I have a Hennessy Explorer Deluxe and have used pads with great success, but I am ready to upgrade to an UQ. What are my most economical UQ options for temps no colder than the 20's?
I have a Hennessy Explorer Deluxe and have used pads with great success, but I am ready to upgrade to an UQ. What are my most economical UQ options for temps no colder than the 20's?
AHE-Lost River with Triangle Thinges worked great for me on HH Exp. Should be @ $125 or so.
Economical and underquilt usually aren't found in the same sentence if you want a down underquilt. They're pricey, but you get the most compressible insulation and best warmth/weight ratio.
If price is a concern, synthetic insulation will probably be your best bet. Not as compressible or as light as down, but usually cheaper. Many people repurpose old sleeping bags into underquilts.
I currently use a Pheonix with my HH velcro and it has worked well.
The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. - St. Augustine
Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.
- Bob Marley
It seems like some folks find those temps manageable with a Super Shelter and a space blanket, but it also sounds like many others aren't comfortable quite that cold. If it works for you, that might be more affordable than a lot of underquilt options. I have not tried it myself, but I'm hopeful given that I just ordered a Super Shelter myself. But it could be a long time before we see 20 degrees around here, and even longer before I decide to try camping in it.
Of course there is always the AHE Potomac. I use one on my Expedition. It's made for the Hennessy. It's not the cheapest option, and you may not need the full length/width for the temps you'll encounter. It's a very nicely made synthetic quilt. I'm a canoeist, so a synthetic quilt appealed to me over down.
I have an Explorer Ultralight on the way, we'll see how it fits on the Explorer next week.
" I have not yet begun to procrastinate!"
Arrowhead also has an in between 3/4 and full length called the Jarbidge. I just picked one up and it's under $100.
I use the JRB Shenandoah or the Old Rag Mtn with my expedition zip. Works great!
After about 5 or 6 hangs in the HHSS (in the 30's to mid 20's) I just couldn't get it dialed in. Opted for a Hammock Gear custom UQ (40*, 2 ounce overfill, full length with H50 fabric). My first trial in the 30's was wonderful. Can't see going back to the HHSS or pads again.
Adam has little D rings spaced out down the side of the UQ on both sides. I slipped the hammock pull-outs through one on each side and it worked well. If it got colder I can see not using the pull outs at all.
Would highly and enthusiastically reccomend HG for UQ's
Scoutmaster, Troop 745
Duvall, WA
Originally Posted by stonehooligan
I am a long time HHSS fan, but it will be hard to beat that AHE price for a given warmth. Plus, while there are a fair number of others who are HHSS fans, as you see there are also some others who are not, who just never seem to get it to work for them. Don't know why the difference in the experience, but it is for real. But to be fair, there are also a lot of threads here started by people unable- at least at 1st- to be warm even above the rated temps of some UQs. So, a learning curve can be part of any under insulation situation other than pads. There is a lot that can go wrong with UQs, even minor adjustment problems can let cold air in. Where there is nothing else to with pads do but lay on them. As long as you can stay on them and don't sweat too much!
There does not seem to be much learning curve with a PeaPod, but that might not be ideal for your HH, or a complete no go if you have a bottom entry.
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