Cheap hammock as an under cover?

[LeDude]

I ran a similar setup for a while, using two identical hammocks, and sandwiching my uninflated Exped 7 between the two.

I have since built a simple light under quilt out of mesh with a lightweight emergency blanket in it which now serves as both a wind breaker in windy situations and as the holding base for my sleeping pad in colder weathers.

[R00K]

At last MAHHA I was using all budget gear - GTSBP with GTUL as undercover. In between them was a wool blanket and a CF pad, and a coleman sleeping bag rigged up pod-style. I think I took a fleece into the pod but didn't end up needing it. It wasn't too cold the night I stayed, but boy was I toasty warm.

[DaleW]

I ran a similar setup for a while, using two identical hammocks, and sandwiching my uninflated Exped 7 between the two.

Why not inflate the Exped 7? I'm struggling with the physics of an air mattress on the ground compared to one hanging in the air. I grasp the concepts of convection currents inside an air mattress, the temperature limitations, and the advantages using fill inside.

Using a double-layer system with a taut hammock and a loose under cover leaves a lot of flexibility for insulation.

I wonder how a cheap air mattress wrapped in a space blanket would work? I was thinking about something like a Thermarest Neoair, but you don't need to be able to lay on it, so you can toss all the high-quality fabric and strong bonds.

Ultimately, we're looking for dead air space with an interface that won't transfer body heat. You can throw out a lot of ground concepts as external hammock insulation only needs to support its own weight-- no worries about compressing the insulation or holding up your weight. Of course, it needs to compress for travel.

If an uninsulated air mattress with a space blanket will work, then you could use something as light as balloons! It would be very easy to turn a 2-person HeatSheet into an envelope. You could sandwich polyfill insulation in space blankets too. Or have a mylar air mattress with polyester fill. The technology to mass produce them would be similar to making mylar balloons. Imagine 4" or 5" of waterproof loft that weighs a few ounces and takes up the space of a shipping envelope

Heheh-- if you could fill a mylar air mattress with helium on the trail, it would float up against you. Then again, you might have it float away while pitching your rig

[DaleW]

Check my thread at http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=36337. I cooked up a way to make an UQ with space blanket or bivy and polyester batting.

[i8asquirrel]

I like your idea...I tried to hang out saturday eve. It was 94 f during the day but at 01:00 the temp had cooled to <40f I was plenty chilled. I was using a quilted bed spread for a over cover but as a noob, had nothing under me. SOO...
I ordered a ENO hammock to make an undercover out of.. I have a HH safari deluxe because I am a fat guy and needed a hammock that could support 330lb. ( and of courese they dont make a fourseason addaptor for their large hammock at Hennessy) My plan is to split the double nest from ENO and edge the opening with tape so I can install it under the Safari and still get into it through the bottom entry. I figured to use an light weight sleeping bag between the two as insulation! Anyone with experience at this sort of thing please feel free to offer your advice!

[DaleW]

Ray Garlington came up with the Garlington Insulator years ago, so I re-invented the wheel.

He used light cloth for an outer cover and used a couple light garbage bags with folded space blankets inside. Works great! I made bags from space blankets and double-stick tape. That gives better coverage than the garbage bags. See http://www.garlington.biz/Ray/Hammoc.../Insulator.htm

If your hammocks match closely, a sleeping pad might work too. If you use the Garlington method, the lower one will need to hang loosely.