Adding in underquilt with insulated pad to prevent cold shoulders/knees in Ridgerunner?

[BillyBob58]

I don't really know whether or not 42 inches wide is the sweet spot for your situation or not. As you can see from some of my pictures, if my knees are just right up to the hard edge of the War Bonnet bridge hammock, there is excessive coverage(with the JRB) well up above my knees in the edge of a hammock. If my legs are resting on the edge of the hammock, sticking out a bit behind the edge, then the quilt seems to provide just about the right amount of coverage. So it appears there might be a little bit of excess coverage, maybe, so you can get away with a quilt that is not quite so wide.

But the irony of that is that, if I had my knees up on the hard edge of a bridge hammock, I'm probably going to need a piece of closed cell foam – or something else – to cushion because otherwise it would be quite uncomfortable after a while. In which case, I'm already insulated. Whether by small CCF inserts cut out and placed under some pants, or by knee pads outside my pants, or just a plain old leg pad. Since this is a short version JRB Greylock 4 under quilt, unless it's not very cold, I would probably be using this UQ with a closed cell foam leg pad to start with. When I do that, if I switch to fetal position, I move the pad. Normally in fetal position, I only need the pad for my feet anyway, as everything else is covered by the quilt. But, I can easily shift the pad so that it is covering my entire lower leg from the knee down. Which will cushion that hard edge at the same time.

Is weight and bulk an issue here? And or expense? Because I can't even imagine the temperature rating of that (in my case) 0° rated under quilt underneath a pad that at least one user has taken to well below zero, all by itself. Using it laid directly inside of a bridge hammock so that he is laying directly on the pad. Though admittedly, some other very knowledgeable users can't get anywhere near that kind of warmth out of these winter rated Neoair pads in a bridge hammock. So opinions differ as usual. But regardless, it's going to be very warm, then adding an under quilt is really going to push it down there, possibly way more than you will ever need, unless you are a deep winter hanger.

So if it was me, I don't think I would ever be buying an under quilt trying to insulate that last inch or 2 on the side of one particular Hammock. And even though I already have one, I don't think I'd be hauling it along on any backpacking trips unless it was cold enough that I might also need it for boosting my pads temperature rating. Not when I can use some form of knee or leg pads to accomplish the task. And in fact, the pads would accomplish an additional task: cushioning the hard edge of the bridge hammock. But of course, that's just me. What are you thinking at this point?

[meteorharry]

Thanks for your thoughts, BillyBob. I am going to first test the CCF knee pads and use of a zipped sleeping bag to see how that works for side sleeping on my next trip. If that is still not sufficient, or for winter trips below freezing, I might consider adding a down or APEX 3/4 or long torso-length 40 degree-rated underquilt of about 60" long by 40" wide. This might need to be a custom job or maybe I can find something already available for gathered end hammocks. In other words, add an underquilt close to your Greylock 4 in dimensions but with a higher temperature rating to reduce weight/bulk and not overheat when used in combination with the insulated pad. Thinking that such an UQ could come in around 12-16 oz. Thoughts?

[BillyBob58]

Thanks for your thoughts, BillyBob. I am going to first test the CCF knee pads and use of a zipped sleeping bag to see how that works for side sleeping on my next trip. If that is still not sufficient, or for winter trips below freezing, I might consider adding a down or APEX 3/4 or long torso-length 40 degree-rated underquilt of about 60" long by 40" wide. This might need to be a custom job or maybe I can find something already available for gathered end hammocks. In other words, add an underquilt close to your Greylock 4 in dimensions but with a higher temperature rating to reduce weight/bulk and not overheat when used in combination with the insulated pad. Thinking that such an UQ could come in around 12-16 oz. Thoughts?

Sounds like a solid plan. Check out the cheapest and lightest and least bulky options first, and if that is a no go, consider spending some cash!

Speaking of lower weight UQs, I have an older(no longer available) version of the JRB MW3(same width as Greylock 4), the convertible model. Converts from full length to Greylock size. At the time I got it, the official rating was 25F. (I think the same UQ is now rated at 20F, and I think it is probably an accurate rating) Anyway, that UQ by itself- used on a JRB UL bridge hammock- has kept me toasty at exactly 25F, with no other layers used except cotton ( ) PJs, and probably a JRB down hood. Sleeping on my back or side or side/fetal. It was 900FP down, and if memory serves, in "short" mode it is about 13 oz!

I have an original version of the Warbonnet Yeti short UQ. This first ever version used synthetic Climashield insulation, with layers of Climashield that could be added or removed, 4 layers of about 2.5 oz each. The nylon shell weighed about 7.5 oz. Using only the one layer which was permanently sewn in, that gave me a weight of roughly 10 oz, maybe almost 11 oz at most! One time I slept in that beside a lake, very humid, maybe about 45F. Definitely a bit below 50F. In blue jeans and cotton T shirt. Inside of an ancient synthetic liner bag rate at between 40 and 50F when new 40 years ago. I did wake up a tad cool in the middle of the night, having forgotten to put my fleece hat on, it was in the side pocket of the WB Black Bird. But once I added the cap, I slept nice and warm all night, until the sun was waking me up. So, warm below 50F in a 10 oz SYNTHETIC UQ!

Since you are only trying to add some insulation to the sides, assuming any UQ would solve that issue, I'm sure a very light UQ would more than suffice.

[Crawldaddy]

Reading all this great advise has me thinking with the same concerns as Harry. Its been a love hate relationship with my RR double. Im a restless sleeper that needs 'space'. What works for me (for the most part) is my thick, wide, long Klymit Static V Luxe insulated pad. It feels more like sleeping on a cot. Its marvelous to lay on. I do have a wide TQ I use but I always create air gaps as I move around in my sleep. Now that cold weather is soon to come, Im resigned to the idea of using a synthetic sleeping bag since a down one would not insulate my knees, shoulders, et al as well. Food for thought...

[Shug]

The Jacksrbetter Greylock 3 or 4 are wider than normal UQs in my opinion. Worth a gander.....
Shug

[BillyBob58]

Reading all this great advise has me thinking with the same concerns as Harry. Its been a love hate relationship with my RR double. Im a restless sleeper that needs 'space'. What works for me (for the most part) is my thick, wide, long Klymit Static V Luxe insulated pad. It feels more like sleeping on a cot. Its marvelous to lay on. I do have a wide TQ I use but I always create air gaps as I move around in my sleep. Now that cold weather is soon to come, Im resigned to the idea of using a synthetic sleeping bag since a down one would not insulate my knees, shoulders, et al as well. Food for thought...

Consider that trick of cutting some small sections out of a WM blue or any other closed cell foam pad. Insert them under your pants at the knees(or, just use knee pads outside of pants), or under your shirt at shoulders or elbows. if you already have an unused section of pad, it is a free fix. And works 100%. It probably works better than switching to a synthetic bag, since that still compresses against the hard edge, though less than down.

But, of course, that won't help you with any air gaps/drafts caused from when you move around in your sleep. Other than a zipped up sleeping bag, or Pea Pod on a Gathered end hammock, I don't know of anything else that will help you with that. But, the CCF cut outs would allow you to use a down bag, I suppose.