UQ for Shorter Hammock

**Armadillo Hanger** · 12-20-2018, 22:09

In another thread, some people were theorizing that having a shorter hammock could affect the fit of an underquilt since the suspensions are generally designed for the longer hammocks.

Is this something easily adjusted for or when I order the underquilt for my daughter's 8ft hammock do I need to have a conversation with the vendor about making the necessary adjustments to the suspension? Obviously if they have to change the design of the suspension that will make it difficult to move to a new hammock when she gets bigger and moves up.

**FLTurtle** · 12-20-2018, 22:18

Maybe those quilt triangle things?

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...nsion-Adapters

**BillyBob58** · 12-20-2018, 22:30

It seems to me that- as long as the UQ length(and shorter UQs can be ordered) is a couple of feet shorter than the hammock it is on, I should be able to pull the suspension tight enough to lift the UQ solidly into the hammock, enough to lift the unoccupied hammock. I might have a bunch of excess suspension left over, but seems like I could do it. I guess if I hated the excess suspension, I could just cut it off. Or, maybe the vendor could give me a shorter suspension.

**SilvrSurfr** · 12-20-2018, 22:57

Just tie a knot or two in the suspension to shorten it - easily corrected if you go to a longer hammock.

**MikekiM** · 12-29-2018, 08:27

Easy enough to adjust the length of the primary suspension.. it's just shock cord threaded through a channel.

Throw a knot in the shock cord, or a HD cord lock, to take up the slack... if there is any.

Cut the excess off if it bothers you. Thread new shock cord in if it every becomes an issue.

**Dlrocm** · 12-29-2018, 08:29

As others have stated above, you simply need to shorten the suspension of the UQ. Make sure that the UQ lifts the hammock while the hammock is not occupied. If the UQ hangs loosely below the hammock, you will need to shorten the suspension some more.

**sidneyhornblower** · 12-30-2018, 06:27

Suspensions on all underquilts that I've ever seen (mostly the folks I've hiked with) are adjustable. I know mine are. Without knowing which quilts you're looking at, let me toss out a recommendation for the AHE Jarbidge. It's a good value for the money. I've got the three season version, which will get you to freezing or possibly a bit below depending on clothing and top insulation. It's 3/4 length, which may well be full length for a child. At 5'9" I find in a gathered end hammock it gives me coverage from about neck to ankles. It also fits my bridge hammock quite well.

Recently I experimented with it on a shorter hammock, one my wife and I made a couple of years ago. On that 9.5 foot hammock, I did indeed have to shorten up the suspension to get the fit right, which took all of about 30 seconds since you just pull one end through the locking mechanism to shorten (or lengthen) the suspension. I suspect that fitting a 3/4 length underquilt to an 8 foot hammock would be quite simple and easy. Besides AHE, several vendors make less than full length underquilts.

**Biker Bob** · 12-30-2018, 11:28

Second on the Jarbridge. It fits both my ENO DN and the wife's 11 foot AHE with a simple adjustment. No knot to untie. They go on sale for under $100.00 regularly.