I don't hammock very often these days, but what do people think of under quilts are they worth the money? And which do you recommend
Hammock under quilt
- Thread starter Mr Crump
- Start date
Definitely Steve. I've only ever tried one so others are better experienced to answer. Mine's the DD under-blanket/quilt and it definitely makes a huge difference. I used to sleep with an insulation mat between the two layers of the hammock but it constantly moved during the night; the under-blanket is much better IMO.
Pretty new to hammocks but I've got the dd, I've done a few hours in the hammock with a foam mat and it was a pain, but the under quilt was great on a 3 nighter. Further testing to be done soon, looking forward to testing it in colder weather
Many nights in a hennessy with only a mat. Some nights even in August were very cold as the mat moved so much. Last two years I've gone to a dd rig with underquilt. Oh what a revalation! If you have a hammock ..get an underquilt. So much warmer and comfortable with no moving mats and lack of insulation.
Wouldn't be without an uq now.
Bought a snugpack uq for this season but havnt had a chance to use it yet for various reasons. It's supposed to be a bit warmer than the dd. No idea if it is or not as I havnt used it yet. But the idea was to take a lighter sleeping bag with the warmer underquilt.
Wouldn't be without an uq now.
Bought a snugpack uq for this season but havnt had a chance to use it yet for various reasons. It's supposed to be a bit warmer than the dd. No idea if it is or not as I havnt used it yet. But the idea was to take a lighter sleeping bag with the warmer underquilt.
The research engineer in me started thinking (danger Will Robinson). A quilt under a hammock several cm away from the bottom just cannot be very efficient, fastened to the bottom it would be. But if it still works somehow my prediction is that a simple fabric with reflective insulation layer would be about as good or better. Lighter and takes a lot less space.
+1 for an under quilt.
I tried and tried with foam mats, insulated mats, reflective car windscreen things (clammy, not nice).
I was trying to save money, so in that sense they worked, even if they did wriggle about. But by golly you quickly wake up and notice a cold spot when the mats move and the temperature drops.
Even with a double layer hammock the mats wriggled about. So I gave up, bit the bullet and bought one.
I've got the DD underquilt now, fixed under a TTTM double (needed a little, v simple adjustment of cords to fit), and I'm cosy as toast. Never cold, never wriggly.
You feel the difference in seconds, it's a doddle to fit and it works, weirdly, with an air gap. You just want to avoid it being compressed too much.
I even use a lower-rated sleeping bag as a result which saves some weight. So next on the list is a Snugpak top quilt.
I tried and tried with foam mats, insulated mats, reflective car windscreen things (clammy, not nice).
I was trying to save money, so in that sense they worked, even if they did wriggle about. But by golly you quickly wake up and notice a cold spot when the mats move and the temperature drops.
Even with a double layer hammock the mats wriggled about. So I gave up, bit the bullet and bought one.
I've got the DD underquilt now, fixed under a TTTM double (needed a little, v simple adjustment of cords to fit), and I'm cosy as toast. Never cold, never wriggly.
You feel the difference in seconds, it's a doddle to fit and it works, weirdly, with an air gap. You just want to avoid it being compressed too much.
I even use a lower-rated sleeping bag as a result which saves some weight. So next on the list is a Snugpak top quilt.
I am not claiming that it does not work but saying that if it has an air gap with the hammock bottom a simple one layer fabric is not very much worse it cuts on convective heat loss about as much. Generally reflective insulation should not be next to skin, it's comfort level is equal to any plastic film, there should be something that allows at least a bit of air movement between you and the reflector.
Underquilts are a must! Even in fairly warm weather they make it so much more pleasant. You can adjust the air circulation by tightening or slacking off the elastic cinches at the ends. I have a DD hammocks underquilt for my Hennessy hammock and as it's not a perfect match, shape-wise, it does make the hammock feel a bit more restricted, but a well worth tradeoff.
Underquilts are transforming in the way they improve comfort and usability.
Like many when I started out I did without anything, but not for long !
Went the usual route of then trying foam mats, partially inflated air mats etc, they all moved around even in between double layers and left cold spots.
Graduated to a snugpak underquilt (generally thought to be warmer and better fit and adjustability than the dd by many) which was excellent. Only downside was pack size and weight.
Splashed on a replacement UKhammocks down one to reduce weight and pack size which it did, but the design was poor, the execution/build quality poorer still, and I was never convinced that it had the extra down overfill I'd paid for or even enough standard fill as it appeared rather thin and patchy even after attempts to fluff and move the down around.
Now the very satisfied owner of a Warbonnet Wooki down underquilt, very well made, tailored fit for my Blackbird xlc hammock, simple and easy setup and low bulk and weight, excellent bit of kit.
Quick summary then in my humble opinion and experience would be if you think you will use your hammock much at all it's definitely worth getting an underquilt, dd or snugpak as you like, a decent brand down one if feeling flush and/or pack size is important
Like many when I started out I did without anything, but not for long !
Went the usual route of then trying foam mats, partially inflated air mats etc, they all moved around even in between double layers and left cold spots.
Graduated to a snugpak underquilt (generally thought to be warmer and better fit and adjustability than the dd by many) which was excellent. Only downside was pack size and weight.
Splashed on a replacement UKhammocks down one to reduce weight and pack size which it did, but the design was poor, the execution/build quality poorer still, and I was never convinced that it had the extra down overfill I'd paid for or even enough standard fill as it appeared rather thin and patchy even after attempts to fluff and move the down around.
Now the very satisfied owner of a Warbonnet Wooki down underquilt, very well made, tailored fit for my Blackbird xlc hammock, simple and easy setup and low bulk and weight, excellent bit of kit.
Quick summary then in my humble opinion and experience would be if you think you will use your hammock much at all it's definitely worth getting an underquilt, dd or snugpak as you like, a decent brand down one if feeling flush and/or pack size is important
I've tried suspending a blanket underneath - works better than nothing but it's insulation you're after and simple fabric won't give you enough when it gets cold. I've also got a fairly heavy windshield that surrounds the hammock and stops the warm layer I've built up from dissipating in a cold breeze.
Done very little hammocking this Summer as have become a carer for my elderly father and he quite often needs help at night.
Insulation only works if there is a difference in temperature, if there is too much space between the hammock and underquilt there is a distinct possibility that convection is the main cause for heat loss. If so one has to stop the convection to create a temp difference that can be maintained by the insulation.
That's why they have elastic so they can be adjusted for the right gap.
I've tried many ways to insulate my old hennessy but short of an underquilt, nothing was realy very satisfactory and always let me down at some point of the night. Believe me! I did almost 10 yrs like that.
I swear by a proper underquilt designed for the job.
I have used those metallic car windscreen things and blankets mats of all different types and even a -10 down bag was cold in August if the weather was bad. The same temperatures with an uq I was warm and comfortable with a 2/3 season synthetic and far too hot with the same down bag that I'd used before and got cold in.
Why be cold and miserable when you can be warm and cosy for a few extra quid?
I think a lot of people don't take to hammocks because they don't have enough insulation and have broken sleep due to the cold,which puts them off.
Thank for all the advice. I will have to look at getting a under quilt before my next outing
Looks like somebody did learn her physics. I like that idea, they also mention a very critical feature "trapped airspace", that is the whole idea with this kind of insulation, weather it is down or foam.
In this case heat escapes from the bottom of the hammock in three ways, convection (wind), radiation (temperature and emissivity differences), conduction (this is where the quilt comes in).
I once tried reflective insulation in winter putting a piece of the film on top of the inner tent. In the morning all else was solidly frosted but the patch under the film was not. That was a quite entertaining as the people around did not really believe in heat radiation even though they had felt it the night before around the fire.
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