UQ questions...

[^shane^]

I may be putting the cart before the horse here as I don't have my hammock yet. I'm just planning ahead.

For top quilts, I plan on using my current down sleeping bags zipped open as quilts.

I have about 100% decided on one of Stormcrow's Incubators for my UQ. The question is which one? The 3 season or the Summer? I'm afraid the 3 season will be too much UQ for the majority of the year. I'm also afraid the summer won't be enough UQ for hanging in late fall and early spring, and for sure not during winter.

I live in TX, and most of my hanging will be in temps well above 40 degrees, but... I can see the occasional foray out in the cold where a 20 degree sleeping bag would be necessary if I were on the ground.

Since I'm new at this game, I'd like to hear from you experienced hangers.

Do you guys hang in the summer with a UQ all the time?

Could I get away with the 40 degree UQ on colder nights if I go with more insulation in the hammock?

If not, has anyone experimented with adding another "layer" of goose down between the UQ and the hammock?

I'm thinking of something like a rectangle (size unknown right now) baffled and filled to 1" and then slid in between the UQ and the hammock. If I'm reading right, another inch of loft would get me where I need to be temp wise. Would that work with the way the Incubator attaches to the hammock without compressing out too much of the loft?

Sorry for the long post, but would love to hear what you guys (and gals) have to say. Thanks!

[Kukri]

I've said it so many times now, even I am getting tired of hearing it, but I use my Winter Yeti all the way up until I don't need an UQ at all (about 70* or so). In Texas, you could probably get away with a Summer Incubator and supplement it with some fleece clothing or fleece throw blanket under you if it gets a little bit below the rating of the UQ.

Either way, you'll be fine, but I think the 3-Season UQs have a lot more versatility, and IMO you'd be hard pressed to tell which one is the 3S and which is the summer when it's warm, but you could easily tell which is warmer when it's cold.

[G.L.P.]

"I'm thinking of something like a rectangle (size unknown right now) baffled and filled to 1" and then slid in between the UQ and the hammock. If I'm reading right, another inch of loft would get me where I need to be temp wise. Would that work with the way the Incubator attaches to the hammock without compressing out too much of the loft?"

you really don't want to put anything in between your hammock and your UQ...it will pull your UQ away from you and cause cold spots or a draft

"live in TX, and most of my hanging will be in temps well above 40 degrees, but... I can see the occasional foray out in the cold where a 20 degree sleeping bag would be necessary if I were on the ground."

i would go with a 3 season UQ...you can always vent the UQ if it's too hot...
you could get the summer UQ and add a undercover like the driducks one the jacks sell...this would give you another 5-10 degrees of warmth..
but i think the 3 season is a safer pick and the driducks is added weight
if you do more backpacking then car camping you might also want to look into his 3/4 length quilt...you can always bring a small sit pad that you can put in the footbox of the quilt in colder weather
this will help with pack weight and pack space

"Could I get away with the 40 degree UQ on colder nights if I go with more insulation in the hammock?"

yes you can...but for the few extra oz i would just get he 3 season ...
then there is no need to bring extra layers that will add weight to your pack

"Sorry for the long post, but would love to hear what you guys (and gals) have to say. Thanks! "

Nothing wrong with long post
and welcome to the forums

[BrianWillan]

Greetings

Most people use the 3 season right from spring through fall. If you haven't used a hammock much, you will discover that you will need some form of insulation at temps below the low 70s.

As for whether or not the 3season is too much underquilt, there are ways to deal with that by venting (ie hanging it looser so there is an air gap. Using less or no insulation on top of you. For winter needs, you could supplement your 3season with a Closed Cell Foam pad or using various other methods that are discussed here.

If money was no object, get both. If not, pick the one that will work for 90% of your needs and find ways to handle the other 10% of your needs.

Cheers

Brian

[koaloha05]

For uq I prefer to have too warm vs. too cool a quilt. A cold butt, back to me is more of a discomfort than just feeling overall a bit on the cool side. Venting the uq deals with too warm. Found you can go with less of a top quilt as long as bottom side is warm. You can always sleep in your insulating layer + quilt if the tq is too light.

Have you considered going with the 3 Season and by next Spring/Summer picking up a light weight & relatively inexpensive IX quilt for warmer wetter conditions? Cold sleeper who uses a MacIX & 3S Yeti to cover from +80*F down to freezing. 3S Crowsnest uq is similar to 3S Yeti.

[UncleMJM]

Agreed with all of the above. Even in North Texas a 3-season UQ will do the job for most folks. Just vent or add layers as the temps dictate.

Another thought...

Go with a pad, come to the Texas Fall Group Hang 2010: November 12-14 just down the road from you and see a wide selection of gear in use before you make your purchase decision.

BTW, Welcome to the trees!

[^shane^]

Thanks for all of the replies guys.

I see the logic of the 3 season now. Never thought about venting (but then I've yet to spend a night in the trees).

UncleMJM - I'm hoping to make the group hang (along with my wife) and hopefully I'll have gear to use by then. I'm hoping to have my hammock, tarp, and UQ by then (not sure of turnaround time for WB and HammockGear) so my wife can try it out and decide she wants in too. I don't want to start her out backpacking in a tent if I'm going to be hanging.