Ease of inserting pad, HH vs WB BB

**robow7** · 03-14-2009, 20:17

To those of you that have used both the bottom entrance HH and a side entrance ? Black Bird, do you find it easier to insert your pad, get in and find your position on the BB than the HH? It appears like it might be that way but I would appreciate hearing your thoughts. As always, thank you for your response.

**animalcontrol** · 03-14-2009, 20:27

Originally Posted by robow7

To those of you that have used both the bottom entrance HH and a side entrance ? Black Bird, do you find it easier to insert your pad, get in and find your position on the BB than the HH? It appears like it might be that way but I would appreciate hearing your thoughts. As always, thank you for your response.

IMO, a double bottom BB is 100x times better with a pad than a HH.
In a HH, the pad is inside the hammock with you. You move, the pad moves (often the opposite way of you). I would frequently wake up with the pad perpendicular to my body...not good.
In a BB (double bottom) the pad sits between 2 layers of material...you/hammock/pad/hammock. The pad stays put and you sleep like a baby!

**Ekul** · 03-14-2009, 20:29

grr i so want a BB now /cry lol

**Ekul** · 03-14-2009, 20:30

o yea pia with pad in hh. i have a hh

**Mustardman** · 03-14-2009, 21:04

Originally Posted by animalcontrol

IMO, a double bottom BB is 100x times better with a pad than a HH.
In a HH, the pad is inside the hammock with you. You move, the pad moves (often the opposite way of you). I would frequently wake up with the pad perpendicular to my body...not good.
In a BB (double bottom) the pad sits between 2 layers of material...you/hammock/pad/hammock. The pad stays put and you sleep like a baby!

A BB is definitely WAY better with a pad than a HH, but I've had my pad move out from under me in my BB as well. I've actually gotten pretty good at rolling far enough off to the side that I can reach into the pad pocket and pull the pad back into place, then roll onto it. It's not something I need to do often, but if I get one of those nights where I'm tossing and turning a lot (like the night before a big comp), I can definitely get the pad to come out from underneath me.

Still, if you plan to use a pad, FORGET the HH, and go with something that loads from the top, preferably with a pad pocket like the BB has.

**trigger hurt** · 03-14-2009, 21:34

My walmart blue pad goes into my BB pretty easily. I discovered, though, that I am a little too wide for the typical pad. I guess a lot of folks here have discovered that. I had to do some gymnastics last night to find the right position to get on top of the pad. This will be the reason I drop the pad and go with a UQ for my camping.

**warbonnetguy** · 03-15-2009, 01:43

another reason folks might prefer top entry to bottom when using a pad, is that it's much harder to mount the pad in a bottom entry hammock since the entrance is under where the pad goes, you have to get in and then and coax the pad under your self while you lie there, with top loading you mount the pad like you did when you slept on the ground, you sit down and then lay down on it.

**lori** · 03-15-2009, 02:03

Having used the pad in the HH... yeah, it's a bit of a pain. Especially if you have a quilt, sleep in synthetic base layer and have the evazote - you get stuck to the pad material unless you use something as a pad cover. The blue ccf is a little better but very narrow and you have to fold any pad in half getting in, then wrassle around to get everything situated, and if you are an active sleeper....

Pad pockets rule, underquilts rule more.

**Peter_pan** · 03-15-2009, 08:37

Originally Posted by lori

Having used the pad in the HH... yeah, it's a bit of a pain. Especially if you have a quilt, sleep in synthetic base layer and have the evazote - you get stuck to the pad material unless you use something as a pad cover. The blue ccf is a little better but very narrow and you have to fold any pad in half getting in, then wrassle around to get everything situated, and if you are an active sleeper....

Pad pockets rule, underquilts rule more.

Lori,

All good points...

Another point worth reflecting on..... IF.... you like your hammock but are not happy with the performance of a pad in it (for whatever reasons, moves too much, not wide enough, sticky,slick, back sweats, bulk and or weight) before deciding to change hammocks to solve the pad issues.....Consider changing/upgrading from the pad..... There are under quilts available for the cost of high end hammocks...

Pan

**Cannibal** · 03-16-2009, 12:04

I don't think there is really any comparisson between ease of pad use in a HH vs. BB. They aren't even in the same category IMO. I learned the pad dance in a HH; even got pretty good at it, but there is almost no effort in a BB when using a pad.

But, Pan is sooooo right. A good underquilt will make you very happy in just about any hammock that you find comfortable. It's a funny circle, I started with pads, went to quilts, and now I tend to use a combination of the two. Pads do have their uses, but if you make me choose; I'd rather sleep on down.