light weight insulation

**FLRider** · 01-03-2012, 07:26

Well, the weather you're facing down there sounds fairly similar to the majority of what we have here in Florida. 40-50 F (which is very close to the conversion for 5-10 C) is fairly normal for our "winters". It might get lower than that for a month of nights a year, here.

My experience with that says that a basic CCF pad will work at those temperatures, though an underquilt will be more comfortable (you don't have to fight with the pad in the hammock that way). Let us know how everything works out for you!

**Q_x** · 01-04-2012, 05:57

I've been camping in tree-breaking wind (plus I was up on a hill!), and the night I wrapped myself completely in poncho was the most comfortable night I spent in hammock, probably due to wind rocking me all night. The poncho wasn't enough in tarp mode, the wind just blew through me completely.

I was looking for such an information here, that is how to block high winds from getting inside, but, same as in your case, there was little help I could get. I guess most folks just avoid hanging during hurricanes for a good reason.

Yes, the condensation was a little issue in the morning, I was breathing into it for few good hours. It just was there when I woke up, nothing bad happened.

If I had more money, I'd probably buy a piece of gore-tex and make a sort of "bivy bag" out of it, probably with some velcro rather than a zipper on top to help with breathability.

Now I'm taking:
5 pieces of CCF in SPE
a piece of big, but very thin (0.5 mm) LDPE foam to put it where it's getting cold.

What could also work is a big tarp going down almost to the ground - but that's not a thing I'd carry "just in case".

**MAD777** · 01-04-2012, 06:58

http://www.hammockforums.net/index.php?page=kaq

If your idea doesn't work out inside the hammock, you could use the instructions in the link above to transform it into an under quilt. Simply substitute your Tyvec & fleece for the nylon & polyester batting in the instructions.

I realize that it is summertime down under, but when temperatures cool off, you could add a CCF pad inside.

**trinni** · 01-04-2012, 12:55

Originally Posted by bloffy13

Trinni, Sorry if I caused any offense. It was all tongue in cheek.

I have to beg your pardon -- reading twice I could have figured that out. Sorry, am no native speaker and here as well: no offense intended.

**bloffy13** · 01-06-2012, 06:33

Trinni, none taken. I'm pretty thick skinned. (Well, not pretty but definitely thick skinned

).
Mad777, I had a look at that site. Great idea. Might substitute the Tyvek for the polarguard, as suggested. Having it outside would probably also reduce the crinkly noise bit. Sil on the bottom for use as a ground sheet, Tyvek as a barrier and polar fleece for warmth. Another thought. If it gets cold before bed time, I could use the UQ to wrap around me as long as it was quick and easy to get on and off. Cheers Bloffy

**bloffy13** · 02-19-2012, 21:59

Okay, a bit of an update on this idea.
I got my Long-Suffering but Ever-Loving Wife to cut out a piece of Tyvek (I think it is called something different here in Australia but we're talking about the wall insulation stuff that is blue on one side and silver on the other.) and then an old silnylon tarp from HH which was beyond its workable life. The third layer is a nylon army surplus sleeping bag liner which is more like netting and would be more scratchy than not, that I scored from somewhere.
These were layered so that the silnylon goes on the ground, the Tyvek is next with the silver side up and then the netting. This cuts down the shiny factor, making it ideal for stealth camping and is so lightweight. It weighed about 40g more than my shoulder to rump CCF mat and it goes from head to mid calf.
The beauty of this is it didn't scrunch up around me when I was sleeping, I can use it as a ground sheet if I have to go to ground and it folds up next to nothing.
I also have a good-sized moisture barrier if I need to park in the dirt to cook etc.
I find, when my pack is full, that it can be an embuggerance to pull out the wimp mat to do this and adds more weight and bulk if I carry an additional piece to sit on.
My first night out with this was hot. I setup without my tarp or sleeping bag and watched the stars play across the sky (Actually, that's a lie. I fell asleep about 30 seconds after going to bed. LOL)
I woke about 1.30am with old man's bladder and a bit cold so I did what I had to do and pulled my sleeping bag over me as a quilt and slept like a baby until my workmates work me at 5.30am (swines).
There was a bit of a breeze swirling around but I didn't feel it at all through the mat but, at the same time didn't get hot and sweaty in the
The only downsides I can see at this stage is that I lose padding when I have to go to ground (hopefully that will be limited now) and it slipped around a little when I was moving around. I might get LSBELW to add a bit of velcro or similar to my HH and the mat and see if that helps. (Any ideas here?).
Any way, at the end of the day, the original idea evolved (as many of them do) and I have something lightweight that keeps out the breeze.
It wouldn't work in the snow but that doesn't happen that often here anyway.
Cheers
Bloffy

**trinni** · 02-20-2012, 06:52

Thanks bloffy13 for keeping us updated. Do you have any pics of your new gear? You know the old HF-saying... pics or it didn't happen!

**bloffy13** · 02-20-2012, 08:36

yep, I know the addage. I'll try and get off my butt and make it happen tomorrow.
Cheers
Bloffy

**Chattooga** · 02-20-2012, 08:51

embuggerance This could be my new favorite word! But can it be used in public!?

**bloffy13** · 02-26-2012, 09:34

Chatooga. Oops slip of the fingers. Hope it didn't cause offence. You are welcome to use but remember to pay royalties when you do.

I was out with my scout troop last night and it was cooler, wet and rainy.
Hung nice and high and dry. My Hang Pad (That's what I am going to call it from now on, unless something better springs to mind - Brains Trust, suggestions are welcome.) was better tested as it was much cooler than the first time. I think it actually worked better than the first time. I didn't have any cold spots and, with just light tracksuit pants, a light T-shirt and a fluffy vest I slept very well. Pad stayed under me better - possibly because I have "broken the grain" of the Tyvek - and I just used my sleeping bag as a quilt.
They all thought I was crazy hammocking but a couple of the scouts said they were cold overnight but that could be that they weren't all that experienced as campers, too.
Also, going to have a spare carabiner on my pack so I can hang it from a tree as I saw suggested somewhere here. The rain made the fine soil stick to everything and my shoulder straps and waist belt on my Alice pack were damp and covered in sand this morning, despite a pack cover. I figure to hang it off my carabiner attached to the tree. At worst then I should only, maybe, get a slightly damp waist belt.
Out again in a fortnight. Will trial it then and see how it goes.
Yes, yes, yes. The pix are coming. They're taken but in my daughter's camera at the moment. Will try and download them tomorrow or so.....
Cheers
Bloffy