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  1. #1
    DGrav's Avatar
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    Do I need an underquilt for my hammock?

    The question, "Do I need an underquilt for my hammock?" comes up frequently on forums and while speaking with folks on the phone. I figured putting together a quick overview may be helpful for some folks.

    https://www.jacksrbetter.com/do-i-ne...or-my-hammock/
    Jacks R Better, makers of the of the Original Under Quilt and Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock.
    www.jacksrbetter.com
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  2. #2
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
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    Bottom insulation is necessary.
    You can use closed cell foam pads and or
    Under quilt

    Once I was on a quick overnight camp. Daytime temperature was 75
    Overnight forecast was a low of 65
    I thought…”I’m a tough man”
    Haha…

    I did not use under insulation—no pad and no under quilt either.
    Around 200am I woke with a stinging sensation to my backside. Fortunately it was a short walk back home to my trusty bed.
    I bailed out…65* Fahrenheit was way too cold for me in my hammock with no under insulation.

    Your mileage may vary….except that most hammock campers use under insulation, even on “hot” summer nights

  3. #3
    PopcornFool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DGrav View Post
    The question, "Do I need an underquilt for my hammock?" comes up frequently on forums and while speaking with folks on the phone. I figured putting together a quick overview may be helpful for some folks.

    https://www.jacksrbetter.com/do-i-ne...or-my-hammock/
    I realize that this "quick overview" was likely created in part to drive visitors to the JRB website. No harm in that. But implicit in your overview is that other forms of insulation other than UQs are not worthy of consideration. I believe that it is worth noting that choosing insulation is very dependent on its situational use.

    Just one example: I have been (and still am) completely satisfied with my CCF pad for multi-day backpacking in temps above 50/60*. It is perfectly comfortable to me and saves me almost 3 oz in pack weight over my lightest UQs (a Yeti and Phoenix). In many ways it has advantages over an UQ. It is multi-functional. It is much less fussy to set up and use. It is easier to pack. It completely and simply eliminates calf ridge. I don't have to worry about adverse weather impacting its insulating capability. It is more durable than my UQs. And it's a LOT easier to clean when it gets dirty.

    I do agree that generally UQs provide great value for a lot of situations. I love my UQs and use them a lot. But they supplement my other insulation options, not supplant them.
    ~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?

  4. #4
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    A CCF pad is a condensation catcher, which is why I abandoned pads early in my hammock camping adventures. The thing that always baffled me was how most people said they got condensation, but there were some who said they never got condensation. Well, I started checking those "never got condensation" people in the morning, and they all had considerable condensation (sometimes puddles). So I concluded that everyone gets condensation from a pad, but some are fine with condensation.

    My son and I went on a trip using CCF pads, and the low was 22* F. I woke up very wet from condensation, but my son said he had no condensation. Of course, I checked his pad and hammock and they were literally soaked in condensation. I don't know why he said he had no condensation, but he's not alone! Anyway, that was the last night I used CCF pads. I switched to underquilts and have been happy ever since.
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  5. #5
    PopcornFool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr View Post
    A CCF pad is a condensation catcher ...
    ... which is one the primary reason why I don't use my CCF pad below 50/60*. CCF pads are also a sweat catchers, which I why I don't use mine above about 75/80*.
    But for that sweet spot range in between (which just happens to be temperature range when I do about half of my backpacking), it's the perfect insulation for me in those situations. And I almost never wake with a wet back. On the other hand, I have woken up sweaty damp using an UQ in cold weather when I over-insulated. There's a learning curve there too.

    I really do appreciate how so many people fall in love with their fluffy bundles of quilty goodness and how adamant they are about never going back to (fill in the blank). I really love mine too. There's nothing more comfortable and cozy than snuggling up inside a downy cocoon in my hammock when the temps drop. But as much as I love my UQs for so many situations, an UQ is not the perfect insulation for all situations (at least not for me).

    The OP's article (on the JRB website via the link provided) had a statement that read, "Underquilts are preferable to sleeping pads as they don’t move around and cause discomfort." IMO, that statement is misleading. My pad doesn't move around (there are techniques for that just like there are for keeping your UQ in the right place) and mine is perfectly comfortable in the situations that I use it.

    I get it. JRB sells quilts, not pads or sleeping bags. And they sell high quality ones that get solid reviews from a lot of folks. I'm an advocate! And to be fair, the article did state that a quilt might not be necessary in all circumstances. But it did imply that when insulation is needed, a quilt is really the only way to go. That may be true for many (or even most) folks. But certainly not for everyone in every situation.

    Shared experiences like mine and yours, Silvr, are arguably the best thing about this forum. Those who are newer to life above ground have this wealth of information where they can learn from the experiences from another without necessarily having to go through it themselves, but where they can also learn that there are many options and no single right way to hang. Not even a single right way to hang every time you hang!

    A line I've seen oft repeated here (can't remember who originally said it) is "... but try it and see if it works for you." I love that line! It typically comes after a shared experience that basically says "Here is what happened to me so learn from my mistake!" That line is a simple recognition that although there some very valuable lessons to learn from others, there may still be those out there that are perfectly satisfied hanging in their polyester dollar store hammock, under their big blue hardware store tarp, wrapped up in an old wool Army blanket for warmth. Not everyone needs an UQ for every situation (not even a high quality, hand-made in the USA, custom UQ from a well-respected, veteran-owned, cottage gear vendor with great customer service like JRB.)
    ~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?

  6. #6
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Well...you don't need one.
    But.....you are eventually gonna want one.
    It leads to top-tier snoozing.
    Shug

    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by DGrav View Post
    The question, "Do I need an underquilt for my hammock?" comes up frequently on forums and while speaking with folks on the phone. I figured putting together a quick overview may be helpful for some folks.

    https://www.jacksrbetter.com/do-i-ne...or-my-hammock/
    Do you want to sleep warm? Do you want to sleep well? If you need those things, then you need an underquilt. For cold weather use, you simply can't skimp. You need one of the cottage vendors' models that are "differentially cut", meaning that the interior liner is cut shorter from side to side and end to end. This better conforms to the shape of the hammock and keeps the insulation from being compressed by your body weight.


    But for warm season use, it's different. All you need is a little something down there, and it doesn't need to be perfect. I'm now using the Onewind synthetic unit for temps 50 up, even last night, when it was still 80 degrees at 10:30 PM. If too warm, I can easily lower it and open the ends for air circulation or take the hammock out and leave the u/q over to the side. It is a bit much for summer use, though. I would like something thinner and of lighter weight. Whatever you get, however, don't buy the "canoe" style. In the, end, though, the main thing is "get out and get hung" .

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    DGrav's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PopcornFool View Post
    I realize that this "quick overview" was likely created in part to drive visitors to the JRB website. No harm in that. But implicit in your overview is that other forms of insulation other than UQs are not worthy of consideration. I believe that it is worth noting that choosing insulation is very dependent on its situational use.
    I've personally only used sleeping pads in hammocks for about 100 nights, so I don't feel like I have enough experience to recommend pads one way or another. But I can share a few of my takeaways from what experience I do have.


    1. The condensation issue already mentioned. I experienced it at any temperature, whether I am using a Z-Rest, one of the old grey backpacking light pads, or a NeoAir (although the issue is not as severe with the NeoAir). SIDE NOTE (the worst condensation was testing car windshield sun shades. What a mess and fail that was!)

    2. It was a bit of a struggle for me to keep it in place, even when I had it set up just right. Sadly, this meant I had trouble sleeping well because I was always concerned that it might shift out of position.

    3. Perceived instability (increased tippy-ness). I found this more of an issue with bridge hammocks especially when entering/exiting the hammock or sitting up to read. This was due to an increase in the center of gravity caused by the pad at the bottom of the bridge which decreased the overall depth (while increasing width.)

    4. One of the reasons I wanted to use a pad (at first it was because underquilts didn't exist yet) was for the flexibility/multiuse. During my years of tenting, I used to enjoy cowboy camping or sleeping in shelters. The quick and easy setup after a day of hiking, and being able to hit the trail early the next morning, was ideal for me. Additionally, I was accustomed to using my pad while cooking and relaxing at camp. The quality of sleep I was getting in a hammock was amazing. I felt well rested and fresher in the morning, my hiking felt stronger, and my backing trips overall were more enjoyable. Camp life was different too. Cooking, eating, and general hanging out were all done while sitting in the hammock. The comfort while sleeping and hanging out in camp outweighed the ease of cowboy camping or spending a night in the shelter. I do find a lot of value in carrying a small sit pad for avoiding WBS (Wet But Syndrome) when stopping for a break when it is damp out.

    When asked about pads while speaking to customers I always point out that Dutch did his thru-hike with a Z Rest in a Hennessy.
    Jacks R Better, makers of the of the Original Under Quilt and Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock.
    www.jacksrbetter.com
    Facebook: JacksRBetterQuilts
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  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    For myself, I started with a pad and moved to a UQ once I experienced one for the first time.

    The one legit use case for pads for me now is as an alternative to quilt stacking. For example, when I joined a group "frozen butt" hang at -5 degrees, I was able to use an insulated pad along with a 30-degree UQ to be comfortable at -5. I was in a double-layer bridge (WBRR), so it worked a treat without significantly altering my flat lay. But that's just my experience; YMMV.
    Iceman857

    "An optimist is a man who plants two acorns and buys a hammock" - Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (French Army General in WWII)

  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    I love my underquilts but in my efforts to be able to hike with both a tent and a hammock at the same time, I'm cosidering exploring pad and a good English boiled wool lightweight blanket. I'm going to see if I can get a cottage vendor to make me a blanket that is half very light and half middle weight wool., and put tabs in six spots on the outside so I can do what we used to do when I was a kid, which was to use a medium weight wool blanket with a thin waxed cotton cover on top on days when it was foggy and damp. We used to use no tarps neither - Imagine that.
    Wool as most know will keep one warm when wet and while it is for sure heaviers than that wonderful down stuff, I simply want to experiment a bit and don't mind carrying about a pound more. The bottom protects the air mattress on the ground or can be under the body, depending on circumstances and should do well in a hammock, with or without pad.

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