What do you put between....

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Scotty Von Porkchop

Tenderfoot
Dec 31, 2013
51
4
Lake district
www.ebay.co.uk
Another vote for underquilt or nothing when hammock camping, though I'm the cottage maker that @sunndog mentioned so somewhat biased. I'd only bring CCF pads if I was in mixed areas where Hammocks won't always be an option and I'll definitely be on the floor at some point: thick enough they'll always work.

If you don't have the money for UQ, they're bloody expensive for a decent one, you can use things like socks (some sort of enclosed structure around the hammock, a large blanket or sheet hung over ridge-line), use a cheap secondary hammock underneath the primary with some form of insulation like a jacket, blanket etc in the cold areas, a hot water bottle, or my favourite at the moment: a fire reflector.
 

Highbinder

Full Member
Jul 11, 2010
1,257
2
Under a tree
I'd still want an underquilt in a bridge hammock.....my days of using ground pads are gone lol

Main reason I went for a bridge hammock was to be able to use a mat. For a good few years I used variations on go-outdoors el cheapo CCF pads (pad with wings, overlapped as a cross, overlapped as a v), at the start of this winter I switched to an Exped LW pad (the downlite5), which I find miles better. It's wide enough so that when you're in it wraps up over your shoulders, and it's also big enough to not move around, which is a big deal for me as I toss and turn a lot at night, usually fall asleep on my back and transition to side sleeping or foetal. It's also extremely warm but more to the point much less fiddly than setting an UQ.

I do think using a pad much wider than 5cm would introduce additional 'tippyness' due to a higher centre of gravity. The bridge hammock already feels more tippy than a regular hammock.

An UQ works well when done right (I have one too but just use it in my gathered end) - I especially like how an UQ comes up the sides, really adds to the feeling of coziness, and helps a lot with windchill.
 

Sundowner

Full Member
Jan 21, 2013
891
341
70
Northumberland
Interesting posts altogether. As a few of you said that they're too old to sleep on the deck,well, so am I
Perhaps I should have mentioned that in my original post!
I now opted for a space Blanket (got it already) and will probably take an expensive llama wool blanket but have to figure out how to use it as an "under layer".
Let's see how it pans out
Thank you all
 

Barney Rubble

Settler
Sep 16, 2013
552
280
Rochester, Kent
youtube.com
I'm another convert to the underblanket having had some experiences in the hammock where the sleeping mat kept slipping from underneath me and waking me up with a cold bum. The DD underblanket works well and has kept me warm in some sub zero temperatures. Granted it's not expecially versatile but I'm willing to sacrifice that versatility for one of the most comfortable nights sleep that I've had in the woods.

The underblanket packs down relatively small aswell (about the same as half a loaf of bread!) so it doesn't take up very much space in the rucksack.
 

BJJJ

Native
Sep 3, 2010
1,998
162
North Shropshire
Another vote for an underquilt. I use a sleep mat between the layers in a DD hammock as well and it keeps me cosy. But the set-up is bulky and I can appreciate the need for small and lightweight.
 

Scotty Von Porkchop

Tenderfoot
Dec 31, 2013
51
4
Lake district
www.ebay.co.uk
@sundowner you can rig up a secondary hammock underneath your main hammock with bungees and a few clips into a sort of pseudo UQ with the blanket forming the insulation between the hammocks ie like a double layer but enough give so as not to squish the blanket too much. I slept in one like that for a month straight and found it pretty decent way to hang
 

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