Experimenting with GossamerGear hammock pad

[fin]

Have you tried any of the insulated air mats like the BA insulated air core or the Exped DAM? Big difference from the ccf pads.
They are about 3.5 to 4" thick & if only lightly inflated, they are extremely comfortable.

Back in my younger days I would have done just great laying right on the hammock & using an underquilt, but after breaking ribs & stuff & putting on a few more years, I do much better w/ the inflatable.

I'm with you on the effects of aging, believe me.

I've been meaning to get an Exped - it sounds like just the ticket for my bridge. I'm using a non-insulated air core pad now. But I really dislike the way pads tend to slip around in a hammock without a pad pocket.

[RAW]

Well, I don't have pictures, but . . .

I ended up slicing the GossamerGear pad up some more.
This time, I cut the remaining pad into roughly 13" x 24" rectangles.
I inserted one rectangle into each Clark underside pocket.
And put my BA insulated air-core in my sleeping bag like normal.

It worked great. I didn't notice any shoulder cold spots.
And the stacked rectangles pack into my motorcycle luggage much better.

I'll have to try this setup in low 40s weather to be sure, but . . . I'm gonna hold off on the underquilt for a while longer.

[thecrumb]

Missed you at SEHHA (really wanted to check out your Clark!)

I also did a lot of gravel roads this trip and my mat was covered in dust. Next time I'll pack it in some sort of bag.

Let us know how the pads+Clark do in cooler weather!

Jim

[RAW]

Missed you at SEHHA (really wanted to check out your Clark!)

I also did a lot of gravel roads this trip and my mat was covered in dust. Next time I'll pack it in some sort of bag.

Let us know how the pads+Clark do in cooler weather!

Jim

Yeah, I ended up just staying at my place near Mars Hill this weekend.

Here's a pic of my bike at the bottom of my driveway, while I waited for the erosion control guy.


I saw lots of bikes up in the area this weekend.

[thecrumb]

I rode through Mars Hill! I was on 197 and got a bit lost and ended up on 26 near there... Yeah - I stayed at Riders Roost the first night I was out and there were maybe a dozen bikes there - everyone came by to check out my hammock The hammock folks should advertise in a few of the biker mags - certainly a market there.

Jim

[neo]

It's a single pad, neo. How is that a lot of stuff?

a single pad and an inflatable air matress.to much for me
i thought air mats are for ground dewellersneo

[slowhike]

i thought air mats are for ground dewellersneo

Naw man... I use an inflatable air mat w/ insulation in it & I aint no ground dweller
Just like sleeping on a cloud

[Hector]

One of the nice things about having an insulated air mattress along is that you can go to ground painlessly both literally and figuratively. I've done that to spend a cloudless night on a treeless ledge where the sun would rise over the wilderness, for example.

[CajunHiker]

So would you use a Exped or BA mat in a double layer hammock? Or would the thickness of the inflated pad cause a problem?

[slowhike]

So would you use a Exped or BA mat in a double layer hammock? Or would the thickness of the inflated pad cause a problem?

I'll be curious to see what the others say about that. I don't have a double hammock, so I would wonder the same thing.
My 1st thought would be that you wouldn't want it inflated very hard. Of course sliding it in may be a hassle if it's too limp.
Maybe start off by putting enough air in it to make inserting it into the double hammock easy, then letting some air out if needed. Just a thought.