Dang, I may need a bigger pack. Or a better sleep system.

Guyon

Guyon

Biscuit Whisperer
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 15, 2000
Messages
45,835
So I bought the Falcon II with summer months in mind. Specifically, hot summer nights when a lot of bedding is not in order. One of the biggest pack items is always the sleeping bag. Here in July and August, about all you need is a thin sheet, and sometimes you're hot with that.

Anyway, I'm taking a sleeping bag to the Gathering. Forecast is high of 88 and low of 63, but there's also a call for scattered thunderstorms, and this time of year, those can cool things off PDQ. Last thing I want is to be left shivering in my hammock.

P1020271.jpg


The blue bedroll, I don't mind so much. It attaches low and does a couple of important things. It keeps convection from drawing off my heat through the bottom of the hammock. It keeps mosquitos from biting me through the bottom of the hammock. At least that's what the folks on hammockforums attest.

Not crazy about that big compression sack (with sleeping bag) hanging off the rear though. I wonder if folks here have any ideas for a slightly different sleep set-up? A compact bivy sack? Just a bag liner (I do have a silk bag liner)? I thought about just packing some poly underwear and bringing the silk bag liner. Along with a pair of wool socks, that might keep me warm enough, methinks.

The pack itself is already full though, and there's no way that bag is going inside. Here's what's in/on the pack:

100 ounce reservoir
Hennessy Explorer Ultra-Light Hammock (with upsized tarp)
Change of clothes
Jetboil cook set and Sea to Summit long spoon
First Aid Kit
2 Mountain House Meals (lunch for Saturday, breakfast for Sunday, I packed some Tums for the chili on Saturday night)
Some instant coffee and tea
Head lamp
Small survival kit
Toiletries
Spare batteries
Head lamp
Paracord

On the outside of the pack:
Garmin 60CSx GPS
MSR Mini-Works water filter
Surefire G2X Pro
ESEE Lite Machete
Rittter/Becker Perseverance (with pouch kit)
Sleeping Pad
Marmot Sawtooth down bag (in water resistant compression sack)
 
Looks like you need a bigger pack :D I'm sure you have a few others laying around to choose from :)

While your thinking is on point about summer, I personally feel a 1500 cu. in. pack should be left entirely for day hikes.. IMO

myself I need at least 2500 csi to consider an overnighter.. and I really don't bring all that much, but I'm all about comfort and function over form :D

don't cheat yourself or your trip may be a disaster !!!

happy trails
 
Let me add that I do have bigger packs. I have a Gregory Keeler (4800 ci) that I use for weekend trips.
I just wanted to try the Falcon II this trip, but I don't want to wind up looking like this guy:

monkey-pals2.jpg
 
TheLastDaze said:
Looks like you need a bigger pack :D I'm sure you have a few others laying around to choose from :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think you're probably right. I've got a Kelty Morraine (~3600 ci) that got me around the British Isles and the Gregory Keeler I mention above.
I'm probably just going to upsize into one of those. Oh well, I gave it a shot.

Still would like to hear comments about lightweight, compact, and WARM sleep systems if they're out there.
 
Maybe just some more polypro and wool sock. Shove them inside the bedroll hollow.
 
From looking at your pack, I see that it has a Y strap up at the top. Is there anyway that the sleeping pad could fit up on top and cinch it down with the Y strap? You could leave the sleeping bag on the bottom then and it wouldn't be quite so bulky perhaps? Or perhaps you could cinch the sleeping bag down with the Y strap, if it will fit. Another question I have for you.....your hammock setup.....does it have a bug net? If the Becker gathering is in TN, which I figure it will be, there will be skeeters aplenty. I don't know all the specifics of where you'll be, how close a fire will be, if you have bug spray, etc... I just thought that I'd ask about the bug net. That could be a miserable night's sleep without one. :(
 
Hennessy hammocks come standard with mosquito netting.
In fact, one thing I liked about the brand is that it comes with everything ready to go: strapping for trees, hammock with mosquito net, tarp, and even Snakeskins (a quick takedown cover/system).
All I added was four MSR Groundhog stakes.

Your comment did remind me that I have a small container of DEET spray in another pack that I ought to grab. Thanks.
 
I have a ENO hammock, but have yet to try it out. The whole thing is about the size of a softball when its rolled up.
 
The Falcon II is a lot like an old day pack I used to have. Great for carrying gear for a day hike, running around town and what not, but not so good for carrying that plus a sleep system and the extra gear to extend my time outdoors.

For car camping trips I feel that packs like the Falcon II are great. You can carry the extra in another pack and not worry about it. But on a trip where you are hiking in or in and out of an area a large pack thats setup to carry a sleep system is much better.

Here is a though, Big Agnes bags and pads pack really small. Maybe one of their sleep systems could be lashed to the Falcon II for trips? FYI Their bags have no bottom insulation, the pads do this. on a normal bag, your pad provides insulation from the ground so they figure why put filling in the bag that won't do anything. Here in Utah the mountains can get close to Freezing even in the summer so I'm saving up for their 30 degree fish hawk or 20 degree Lost Ranger down bags + matching pads. They pack 8"x8" or smaller. You could get away with one of their 45 degree bags which are much smaller.
 
I agree the strap on top looks like it could hold the roll or the sleeping bag better.

I use a yoga mat for when I'm camping. They are much thinner but very cumfy I find.
 
Couldn't see the picture before, but now I can. Moving the pad somewhere else and putting the sleeping bag where the pad was would help. Though I still say that a Larger backpack is best or possibly a smaller sleep system.
 
have you considered one of the "quilted" mil-grade emergency blankets? OD on one side and shiny mylar on the other? packs down about the size of a hardback book, weighs almost nothing, and would be a great thing to wrap around a silk or fleece bag liner in case of cold or wet.
 
I did move the contents over. My Kelty Morraine (3600 ci) was spot-on perfect for the amount of gear I'd assembled.
However, it doesn't have lashing straps on the bottom. Just lashing attachment points.

I've got to pick up some 1" strapping and a couple of snap buckles today.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Keep 'em coming.

P1020272.jpg
 
Dude, you need to get one of those packs that PFR uses. I hear they start creaking from the weight at 200 lbs... Operator G4 was the name IIRC

But all joking aside, that Kelty looks like it holds all your stuff pretty well. Just stick the sleeping pad under the hood and you're good to go.
 
Guyon said:
I did move the contents over. My Kelty Morraine (3600 ci) was spot-on perfect for the amount of gear I'd assembled.
However, it doesn't have lashing straps on the bottom. Just lashing attachment points.

I've got to pick up some 1" strapping and a couple of snap buckles today.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Keep 'em coming.

P1020272.jpg
Click to expand...

I got some tie down straps with Buckles from Walmart that were around $2 each a few weeks ago. That Kelty looks like it will handle all your gear nicely! :)
 
Academy sells "Mummy" bags which cinches down VERY small and light. I wouldn't know the size compared to the one in the picture, but my mummy bag gets pretty small and when used, keeps me warm. Perfect for Spring, Summer, Fall camping.

______________

Beckerhead #32
 
Ive been user a Neoair pad. You might want to check them out, they are kind of costly but they are oh so comfortable and pack down very small.
 
Thanks for all the tips.

Hennessy actually sells a winter sleep system (the SuperShelter).
They recently had it on sale for $100 along with a free $35 "overcover," and I probably should have tried it.
I read a lot of less-than-glowing remarks about condensation issues, however, and ultimately never bit on it.

http://hennessyhammock.com/catalog/insulation/

ETA: No complaints with Hennessy though. Last year, because they were out of the hammock I wanted, they extended a special for me (buy one hammock over a certain amount and get a free Scout hammock).
And then when it came time to order, they were out of Scouts, so they upgraded my free hammock to an Expedition. I was one happy camper. *rimshot* :D

.
 
Last edited:
look into a kifaru woobie/doobie - it uses climashield insulation. i'm in the middle of testing it but in short, at 1.5 lbs (compresses down to slightly larger than a nalgene 32 oz bottle) it's just as warm as a 100% wool blanket. i'll include a link to my review in my sig in the coming days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top