First time out. Did not go well. Please offer your advise. thanks

[mmccarthy7220]

Well last night I decided to try out my first tarp and hammock. Got the warbonnet superfly and the traveler hammock. Was about 40 degrees here last night so I brought my 0 degree sleeping bag and my insulated Big Agnes sleeping pad. I dont have $300 hundred dollars to purchase a 3-4 season underquilt and I know Shug said a pad could be used. I had a heck of a time trying to stay on the pad,even with it slipped inside the double layer slot in the traveler hammock. Still It kept slipping out from under me. I was tempted to pack everything up at 2:30am and hike the 4 miles back home in the dark. I was so frustrated and cold. I got out of the hammack half a dozen times trying to line things up and get back in carefully but no luck. Hope i dont sound like an idiot but nothing was working.
If an underquilt is the way to go, are they easy to make yourself? I've never sewed before but was thinking of picking up a used sewing machine and giving it a try. I'm a pretty mechanical person and I'm sure I could figure it out.
thanks for listening and comment if you any advise, this amatuer could use it. By the way the "superfly rocked"!
Thanks, Mike

[dkurfiss]

Sounds like you had a rough night but you may have learned a lot.

My advise is simple until you can afford an UQ I would do the following

1) Always test gear in a set up where you can walk away like your back yard or a campground where you can set up a tent to climb into if need be
2) Be sure let a fair amount of air out of your pad so it can conform to the hammock and don't try to make the hammock conform to the pad.
3) I was successful using a pad 1/2 inflated in an SPE (segmented pad extender) with CCF on the wings. I used this as my guide to make an SPE. http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearSPE.html I am not saying you can't use a double layer hammock successfully but that is not how I did it. BTW, I slept in 20F with a CCF pad in a SPE using smart wool top & bottoms.
4) Hot water bottle is your friend! See this thread. https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...t=water+bottle Hot water bottle has bailed me out more than one night.

[GoatHanger]

You could definitely do better than an R-value of 4, if you used a closed cell foam pad. You probably want to be about a 5 or better.

Was it windy? That will definitely work against ANY insulation, too. Are you a cold sleeper? Everyone is different, and it's important to know when choosing your gear.

I used a pad initially,like you. I am a proponent for an UQ now, and will never use a pad again.

Maybe someone who successfully uses pads exclusively will chime in with something a little more helpful.

It is a monetary investment, but if you are going to stick with hammocks, my money says you will eventually switch to quilts anyway. Just give in and get/DIY a nice set now :-)

Edit: dkurfiss ninja'ed my reply, but that's good stuff. Hot water bottle against your femoral artery will warm you up almost instantly in a pinch.

[mountainm]

To use a pad well you need a hammock designed specifically for it (I use the Sky Bed Bug Free from hammock bliss) but there are others. (Amok for example)

Alternatively DD hammocks do a budget UQ. Or you can knock one up from an old sleeping bag.

[FLRider]

Underquilts are definitely the way to go.

However, before you drop the money on a sewing machine and associated tools, ask yourself if it's just for the one project. If the answer is "yes", then I'd advise purchasing retail or second hand. You won't save much on the deal. If the answer is "no", then DIY will definitely save you money in the long run. I'm probably ~$500 ahead on ~$1,500 of gear, even given the cost of a $150 machine and prototyping materials. However, I rarely purchase something if I can make it myself.

That being said, it may be worth trying a piece of CCF, laid in a "T" formation with your current pad, to cover your hips and shoulders. Also, use your pad only partially inflated; this will help you stay on top of it much more easily, as it will conform to your body more.

If you do decide to do DIY, a Climashield APEX quilt is stupid easy to make. If you do the layout and cutting right, the rest is just straight stitching. Even as a first project, I'd be very surprised if it took more than three hours of work.

Of course, as always, YMMV.

Hope it helps!

[humer91]

silNylon dots on one side of the pad to help keep it from sliding so much.

[TZ75man]

I have a Klymit static V insulated pad that works great for me. Coldest so far has been 33* but it did fine. On another note my hammock has a dedicated pocket for a pad so I don't have any pad movement issues.

[mmccarthy7220]

thanks for the advice folks. And yes I should have tried this out in the backyard for a full night first. Look forward to learning a bunch more from everyone here.

[JSH]

FlRider's suggestion about putting some additional CCF across the top of your pad works. My first experience was like yours. Couldn't keep the pad stable despite a DL hammock. I've added some 1/4" CCF that is about 36" wide versus my pad of the mid 20's. The extra CCF width acts like wings and forms around your shoulders. It's a little bulky but can work for a time as you explore hanging.

After several months and saving my pennies I'm going to get an UQ soon. But the pad and modification I've described helped me get started.

The advice about trying things out in your backyard is sound. I read a thread yesterday where a lot of folks hang in their backyards simply because its fun. But I'll always try out new stuff there.

[Woody_NH]

Mike, sounds like my first experience. Being a long time ground camper I started out with my NeoAir pad and 20* bag and had a terrible time getting comfortable. I received a 20* UQ as an early Christmas gift and now sleep thru the night. At some point I'll replace the bag with a TQ to save bulk/weight but it works for now.
I have no talent for making my own so can't offer advise there.
Cheers!