Sleeping pad vs. underquilt???

[BillyBob58]

I would have said the same thing about pads. Under quilts are great with gathered end hammocks. However with a bridge hammock I prefer sleeping on a pad. I can’t sleep very well in my ridgerunner with my lynx under quilt. Throw my Therm-A-Rest ZLite pad in and sleep fantastic.


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Pretty much what he said. I imagine it is debatable for most as to whether a pad in a bridge is actually superior to an UQ, but for me there is no debate that with a bridge- or I'm sure a 90º hammock- a pad is an entire new world. It is at least still in the quite comfy range- to the point I may not even know a CCF pad is there, except for warmth of course. And with some solid advantages- never again a question about if it is snug enough vs too snug and or drafts/gaps. And if a perfect adjustment might change if you move during the night. Waterproof. Windproof. Ground. CCF = cheap.

But of course, Diamond64 has neither a bridge or 90º, but a Clark. I generally have not had great luck with pads in non-bridge, although I did have 1 good 18º night many years ago stacking pads in a Speer segmented pad extender(SPE) and a Speer hammock. Memory is starting to fade on that now, but I know I was very warm, and I don't recall being uncomfortable, though maybe not quite as comfy as usual. But so warm I know I could have gone a lot lower.

But like all have said: try that pad! You never know!

[Red Wing]

You lose a lot of r value in an inflatable in a hammock vs. On the ground. Uq worth the investment. Colder weather pads get weird in hammocks. Above 30 not a problem though.

Big difference for me is jamming my. Uq into my bad and done vs. Inflating and deflating and rolling up a pad. Especially when the ground is wet. Hard to do using the Hammock to roll up your pad.

Get a uq.

[arcana73]

I slept with a pad once. After that weekend I ordered an underquilt. Lucky for me Hammock Gear had the color I wanted as an "in stock" item.

[IRONFISH45]

I have to argue on the side of the group of folks who really like their pads. I tried two nights with a pad in my Hennessy and that was it. However, if you search this site you will find a few people singing the praise of pads...

In reality I wonder if they really spend many nights in their GE hammock.

[larsarus]

I ordered a Yeti UQ with my WBBB XLC, but out of curiosity I tested it for a night with my Exped SynMat 7 UL LW. I inflated it 95+% to make it soft and malleable. I have to say, it was surprisingly comfortable, and I could see going with that for a season if I had wanted to hold off on the underquilt purchase for some reason. There was a lot more noise from the SynMat though than I was used to from the totally silent underquilt. And of course the vapor barrier difference can be an issue. I hung indoors so I didn't suffer from extra moisture buildup, but outside on a cold night, that issue would be exacerbated.

[SilvrSurfr]

I tried using pads for two years - just couldn't deal with the condensation and neither could my three kids. There is nothing worse than waking up totally wet at 22* F. Condensation wasn't quite as bad at temps above 30* F, but I wanted to go lower. The lower the temps, the worse the condensation was for me.

[TrailBlaser]

I am new to hanging and haven't used my RR yet. It's a double-layer, so would there still be a problem with condensation? I will be doing so in a few weeks with my Klymit pad. I also have the Spindift sock. I don't have a topquilt either, so I am thinking of using my down bag partially opened up like a TQ. I was thinking I would go with a Lynx next year. Is there a problem with it? I would be interested in your thoughts on all this?

[SilvrSurfr]

I am new to hanging and haven't used my RR yet. It's a double-layer, so would there still be a problem with condensation?

A double layer makes it easier to keep the pad in place; it doesn't do anything about condensation.

[Passinthru]

I am new to hanging and haven't used my RR yet. It's a double-layer, so would there still be a problem with condensation? I will be doing so in a few weeks with my Klymit pad.

I use a Klymit pad with my RR. I think that maybe the design of the pad allows for condensation to drain away from the body - at least I don't seem to have any condensation issues.

[SIGNAL 13]

I’m hesitant to give advice to questions like this because it is ultimately personal preference. So, I’ll just tell you what works for me, but would encourage anyone who asks these things to try about various options for themselves.

In winter/cooler temps, I use an under quilt. Due to them being quite expensive, I cannot afford more than one of them, so I stick with a 20-degree quilt since I’ve not hung in temps lower than that, and cannot imagine ever doing so.

In the summer, I use a pad, specifically, my Army PT mat. It’s bulky and heavy, but it gets the job done. Biggest issue is it’s **** near impossible to sleep on the diagonal with that thing, and if you squirm around a lot when you sleep, you’ll find it’s difficult to keep it in the spot it should be in. It’s something I already owned, so it cost me nothing. If I had the money, I’d buy a proper pad with horizontal ridges, in the hopes that would help keep the gathered-end hammock spred out. Since I’m seriously considering a double-layered Ridge Runner, I may just continue using the PT mat for years to come, as it will fit much better in there than in a gathered-end hammock. I’ve not had an issue with condensation, but again, I only use it in the summer months.