Are Underquilt Hooks Necessary?

**SteveE** · 12-02-2017, 18:09

Please pardon the total noobie question but are underquilt hooks totally needed to use an underquilt effectively? I just ordered a Raven hammock and am hoping to pick up an underquilt for it soon as well. The Raven doesn't have underquilt hooks but from what I've read on here, people seem to say that they don't have any issues with their underquilt with the Raven. Do the hooks just help keep the quilt in place better?

**LuvmyBonnet** · 12-02-2017, 18:31

Hi Steve. I'm not familiar with the Raven but I use the hooks on my BBXLC so the foot end or shoulder end don't snap off and wake up with cold feet or shoulder. Then I'd wake up and have to reach under and snap the quilt back in to place. The hooks keeps the quilt in place.

**SilvrSurfr** · 12-02-2017, 18:49

Just got a Chameleon with quilt hooks. I don't see that they are providing much, other than piece of mind. I used underquilts for five years without quilt hooks.

**TrailSlug** · 12-02-2017, 20:38

I've never had them until I got my Chameleon . They aren't necessary but are nice to have.

**arcana73** · 12-03-2017, 01:05

They're not necessary but are useful. If you find that your quilt moves around you can always attach shock cord to the quilt and have the cord run over your ridge line.

**KiwiMark** · 12-03-2017, 01:50

I've tried out a couple of lengths of Paracord 550 from my HG UQ to the ridgeline of my DH Sparrow and I'm really liking it. I have a line from the right hand side foot end to the ridge line and another from the left hand side head end to the ridge line. I sleep head left, foot right so the 2 lines stop my feet pushing over the edge of the UQ or my head from doing the same. I haven't adjusted my UQ at all in the last week (I sleep every night in my hammock) and the UQ just stays in the right place.

I have no UQ hooks on my hammock, just the small D-Rings on the UQ. I don't think I need or want hooks on my hammock as what I have is working just fine for me.

**Chop** · 12-03-2017, 07:50

I haven't had them for most of my trips, but when I have them, I use them and appreciate them. You may not miss them. See how it goes.

A bit of their usefulness depends on their placement and how you lay. On one of my hammocks I placed them perfectly (by total luck). On the next hammock I built, which was at a different length, they weren't as useful.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**SteveE** · 12-03-2017, 09:40

Thanks for the replies guys...I'll have to play with it once I get it and see what works. Good tip on attaching it to the ridge line, thanks for that!

**Skytow** · 12-03-2017, 10:03

Agree with others here. I have them but don’t use them. I have looped a piece shock cord over my ridge line but found overtime I just got the UQ set up better and didn’t need it. I’ve also found that using my UQ protector helps keep the UQ in place. It is not tight up against the UQ but just “there” enough to prevent the UQ from sliding around much.

**Carrico** · 12-03-2017, 13:27

I added hooks to my hammock and I've noticed they really come in handy when you change positions, I flop around a bit so I'll change positions at least once or twice a night and with the hooks I don't have to worry about reaching over and grabbing the quilt and yanking it back up over my shoulder. However I survived several years without them but did have quite a few nights where I woke up cold because my quilt popped off. I've tried several different kinds, the clip-on quilt hooks the triangle plastic ones that go over your Ridgeline and I tried the good old shock cord over the top of the Ridgeline too. The clip-on ones just don't work at all and the plastic triangle ones and the shock cord over the Ridgeline seem to add to shoulder squeeze for me. I ended up just sewing pack hooks about 20 in. In from the ends these have work the best and don't cause any shoulder squeeze.