Which Hammockgear topquilt for emergency ground camping?

**W8lkinUSA** · 01-10-2019, 03:46

I'm 167 lbs (75.8 kg) at 5' 11'' (180.4 cm) when empty. Would the following be sufficient for minimal ground camping?

It must handle summer camping in all North America mountains.

Hammockgear premium topquilt:
- temperature : 20° +1oz 950-fill
- finished length: 74'' (standard)
- finished width : 50'' (standard)
- footbox : drawstring

If I need to go to the ground, I'd like to be ready. It'd be really great to hear from similarly sized individuals as well.

**W8lkinUSA** · 01-10-2019, 03:50

I would hate to go stupid light, but have very little experience.

**MAD777** · 01-10-2019, 04:20

I would go with their wide option for ground sleeping. A hammock and its underquilt wraps partly around you, meeting the top quilt. However, on the ground a wider top quilt will make up for the lack of that underquilt coverage.

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**tessiea** · 01-10-2019, 09:51

My first quilt was a Hammock Gear Econ 20 Burrow in wide and used this for a year on the ground and would highly recommend. I cannot speak to a standard width on the ground though as all mine have been used in a hammock.

**Shug** · 01-10-2019, 09:54

I did a test with my HG 20º TQ a while back.
Shug

**W8lkinUSA** · 01-10-2019, 12:16

Originally Posted by Shug

I did a test with my HG 20º TQ a while back.
Shug

I've watched this video a long time ago, but was hoping to get by with a slimmer topquilt on the ground due to my slimmer profile.

**HandyRandy** · 01-10-2019, 16:58

I think 3” to 5” extra length and width should be added if your quilt fits perfectly in a hammock.

**W8lkinUSA** · 01-10-2019, 18:45

Originally Posted by HandyRandy

I think 3” to 5” extra length and width should be added if your quilt fits perfectly in a hammock.

There's existing slack when I'm a hammock. I've even used the topquilt a few times on my reclining sofa, but prefer softer cotton blankets to contrast the leather sofa.

Having only slept on an air mattress or hammock with underquilt while camping, I have little experience with my backup NeoAir Xtherm air pad. I've only used the air pad a couple of times in my living room, but wished that it were thicker.

**HandyRandy** · 01-10-2019, 19:07

The principles in play here are:
You lay in a slight banana curve shape even in the best hammock on a diagonal, so your length is a bit shorter than when laying on a flat surface.
The cross sectional curve of a hammock and it’s UQ allow for a slightly narrower topquilt than you would need when laying on a flat surface.

I suppose you would also want to have a durable outer shell, not a 10d, if you want to be able to cowboy camp with it. You can easily baby it in a hammock, but it might run across things on the ground if it falls off your pad.