So lowtech, you switched to a wookie UQ or am I confused?
So lowtech, you switched to a wookie UQ or am I confused?
No I had it modified in the same style. Basically an UQP like has been said for stopping the air getting in between, only I had the short quilt stitched onto it instead of having them as two different items.Originally Posted by Uller
"Sent w/o me knowing"
Wow, here we have a combination of the 2 most common complaints I have seen over the years: 1: Not warm enough with an UQ, and 2:GE hammock calf ridge. In this case, the calf ridge is causing the draft/gap with the UQ. Did the calf ridge not keep you awake due to calf pain?
I have a Greylock, and have never had a moments problem with it. BUT: I have only used it with my bridge hammocks. Which are 100% free of calf ridge.
In previous years, I came to the opinion that shorter UQs were more problem free than full length, at least for me, at least on gathered end(GE) hammocks. My guess was that laying on the diagonal across an uQ with feet and or head or shoulders pressed against the ends of the hammock caused some fit issues. Compared to, say, a WB Yeti which barely went below my butt. But, you are having this problem with a shorter UQ. Hmmmm. (scratching head).
Well, the Greylock is longer than the Yeti. With the Yeti, the calf ridge is way below the lower reach of the UQ. But not so much with the longer Greylock, perhaps?
How far past the calf ridge does the cold spot go? In my case, whether Yeti or Greylock, I have a leg pad insulating my legs. So I have always been warm in either. Then again, with the Greylock, I have only used it with a JRB bridge hammock(occasionally, a WB bridge) I will have to try it with some GE hammocks.
I have only had 2 GE hammocks that either had no calf ridge, or did not have enough to cause a problem with discomfort. My old Claytor No Net 10 ft, 4 ft wide. And my SG insulated hammock. I think what they have in common is: they have less sag than all of my other hammocks. In the case of the Claytor, it has no RL, and I usually end up with it pulled a little tighter than other GE hammocks. In the case of the SG insulated hammock, I keep the adjustable RL at max length. IOW, less sag than is usual. No or minimal RL. Of course, regardless of sag, the SG has no gaps which can decrease warmth. And as for my JRB bridge (or other JRB or WB bridge hammocks) they are by definition free of calf ridge, and always very warm with the UQs I use with them.
Sorry that I am not of much help to you. Can you lengthen your ridge line any? That MIGHT reduce calf ridge and the draft it is causing you.
What about positioning the Greylock further towards the head end? This would move the bottom edge of the UQ further from the calf ridge, with a foot pad insulating your legs. I'm not sure if that would cause a head end draft or not. If your Greylock was made during recent years, it should have a built in secondary suspension which works superbly to prevent the side sag/accordion effect. Good luck!
I have ordered a chameleon double layer wide 12 foot. I hope the double layer will create a more study feel and therefore less stretch and less ridges in the fabric. We will see. Im 6,3 so the 12 foot might help sense rn im using an 11 foot regular hammock. I have also added huge down draft collars at the end. It seems to work pretty good but I still need to tweak my setup so the baffle stand up and reduces the draft better. I will gladly share my experience once I have the hammock and I can help showing the draft baffle but do know that im not that good at sewing and its hand sewn
Uller,
Yes, please keep us posted. It is hard to overcome a calf ridge caused channel, either for leg comfort or keeping warm. But, repeating myself, though I have only used the Greylock 4 with my bridge hammocks(that combo works as good or better than anything else I have used), I have other short UQs which have been used with GE hammocks with fine success. One is an older JRB MW3 which converts to a short model. The other is from the very first groups of WB Yetis produced, the synthetic model. So, apparently, with these shorties, if there is a gap, it does not make it past the point of max compression, i.e. the butt area. (Which is often also the point of max cold spots with all UQs, i.e. cold butt syndrome/CBS) So, if there is a problem causing gap, I have some form of pad pulled right up to the butt anyway, so I have never notice any problems. Even with GE hammocks.
Then again, with these short UQ versions, I have never noticed a gap problem period. As far as I can tell, when I am lying in the hammock, they are all snugged up nicely against either my upper thighs or thigh/butt junction. I can not look to see if that is actually happening, I can only try to pull up with my hands as far as I can reach. And they all seem snug, though maybe not quite as snug as I get closer to my knees. No matter, I will have a pad there if cold enough.
The Greylock, I think being a bit longer than my Yeti or short MW3, might be more prone to a draft caused by the calf ridge opening of a GE hammock.But if so, I don't think it could get past the butt or very near the butt, so no problem since the pad is there. At least in my experience. Hopefully, you will get it worked out! Let us know.
One other thing that may be worth mentioning.
I use to be afraid to cinch down the ends or tighten the primary suspension to much on my UQs because I thought I’d over tighten and cause drafts. You can tighten it down quite a bit though before that actually becomes a problem.
I know this does not solve any calf ridge caused draft problems, while using a Greylock 4 on a GE hammock, as described in the OP. But I thought I would share a picture that illustrates why I never have gap or draft issues using my quilts on bridge hammocks. Short or full length, as long as the full length UQ is not too long for the bridge hammock, then it gets tricky. I'm sure it can be plainly seen in this picture why there are going to be no drafts with this Greylock 4 on a JRB James River hammock.I will of course, have a pad that covering that part of my legs that extends out past the foot end hammock/UQ junction, if it is cold enough. Notice that it is a pretty tight, wrinkle or gap free junction between UQ and hammock. Looks about the same on the head end.
Sadly, there may be a tunnel that develops at this same junction when using a GE hammock, as the OP says. But I still don't think it will continue under the butt, and a leg pad(in contact with the butt if needed) takes care of it for me.
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