Synthetic Underquilt Minutiae

[silentorpheus]

I've got all the materials needed finally, and am going to start on my underquilt to finish up my DIY setup. I'm going for a rectangular shape, full length, to go on my homemade gathered end hammock. Shell/liner will be 1.1 olive ripstop I got from BWDD, with a single layer of 6oz climashield. I'm going to alter jbo_c's pillow top idea, and box the corners so that the lining is flat while the shell will be a boxed shape, to reduce compression on the insulation. I'm going to use separate long rectangles of tougher ripstop to make the drawstring channels at each end, with shock cord to cinch them up. A few last minute things I'm not totally clear about:

1.) What do you attach the shock cord in the channels to? Should I just tie one end off to the grossgrain loop that will be at the corners for the hanging suspension, or sew a small separate loop in just for the shock cord connection? And what's to keep the cord lock on the other side from pulling back into the channel? Do I need another loop on the opposite end to secure the cord lock?

2.) When it comes to the drawstrings at the ends, I've seen a few people having the cord exit point be a buttonhole in the center of the channel, as opposed to on the ends. I can see how this might help even out the gather when pulling the shock cord tight - any downsides to this as opposed to the standard cord lock at on side? (other than the fact that it might make it harder to adjust from in the hammock, since it will position the lock further under the hammock body).

3.) Since it's rectangular, is there a size that I should avoid going over, even though I want it to be full length? My hammock is 10.5' long, ridgeline is roughly 100" or so, and I was planning on starting with the larger shell being 51"x90". Since that will be roughly 2" wider and longer than the liner and insulation, and factoring in seam allowances, I'm aiming for 48"x86-87" or so. I have the material to make it wider if need be, but I figure that's plenty long enough, if not too long.


Those are the nagging things I'm wondering for now. I'm sure there'll be more as I get it going.

[gargoyle]

Too long for sure, IMO.
Your feet and most of your lower leg will be inside your top quilt. Most uq's run from your neck down to mid thigh or a little longer. The point of the shorter uq is to take up less pack space, and weigh less.
Your shockcord can run full distance, thru the channels you create in the uq. Then just loop them onto the bundled fabric at the ends of your hammock. You can use a small carabiner also.

Unless your really, REALLY tall, I'd make it to fit your body. Both in width and length.

[silentorpheus]

Too long for sure, IMO.
Your feet and most of your lower leg will be inside your top quilt. Most uq's run from your neck down to mid thigh or a little longer. The point of the shorter uq is to take up less pack space, and weigh less.
Your shockcord can run full distance, thru the channels you create in the uq. Then just loop them onto the bundled fabric at the ends of your hammock. You can use a small carabiner also.

Unless your really, REALLY tall, I'd make it to fit your body. Both in width and length.

At the moment I'm not using a TQ, going to start with the UQ and probably a sleeping bag in the hammock. And weight/packability is only a moderate concern, as I mostly do car camping. Though it doesn't hurt to think ahead, and perhaps make something that is usable now and still a good idea for later. What length would you suggest? I'm 6'2" or so.

And as far as shockcord, I'm not doing a full length shock cord down the long sides of the quilt. Gonna sew in loops to help hang it if need be, and use JRB style suspension on the ends to hang it. I'm more trying to figure out how to work the gathered channels at the foot and head of the quilt. It's probably something simple, that I missed in a post or tutorial somewhere, that I'm just not seeing in my head.

[gargoyle]

For the short shockcords at the head an foot end, I just tied mine to the main uq suspension. Then buttonhole (or burn) a hole mid-point. Cordlocks with both side pulled thru and knotted.

For fit, 50-60 inches in length is good. I'm 6-4 and that plenty of uq for me. Your feet will still be inside your sleeping bag, and depending on what you do with the zipper, most of your legs.

[jbo_c]

I'll be posting a little more detailed "how I did it soon". 48" is very wide. My next one will be 45".

Jbo

[silentorpheus]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I think I may reconsider my original plans, and still make a rectangular UQ but change the dimensions. My ripstop shell material is 64" wide, and my insulation piece is 64"x90". So if I turn the insulation sideways and cut it in half, that gives me a piece that'll allow me to make a UQ that is roughly 45"x60" - and allow me to make 2 of them, not that I need more than one. I'll also waste less of the Climashield this way.

At 6'2" tall, that should still give me plenty of coverage, and lighten the final product by a touch. Plus, since I don't do any winter camping, I'm sure it will be plenty of warmth for what I need.

[TOB9595]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I think I may reconsider my original plans, and still make a rectangular UQ but change the dimensions. My ripstop shell material is 64" wide, and my insulation piece is 64"x90". So if I turn the insulation sideways and cut it in half, that gives me a piece that'll allow me to make a UQ that is roughly 45"x60" - and allow me to make 2 of them, not that I need more than one. I'll also waste less of the Climashield this way.

At 6'2" tall, that should still give me plenty of coverage, and lighten the final product by a touch. Plus, since I don't do any winter camping, I'm sure it will be plenty of warmth for what I need.

This will do you well in the final size.

Tom