sling should be on the hitch, do you have a photo? I certainly don't want to end up on the ground.

Check out Shug's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7NZVqpBUV0. @ 3:56 he has a mock slow-mo piece on tying the marlinspike hitch.

That guy is pretty funny in a weird way.

Philip, you should have bought the tarp he reviews here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sL0FIHQD84

Hilarious.

184 grams/$309 = $1.67/g

[ULWalkingPhil]

I was considering one of those tarps at the time, but to much money for me, and I don't like the white colour. Much prefer the camo tarps my self. Very happy with the camo Superfly. It's a nice fly. You could easily get away with something a bit smaller and lighter, but we sometimes get driven rain that comes in on a angle. Having the option with the end doors is a huge benefit to me and allows for a bit more privacy.

I can't wait for this weekend, heading of on my hike. couple days after I complete my hike I'm attending a bushwalking pilgrimage run by the Sunshine Coast bushwalking club. A lot of guys here have not heard of hammock camping and think it's strange, I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of questions and curious onlookers, having those doors at the end will come in handy, so I can shut everyone out when I want some time to my own. I just hope they don't all start asking if I could lay in it.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Worried some 300 or 400 pound dude will ask to lay in my hammock or worse don't ask, lay in it and the thing explodes with his weight.

[photohiker]

Superfly looks great, I was pullin ya leg.

In fact, without that hammock under there you could sleep 4 or more people on the ground under it. Will be great and shady area if you pitch one side up at camp.

The beauty of Cuben is the lack of stretch and the weight. Like you say, it takes some getting used to in the looks department. Looks like shopping bags to me.

[Nuts]

That guy is pretty funny in a weird way.

Philip, you should have bought the tarp he reviews here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sL0FIHQD84

Yep, thats funny enough..

hey Phil, i have to say you look pretty *&^%$#@!* happy in that hammock, good for you :wink

[ULWalkingPhil]

Superfly looks great, I was pullin ya leg.

In fact, without that hammock under there you could sleep 4 or more people on the ground under it. Will be great and shady area if you pitch one side up at camp.

The beauty of Cuben is the lack of stretch and the weight. Like you say, it takes some getting used to in the looks department. Looks like shopping bags to me.

. They do look like shopping bags. I wouldn't mind trying one out one day. Maybe one day soon it will be available in different colours. I believe the UV light does not degrade the fabric as much as silnylon if kept in the sun.

My camo tarp does a good job in blending into the environment. For the life of me though, i dont know why i ordered a bright yellow ridgeline for my tarp. My sister and brother came over the other day, while I had the tarp up in the backyard and they did not spot it.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Can I ask how long it takes to set that contraption up?

[ULWalkingPhil]

That guy is pretty funny in a weird way.

Philip, you should have bought the tarp he reviews here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sL0FIHQD84

Yep, thats funny enough..

hey Phil, i have to say you look pretty *&^%$#@!* happy in that hammock, good for you :wink

Shugs is hilarious. He'd be fun to go hiking with.

Yep, I'm happy in the hammock.

We got some crazy weather here, one moment it's cold the next moment it's hot. Makes packing a little difficult. Trying to go as light as possible for my upcoming hike this weekend. My preparation for the hike is not going to plan, wanted to exercise with the pack on for the past couple of weeks, but I'm fighting the flu for the past couple of weeks. Had a rough night last night, but I've awoken feeling much better today.

I don't know if I mentioned it here, but the supplied tree straps for my hammock are way to short. Had a thought on purchasing those ratchet straps you see at hardware stores and cut the ratchet off. I would think the straps should be plenty strong enough.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Can I ask how long it takes to set that contraption up?

I haven't timed myself yet, so far I've only put it up twice, and it's a learning curve, so I been taking my time. But it hardly takes any effort to put up. It does not take me long to pack up. The hammock I have setup in a minute, if that. Been taking my time with the tarp, but I reckon the next time I put the tarp up I'll have it up in minutes.

[photohiker]

Had a thought on purchasing those ratchet straps you see at hardware stores and cut the ratchet off. I would think the straps should be plenty strong enough.

Good solution. Even the lightest of those straps is good for hundreds of kilos. You might want to go a bit heavier than those to pick up extra abrasion resistance (and width to be kind to the tree).

[Marwood]

Can I ask how long it takes to set that contraption up?

After selecting the trees, if I was trying to get it done quickly, about 3-5 min I guess. But normally it takes me somewhere around 5-15 min. When the weather's fine, the hammock goes up first, I get the UQ sorted, then put my sleeping bag, footpad, pillow, extra clothes, iPod, etc. in the hammock, before putting up the tarp last. I'll have the tarp set higher or lower depending on the temp and if it looks like it's going to rain during the night. If it's raining when I'm setting up, I'll have the tarp near the top of my pack or on the outside if I'm lucky, and I'll put the tarp up first but set higher than usual to give room to stand underneath. This takes less than a minute, particularly if it's really raining. Then I have a space out of the rain to unpack my stuff and put up the hammock. Once everything is set up, I lower the tarp a bit. So normally that takes a bit longer than in the dry. Actually I'll often just set up the tarp and not set up the hammock etc. till after I've eaten.

Comparing to setting up my tent, including the time to get the sleeping pads & bags sorted and so on the time seems about the same. My wife seems to get her hammock set up in about half the time it takes me, but apparently I spend way too much time messing around getting things "just right".

There is definitely more of a fiddle factor with getting the hammock set up than with a tent, since you need practice in getting the hammock set just the way you like it. Probably I spend at least as much time wandering around choosing the right spot and the right trees as I do in getting the set up done.

[Stuntman]

Had a thought on purchasing those ratchet straps you see at hardware stores and cut the ratchet off. I would think the straps should be plenty strong enough.

If you have a climbing shop/supplies neaby you can purchase some 1" tube webbing and make a sling/tree hugger yourself and whatever size you want. (or you may be able to purchase a ready made sling long enough, but they are usually expensive). That is what I have done for my Hennessy as it came with ridiculuously short straps.

Won't have to worry about it anyore when my blackbird arrives as I went for the webbing straps.