I set up the Grand Trunk Hammock & 14er Straps, with a mosquito net and the Slumberjack Satellite Tarp in our Team Load-Out bay area. I am pretty happy with how easy it was to do so. I have decided to change a couple things on the system to make it more user-friendly, but otherwise....this seems to be pretty squared away for a smaller form factor and lighter weight hammock & rainfly. The real test will be when I try it out against my tried & true Mosquito Jungle Hammock & fly. Here are some photos along with descriptions.
The Slumberjack Satellite Tarp pairs with the Grand Trunk Hammock perfectly. I used a Hammock Bliss Mosquito Net with it. Grand Trunk makes an add-on mozzy net, but it is quite a bit larger, heavier, and fiddly. I opted for the more low-profile Hammock Bliss model for weight savings and also quicker set up.
The Grand Trunk Double Size Hammock in Kryptek Highlander hangs very easily and is very roomy. Plenty of space to include the use of a sleeping pad inside of it. The Hammock Bliss net drapes perfectly and has sewn-in mesh storage pockets within. The YKK zipper has dual tabs on both the inside and outside. I will be adding reflective pull tabs to these. Extra clothing or footwear that one wants to keep free of bugs can be stored below the hammock and within the net.
One of the things I really like about the Slumberjack Satellite Tarp are the multiple tie-out points. These offer multiple pitching options. All tie-out points are reinforced, and everything is seamtaped throughout the tarp.
The tarp is catenary cut at all four corners and at the ridge seam, as well. This allows for spacious, full coverage as a hammock rain fly, as well as using it as a traditional tarp shelter. I will replace the cordage that came with it....too fiddly and does not hold knots very well. Instead, I will use MIL Type 1A survival cordage (small diameter cordage, ~ 2mm). I also really like the Grand Trunk 14er straps....very light, very strong, multiple attachment points, and USA made.
I plan to test this hammock, tarp, and mozzy net system against my Mosquito Jungle Hammock during upcoming training I am conducting in Colombia for 3 weeks. That will be a good test for this smaller and lighter system. I decided to loose stuff the hammock and mozzy net as a single unit into an HPG 812 Stuff Sack. It will be much quicker to set it up this way, because everything will already be connected and ready to go. Also, having it inside of an 812 allows me to use dead space in my pack more effectively. Once I really test this system in Colombian jungle and rainforest, I'll have more photos and a more complete write-up to post.
Ken sends.