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  1. #1
    New Member
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    Dec 2019
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    Add on draft collar

    Long time lurker, first time poster.

    My underquilts are enlightened equipment revolts (10 and 40 degree quilts). They are great, but I’m having a hard time getting both of them to seal on my new Dutchware netless hammock (.71 cloud). No matter what I do, I can’t get a good seal on my foot end, and there is a gap that’s compromising my insulation. A draft collar would almost certainly fix it, but I don’t have that option on these quilts.

    So, I’m looking for someone that can add a draft collar to these underquilts. I contacted enlightened equipment, but they don’t do this. Any ideas?

  2. #2
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    Aug 2012
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    Bend, OR
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    bencwest, I see this is your first post so welcome to the forum.

    The seal issue might be because of how you have your UQ cinched up. When I first started reading about such things, the trend was to cinch the ends up tight. Later, it was pointed out that will a diagonal lie, the tight ends were gap prone (as the feet pushed the UQ out a bit) and leaving the cinch loose allowed the UQ to more easily form fit to the hammock. What was important was that the UQ was up snug to the hammock. Hammock Gear addressed that by adding Secondary Suspension. The same effect could be achieved by gathering the primary suspension lines in an S-Biner and connecting that to the hammock’s ridge line - providing an upward lift towards the ends.

    Because I am often switching hammocks and UQ’s, I can’t “get it right once and leave it alone”. And it’s difficult to set it up just right by myself - can’t be in the hammock and outside of it checking the fit all at once. Maybe someday. But until I master quantum spaces, I rely on an underquilt protector (UQP). It’s another light layer of breathable nylong you hook under the UQ. It allow me to be less than perfect in my underquilt setup.

    I don’t know about EE gear but many UQ’s (not all) have a differential cut - meaning the bottom is fuller than the top. That allows you to pull the UQ tight against the bottom of the hammock and not compress the down loft. Shug shows in one of his videos that when you are not in the hammock, a snug UQ should lift the hammock up a bit.

    If you can provide some photos, maybe we can see what’s going on. Maybe a friend can photograph the UQ while you are in the hammock so we can see the gap.
    In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.

  3. #3
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
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    Mar 2014
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    Denton NC
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    WildernessLogics 12x6
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    Ben, since you are a long time lurker, you know I post when I don’t know—just improvise...
    Some problems can’t be solved.
    Maybe loosen your secondary suspension, the short elastic cord that is on both ends of your underquilt (if it came with that)
    And then experiment with an add on called triangle thingies. I’ve never used them. They might spread and lift underquilt tighter and closer to your hammock. If you search with Google triangle thingies or thingys, your search might bring you to posts and pictures on Hammock Forums that apply.

    Also Dutch sells some clips that can be used to secure underquilt in place, again I’m not sure.

    Browse on YouTube for videos on these possible solutions.

    Also watch Shug’s videos. Shug has several videos on underquilts, and if my memory is correct, he addresses this and more.

    Get an experienced hammock camper to look at your hammock, with you in it. Maybe some improvement can be made by adjusting primary and secondary underquilt suspensions.

    Or buy another underquilt with draft collar already included.

    Good luck

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Jun 2020
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    The draft collar on my HG incubator seems to serve me well.

    If you dont have any luck here, consider contacting ben at goose feet gear. He does a lot of custom down clothing. A draft collar seems easy compared to a box baffle jacket. You could also put a feeler out on backpackinglight.com forums, as there are a lot of MYOG people over there

    I tighten the off side suspension (the corners my head/feet are not on) and leave the on corners (where my head and foot are) loose. This allows the quilt more room to conform to my head and feet. As mentioned, your best bet is to have someone else lay in the hammock while you adjust. You may find the problem area just from that.

    Edit - GooseFeetGear specifically caters to this I see. From their site - https://goosefeetgear.com/custom-down-gear/
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    Give us details of what you’d like changed and we’ll give you a quote, along with any recommendations we might have to improve your idea. Send us an email detailing what you are looking for through the form below or call us at (478) 298-7653 to get started on your alteration today.
    Last edited by mcimes; 04-07-2021 at 16:33.

  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    bencwest,

    If you cant find someone to sew one on for you, I would go to Shugs Winter Camping Videos and look at how he uses his coat to seal the foot end of his hammock. Possibly you could do something similar.

    Another option: at each end, ( foot and head ), take 2 marbles ( one for left side of quilt end and one for right side of quilt end ) and clove hitch them around the underquilt fabric, using a small diameter stretch/shock cord. On the other end of the stretch/shock cord attach a mitten hook. Cordage and mitten hooks are available at almost all vendors on this forum. Take the mitten hook up to and onto, the hammock ridgeline. Adjust the tension for each attachment point to pull the sides of the quilt up to the bottom of the hammock. For this type of adjustment with cords, I use a taut line hitch but there are many other ways to do it.

    The clove hitch around the marbles allows the system to be dismantled easily. Implementation of the clove hitch around the marble should not damage the quilt fabric. To keep the mitten hooks in place, use a prussick knot.

    Good luck.

    Bob

  6. #6
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Draketake View Post
    bencwest,

    If you cant find someone to sew one on for you, I would go to Shugs Winter Camping Videos and look at how he uses his coat to seal the foot end of his hammock. Possibly you could do something similar.

    Another option: at each end, ( foot and head ), take 2 marbles ( one for left side of quilt end and one for right side of quilt end ) and clove hitch them around the underquilt fabric, using a small diameter stretch/shock cord. On the other end of the stretch/shock cord attach a mitten hook. Cordage and mitten hooks are available at almost all vendors on this forum. Take the mitten hook up to and onto, the hammock ridgeline. Adjust the tension for each attachment point to pull the sides of the quilt up to the bottom of the hammock. For this type of adjustment with cords, I use a taut line hitch but there are many other ways to do it.

    The clove hitch around the marbles allows the system to be dismantled easily. Implementation of the clove hitch around the marble should not damage the quilt fabric. To keep the mitten hooks in place, use a prussick knot.

    Good luck.

    Bob
    It looks like this and works well. I'm not wearing that parka sleeping anyways so use it at foot sleeping. Double duty.
    Shug

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  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
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    I’m often surprised it’s not mentioned more often but in my opinion the biggest factor in sleeping warm in an underquilt is the way you lay. A lot of people here are back sleepers with the occasional figure 4 thrown in. They have a lot easier time than someone who tosses and turns. If there is ever that calf ridge (or any ridge for that matter)in any of your sleeping positions you will always have cold spots, Even with a draft collar. A quilt wil never seal tight if there is ANY calf ridge. It simply defies the physics of a simple cinch cord. I’m relatively new at this so keep this in mind. Even if you stop drafts at the ends, the cold simply permeates through the inside of the hammock at any spot the quilt is not touching the hammock(at the calf ridge) and filters down till it’s blocked or it gets to you. This has been my experience. A pillow or stuff sack under my knee has helped greatly when I back sleep. Have to keep in mind.... regardless of if your ends are sealed. If the quilt is not tight to the hammock everywhere whatever the outside temp is, is finding its way in.
    i chalk it up to what shug calls the hammock learning curve. I’ve actually spent at least equal time basement hanging as I have in the woods!
    kris
    Last edited by Kmazuro; 04-07-2021 at 22:18.

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