Condensation in a DD Hammock

[Wild Thing]

Evening all

I apologise in advance if this has already been covered before, but I cannot find this in the forums.

I went out with a hammock at the weekend for the first time and all went well except I had a lot of condensation on the inside of my hammock at the head end which made the outside of the head end of my sleeping bag damp.

Can anyone tell me what, if anything I did wrong and anything that you use to stop or reduce the problem of condensation.

I know it was condensation because there was no rain and the condensation was only at the head end where I had been breathing as I sleep mainly on my side or my stomach.

Thanks in advance.

Phill

 

[Hammock_man]

I have used the DD a good few times and not had a problem with condensation at all.

I always lie on my back and dont cover my head ( I wear a beanie hat sometimes) so I wonder if its just down to the breath condensing before it has chance to "blow" away.

Is it also the newer "Bivi" style 2008 model. The bottom layers are more waterproof to allow it to be used on the ground. Might explain the condensation??

 

[sapper1]

It' sounds like you're breathing onto the side of the hammock.The only ways I found to avoid this was to sleep on my back or sleep eith my face pointing upwards over the side of the hammock.

 

[shocks]

or dribbling....

 

[Chris G]

I've a 2007 camping version. Having slept with my head in a sleeping bag and out of it with a hat on, in various different temperatures, on my back and on my side I've never had an episode of condensation....but I've always used my underblanket (made from a 13.5 tog douvet) so maybe that explains it.

Anyway, condensation only occurs when moisture condenses on a cooler surface. If the air outside you hammock is cooler than that inside then it will condense. Hence the underblanket stopping condensation. I guess that if you don't want condnsation in your hammock you need to either open up your hammock to increase the air flow and vent away the moisture, or increase the temperature of the material of the hammock by insulating it on the outside.

Blimey - I do remember something from my degree! (building surveying)

 

[Wild Thing]

Shocks

Love the reply, made me laugh and my wife reconks it was a dirty laugh.

I will have to consider the points raised and have another go and see what happens.

May have to get/make an underblanket.

Does anyone know if there is an article anywhere on how to make an underbkanket.

Thanks

Phill

 

[Chris G]

Yup, Scroll down to half way down page 1 and follow the directions. I'm thinking of making a mkII version as described tomorrow night as I don't want to be cold this coming weekend (Middlewood).

 

[Sniper]

A simpler suggestion might be to use a cheap fleece throw at the head end under the sleeping bag and laid under the head and up an over the sides of the hammock, then breath will not condense on the waterproof part of the hammock and run down to dampen the sleeping bag.

 

[retrohiker]

If I'm not mistaken, I read that they've changed the material of the hammock to a waterproof one so it can be used as a bivi if there are no trees available. A real mistake in my opinion if this is true. The hammock material should be breathable so your body moisture can escape rather than be trapped inside. Can anyone confirm the material change??

 

[sandbag47]

yes it has changed to a waterproof material..DD had a lot of requests to have a waterproof hammock. and after some testing they came up with one.

 

[Wild Thing]

Chris G, Sniper, Thanks for the ideas. I'll have a think and see what I can sort out.

Retrohiker, yes DD hammocks have used waterproof material as previously mentioned by Sandbag47. It was one of the reasons why I bought the hammock, but I might live to regret that decision.

Again, thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it.

Phill

 

[Wild Thing]

I've been thinking about this and, if I go down the road of an underblanket, would a wool blanket cut to the right size be any good.

All of the articles and suggestions I have seen use quilts etc, but none mention a wool alternative. Wool is warm and will still keep you warm even if it gets wet and as the hammock material is waterproof it doesn't matter so much if the underblanket gets wet.

I can easily weatherproof the blanket, but am I missing something obvious by considering a wool blanket as an underblanket.

Cheers

Phill

 

[Shewie]

Are you sleeping between the layers of nylon or on top ?

I could understand it getting damp if the top layer has drooped over your face and you`ve been breathing into it for a few hours.

 

[Hammock_man]

A wool Underblanket could also be cut to act as a under coat for a poncho for use during the day???

 

[Ogri the trog]

I've been thinking about this ....... would a wool blanket cut to the right size be any good.

Phill

Phill,
Have a look at Woodsmoke's thread in DIY & Traditional, under the heading "The ultimate Homemade underblanket for less than £12".
You'd probably need a windproof layer around the wool as wool itself is somewhat porus.
I haven't made one like it just yet, but I can't see why it wouldn't work given a bit of trimming.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Chris G]

I'm out in the hammock this weekend and will take the army wool blanket with me and give it a go (folded in half along the short end and laid in the hammock with my sleeping bag in the middle so that it wraps round me). I'll take the underblanket as insurance though!

 

[Wild Thing]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the input.

Shewie, I am not sleeping between the layers of the hammock, so it surprised me when I got the condensation as no one else who has a DD hammock has mentioned it before.

Hammock Man, That's what I was thinking as well which makes one piece of kit do two jobs.

Ogri, thanks for the thought, If I incorporate Hammock Mans idea I could use the poncho as the windproof layer.

Chris, let me know how you get on mate, all ideas and feedback gratefully accepted and will go into the melting pot to come up with a solution.

regards

Phill