Many ultralight hikers use quilts for ground camping. Most have a footbox and an open bottom.
Quilts were originally designed in the theory that any insulation directly under your body is compressed and has little insulating value; in other words, it is dead weight. You could use that insulation as extra loft on top and have a warmer bag for the same weight, or just leave that section out and have a lighter bag with the same temperature range. Your sleeping pad provides the insulation under your body.
So, a properly made quilt can be used for both ground and hammock camping. Some like to add grosgrain loops and cord to help hold the quilt in place.
Or, use a mummy bag like a quilt in your hammock. I do that and it works fine. Or you can sleep in a mummy bag in a hammock using the bag in the conventional way. Many zippered hammocks enter on the left side (Hennessy and Warbonnet), so a bag with a left hand zipper is easier to live with. My favorite bag has a right hand zipper and getting completely in it is a bit of a wrestling match.
Another idea that Adam aka. Stormcrow on the forum at hammockgear.com suggested to me that he had an idea to put a piece of material in the shape of a tab attached to the quilt at the top and bottom on both sides that you could tuck underneath you if you went to ground using this TQ to prevent drafts. So when you slept in a tent with a pad underneath you could tuck these tabs underneath you to keep out a draft. And when you were in your hammock you could use a UQ and still this TQ in the hammock with out compressing any down from underneath you. This was stormcrow's idea maybe he will see this and chime in. But any ways I hope that makes sense what I was trying to explain.
Sometimes I like to hike and think, And sometimes I just like to hike.
Hiking is'ent about waiting for the storm to pass its about learning to hike in the rain.
Yeah, that does make sense. It is creative solution actually.
I still haven't got to hang and spend a night in my hammock, got my whoopie slings and tree huggers on the way though so I am getting closer.
I am currently searching the forums for a DIY underquilt tutorial as well. Think I want more than just a poncho liner or something for my underquilt. Maybe convert a sleeping bag or something. It should be a good project that I can get my wife's sewing assistance with.
If you use an EXPED "Dreamwalker650L" you can use that as a peapod, sleeping bag and zipped open as a large over quilt for two people.Two used in combo as a peapod will take a person down -0 plus.
fourdog
www.fourdog.com
Bookmarks