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Personally I think you're going to want to end up with an UQ of some sort, if nothing else, for comfort. I felt like I lost a lot of the benefits of sleeping in a hammock with a full length pad under me. The pad creates pressure points that the hammock itself does not. That being said, many people get by with a pad and "wings". The major problem with the pad is that it doesn't cover your shoulders (hence the wings). Even a negative degree sleeping bag will compress under you loosing its loft and insulating abilities.
I own the Grand Truck Ultra Light and the GT Double Parachute and I must say the double parachute is 100% better. From Grand Trunk, “The ultra light is also made of polyester whereas many of our other hammocks are made with nylon. Nylon versus polyester gives more, is softer yet stronger, long story short…much more comfortable which I believe you have experienced with other hammocks. As you move up in options, unfortunately the price has to as well due to stronger materials, larger sizes, comfort, and so on.”
A sleeping bag that keeps you warm on the ground, should keep your TOP warm in a hammock.
Get a hammock and start testing. You didn’t mention how thick your pad was, but if it’s not insulated, you might want that closed cell pad too.
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http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/...e1/photo37.jpg
This is a Grand Trunk UL and a Mountain Hardware sleeping bag setup in a pod style.
If your sleeping bag has a 2 way zipper, this is much easier than a pad IMHO. Unzip the bottom slightly, run the hammock through the small hole, hop in and zip up.
A bit more confining, but things aren't slip sliding all around as they tend to do with a pad in my experience.
YMMV
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I agree with Tendertoe... That would probably be the easiest way to go.
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Thanks all for the comments. I do feel a little better now. There is an UQ in the plans eventually, however I'd like to see more gear in action and see what works and what doesn't. I'll probably end up building one rather than buying one as the funds are limited. That is kind of my intentions behind buying the TG UL as a first hammock. I'll probably end up building a hammock once I get everything figured out. I like making my own equipment especially when it works. :D
I've heard the stories about folks who make lots of their own equipment only to have a closet full of stuff that doesn't work correctly. (glad I'm not one of those poor souls:o)
The sleeping bag around the hammock is a good idea but my cold weather bag is not a double zipper (it's an old military bag). Maybe I'll find an old sleeping bag @ goodwill for nothing and can start hacking it up as an experiment. :D I would eventually like to have a down UQ but I'll get everything in line and in order first. Get all of the quirks out of the way before I waste $8-10/oz on down fill (note the above mentioned folks with closets full of home made gear ;))
JBizzle- MY CCF pad is about 1/2-3/4" thick and the Big Agnes is 2.5" thick. I have an older really soft CCF that I have hacked for various projects that is 3/8-1/2" thick that may actually work better for this purpose.
Again, thanks for all the help, keep it coming. I'll keep you all posted on the progress.
pax,
lost
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