I'm pretty sure this means I NEED a UQ...

**Green Mountain Boy** · 05-12-2011, 11:51

Hammock camping is new to me so I've been reading, listening, watching everything around here - driving my wife nuts.... but oh well.

I've spent a few nights in a hammock in the basement this spring and since temp was in the 60's, it was cool enough to try bottom insulation. I ended up trying different pads for insulation, all pads I've had around over the years as a ground dweller. I discovered that regardless of what I used - CCF, Thermarest, SPE with CCF and/or Thermarest, fleece-covered all of the above - I always woke up "wet" - I guess I sleep hot.

Last night I finally slept outside and hoped that since it was cooler (30's) maybe things would be different. I used a single layer hammock with a SPE with 3/4 thermarest and CCF wings covered by a CCF full length pad inserted into a fleece bag - just so my skin wouldn't be in contact with the CCF pad. I wore just shorts, a cotton tee shirt (so I could gauge how damp/or not I got) and a light fleece 1/4 zip top, plus a fleece cap with ear flaps. My top quilt was an old synthetic sleeping bag partially zipped for a footbox. I have no idea of its rating, but I'm pretty sure it's a summer weight. I was totally warm, in fact a little too warm - I woke up wet as usual, my shirt, the pad(s), fleece. It seems the only thing left to do is to go with a UQ and separate myself from the insulation...

Meeting up with Hobbit this weekend to take that Summer Phoenix off his hands

**wirerat123** · 05-12-2011, 11:55

You are just over doing the insulation if you are sweating that bad. I've been using a pad for insulation for quite a while, and never had that issue. Oddly I live in and most of my hiking is done in the insanely humid South East and have never had that issue. UQ is superior in every way though, unless you end up having to go to the ground for one reason or another.