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  1. #1
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    Pads + something else for hanging & going to the ground?

    I’m trying to find an ultralight bottom insulation solution that will work in both a hammock and on the ground. I love under quilts but don’t want to carry two sets of bottom insulation and the UQ isn’t necessarily that light. My thought has been to try using a Gossamer Gear Thinlight plus an ultralight air pad (Uberlite?) and a light 40˚ UQ so that I don’t have to carry that heavy of a setup.

    So, I’ve been on a bit of a hunt for a comfortable, warm, light sleeping pad lately. I have a Big Agnes AXL Insulated 25″x72″ and a Insulated Q-Core SL 20″x72″. Both are reasonably comfortable I guess but I don’t sleep well on the ground. The extra width is great since I sleep in a hammock and the ground depending on the elevation and availability of trees. Plus, I tend to move a bit on my back or side.

    The last trip I went on, I used the BA AXL on top of a Gossamer Gear 1/4″ Thinlight mat and was actually COLDER using the AXL on top of the Thinlight. I had to deflate it and push it off to the side. The Thinlight alone was warmer to me but not quite warm enough as it was probably in the 40’s that night.

    What do you guys use that you’ve found is warm, light, and comfortable? Anyone combine the pad with a lower rated UQ?

  2. #2
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    I'd wager there's very few that combine mats and quilts often.

    it might make more sense to find a hammock that's more pad friendly to begin with, so that you can just worry about 1 good bottom insulation

    I've seen several folks happily use pads in their ridgerunners

  3. #3
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    I use a ¾ length Therm-a-Rest Guide - no longer made. At my height (5’6”), ¾ length is almost full length. If there were a possibility I’d go to ground, I’d use that and a double layer hammock. But even in my 70’s I can still carry the “extra” weight of a ¾ length 40* UQ. So if bulk isn’t and issue, and I knew going to ground would happen only one or two days in a longer trip, I’d carry both. If ground and hammock days were about equal, I may leave the UQ home.
    In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.

  4. #4
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    What temps? GE or bridge hammock?

    Personally, I'd just get a warm air mat such as Xtherm and a good underquilt adequate for the temps. If you need to you can stack the UQ and the TQ when sleeping on the ground.

    I had a trip last year where I knew I'd be required to sleep in a shelter one night (Pogy Pond, Baxter SP, ME), so I bit the bullet and carried my modified old-school Neoair (25"x 47", 10.4oz)

    Yes, if stacking CCF and and air mat it's much better to put CCF on top.
    Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmoulder View Post
    What temps? GE or bridge hammock?

    Personally, I'd just get a warm air mat such as Xtherm and a good underquilt adequate for the temps. If you need to you can stack the UQ and the TQ when sleeping on the ground.

    I had a trip last year where I knew I'd be required to sleep in a shelter one night (Pogy Pond, Baxter SP, ME), so I bit the bullet and carried my modified old-school Neoair (25"x 47", 10.4oz)

    Yes, if stacking CCF and and air mat it's much better to put CCF on top.
    Temps range into the 30˚s-40˚s generally with the occasional 50˚s. I'm more concerned with the 30˚s and the occasional high 20˚s.

    Gathered end netted hammock.

    Interesting about the CCF and air mat order. What is the reasoning for putting the CCF on top of the mat? Maybe I should try that instead of giving up on my AXL Insulated and GG 1/4" Thinlight combo. I do like my under quilts but I don't like the idea of bringing a relatively heavy piece of kit that I'm not going to use.

  6. #6
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    Over the years I have read through and participated in massive amounts of interwebs discussions about CCF/air mat combo and which is better. I've got a fair amount of experience and have tested both configurations methodically and CCF on top has always been better. Many people who have a lot of actual cold experience concur.

    It's easy enough to test. A few years back I was testing to find the absolutely lightest combo that would work for me down to 0°F. I've got a venue that has easy access for me to hike in about 1.4mi, so I carried my air mat and three CCF pads, which were a 1/8" thinlight, a 3/8" EVA foam mat and a Thermarest Ridgerest (very heavy) and tested all of them, placed on top and bottom, on a very cold night. The 1/8" thinlight was totally inadequate, the Ridgerest was very warm and the 3/8" CCF was totally adequate and weighed half as much as the Ridgerest, so it won top spot. Used subsequently many times in very cold weather and it was fine.

    How this would work in a hammock, I don't know because I don't use air mats/CCF in hammocks. I tried an air mat once and figured out right away it isn't for me... UQs all the way.
    Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
    “If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton

  7. #7
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    Try a 90° hammock - best option with a pad, see also
    https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...d-Air-Mattress

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