Hammock underquilt tips and tricks

[Phaestos]

Yello!

Right, so I somehow managed to wrangle an early christmas present in the form of a DD Frontline hammock, and so, in preparation for an end of October meet, am looking to set myself up an underquilt, even if that simply entails getting an old sleeping bag and using that.

What I was wondering is if you fine people would mind sharing any and all tips and tricks you have on setting up, creating, fitting underquilts. Things along the lines of whether it should hang low or be tigt against the bottom of the hammock, karabiners for connection etc.

Cheers!

 

[Outdoordude]

The simplest way to make an UQ out of a sleeping bag is to sow a grosgrain tab at each corner. Then sow 3 or 4 tab down each end. Use bungees to hang the UQ and get some elastic cord and use a cord lock. The elastic is to thread through the end loops so you can seal up each end. Also try putting a foil blanket in and a roll mat along with your UQ because it will keep you really toasty.
Thanks
Jacob

 

[Ogri the trog]

I think that irrespective of any advice you receive on here, you will have to try out whatever it is that you end up using.

Be prepared to have to abandon the night, get out and re-jig in the small hours, and have to adjust tensions and hangs until you find the one thing that works for you.

Making your own kit is a great skill to acquire, but don't expect your own kit to work the same as anyone else's.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[garethw]

Hi there
First off welcome to hammocking, once you find what works for you you'll be hooked.

My first change to the set up was to get a set of whoopie slings & tree straps. By using the Marlin spike hitch you can set up your hammock in seconds. I ditched the supplied bag and got a small dry sack. I simply stuff the hammock into that and it is always dry even if my gear gets soaking.

You can mess around with home made underquilts, US army poncho liners etc and they do work to some extent. Camp mats in the hammock pocket will also do the trick in not too cold conditions.

After trying all this I finally opted for the Snugpak under blanket that fits the DD hammcoks nicely. By adding a prussik loop to each end on the whoopie slings I could clip the bunched up shock chords from the under quilt (an over hand loop in each elastic chord does the trick) with a mini biner into this prussik loop. This allows for adjustablility...
The first set up will take a bit of fiddling around to get it all to the right tension, but once its is done that's it... subsequent set ups only take seconds.
I've slept out into well below freezing temp and not been cold.

As a top quilt I just use my centre zipped military sleeping bag upside down top quilt fashion. I tuck it under my sides and I'm nicely cocooning between the two layers.
I always sleep in my clothes when hammocking, as despite what I've read, and after 30 years experience carp fishing at night, I find the more layers I wear the warmer I feel.

Best Regards
Gareth

 

[RE8ELD0G]

Small world, i too have just wangled an early present in the form of a Tenth Wonder Green Hornet 3 layer Hammock.
I Intend on trying a roll mat between the 2 layers of hammock and then one of those foil lined sleeping mats in the waterproof part to reflect any lost heat.

If that doesnt work then im going to try and fashion a wool blanket type thing to clip to the 3rd/waterproof layer to use as a cheap underblanket.

But i will (for xmas) get a snugpak underblanket and artic sleeping bag.

Cant wait to get it so i can try it out......

 

[Big Stu 12]

I Intend on trying a roll mat between the 2 layers of hammock and then one of those foil lined sleeping mats in the waterproof part to reflect any lost

I tend to find that being wide that the MAt only covers part of me and does not cover all as the hammock wraps roundf me Underquilt is the way to go, as far as foil, I have tryied it, and my mate use's a fiol blanket , trouble is it kept me awake, with the rustle.

 

[Topcat1308]

I'm fairly new to Hammocking myself - pondered purchasing an UQ or fiddling with my softie to make it one. In the end I did cheapest option to me which was to use my multimat summit in the hammock (with tabs added on from repair kit so that shock cord can be thread through eyelits in the tabs to keep mat in place). I use a Carinthia bag and to date (a few cold ish nights) i have been toasty. One night i had the bag open and me on top as I was warm enough.

I'm going to carry on with this approach until I've been out in winter and tested it in lower temperatures - just dont find the prospect of carrying an extra bag around with me appealing, especially when I will take my mat just in case I have to ground it. You may just want to give it a try first.....

 

[Big Stu 12]

One thing I did not meantion is the foil blanket and the roll mat is not as breatherable as an underquilt, this could lead to condensation... only my opinion of course

 

[RE8ELD0G]

Thanks for the tips Big Stu, will be buying a DD Snugpak underquilt for xmas and a artic army bag to keep me sweating in winter.

But untill then i shall be using the mat....