2QZQ Under Quilt Protector (Sleeping Pad version) Compatible with Dutch Chameleon

**2Questions** · 08-31-2017, 11:52

UQs and UQPs are both made with the same types of fabric. It is much easier to wash an UQP than it is to wash a UQ. So...protecting your investment in a UQ is why the UQP came to be. The UQP doesn't add warmth...it helps to keep the warmth your body generates in the UQ...thus creating a warmer sleeping environment. This is why it is important to have the UQP breathable to avoid condensation issues.
Donna

**Cory Hess** · 08-31-2017, 13:18

Here are some quick pictures of my Chameleon with the UQP and my pad. The pad is the long and wide version, so it's dimensions are 24x77x3.5. If you were to use a standard 20x72 pad I think it would work even better, but this is what I have from tent camping. I always feel like I'm falling off of a 20" pad when I'm sleeping on the ground.

I tried to do my best to add weight so that you can see how the UQP works with a loaded hammock. It doesn't do a great job, but you can get the idea.

To hang the UQP I put the end shockcord through my whoopie hooks, and I would think you could do the same with beetle buckles if you use those. I then run the shockcord through the first set of quilt hooks. This helps it spread out on the ends.

Then I put my pad in and hop in and cinch the sides up until I'm making contact with the pad. I tried to shoot a picture from inside to show that the hammock is indeed sitting on the pad. (In the middle where the weight is anyways. When I'm in it it does a much better job of staying up tight against me than the tent and sleeping bags.)

If you're really worried about it staying tight, you could pull up the shockcord and loop it over your ridgeline with a biner. I've never had to do this, but I took a picture so that you can see how that would work.

I really don't know if I'm doing any of this right. When I received the UQP I played around with it and tried it a couple different ways and this is what works best from what I've tried. It doesn't add any warmth, but it does keep those cold drafts off your butt which makes you feel warmer.

At the end of the day it's really just a sheet of plastic that hangs under your hammock and keeps the wind and rain out. I don't think there's too much to go right or wrong with it. From what I've read after you get some experience with your tarp setup most people can manage to stay dry through most rains. To me, this is a set of training wheels so that I don't screw up my $300 underquilt while I'm learning how to do this whole hammock thing. It also allowed me to try out hammocking and make sure I like it before investing in an underquilt. If you look at it like that it really is a no brainer.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. I feel like I'm piecing out information, but I'm trying to be as forthcoming as I can and telling you everything as I think of it.

**Cory Hess** · 08-31-2017, 13:20

Here's a picture of the pad in the Chameleon so you can get an idea of how big it is. A regular length/width pad wouldn't have to bend as much to get into the UQP and I think would work better than mine does.

**2Questions** · 08-31-2017, 13:29

Cory Hess,
It looks like it must work better with that thickness pad to have the shock cord ends further down the hammock instead of attached to the end areas of the hammock? The standard way to attach the UQP is to attach the shock cord ends to the same area where the UQ would attach. It does make sense that it would "square" the ends of the UQP to hold a 3.5" pad better.
Am I thinking/seeing this correct?
Donna

**Cory Hess** · 08-31-2017, 13:41

My thinking was that with the length and width of my pad I wanted to get the ends as squared off as possible. You can see how the pad still pushes out at the corners. Of course, this all changes as soon as I lay in it. I'll be out hanging this weekend and try it without using the quilt hooks and see how that works. I honestly don't remember. When I first got the UQP I tried attaching it a bunch of different ways just out of curiosity and this is the one I ended up going with. I'll experiment this weekend and report back.

**Cory Hess** · 08-31-2017, 18:12

So, I received a SLD Tree Runner today and wanted to throw it up and play around with it. I figured I'd play around with the UQP and pad while I was at it. The SLD does not have quilt hooks, so the UQP is hooked on only at the whoopie hooks. As soon as I had the pad in I remembered why I was using the quilt hooks. On my particular pad, hooking the UQP only to the hammock suspension causes the UQP to gather at the ends just like a hammock, as you would expect. This causes the pad to kind of fold, or more accurately bend, in order to fit into the UQP. My goal is to keep the pad as flat as possible and as snug to the hammock as possible until it conforms to my body weight. The quilt hooks widen the ends out enough to help with this.

I suspect that this is an issue that's borne from the large dimensions of my pad along with it's thickness. However, I'm no expert in this. I'm just a beginner to the hammock game. If I were choosing a pad specifically for hammocking I'd go with a smaller pad. However, I prefer an underquilt to a pad in any configuration so I don't expect to have to worry about this again any time soon.

**bigbenny** · 09-02-2017, 06:01

Originally Posted by 2Questions

UQs and UQPs are both made with the same types of fabric. It is much easier to wash an UQP than it is to wash a UQ. So...protecting your investment in a UQ is why the UQP came to be. The UQP doesn't add warmth...it helps to keep the warmth your body generates in the UQ...thus creating a warmer sleeping environment. This is why it is important to have the UQP breathable to avoid condensation issues.
Donna

Ah that makes sense. Oh, it doesn't add warmth but it helps trap warmth so you can be comfortable at lower temperatures, semantics I guess. Thanks for the explanation as to why UQP exist.

**bigbenny** · 09-02-2017, 06:22

Originally Posted by Cory Hess

Here are some quick pictures of my Chameleon with the UQP and my pad. The pad is the long and wide version, so it's dimensions are 24x77x3.5. If you were to use a standard 20x72 pad I think it would work even better, but this is what I have from tent camping. I always feel like I'm falling off of a 20" pad when I'm sleeping on the ground.

I tried to do my best to add weight so that you can see how the UQP works with a loaded hammock. It doesn't do a great job, but you can get the idea.

To hang the UQP I put the end shockcord through my whoopie hooks, and I would think you could do the same with beetle buckles if you use those. I then run the shockcord through the first set of quilt hooks. This helps it spread out on the ends.

Then I put my pad in and hop in and cinch the sides up until I'm making contact with the pad. I tried to shoot a picture from inside to show that the hammock is indeed sitting on the pad. (In the middle where the weight is anyways. When I'm in it it does a much better job of staying up tight against me than the tent and sleeping bags.)

Thanks heaps for the pictures, it really helps me to understand how this will work. And thanks for the dimensions. IIUC having a wider pad is better as it will wrap around and keep your shoulders warm. It's why people the Sleeping Pad Extenders (SPEs) were invented. When you hop in the hammock do you feel the pad wrap around you (come up the sides a bit)? Do you find it keeps you warm or do you get cold sides/shoulders etc.?

Originally Posted by Cory Hess

If you're really worried about it staying tight, you could pull up the shockcord and loop it over your ridgeline with a biner. I've never had to do this, but I took a picture so that you can see how that would work.

I really don't know if I'm doing any of this right. When I received the UQP I played around with it and tried it a couple different ways and this is what works best from what I've tried. It doesn't add any warmth, but it does keep those cold drafts off your butt which makes you feel warmer.

At the end of the day it's really just a sheet of plastic that hangs under your hammock and keeps the wind and rain out. I don't think there's too much to go right or wrong with it. From what I've read after you get some experience with your tarp setup most people can manage to stay dry through most rains. To me, this is a set of training wheels so that I don't screw up my $300 underquilt while I'm learning how to do this whole hammock thing. It also allowed me to try out hammocking and make sure I like it before investing in an underquilt. If you look at it like that it really is a no brainer.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. I feel like I'm piecing out information, but I'm trying to be as forthcoming as I can and telling you everything as I think of it.

Sounds like a good idea to me regarding the shockcord to the ridgeline, and thanks for the picture to make it clear exactly what you were suggesting.

I am of the (relatively uneducated) opinion of better to take the UQP, then not, especially if weather could be bad, to get the wind and water resistance. You are being very forthcoming, and it's far more than I expected. This helps heaps, I'm really appreciate the effort you have gone to help me.

**bigbenny** · 09-02-2017, 06:32

Thanks you both the further discussion/info regarding the hows and whys of the hanging the UQP. I currently have a thin thermarest and plan to buy a 3.5" pad for camping in snow and want to use it in the hammock for insulation.

**Two Tents** · 09-02-2017, 11:59

My 2¢. I was a tester way back. It took a bunch of trial & error, getting in and out of the hammock getting things dialed in using the uqp to hold things in place. In short I found if using an inflatable pad it preformed the best when it was under inflated. Closed cell foam works the best in my opinion but you need adjust the uqp so it is almost like its a double layer for the bottom of the hammock. Of all the pads ( Klymit, Neoair, Thermarest, Big Agnes and multiple adjustments & various tries the best I had good success with was the thinlite one from Gossamer Gear. Then I sealed the deal by upgrading to the wide one they offer for hammocks. That combo pad and uqp is what I use when I carry this particular set up. Recap... Inflatable gets way under inflated for best performance and closed cell foam needs have the uqp suspension fairly snug so you get the foam to follow your body contours in the loaded hammock. Both require a little time and effort to dial in. Now, after a bunch of nights use, I can tell by looking at it if its good for the matt I'm using. I can adjust from the hammock if I get it close. Hope this clarifies some. Peace, Two Tents & ben