Sorry for the noob question, but need some advice for a quick DIY under hammock insulation setup.
We have a cold weather campout this weekend on the Ouachita Trail and I was thinking about trying to setup a 2nd hammock (a Grand Trunk All Terrain Hybrid Hammock) under the main one and put an extra sleeping bag between the hammocks.
Anyone have experience doing something like this in a pinch?
yes i do it really depends how cold your going i was able to bring this method down to about nine degrees and was pretty much okay there was a couple of times i woke up cold and had to adjust but it will work
I do this all the time, tink701. I clip my ENO single with the same binner to the bottom of a Grand Trunk double, and put a CCF pad or sleeping bag in between. Works very well for me. Let us know how yours worked...
I was not able to make the campout, but finally had time today to play with the setup at home. I think I will be able to attach the GT ATHH to the webbing straps and just adjust it to make it snug enough to the bottom of my HH. I set it up on my son's Hennessy Cub and he said he could feel the warmth from the sleeping bag underneath.
I tried putting pad in the HH and a sleeping bag between, but he thought pad was not comfortable in HH. I may try putting both pad and bag between next time. I can tell we will have to play with it on a real campout to find what works.
I know this is not an UL option, but it will at least allow us to use hammocks on troop campouts and short outings.
My first on trail test with the 2 hammock setup was a fail. We hit the Ouachita Trail this weekend, and tried using a blue pad sideways under my shoulders, and a therm-a-rest z-lite length-wise under my body (both pad on under hammock).
It was not easy getting in my HH classic velcro entry, and positioning the pads, I realize now that I must add zipper mods to the bugnet for this option to work. The temps fell to lower 30's (below what was forecasted), and we froze our buns off. My shoulders were fine, so I think the blue mat did provide good insulation, but the z-lite either was not positioned right, or is not up for the job. I had a North Face Cat's Meow 20 degree bag with a basic liner, but feet, butt & back were all cold at times during the night.
This was our first hang, but probably not our last. Instead of getting discouraged, my 11-yr-old son decided that he's going to save his money & buy an down UQ. If we continue to do more light-weight camping, I guess I will need to start saving my pennies too!
I may try the 2 hammock option again on our next front country campout where I can bring an extra sleeping bag & a self-inflating mat and not worry about the weight.
The bottom hammock will need to be very tight to fully form the pads to your back. Any gaps will be cold spots. A sleeping bag between layers may be easier to snug up.
For pad use, I would try hanging the lower hammock from the tree so it can hold enough of your weight to hold the pads tight.
Instead of spending a cold night if it doesn't work, move the pads into the main hammock and lay directly on them as plan "B".
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