Thanks leiavoia. Yes, I think I'll stick with a full bag especially because I like having the attached hood. I think getting an UQ will really help.
Thanks leiavoia. Yes, I think I'll stick with a full bag especially because I like having the attached hood. I think getting an UQ will really help.
Here are some tips for using a bag in the hammock. Hope it gives insight.
Shug
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
I used a sleeping bag for about a year before getting a top quilt. It worked fine and that hood was really nice in the winter! Drafts were pretty much impossible. But I wanted to cut bulk and weight.
I never wore it like a top quilt. I would just get in like I was in a tent and zip up. Very cozy!
OK, thanks for the details, JW! That helps in figuring things out. You must indeed be a very cold sleeper, and these individual variations can certainly make it tougher to figure out how much an individual is going to need.
Although, I'm just remembering my friend from North Carolina telling me about the time that he slept on some big Agnes pad I think it was big Agnes, inside one of those big Agnes bags that you slipped the pad into, using that in his hammock at about 15°, and he said it was the coldest he's ever been. And he is not a cold sleeper! But the thing is I can't remember which big Agnes pad or bag he was using, so can't really make any direct comparisons there.
Since my experience with 2 closed cell foam pads rated at total 5.2R(under the torso where a short pad- 2.6R - and long pad - also 2.6R - were stacked, but only 2.6R under the legs) kept me toasty a bit below 20° F, I'm thinking that if your pad is actually 4.5R, I would probably be plenty warm into the 20s using that pad. Again, if it actually meets its rating of 4.9, AND it was fully inflated. Hard to know about if it meets it's rating, but 3 1/2 inch thick insulated pads are usually pretty warm. You, however, were uncomfortably cold at 35° F. So that's quite a difference in our experience on pads rated for approximately 5R. But what I don't know yet is: were you cold on your back and/or butt? Or were you cold on top? Or just kind of cold all over? Because your sleeping bag's rating is much closer to the temperatures at which you were cold, so assuming that your pad meets it's 4.5 rating, that sleeping bag seems like a more likely suspect to me. But of course, no way to know for sure.
Getting a 20° rated under quilt might well solve your problem, or not. It's not like plenty of people around here do not report problems keeping warm at well above a quality UQ's rating. I don't think that's due to the inaccuracy of the rating, it has more to do with an individual being able to get the under quilt perfectly adjusted, particularly when trying to lay diagonal across both the Hammock and the UQ. That can be a lot trickier than just lying on a pad, assuming you can stay on the pad. But if you can't stay on it, at least you immediately know what's wrong. It can be a lot trickier trying to figure out what is wrong with your UQ.
I don't mean to discourage you about that(UQ) approach. As for me, I have been for the most part plenty warm at or near a number of different under Quilts ratings. I have done great with JRB full and partial length UQs, a WB synthetic torso size Yeti, and the old Speer Pea Pod, no problems. But plenty of other folks here have not been so lucky, at least at first during the learning curve. I do think most of them, with the help of advice they get from the experienced folks here, get it worked out. On the other hand, there are still plenty of folks who routinely take Quilts rated for 20° warmer than the lowest temperatures they are expecting.
Last edited by BillyBob58; 10-07-2020 at 09:22.
A UQ is quite a bit nicer than an insulated pad.
I prefer to use my quality down bags in TQ mode. I did so even before I started using a hammock, i.e. laying on top of an insulated pad on the ground. I like the multi-use of a bag and although it is not easy to get into in a hammock, if the conditions demand it I definitely will crawl in rather than freeze my nether regions.
Many folks, myself included, like to use either a down beanie or hood to top off the TQ or bag. That way you are not dependent on the sleeping bag hood. I have both a Blackrock beanie and for colder conditions I use an extra hood off a Feather Friends parka that I picked up off ebay.
I still used the hood. Obviously not fully zipped in but at least for me the bag was long enough VS my height such that I could wrap it around my head. Still used balaclava plus beanie. This would obviously not work down to the same temp as a properly worn separate hood but is definitely cheaper if you already have the gear. If you're gonna be on an actual trip YMMV but personally I'm just doing all of this in the yard so can always bail and sit in front of the propane fireplace inside to warm up
Last edited by arutha; 10-07-2020 at 22:21.
I would say upgrading a sleeping bag to a TQ is the least worthwhile if you've already got a bag. A good down mummy bag doubles as a topquilt when unzipped (you'll note that TQ's are cut much like an unzipped mummy bag, without the zippers and hood), or can be used zipped (just more fiddly to get in and out) for extra warmth. And it's more versatile for a tent or a go-to-ground situation.
There are minor weight/bulk savings with the TQ, but with little/no added comfort. If you're really shaving ounces, TQ's are worth considering. But it's nothing like upgrading from a pad to an UQ. Or, from a tent to a hammock.
If my sleeping bag needed replacement, I would still get another sleeping bag to use in my hammock and general out-of-bed use.
Last edited by rjc149; 10-27-2020 at 23:00.
I think it’s important to use what you have, find the best way to make that work for you, and pay attention to what doesn’t work for you to help inform future purchases. This process actually pushed me away from sleeping bags altogether just because of how I sleep. I found that I prefer using a TQ in the air and on the ground, and if I’m concerned about the cold, I can use the draft collar, a buff, and/or a hat depending on the temperature and humidity. Happy hanging!
Welcome to the forums.
There is a learning curve for dialing in UQs. Some have a bit of fiddling involved. Shug has a great video on the subject that helped me out.
I’m a cold sleeper as well, and it seems counterintuitive, but wearing less layers allows your insulation to trap body heat. Give it a shot next time you hang after you get your UQ.
If you're looking for underquilt options, don't forget about the Ridge Reaper from Loco Libre. George's quilts are on another level!
https://www.locolibregear.com/gear.h...lts/c/25043321
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