Hammock insulation recommendation request for Baltic summer/world trip

[s0meguy]

Hi, I'm new to hammock camping and I recently got a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC double layer 1.7 with top cover. I am going to travel around the world on a bicycle starting from Amsterdam, first going north around the Baltic sea in Scandinavia in the summer and then going down the Balkans in the fall/autumn, then Turkey, central Asia, India, south-east Asia, Indonesia, Australia, NZ, Taiwan, Japan (to start with). I've been trying to find a proper insulation set up but it's difficult as I can't just go out and test it at intended temperatures since it is about 85F or 28C outside right now. So I will have to predict what I need based on little experience. On top of that, many of the reviews for UQ's and other insulation items like sleeping bags indicate that the temperature ratings aren't accurate at all. I'd like input from you guys.

In India & southern Asia, I expect it to be so hot that I won't need warmth insulation at all, at night temps of around 85F/28C all year in many places. I might need protection from bugs in my back though. I am using double layer 1.7 fabric, but in that temperature I probably won't be wearing much at night except my underwear. I'd rather not take my chances because the illnesses that those bugs carry there can be nasty. What do you guys recommend for that? It should have as little heat insulation as possible.

Outside of those countries, I expect to encounter mostly night temperatures of 50F/10C to 70F/20C-ish, with occasional dips down to 35F/2C-ish. Obviously storage space is a factor. Is there a single insulation setup that you guys can recommend for something like this? Can I just get a down UQ rated for 20F/-7C-ish (because reviews complain that temperature ratings are exaggerated) and use a top cover if it gets too cold and be done with it? Or will I sweat my *** off with a UQ rated at that temperature, and using it around 50-60F/10-15C without top cover (with mosquito net)? I am wondering how temperature flexible a down UQ is and if I can also use it with higher temperatures. My dilemma is that most of the time my nights should be around 50F/10C, and only occasionally they would go into the 30's, and I'd rather not carry additional insulation for that all the way around the world if I am only going to encounter it rarely. So I'm looking for a low-volume solution to this insulation problem. Low-volume is more important than weight since the weight is on my bicycle and not my back, pannier space is the biggest issue.

On top of that I also need a set up for sleeping on the ground under a tarp, as I won't have suitable trees everywhere I go. So I'll probably have to carry a sleeping bag and sleeping mat as well. Same problems with temperature range. I'm not sure I'd use a sleeping mat in the hammock though because it makes it more stiff.

Money is not much of a problem for me, but I wouldn't really feel right cycling around with 500-1k$ worth of hammock insulation. The prices seem a bit crazy. Decent hammock insulation shouldn't have to cost half a grand. I'm not much of a hot or cold sleeper. I think I'm pretty flexible, maybe in the middle. Also I think that on such a long trip, sleeping comfort is very important. If I can't sleep well over such a long time, I think that'd significantly screw with my emotional well-being and cause more fatigue. I'm also a side sleeper and tall, 6'4/1.93m if that matters.

What would you guys recommend?

Thanks

[Fastmatt]

30 degree 3/4 length uq. 30 degree long / wide top quilt. Rectangle straight edge tarp or only small cuts with some extra length. Reasoning is your only expecting 30s a few times so you can make up for any chill with clothing layers that you will already have with you. At 30 they are also not overkill and can be vented or hung loose for warmer conditions. Also by going 30 and 3/4 uq you will save on that volume . Your not a small guy so going long/ wide with tq will allow you to really wrap up if it's cold and have plenty to wrap around you as a side sleeper ESP. When you go to ground. The rectangle or close your tarp will allow you dual purpose cover your hammock and give you a bunch of choices for ground pitch including end closing. The pad would allow you some emergency insulation in hammock if need be but is keep it for The ground if you can. Foam / air ? That I can't answer. I can nvr decide 100 percent. Every time I carry an air I'm glad it's low volume and comfy BUT i seem to get a lot of leaks. When I carry foam I'm super glad I can't pop it but it's a lot of volume and not so comfy. Happy travels

[infrastellar]

sleeping bag/topquilt
http://sleepingbags-cumulus.eu/uk/ca...p?gid=63&vid=6

underquilt for colder locations - tell them you want only 200g of down
http://sleepingbags-cumulus.eu/uk/ca...?gid=129&vid=1

In SE asia and lower elevations, just sleeping bag will be OK. If you would prefer the synthetic way due to any reason, the mass and weight rise. And yes, seems you want to carry the sleeping pad too. I would opt for light foam pad.

[ofuros]

My flexible thoughts...
Temperate & Subtropical climate...top & under quilt with
underquilt protector. Plus layered clothing system. Maybe a
thin lightweight emergency blanket between hammock layers.


Tropical climate....your double layer hammock/mesh/tarp + underquilt protector attached but not deployed for when those cool late night breezes
blow, just deploy when needed.
Maybe keep a silk sleeping bag liner in your makeshift pillow
& use it as a blanket if your cool.
Altitude gain in a tropical environment means it's going to be cold,
so you'll still need your top & bottom quilts...

Going to ground...under quilt protector, blow up insulated/foam mat, hammock, just a top quilt or both as circumstances dictate. Again
layered clothing if needed.
Mesh & tarp suspended to your bike & whatever you have nearby.

How much insulation you'll need...I'll leave to others.
It'll be a hell of a trip...hopefully you'll keep us updated
every now & then. Goodluck .😎

[TrailSlug]

Do you have someone at a "base" location to swap gear as needed? A 3 season underquilt with a 30° top quilt should cover you in all of these areas since you can vent the under quilt and use/not use/push aside the top quilt. Sounds like the trip of a life time. Good luck, have fun, and please report back.

[hutzelbein]

That sounds like a great trip! About 7 years ago I was in a similar situation with similar questions. Meanwhile I have found my answer to those questions but unfortunately the right answer for me must not be the right answer for you.

many of the reviews for UQ's and other insulation items like sleeping bags indicate that the temperature ratings aren't accurate at all.

There are no "correct" ratings, because everybody is different with different needs. For example I sleep extremely cold and a 20°F underquilt will only work for me down to about 32°F if I'm lucky. A warm or even hot sleeper might be fine down to 10°F. In the end, as with hammock comfort, you will have to try and find out what works best for you.

Here is how I would prepare for a trip like the one you have planned:

If money was no object, I would go for the gear that looks like it would work best for me. Actually, especially when money is tight I would rather spend more on something that looks like it would suit me very well than for something that is cheaper but doesn't look as good. Your hammock will be your home for a long time. You want it to be as comfortable as possible, and you don't want to have to buy new gear during your trip because what you have sucks.

I would definitely go with down, even if it means paying $500. Synthetic insulation can keep you just as warm as down, but it covers a much more narrow temperature range. I have used the same down sleeping bag in SE Asia in winter (the temperatures were around 5°F) and in New Zealand in late autumn (the temperatures occasionally dropped down to 32°F). I could make it work, even if a bit less or more insulation would have been ideal. I couldn't have done this with a synthetic bag. And look at it like that: good insulation will work for you long after your trip is finished. The 25°F down sleeping bag (no hood, can be zipped up to work like a blanket, a top quilt, or a hood-less sleeping bag) I got for my trip is still serving me well 7 years later. It has been my nightly top quilt for the last ~3 years (I don't sleep in a bed anymore). In my book, that was money well spent.

Find out what type of sleeper you are, and than get insulation that is about 10°F warmer than the lowest temperatures you expect. Usually I would say get insulation that works in 75% of the cases, but once you're on the road, it will be difficult and expensive for you to get warmer gear. This is especially true for underquilts. Don't skimp there. It's easy to vent an underquilt, but difficult to boost it's capacity. And zipping up the top cover *won't* help if your underquilt is not warm enough!

If you carry a sleeping pad, you can pick an underquilt that is less warm, because you can add the pad to the underquilt in very cold nights. If weight was an issue, this would be the way I would go.

If I were to do the same trip you are doing, I would probably pick...

- my WBBB (not XLC so no top cover)
- the WB travel sock or at the very least an underquilt protector
- my 20° ZPacks down sleeping bag that I can use as a blanket, a top quilt or a sleeping bag
- the 0°F WB Winter Wooki (which for me is like a 20°F underquilt - and I'm using it at the moment at 78°F without breaking sweat)
- a short ProLite Plus Therm-a-Rest pad
- a 3mm Evazote pad
- a light single walled tent (because on a trip this long, I would expect to go to ground frequently...)


Good luck with your choice and enjoy your trip! It sounds like something that you only get to do once in your life.

[hutzelbein]

I might need protection from bugs in my back though. I am using double layer 1.7 fabric, but in that temperature I probably won't be wearing much at night except my underwear. I'd rather not take my chances because the illnesses that those bugs carry there can be nasty. What do you guys recommend for that? It should have as little heat insulation as possible.

Yes, bugs can bite through 2 layers. You can get Permethrin and spray your hammock, but with risks like that I would recommend mechanical protection like a zippered bug sock or an underquilt protector.

[Beast 71]

For bugs; you should look into treating your gear with permethrin. A 20°F sleeping bag and a pad might be the best solution for you. You could use just the sleep bag when in the moderate weather of your trip. Go without any insulation during the hotter parts and the sleeping bag and pad during the colder parts. That way you'll be prepared when you have to go to ground too. Lying on the sleeping bag, in the hammock will compress and derate the insulation some, but that may work to your advantage for most of your trip.

[Beast 71]

Continued; I like to sleep on the cooler side, but I still need something under me when the temperature drops below 70°F. If it's warmer than that, I hang my under quilt (UQ) alongside my hammock, so I can pull it back under me if I get cold during night. My UQ is a 20°F Jack's-R-Better(JRB) Mount Washington 3 quilt and between freezing and 70°F I'm fine be just venting my 40°F top quilt (TQ). Any lower, I supplement it with a underiflated Therm*A*Rest pad. I've gone as low as-11°F, but that was with a lot of warm clothes and my JRB 5-10°F. TQ. I find that just an UQ is the most comfortable, but I personally find it a stretch to say a pad is uncomfortable. If you go the pad route, make sure it's wide enough for your arms and shoulders. Look up pad extenders on this sight.