IX Underquilt - DIY

[DiyGuy83]

HOLY COW, I have been trying to figure out, what is the stuff called you can get at the big box stores???

[Ragabash]

So, I spent the night in my hammock with only the IX UQ beneath me. A little disclaimer here, I'm a very cold sleeper. I had on a balaclava and winter hat, t-shirt, light sweater, and insulated shirt, long johns and cotton pants, two pairs of wool socks, and finger-less wool gloves. On top I had a fleece bag liner, and an old, heavy sleeping bag (partially zipped for a foot pocket). I didn't use a tarp because there was a 0% chance of rain and the sky was beautiful. There was literally nothing below me but my hammock and the new UQ.

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The first part of the night went fine. Cold, yes, but not miserably so. Temps bottomed out at 35 degrees F according to my little thermometer, but there was frozen left-over Tang the next morning, so make of that what you will. The UQ was obviously shifting to the left side of the hammock early on, but since my underneath was still covered, I didn't worry about it.

Then about 2:30 AM I woke up with an icy back and numb toes. I figured the UQ wasn't blocking drafts since I could feel the wind, as weak as it was, against my back. I cursed my poor draft tubes and tried to go back to sleep. Finally I got up and realized the UQ had slipped entirely to the left, so there really was nothing below me except the hammock. I couldn't get warm after that, so I just stayed up.

The whole incident cemented my desire to use only a bug net free hammock in the late fall/winter when bugs aren't a problem anyway, because the whole night I was thinking about how nice it would be to reach over the side and adjust the UQ. My Hennessy Explorer Deluxe wouldn't let me, though. I could only do so much through the bottom opening.

[shef]

I had the same problem with my own DIY netted hammock, so I installed four 'pack hooks'; two on each side, about a foot and a half down from the gathered end. I hook my under quilt suspension through them and it keeps it from doing exactly that.

[Ragabash]

I figured I would have to do something like that, but I want to try it out on my diy hammock first. Do you have pics of your UQ with hooks?

[gr8brew]

Go to Dutches sight there are videos on where to place them

[Ragabash]

Thanks gr8 brew!

[shef]

I'm afraid not shroud. But to clarify, I bar tacked the pack hooks to the hem of my hammock, using some 3/4" reflective grosgrain.

[rjcress]

I must be getting old, as my DIY IX UQ seemed warmer to me a couple of years ago when i made it.
May be time to make a new one with more layers, or move to a different type of insulation.

[aloharover]

Here is a quick and easy pattern to build your own a 3-Layer Insultex Underquilt. ]

Thank you for the how-to and also for the materials. Everything arrived last night and I will get to sewing this weekend. Very excited.

[Arthos]

I hope to try this after i make a hammock for me and my kids.