Hi 
I am hoping those with knowledge in this kit or similar can read through and clear up any misinformation i may have with my options and/or offer any suggestions/recommendations please?
I use my hammock fairly often and up until now have been fine with my diy under and top quilts made from cheap 300 gsm sleeping bags. Combined they pack to 25 cm x 50 cm and weigh roughly 4-5 kg .. It is certainly the bulk of the weight and volume of my pack and not fun to take on a long journey. The quilts are not very warm either so i pack extra clothes to sleep in, thus more bulk and weight.. For short trips it has been fine but i have started to cover more distance.
I have had a look at threads on the subject and determined: full length snugpak under quilt and top quilt's will save >2 kg of weight over what i use now, but i don't know if they will be smaller than what i have. There are also the full length down winter UQ and TQ from uk hammocks, they would save me around >2.5 kg over my current gear and definitely save on bulk although idonot know how much. The snugpak quilts are less than half the cost of the down quilts and work when wet should i go to ground in a bivvi (a possibility for me). The down quilts look better designed with the chinched ends, will last longer and warm you quicker but require more upkeep (shaking down/hanging) whereas the synthetic quilts can pretty much be abused for their shorter lifespan. The down option can go 3 C cooler at -15C opposed to -12 C but this is marginal imho. Generally synthetics are by far more friendly for the environment and ethical as they are recycled and down is literally ripped of young mass farmed geese that are the left in pain.
Specific questions i do have pertaining to my decision are:
How bulky will each option actually be when packed? Maybe somebody has some photo's of these items packed down next to something of a similar size as a useful comparison?
Individually, will both the UK hammocks down and snugpak synthetic options make enough of a difference over my current gear to justify their respective cost's?
Will down really outlast synthetics by a large margin? If so how much of a margin are we talking about and what is an expected lifespan for the above options?
Do any of you have hammock insulation suitable for winter use (sub zero) for sale at the moment? I am ideally after something sorted by early October for my next trip, email me if you do [stutickle@gmail.com].
What is a typical 'normal' and 'light' pack weight/size for an overnight? Realistically mine feels >= 15 kg, by the time i have a book, some food and water in it. My bergaus cyclops roc is maxed out, i think this has over 100L capacity ignoring the side pockets (i seem to remember reading 130L).
Thanks for reading and for any input you can offer
I am hoping those with knowledge in this kit or similar can read through and clear up any misinformation i may have with my options and/or offer any suggestions/recommendations please?
I use my hammock fairly often and up until now have been fine with my diy under and top quilts made from cheap 300 gsm sleeping bags. Combined they pack to 25 cm x 50 cm and weigh roughly 4-5 kg .. It is certainly the bulk of the weight and volume of my pack and not fun to take on a long journey. The quilts are not very warm either so i pack extra clothes to sleep in, thus more bulk and weight.. For short trips it has been fine but i have started to cover more distance.
I have had a look at threads on the subject and determined: full length snugpak under quilt and top quilt's will save >2 kg of weight over what i use now, but i don't know if they will be smaller than what i have. There are also the full length down winter UQ and TQ from uk hammocks, they would save me around >2.5 kg over my current gear and definitely save on bulk although idonot know how much. The snugpak quilts are less than half the cost of the down quilts and work when wet should i go to ground in a bivvi (a possibility for me). The down quilts look better designed with the chinched ends, will last longer and warm you quicker but require more upkeep (shaking down/hanging) whereas the synthetic quilts can pretty much be abused for their shorter lifespan. The down option can go 3 C cooler at -15C opposed to -12 C but this is marginal imho. Generally synthetics are by far more friendly for the environment and ethical as they are recycled and down is literally ripped of young mass farmed geese that are the left in pain.
Specific questions i do have pertaining to my decision are:
How bulky will each option actually be when packed? Maybe somebody has some photo's of these items packed down next to something of a similar size as a useful comparison?
Individually, will both the UK hammocks down and snugpak synthetic options make enough of a difference over my current gear to justify their respective cost's?
Will down really outlast synthetics by a large margin? If so how much of a margin are we talking about and what is an expected lifespan for the above options?
Do any of you have hammock insulation suitable for winter use (sub zero) for sale at the moment? I am ideally after something sorted by early October for my next trip, email me if you do [stutickle@gmail.com].
What is a typical 'normal' and 'light' pack weight/size for an overnight? Realistically mine feels >= 15 kg, by the time i have a book, some food and water in it. My bergaus cyclops roc is maxed out, i think this has over 100L capacity ignoring the side pockets (i seem to remember reading 130L).
Thanks for reading and for any input you can offer
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