hammock underquilt/ diy hammock sock opinions

[eddieb]

okay so for the last couple of times I have used my hammock I have been quite cold and waking up at early hours. I realise that I need more insulation and I have had no luck finding anything but homemade solutions have been used I've noticed.
So I want to make something to help.

1.underquilt, how does that work, is it like a hammock shapped quilt you fix On the outside?
2. Hammock sock, I was thinking on making a tube of some material to pull over the whole hammock to keep me warm, what materials should I use? ( I was thinking a reflective blanket ( space blanket) On thin cotton.
I like to make things compact so ideas that take up lots of room put me Off but I'll need this idea made up for May at the bushcraft show

My hammock is 3.5m long

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my writing above
I

 

[Shewie]

Have a read through this for some ideas ..

http://www.tothewoods.net/



And there's hammockforums too ..

https://www.hammockforums.net/?

 

[Inky]

I have been thnking over these issue too. I made myself a prototype underquilt earlier this year from a US army poncho line (you are right, they are basically hammock shaped things you hang on the outside). It was ok but ultimately not warm enough, being quite thin material even when doubled up. I have seen some designs that basically involve using an old sleeping bag that opens top and bottom and using it as a 'sock' as you suggest. Not sure how well that would really work. It would certainly be possible to make a decent underquilt out of so,etching line a british army jungle sleeping bag, however, beyond that I think you are going to end up with something very bulky. All said and done I am considering some expensive down underquilts because I think ultimately they are really the only things that will keep you warm when the temp is freezing or below and pack down small with little weight.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Ive just modified an old sleeping bag with a few tabs and put a tape along each end for a draw cord.. cheap and easy to do

 

[mousey]

I have heard alot of good things about ukhammocks, I believe snugpak also make under quilts. I have been wanting to get a down own for a
while but can't justify the expense at the minute as I don't get out that much, maybe in the future....

 

[ozzy1977]

I have a snugpak one, got it for £75, don't know if it will be long enough for a 3.5m hammock though

 

[mousey]

Surely even if you hammock is 3.5m long you'd only need an underquilt which is as long as you [if you want full coverage] as you must be able to adjust the positioning of the underquilt centrally [or up to one end or the other if require]?

 

[mrcharly]

One of the causes of 'cold back' in a hammock is wind chill - air passing under you. I think that as well as straightforward insulation you should consider a windproof layer.

 

[eddieb]

Okay so yes that British army jungle sleeping bag does look good for an idea, and this makes sense it having to be the same size as me not the hammock ans just position it as well as the wind proof barrier.

My friend once used a massive 3 m long space blanket once and it did keep him warm but he did wake up abit soggy, so what do you think of having partial (only on the bottom ) space blanket attached to micro fleece with an extra thin windproof layer on the outside, and if need be I could lightly fill it with down? does that make sense? Then I was thinking of sock shapped rather than the underquilt because I was thinking it be like a cacoon of trapped heat?

 

[Inky]

Try and see. The only thing about the space blanket is it sounds like a huge crisp packet and every time you move that could get annoying. Something like a jungle bag with two cords running the length of the bag inside on either side might be simple and effective, but I don't think it will keep you warm below about 5 degrees. However, you may be someone who doesn't feel the cold and it might work out fine.

 

[tartanferret]

I was thinking of sock shapped rather than the underquilt because I was thinking it be like a cacoon of trapped heat?

Like the snugpak cocoon designed by Wandering star of this parish,

here's a review..

http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/kit/reviews/hammock-cocoon-what-is-a-hammock-cocoon.html

 

[eddieb]

That is pretty much what I was thinking of making and yeah they are annoying because of the noise with space blankets , but I was hoping of preventing that by pinning/glueing it down between two layers of fabric? I will have to prototype this

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

What hammock are you using at 3.5mtrs. That's 11 1/2 feet

 

[eddieb]

Yeah it's from paradise hammocks
http://www.paradisehammocks.co.uk/en/single-travel-hammock/11-travel-hammock-single-green.html
Although I just measured it and it seems to have grown 12cm haha I have had it for 3 years ish.
and I'm 6 ft tall

 

[mountainm]

That is pretty much what I was thinking of making and yeah they are annoying because of the noise with space blankets , but I was hoping of preventing that by pinning/glueing it down between two layers of fabric? I will have to prototype this

Won't you get really bad condensation? Essentially you'll be sleeping in a crisp packet.

 

[eddieb]

I was thinking about the condensation which is why I was thinking only a bit covered with it the bottom third of the sock or something wasn't sure. And my hammock its from paradise hammocks and mine has grown 12 cm

 

[eddieb]

http://www.paradisehammocks.co.uk/en/single-travel-hammock/11-travel-hammock-single-green.html

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Damn that's huge. Like it though and thanks for the link.

 

[eddieb]

It's dead comfy too! The sleeping space is about 3.2m so it doesn't get tight around your head because there is extra space above but it is extremely breathable the wind literally goes straight through it

 

[mountainm]

Damn that's huge. Like it though and thanks for the link.

Not very wide though? Compare to this (my hammock)

http://www.twhammocks.co.uk/Hammocks/Compact-Hammocks/Green-Super-XL-Hammock-3x1.8m

I'd be interested in comparing the two to see which gives you the better diagonal.