Foam Mats/Thermarests Vs Underquilts

Hi guys,

I have the DD Travel Hammock 2008 Edition (the one with only 1 entry side)

My sleep system has always been:

A Closed Cell foam Mat (NATO Issue)
A Softie 12 Sleeping bag
A UK Army Issue Goretex Bivvy Bag
and if needed a Softie silk sleeping bag liner (Its so small and light the weight is negligible and the added warmth can be great.

I have never used a thermarest of self-inflating kipmat, thought they were too heavy, and as for under quilts I never even heard of them untill I joined this forum....lol

I have never felt cold in my set up (Yet!!!!!)

I have spent may years as a ground dweller just under a tarp before i found the joy of hammocking.

So my question is personal preferences aside which is the best set-up
I'm in the UK so Extreme Cold is not really an issue, nor is really heavy snowfall.

Any advice is welcome but please be honest, facts and reasons why guys and ladies

thanks in advance

Nathan H

There is no such animal as the "best set-up"! What's best for you might not work for me or vice-a-versa. As a matter of fact I don't even have a best set up for year round use because here in Minnesota, the summers are jungle hot and humid, and the winters are arctic cold. So sorry dude, ya can't put put personal preferences aside, hammock camping is all about experimenting. Go with what works for you, that's the "best set up", happy hanging!

This is a hard one to answer. Like in the previous post everyone is different on their setups. There are some who like pads only and then there are the ones who use UQ's.

Has anyone tried Gossamer Gear's i/4" thinlite wide pad? It is huge, but I got a nice note from Grant.

http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/...D:64.251.12.45


<<HI Sandy,
The reason the pad is so big is that our hammock customers asked for it. As I understand it they wanted something that came up the sides a bit more so they take these, get inside with it, mark with a Sharpie where they want it to be and then trim it down and "customize" it with a pair of scissors.
Cheers,
Grant>>

The 1/4" is quite thick. I think for summer, I'd like to sew two of the 1/8" ones together.

Nathan,

A mentioned prior, there is no "best". I can say that a good UQ is much more comfortable to me than a pad.

It is really hard to describe the difference. A pad (if thick enough) will keep you from getting cold. On the other hand, a nice down UQ will actually warm you up.

A CCF pad is pretty much indestructible, and impervious to failure from getting wet. That same ability to resist absorbing moisture will also often leave you with a wet back from perspiration.

I use both. When I'm in an environment that is likely to be extremely wet, I'll go with a pad set up. If I'm likely to have to set up on the ground a time or two for whatever reason, I'll go with a pad. However, I prefer the comfort of a nice down UQ.

As far as the 1/4" GG pad goes, I don't find it all that thick. I believe it is rated at an R1 or thereabouts. That will take an average person down to 57 F. Most places I hand get at least that cool even in the Summer.

This is what worked well for me on my last outing: I have a blue walmart ccf pad that I cut several 3/8" holes in (to help with condensation---works like a charm!) I place the ccf pad inbetween the layers of my hammock (a double layer claytor). I also have a homemade UQ---synthetic----made out of some cheap walmart cloth and some insulation I had laying around the house fromanother project. (loosly based on the kick *** quilt--really easy project) Im a pretty cold sleeper, but on my last trip it was down to the high 40s low 50s and I was warm and comfortable! I was very happy with it---warm, and no condensation!