What’s up there Water Monkey supporters!!! Playa is throwin it down like Leroy Brown!
OK I’m on what seems to be a never ending quest to lower my pack weight. I’ve been toying with the idea of using my traveler as my main hammock and putting my black bird down next year…. NO it’s not for sale. You’ll have to pry that bad boy away with my kung fu grip and my kung fu is STRONG SON!
Anyway… my WBBB with all my mods is 18.44oz which is pretty awesome. However my Traveler (1.1 single layer) with my mods (zing it ridgeline and dynalgide whoopies) is 10.5oz. So I was in the market for a really lightweight bug net. I came across Pappa Smurf’s site at www.mydiygear.com and noticed his bug sock weighs in at around 2.3oz. Yes you educated mathletes that would make my total hammock shelter 12.8oz which would be a 5.64oz savings on my current shelter in the buggy season. I couldn’t pass it up.
Got a chance to throw in a few days worth of testing (no overnighters) and have some initial thoughts:
Pros
– super lightweight
– easy on and off
– access to adjust my underquilt is right there. No zippers to undue to get to it… huge advantage over the black bird in that area.
Cons
-Tulle fabric seems kinda fragile so I will need to take special care of this
– Tulle fabric may be in issue with noseeums… may have to soak this fabric in permethrin
– fabric tends to flop in your face but I think I found a way around it
I give it 5 out of 10 stars right now. I’m satisfied with the product but I’m not gaga over it. Some of the cons may be annoying enough for me to go running back to my Black Bird. But only time will tell
Winter Sock:
okay okay I got over zealous and splurged on his winter sock too. Having spent some cold nights I know what it feels like to get robbed of warmth from a cold winters wind. I originally purchased a underquilt protector in hopes of alleviating this problem. However I found it figgity and the shock cord design kept getting in my face. I’ve seen many winter sock users report good results and actually having the inside be considerably warmer than the outside temps. What the hell I’m in. I ordered a black momentum tafetta fabric winter sock from the P-Smurf as well.
Initial impressions:
– Super light. Only 1.8oz more than the ripstop underquilt protector and for the 1.8oz I added I am completely enclosed in my own mini climate. Huge plus
– fabric seems to have a static cling type action. could be interesting when I’m surrounded by downy goodness
– does not compress my down underquilt thus the rating of my underquilt is not effected. And with the enclosed structure I may even lower the rating which would be NICE!
– Sucks that winter is still far away to test this bad boy out properly.
I think I’m more pleased with the winter sock than the bug sock. As I see more potential in this product.
Thanks for reading and givin the Water Monkey your support!
Thug Life…….
Trail Name - Water Monkey 
Ha! I love it. Do I really sound like that?
Glad you liked it! Thanks for 2 very awesome products.
Gansta!
Nice initial reviews. It will be interesting to see a post-use review, especially on the winter sock. My concern would be condensation in above freezing temps and frosting in sub-freezing temps. Momentum is reportedly pretty breathable, but if you get a big temperature gradient on either side of the fabric, I can’t see how you wouldn’t get some condensation. Let us Pimps know how that s#*t works out for ya.
Peace out!
BER
I’m expecting condensation. What I plan on doing is turning it inside out and letting the sun hit it (assuming it’s a sunny day) which should eliminate most of the condensation and frost due to the fabric being black. But only time will tell!
Keep walkin with a gun shot limp you gangsta pimp!
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Thanks, glad you liked the article