The Next Great Gear Invention

Why is this such a great invention again?

Your $275 payment for the Nube basically buys you a tarp with attached mosquito netting that weighs over 3 pounds… and that's before you even include a hammock. The "gear hammock" part of the system is a complete gimmick, IMO.

For a jungle base camps, this Nube would be great, but for backpacking– not so much. The Nube seems like a solution searching for a problem. There are already plenty of great hammock systems out there (DIY or otherwise) with complete weather and bug protection for a fraction of the weight of this system.

I've stayed dry in a hammock sheltered by a simple 7×9 foot flat tarp pitched over it in everything from light rainstorms to severe thunderstorms with high winds.

If you are getting wet in your hammock, then either your tarp is not large enough or it is not being pitched correctly. I think the tarp design of this Nube contraption is totally overkill for anything less than weathering a tropical storm while strung between two coconut trees on an exposed beach.

The Nube strikes me as being designed by engineers who don't backpack… It seems great on a computer screen, but much less so while being carried on your back.

I support new companies with new ideas. However, none of the Nube stuff is new. I am rather surprised that anyone would try to get a patent on that stuff. There is nothing I consider a significant improvement to existing technology.

Tent/hammock combination is close to 4 pounds. This is not light weight gear for three season camping.

Like I posted in your Nube thread on BPL under Hammocks, it's been done before, better and cheaper:

Get a Hammock Bliss Sky Tent for $88.95 and save $200.00

http://www.gofastandlight.com/Hammock-Bliss-Sky-Tent-2-Hammock-Shelter/productinfo/HA-E-SKYTENT/

Those are nice but you're paying about a 2 pound penalty (believe they weigh 3 lbs ish if I recall correctly as opposed to a similar UL setup at around a pound or less) with a lot less customization ability in suspension, tarp coverage, etc. … which doesn't means it's bad, it's just more geared toward camping and for that it is probably awesome.

Actually, without my weight bias against it, if it's 3 or 4 pounds, I guess that isn't a big deal … many of us started backpacking with tents that weigh more than three or four pounds or more, so it is probably a great hammock for those that are interested in hanging … whether or not they decide to try UL options would be their prerogative. :)

Impressive!

I'm talking about the guy in the hammock with 5 girls

Hasn't Hennesy been providing the same features for less weight for over a decade?

"Hasn't Hennesy been providing the same features for less weight for over a decade?"

Pretty much. Bought my first in 2000. No regrets.

Looks fairly large and maybe for a base camp system, "car-camping" (away from the car), or leisurely trips… any trip where weight isn't imperative. Definitely seeing trailhead camping potential here since car-camping areas tend to be a bit dirtier. We've already got a pack review in case one needs to pack out 80 lbs of elk. For low-mileage trips, just substitute this hammock, a sun shower (with cedar shower floor), and a pour-spout of hard liquor instead of the meat.

Scott,
Hope you like your Noob-eh (or whatever it's called). As for me, i'll stick to my WB fly with doors, home made 9.5 ounce hammock and still be $200.00 (and at least a pound lighter) ahead of you…that's beers for the trip, gas money, dinner out after the trip, etc, etc, etc….to each their own, I guess.

M

Matt: Many, if not most, consumers aren't advanced enough or concerned enough to take the time to research hammock companies, learn about suspensions types, hardware, tarps, materials, knots, etc. and don't even backpack or have concerns about weight. They want to order a single product from a website or walk into a store and buy their product REI style. They want an all in one solution that they can take camping or possibly backpacking if they're just starting out … they would appear to me to be the target market, not someone like yourself that is an advanced backpacker, if you will.

I'm not interested at all in the Nube, but I agree with Trace on it's potential selling points. If you are coming at hammocks with no experience, it is nice to have an easy starting point, instead of the infinite customization that currently exists in the hammock crowd.

cat cut tarps, diamond tarps, hex tarps, 11' tarps, 12' tarps, doors, full enclosure winter tarps…. etc

bridge hammocks, traditional gathered end hammocks, hammocks with nets, cat cut hammocks, 10' hammocks, 11' hammocks, 9' hammocks, wider hammocks, narrower hammocks, structural ridgelines…. etc

whoopie slings, UCR's, tree huggers, atlas straps, amsteel, dynaglide, cinch buckles… etc

full length underquilts, 3/4 length underquilts, pad extenders, down, climashield, bubble wrap, car winshield reflectors…. etc

There is a pretty steep learning curve to understanding all the hammock options on the cottage market these days. I think there would be a good market for an unconfusing, cost effective, all in one hammock solution. The most all-in-one solution the hammock market has seen is the Hennessey hammock, but it still leaves out insulation for under the hammock, and its suspension needs work.

I don't think Nube is the all-in-one answer to the hammock masses, but I think they are asking the right question.

I agree with Mike 100% that what the broader hammock market really needs are for hammocking companies to make some curated hammock choices and distill the best of the aforementioned myriad hammock shelter options into just a few well designed products.

The DIY tinkerers and hammocking enthusiast will be happy optimizing their own systems, but the mass market is really lacking well articulated choices. The Hennessy hammocks seems to come close, but have their pitfalls, as Mike mentioned, and the Hennessy website looks like a poorly designed blog that was co-opted to sell stuff.

Web design often seems to be neglected by cottage manufacturers, but I think this severely limits the approachability of their products and the potential for those companies to impact mainstream markets.

Sierra Madre Research (the makers of this Nube contraption) seem to have hit the nail on the head in terms of web design. I just wish their products were lighter, so they mostly lose appeal for me.

The "hambunking" idea of putting one of their xPlor hammocks over one of their Pares hammocks while both hammocks share the same suspension is a very cool concept.
http://www.smrgearme.com/combo-packages/hambunks

I wonder how well it works in practice? The utter lack of streamlined and lightweight couples camping options is currently the achilles heal of hammock camping, IMO.

I'm still searching for a viable hammocking solution for my wife and I and have been sorely disappointed in the lack of a market answer that is even remotely light enough to compete with comparable ground-based systems.

In the meantime, we've gone to ground, and I can't say I'm thrilled about it…

"I'm still searching for a viable hammocking solution for my wife and I and have been sorely disappointed in the lack of a market answer that is even remotely light enough to compete with comparable ground-based systems."

Derek,
Have you and your wife looked at the Clark Vertex two person hammock? Kinda pricey, but way cool for two. You just need three trees instead of two.

http://www.junglehammock.com/real-comfort-for-two/

Matt

One issue they brought up is storing the gear UNDER the tarp. There is actually a somewhat easy solution to this problem.. you buy a tarp that is slightly longer than you need and extends 2-4 foot longer. Then you mount it above your hammock so that most of this extra capacity is at the head of your hammock.

This allows you to clip your pack and shoes next to your head. The added benefit of this is that you can have a fire/stove under your tarp.

I actually did this recently when it was raining and we were FREEZING… so I just wrapped my hammock up and then had a fire under the tarp. Worked pretty well for the most part :)