Thanks, hutzelbein. I'm starting to think that having the ability to zip up into a bag may be very helpful for staying warm in my Ridgerunner in the shoulder seasons. I will also likely add a lightweight underquilt at some point. Btw, do you think adding an underquilt protector without an underquilt (just insulated pad + underquilt protector) would help much with blocking drafts from below/ends?
It depends on where the drafts are coming from and if the UQP is able to cover those areas. I have had more success with socks. Both won't help much if you are in direct contact with uninsulated hammock areas, though.
Why do you want to stick with a pad in the first place? If you don't need one to go to ground or ease shoulder squeeze, I suspect you might be happier with an underquilt as your only means of insulation.
This is true, which is why I have sometimes added some shockcord to pull the top edge of the UQ snugly into the top edge of the bridge hammock. I started doing that way back in 07 or 08 when I finally got a JRB MW4 UQ especially to go with my original, first version of JRB Bear Mtn Bridge hammock. I quickly discovered that using this UQ on this hammock was an easy peasy deal, almost competitive with my ease of staying warm in a Speer Pea Pod around a GE. First time I ever tried it near it's rating I had a toasty back at 10F, and started out with a solid layer of frost that had accumulated on the outer shell of my UQ and TQ. Because it had been set up in the backyard for several hours before I went outside, and I just went ahead and tried it frost and all. So on the one hand, I always felt this was about my easiest and most consistent(maybe tied with a Pea Pod) system for keeping warm. OTOH, I was always concerned with a tendancy- despite otherwise perfect fit- for the MWUQ to gap away near top top edges. Everywhere else as snug as could be, head to toe. But that little gap near the top worried me, so I did a little shock cord mod to snuger up. But admittedly, I never determined that was actually needed or made much difference. I was always warm in all positions, whether I did that or not. And the Jacks(and I think now DGrav agrees ) seemed to think such was not needed. But, sense I always loved to get slightly on my side and lean back into the deep side wall of that original JRB, I was concerned and sometimes used that shock cord. Did I really need it? Not sure.Originally Posted by cougarmeat
You are very welcome. The thing about those foam inserts (into clothing) is that, so often, most of me is warm, it only turns out to be a tiny area that needs a boost for whatever reason, and the problem spot depends on what position I am in. (and this applies to UQs or pads a main insulation). The small inserts have proven to be a mighty easy way to solve some of these problems. Another way to do it? My foam knee pad that I use when some project requires me to be down on my knees as I am trying to repair something!
Hutz, you are by no means he only one who has had that problem keeping warm in bridges. Naturally, my experience is so much different than others. I immediately found that staying warm in a bridge hammock, with either pad or UQ, tended to be easier and more consistent and draft fee than in a GE! I guess I am just weird, always having such different experiences than most folks.
But, even for me, there have been some caveats. First of all, it has proven important for me to make sure that the UQ is not too long for the hammock! If it is, then challenges are going to arise getting it to snug up correctly. Maybe one reason I had such immediate success at some of my coldest temps was because I was using a JRB MWUQ on a JRB hammock, which were pretty much designed to work together from the start? The hammock even had loops that I was supposed to attach the MWUQ to, after which there was really nothing to adjust. I did sometimes have- even with that combo- a less than perfect fit(as already mentioned) near the top edges, which I sometimes fixed with shockcord. But head, back, butt, legs, feet? Any area where my body weight was compressing any TQ or bag insulation, had UQ snugged up against it uncompressed. In all positions.
And, if you look at my pics in previous post- using a short JRB UQ on a non JRB hammock( a WBRR)- I think you will see a zero gap fit. the bottom and sides are all pretty much snugly covered(with the possible exception of, of course, the very top edge. But, of course, it is guaranteed that short UQ is not too long for ANY hammock. When I have tried to use UQs that were even 1" too long, things get very tricky and I find my self having to add more shock cord to snug things up.
hutzelbein:
............
I have just remembered one more variable which might account for at least some of my success keeping even warmer using an UQ in a bridge than in a GE(or at least having an easier time being as warm), compared to more than just one of Y'all who have had the opposite experience.
Most of my below 30F ( coldest 10F) yet still toasty bridge experiences have been with the first(BMBH) and 2nd(called the "BMBH UL" at the time) versions of the JRB bridges. These were more narrow, and deeper, than most other brands, and even more so that the current JRB James River bridge. In fact, though at least after getting used to it(learning curve), never a problem for me, that is what some folks didn't like about those hammocks. Too narrow. Or some complained of shoulder squeeze(as did I before I figured it out). This is what accounted for the spectacular success of the WBRR, IMO, it was just so much wider, with much wider spreader bars. Though still, amazingly, even though it is several inches wider, some still complain of shoulder squeeze with the WB.
However, I always suspected that when it came to warmth, there was an advantage to the more narrow bridge hammocks. People talk about how the GE hammock and UQ wrap them in a snug cocoon. IMO, the early JRB bridges did exactly the same thing. The hammock wrapped around(in a U or V shape), making slight contact with every part of my body, and my JRB MWUQ wrapped snugly around and contacted every part of the JRB bridge hammock. At least every part that was in contact with my body, which is all that really counts. It was always a perfectly snug fit, keeping me toasty warm at 10F, near rated temps with the MW4. And right at rated temps of 25F(wearing only cotton PJs) with the MW3. Nothing I have tried worked any better, and many not as good. And no trying to get a perfect adjustment. It just snapped on and it was what it was, good or bad.
I also always felt that my TQs worked better, since they seemed to be "funneled" down on top of me by the narrow U or V shape of the JRB BMBH. So all in all it was my easiest winter experience, right there with the Pea Pod.
But, will all of that work as well with wider bridge hammocks? I don't really know. Though as far as I can tell, at least with my UQs, I have just as snug of a fit when I wrap my JRB MW3 - at least the short version of my convertible model- or my Greylock 4, around the wider WBRR or JRB James River. The fit seems absolutely perfect, snug in all areas. But, I have never put it to the test on those hammocks near the rated temp of the UQs, so I can't say for sure.
JRB GreyLock4 on wider James River Bridge, no gaps in coverage(notice UQ is supporting the hammock and pillow). That is about as snug as it gets, seems to me. It is about the same when the JRB Greylock is used on the WBRR:
Also the AHE Ridge Creek Climashield UQ seems to have no gaps whatsoever when used with the WB Ridge Runner hammock. It is nice and snug back, butt, feet and shoulders:
Last edited by BillyBob58; 10-05-2021 at 12:12.
The sleeping bag works in the Ridge Runner Bridge because, when zipped up, it assures there will be no gaps from the sides. You can get the same effect by using a wider TQ (mentioned earlier). It may be that other bridge designs allow more "hugging the sides" - I'm only familiar with the RR and RSBTR DIY kit. It seems, if you want the hammock, and hence the UQ, to hug you, you'd use a GE hammock. With the right sag and diagonally, it's pretty darn flat. But then you're in a cocoon - Not that there is anything wrong with that. If I want flatter sides (more visibility) and a different feel, I'll use a bridge. But I know I'll have to pay more attention to "tuck" issues.
Note that the initial problem was cold knees and shoulders, not CBS. So it seems the issue is focused on the TQ and not the UQ.
Yes, a UQP will help with breezes, add some warmth to the UQ side and keep your UQ cleaner. It may not help with your initial cold knees/shoulders because that's a "topside" issue. My vote: wider TQ, a supplementary blanket of some sort, or just a sleeping bag zipped up.
A note on sleeping bags. Though some people are more gymnastic than I am, for me, getting into a sleeping bag while already in the hammock is material for American Funniest Home Videos. It might work better if you step into the sleeping bag and pull it on standing beside your hammock, then sit down and bring your legs in. If you have a sleeping bag with a double zipper, you can unzip a length near the bottom end and stick your feet through that so your feet are on the ground, then do some contortion to bring that bottom zipper (or use a pull cord) into reach once in the hammock.
A warmer addition (beside warmer-rated quilts) is a full sock. If you get one from WarBonnet with a zipper entrance on each side, with those sides open in the summer, you have pretty good visibility. In the winter, you can play with the zipper openings to find your balance between enough airflow to minimize condensation and yet not lose too much heat. With the older RR's, you had to take apart the lines from the apex connector to put on the Spin Drift. So you wouldn't want to be taking that on/off a lot. The newer design might be different.
Last edited by cougarmeat; 10-05-2021 at 11:44.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
I'm a pretty big person and find the Ridgerunner much more comfortable with a long/wide pad. Much less shoulder/foot squeeze and more comfortable for side sleeping.
BillyBob,
Thanks much for posting these photos. I know it's a longshot but do you happen to have any photos of how a Ridgerunner with both a (long/wide) pad (preferably in between fabric layers) and the Arrowhead Ridge Creek underquilt look when you're in it? I'm curious about the extent of side coverage in that situation.
Though as mentioned, I've mostly been using a topquilt, I've had some success with getting into a sleeping bag in the Ridgerunner by first centering the zipper facing up and then unzipping the sleeping bag down to just the "footbox" area, then climbing in and then zipping up the bag over the midline of my body (i.e. zipper is placed on top of me, not to the side). After that, I can rotate the bag around me so the zipper is on the side if I want.
Last edited by meteorharry; 10-05-2021 at 12:10.
Putting a longer pull cord on the sleeping bag is a good idea! Come to think of it, this would be very helpful on the Ridgerunner bugnet zippers too. Thanks!
Well, you have managed to hit on just about the only combo of gear that I don't have a picture of.If it wasn't about to start raining here soon, I'd go outside and set it up and get some pictures for you. Maybe later?
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