Shelter sleeping with TQ/UQ and no pad?

**YoungSon** · 09-28-2012, 10:40

I have looked around for quite a few days on the forums for someone to talk about something running through my head...what happens when you have to bail out of your hammock, or you are the only person at the shelter in the Smokies and you have no choice but to sleep in the shelter, but you only have a TQ and UQ with no pad?

I am sure someone has some insight on this. I think two things, first on my mind...mice can get down into my covers. HAHAHA. And next...I now have no insulation underneath me other than my compressed UQ and a piece of tyveks. Anyone care to chime in?

**Shug** · 09-28-2012, 10:45

Might have to get creative.....stuff some duff in your pack and lay that under you. I always have a very small pad for under my feet. Might be a slightly uncomfortable night but one will survive))))
I find shelters gloomy and uncomfortable in general and would do all I could to not have to sleep in one.
Shug of the No-Shelt

**YoungSon** · 09-28-2012, 11:12

Originally Posted by Shug

Might have to get creative.....stuff some duff in your pack and lay that under you. I always have a very small pad for under my feet. Might be a slightly uncomfortable night but one will survive))))
I find shelters gloomy and uncomfortable in general and would do all I could to not have to sleep in one.
Shug of the No-Shelt

Wells hells bells...I am new to this whole thing and forgot to quote you on my previous post. LOL.

**YoungSon** · 09-28-2012, 10:50

Dang, why didnt I think to ask YOU? I have watched nearly every one of your videos on youtube at least three times over...what can I say, long hours and short work out here in Africa

You are quite the entertaining feller!! Hmmm, well I have full length UQ for my Ridgerunner so I cant really justify taking even the smallest piece of foam, although having a piece to sit on like you carry might be justified.

**BillyBob58** · 09-28-2012, 11:35

Originally Posted by YoungSon

I have looked around for quite a few days on the forums for someone to talk about something running through my head...what happens when you have to bail out of your hammock, or you are the only person at the shelter in the Smokies and you have no choice but to sleep in the shelter, but you only have a TQ and UQ with no pad?

I am sure someone has some insight on this. I think two things, first on my mind...mice can get down into my covers. HAHAHA. And next...I now have no insulation underneath me other than my compressed UQ and a piece of tyveks. Anyone care to chime in?

This is why, so far any way, I have never hiked without at least enough pad to get me through a night that would otherwise be with
nothing to cushion the hard ground. Or a shelter floor. Though I usually only have a torso sized piece of WM blue CCF, which always also serves as my sit pad, and sometimes as my leg/feet pad in the hammock with a torso sized UQ. It ain't much cushioning wise, but it is better than nothing.

So far in ~ 6 years, I have only been forced to ground twice, and both times were during my first week of hammock hanging while backpacking. On that trip I had pretty close to my normal backpack ground set up. Which I believe was one full length Ridgerest CCF and one torso sized Thermarest self inflating UL, their thinnest model. I would stack these. Though I've never gone to ground since, I sure was glad I had them on those 2 nights.

**YoungSon** · 09-28-2012, 11:57

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

This is why, so far any way, I have never hiked without at least enough pad to get me through a night that would otherwise be with
nothing to cushion the hard ground. Or a shelter floor. Though I usually only have a torso sized piece of WM blue CCF, which always also serves as my sit pad, and sometimes as my leg/feet pad in the hammock with a torso sized UQ. It ain't much cushioning wise, but it is better than nothing.

So far in ~ 6 years, I have only been forced to ground twice, and both times were during my first week of hammock hanging while backpacking. On that trip I had pretty close to my normal backpack ground set up. Which I believe was one full length Ridgerest CCF and one torso sized Thermarest self inflating UL, their thinnest model. I would stack these. Though I've never gone to ground since, I sure was glad I had them on those 2 nights.

Great point! Just FYI I am planning an AT NOBO thru for 2014 and just trying to get the kinks out. Thanks to yours and Shugs suggestions I will go ahead and carry juuuuuust enough to keep my torso insulated should I be forced to ground. What do you think about the underquilt and top quilt when having to stay in the shelter. I forsee there being an issue with drafts due to not being able to use the slope of the fabric on the hammock to keep the TQ tucked in around my sides...well, that and the fact that little furry critters will have easy access to the warmth of my bag. LOL

**OneEye** · 09-28-2012, 14:59

Originally Posted by YoungSon

...well, that and the fact that little furry critters will have easy access to the warmth of my bag. LOL

Extra furry critters means free shared body heat: Bonus survival points!

TQ and UQ can be rotated 90deg and overlapped to cover feet/legs (UQ) and upper legs/torso (TQ) Generally they are longer than wide. Turning the length into width will ensure reduced draftiness, although the overlap area near the waist will take some care to avoid opening up.

**Jcavenagh** · 09-28-2012, 18:20

I see you use a Ridge Runner. That could easily be set up as a bivy in any shelter. Then you would have some short walls and could have the UQ inside with some insulation along your sides witha the TQ on top. That also fixes the critter issue. I would still carry the short ccf pad. I like a little sit pad and use it for structure in my pack, too.

**BillyBob58** · 09-28-2012, 21:51

Originally Posted by Jcavenagh

I see you use a Ridge Runner. That could easily be set up as a bivy in any shelter. Then you would have some short walls and could have the UQ inside with some insulation along your sides witha the TQ on top. That also fixes the critter issue. I would still carry the short ccf pad. I like a little sit pad and use it for structure in my pack, too.

Hey, very good points! I had never thought of doing that inside a shelter. If you are still using the hammock as a bivy, that should partly of completely negate the problem of needing more width for ground sleeping than many quilts have. And it would take care of that mouse problem.

Originally Posted by Sweeper

This has happened to me a few times, generally when it has gotten colder than I had planned to sleep in my hammock. The suggestions given are really good, and as Shug says, one night won't kill you. I did, however, decide to just get up and start hiking at 4am on one solo trip I was so uncomfortable. The other time I was using a PeaPod and I wound up wrapping myself in my tarp as a vapor barrier then wrapped up in the PeadPod and was ok.

I can also say that if you have whoopies and straps you can manage some creative hangs on the AT in shelters. This was from a AT Shelter in VA in 2011.

I hung inside that night due to heavy rain and the ground around the hanging sites all being underwater - I wasn't worried about my hang, I was worried about my shoes!

Sweeper

How do you decide what to hang from in those shelters, while also feeling pretty sure you will not pull the shelter down?

**YoungSon** · 09-29-2012, 08:09

Originally Posted by Jcavenagh

I see you use a Ridge Runner. That could easily be set up as a bivy in any shelter. Then you would have some short walls and could have the UQ inside with some insulation along your sides witha the TQ on top. That also fixes the critter issue. I would still carry the short ccf pad. I like a little sit pad and use it for structure in my pack, too.

Perfect answer!! Or, at least, perfect for me.

Never even thought about that. I guess just lay the hammock out and use some tie-out string from the rafters to pull up the bug net. That works! Thanks