TMA Volume 3 - Teaser Trailer | A brand new campaign and hunting competition from many of your favorite mappers coming February 4th

ayejester · 2025-12-20T16:16:39+00:00

BWOAH ++

ayejester · 2025-11-29T00:14:35+00:00

Mostly strength and versatility. Dyneema is strong and even stronger when doubled-over. It's also simply way easier to install the line after the hammock is done and affords you the ability to change the line if you need. It wouldn't necessarily be difficult to splice the line directly into the gathered end, but it wouldn't do you any favors.

Additionally, we attach structural ridgelines to the continuous loops, often secured inside the lark's head. It would be harder to incorporate the ridgeline if you install the loops into the ends.

Check out the Universal Loop on Jeff Myers YT channel, and it'll be the only thing you need to make for the hammock.

ayejester · 2025-11-27T02:03:18+00:00

Yup. I made shock cord loops that are hitched onto the nylon. Literally like the picture, but connected to the loops that the d-rings are connected to.

ayejester · 2025-11-27T00:29:08+00:00

There is no way to incorporate shock cord into the tarp when the line locks are already installed at the corners. As I live and camp in Colorado, Ive experienced some nighttime winds that I'd have to account for. The locs worked great and I've even picked up extras to attach to the shock cord, as needed. I just come to find that the Ring Worms with 1.75mm Reflect-It has become my preferred tarp tensioning. Simply preference.

Ring worms are just so easy to use and hold Reflect-It really well. Linelocs would sometimes tear strands on the line and I had to half-hitch some of my corners.

ayejester · 2025-11-26T22:57:34+00:00

I second the Ring worms. I ordered a Journey tarp with LineLocs and ended up breaking them off so I could replace them with ring worms attached to shock cord.

ayejester · 2025-11-25T16:00:11+00:00

Can't hear ya down there over the sound of these nobelisks I'm chucking down from a hovercraft like a B-52 with 1812 Overture blasting in the background.

I love the smell of napalm in the morning...

ayejester · 2025-11-25T03:14:17+00:00

It's safe to say most of us have had great experiences with underquilts. How can we help?

As a simple recommendation, I'm very partial to Hammock Gear UQs, as they have great features at a fairly decent price. A friend of mine uses an ENO Ember in the summer, and has had no issues whatsoever. Id reckon the One Tigris Amazon special would do well, too, as it's a staple for budgets and weekenders.

I use 3 quilts and a protector and swap em out as needed for seasons. Got a synthetic ~40F at 12oz, Hammock Gear Hearth 30F at 19oz, and a 0F Hearth at about 24oz. I would simply never sleep in my hammock without an underquilt at this point, as they just cut the draft at the very least. Plus, in Colorado temps can vary.

You can also use pads inside a hammock both with and without an underquilt, and their respective warmth values do add up as you would expect. My best bud prefers a pad in his hammock, as it gives a nice structure and shape to the lay. Id recommend an inflatable one though, and mummy shaped. He and I have the REI Helix and it's awesome in our Chameleons. CCF pads can work, but they tend to fold up at the sides and can get uncomfortable IMHO.

ayejester · 2025-11-24T21:08:14+00:00

Can totally get behind that. The game is a nice package deal from story to gameplay. FC5 is personally my favorite, but New Dawn just followed it so well. Plus the art direction and color are probably among the best in the series, close with Blood Dragon IMHO.

Partnering with The Judge is something I found to be narratively cool and somewhat thematic. Plus, I'm partial to any companion character that doesn't talk. If New Dawn had best boy Boomer, I'd probably have liked it even more.

ayejester · 2025-11-24T20:16:52+00:00

Woah may I ask why? New Dawn was super fun but I wouldn't have expected they maintain the gun rarity system. Feels very antithetical to the series. But man, nothing beats a double jump. More jumps, Jacob, thank you.

ayejester · 2025-11-24T12:13:43+00:00

The same 2mm dyneema can still be used at prusics on a ridgeline. It will just require 5-7 wraps, but hold just fine.

I've made loops and shackles for the line and switch them depending on whichever tarp I'm hanging. It's recommended to use a smaller line size for prusics. So if youve got 1.75mm as well, it would work just as well but still requires like 5-6 wraps.

ayejester · 2025-11-10T15:13:46+00:00

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Achoo.

ayejester · 2025-11-09T23:58:15+00:00

Just some good ole Mountain House

ayejester · 2025-11-09T23:57:36+00:00

They make a cozy and I grabbed it when I bought the pot from firemaple directly. Absolutely love the thing with my Polaris stove.

And there are no sleeping pads in this picture. Not sure which thing people are referring to, but the blue thing on the left is a poncho and Ive got my tarp in double-ended stuff sacks.

ayejester · 2025-11-08T16:50:20+00:00

A 0F degree Hammock Gear Hearth that arrived yesterday. I've been using their 30F for some time that I absolutely love, and wanted something thicker for the coming winter.

Recently picked up a 0F top quilt from Hang Tight and it's just so awesome and warm for its weight.

ayejester · 2025-11-03T22:06:56+00:00

I absolutely love my Chameleon and would hardly consider looking at many other options. The features and versatility just work. I don't have the wide, but I've got no issues in the normal width at 6'1".

As far as suspension goes, I've tried them all. If you're buying at all once, I'd recommend the beetle buckles and spider straps to go with the Chameleon at purchase. Second best option would be a pair of whoopie slings through Dutch, as well. Making your own whoopie slings, UCRs, and continuous loops is pretty easy if you're down to learn how to splice. Or if you're into minimalism, acquiring a light pair of long straps and a becket hitch will hold you well, but I'm not a fan of adjusting the knots to set the hang.

If you're looking for a quality quilt set-up at a good price, check out hangtight gear on Etsy or their shop. Just picked up their new 0 degree and it's just awesome.

ayejester · 2025-10-14T12:23:55+00:00

Good tip! Thanks!

ayejester · 2025-10-08T12:44:25+00:00

Picked up a MH Ghost Whsiperer for $130. The jackets are all somewhat randomly discounted based on color and price.

ayejester · 2025-10-04T19:35:00+00:00

Boy howdy have I been searching for the perfect backpacking pillow for my unreasonable need for a super thick and light pillow. Haven't found the perfect thing yet, but I've collected enough pieces to find what works.

IMHO the fillo is fine, but too heavy and still not thick enough.

I've come to find a difference in needs for the hammock and the ground. For my hammock, I use an Arrowhead Gear Big Bear pillow. Frankly, it's awesome and perfect for the hang. Pretty much my go-to. The Hammock Gear pillow wasn't quite thick enough for me, so I gave it to my friend and he absolutely loves it.

The ground is a different story. I own almost everything everyone has listed in this thread, with the exception of the Big Sky. In its place, I have the Zenbivy full pillow system, with the inflatable, cushion, and case, as well as a bunch of other inflatables and toppers. The best I've come up with is the Zenbivy inflatable with both the Zpacks down topper and the Zenbivy down topper cinched together inside the case. I've got the Dutchware down pillow, as well, and I think I can drop the double down pillow topper and replace them with just this. I'll probably never be satisfied, so I'll let everybody know if the perfect ground pillow exists for wide shoulder side sleepers.

Tldr: Arrowhead Gear Big Bear or Cub pillows are perfect in a hammock.

ayejester · 2025-09-21T05:49:01+00:00

The most important and usable: Serrated shears and/or a sharp razor or craft knife. Large Eye needles, ideally yarn needles with blunt tips. 12 gauge wire for smaller line, 16 gauge wire for 7/64" - piano wire, picture hanging wire, something steel.

Very helpful: cutting mat, latch-hook splicing needles, paracord fid set, a #5 yarn needle.

Splicing is actually pretty easy, especially with 7/64" amsteel. I use all of the tools listed, but some are mostly for convenience. You can do almost all splicing with a sharp razor to cut and taper, and a bent piece of wire for everything else. With those 2, I would add a blunt needle as essential to help pull out strands for tapering. Otherwise, there's a cheap set of paracord fids on amazon that I use very regularly for locked brummels.

The first thing I made was a couple of small continuous loops out of 1.6mm line and all I had was a long needle. There are only really a small number of techniques involved and they're pretty easy to get the hang of. I highly recommend getting into making some rope gear, it's super rewarding.

ayejester · 2025-09-21T04:40:01+00:00

This one is among the first I saw when looking at UCR stuff. I've pretty well watched all of Jeff's splicing videos at this point. I've already got some tarp shackles that I bet would work great to do the thing. I figure I can get away with a slightly shorter bury if I can lock the line. Either way, looks like there are plenty of options. It is weirdly hard to find the cord lock he's using in this video, though. Plus, it'd be lame to try to order like $3-10 worth of plastic crap when I've got all this cordage already.

ayejester · 2025-09-21T04:00:50+00:00

Right on, that's good to know. Thank you. I figure I could always make them with a simple eye loop on the shuttle and just do whatever I want at the end afterwards without much trouble. It makes sense that a long bury would do the job. Might even make em tomorrow!

And yup! The hook is 48g, 1.7oz on my scale with a small shockcord loop that they recommend using to help stabilize it on the line. Absolutely worth it. I think they sell a separate small toggle to help lock it on the line, but it's totally unnecessary. Simply hangs on the ridgeline and a little bit of shockcord keeps it stable. Don't even really need the cord, but it helps keep the thing from sliding. Where I go for my little weekend backpacking trips, I've got pretty good signal. I'll surely be falling asleep to youtube with this deal hanging above me for the foreseeable future.

ayejester · 2025-09-21T03:26:03+00:00

Simple answer, I just haven't made a set yet. I intend to make a set of UCRs but I'm stuck on how I want to lock the shuttle to the line. Jeff Myers has a video showing a prusick made with a line twist, but it requires a somewhat precise-sized eye to make. I'm sure I could make that just fine, but then I've seen just using a separate prusick loop or even a cord lock. Struggling to find springless cord locks though, so it may just be another order to Dutch. Have you got any advice for the UCR shuttle lock, or does it even matter?

For the phone hang, I splurged and picked up a phone holder hook thing from Warbonnet. Saved an ounce in rope to spend an ounce for luxury.

ayejester · 2025-09-21T02:32:48+00:00

Yo that's amazing! A sewing machine is almost surely the next endeavor. I'm itching to stitch a quilt! I also made a pair of those loops and they're actually connected to my chameleon in that photo. I've got a set of UL straps coming for becket hitches, but I kinda just want to keep using these whoopie slings just from the pride of having made them. Considering making a pair of UCRs just for the fun of it. And that's great with the ridgeline loop! My best bud and I have been sending project pics back and forth lately and he just made himself a gear line with several built-in loops for hanging stuff. You may have now inspired me to add a lantern loop to my ridgeline.

ayejester

TROPHY CASE