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  1. #1
    Senior Member SouthernExposure's Avatar
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    Aug 2010
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    Madison, MS
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    DIY Climashield UQ

    I live in a more temperate area of the country where it doesn't get below freezing very often so I really didn't need an expensive down under quilt that could offer warmth to very low temps. After reading several reports, I decided that the Climashield line of insulation materials should serve me very nicely. I ordered some 2 yards of 5 ounce Apex insulation online and picked up 4 yards of rip-stop nylon locally.

    I wanted the quilt to be 54" x 70" with 4" differential cut between the widths of the top and bottom RSN layers to minimize insulation compression. I pinned the material together, evenly gathering the short ends to compensate for the difference in the widths of the layers. The 4" drop off of RSN was cut in half lengthwise and used to make the long side channels for the shock cord assemblies.





    I made the first line of stitches about 1" in from the edge and followed up with another one at about 1/2".





    I used grosgrain ribbon to make the shock cord channels on the short sides for gathering the ends. The ribbon was 7/8" wide and wound up being a little too narrow. If I were to do it again, I would forego the grosgrain ribbon and make wider channels from strips of RSL. After sewing the 3 sides, I turned the assembly inside out and closed off the open end by sewing a grosgrain ribbon channel over the outside of the end, thereby closing it.

    I threaded 1/8" shock cords into the short side channels and secured them with barrel cord locks on each end. I then threaded the side cord assemblies that were made of shock and utility cords lock stitched together with the junction then protected by heat-shrink tubing. A bowline knot was then tied onto each end of the 2 cord assemblies.

    I set up the hammock with a Structural Ridge line fitted with 2 Prussick knots on the SRL near the ends of the hammock and 2 Prussick knots with 'S' hooks near the center of the SRL. I positioned the UQ under the hammock, threaded the ends of the long side cord assemblies through the outermost Prussicks and hooked their end loops on the inner Prussicks with the 'S' hooks.










    With this configuration, I can snug the UQ up under the hammock for chilly nights without getting out of the hammock. By sliding the 2 Prussicks with the 'S' hooks away from each other towards their respective ends, I can adjust the hammock so that it allows some air to circulate between it and the hammock bottom for those nights when it is not as chilly.





    Additionally, I can place a CCF pad in the double bottom sleeve of the hammock to further extend the range of the insulation as the need arises. This hammock that I made also has an integrated bug screen on it. I can close off most of the screen at the ends of the hammock and run the adjustment cords through a small opening without offering much of an opening for a mosquito to find her way in.

    The next projects on deck are to make a pillow from the leftover Climashield, a draw string stuff sack for the UQ and a box-footed top quilt.

    I hope that you enjoyed this modest offering of a tutorial and make one of these for yourself.

    Hang tough.

    SouthernExposure.
    Last edited by SouthernExposure; 10-27-2012 at 17:17.

  2. #2
    Senior Member FLScouthanger's Avatar
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    Mar 2011
    Location
    Crestview, FL
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    DIY DL 10.5' gathered with net
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    Great looking UQ! Have you had it out for a test drive yet?

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Jan 2012
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    NORTHWEST NORTH AMERICA
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    Looks great, I look forward to reading the report on how it worked for you. It looks like it will be very effective.

  4. #4
    Senior Member SouthernExposure's Avatar
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    Thanks. I have just taken it for a spin around the block yesterday afternoon. We had a cold front blow through with plummeting temperatures and high winds. I tucked in and it felt like I was rocking in my sweet baby's arms all snug and warm. I plan on putting it through it's shakedown cruise tonight.

    SE

  5. #5
    Senior Member SouthernExposure's Avatar
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    I sacked out in the hammock last night with the new UQ. The temperature here was predicted to drop down to almost 40 overnight so it was going to be a good check for the limits of the system. The Climashield was able to keep me comfortable, but I knew that the temps were as low as it was able to work to. I used my unzipped sleeping bag as a top quilt and stayed warm on top and a little chilly under my rear and back.

    I believe that by adding a CCF pad to the sleeve in the hammock and getting in the sleeping bag instead of just under it, I would be able to to handle temps well into the 30s. All in all, I think that the quilt has been a success in being able to sleep through the temperatures I am likely to see around here.

    Cheers!

    SouthernExposure

  6. #6
    Senior Member barbermike's Avatar
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    Mar 2012
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    Greenville, SC
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    That looks great! I just finished up my APEX underquilt yesterday. took me about 6 hours to do and it was only 48"x40"

  7. #7
    Senior Member SouthernExposure's Avatar
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    I think that this will turn out to be a great cooler weather UQ. Hope you enjoy yours.

    SE

  8. #8
    Senior Member Klaussinator's Avatar
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    Jul 2012
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    southern VA
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    Great job on your UQ! Looks good! That's a lot of rigging to hold it in place, but I like the concept of being able to adjust it from inside the hammock.

    I just got done adding two more layers to my IX UQ in anticipation of cooler temps. Ahhh, good instant warmth! An IX layer or two might work in conjunction with your ClimaShield and be lighter and more flexible than a CCF pad . . just sayin

    -Klauss
    My YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/rexmichaelson

    "But hey, 2 trees anywhere is a bedroom waiting to happen, right?"

  9. #9
    Senior Member SouthernExposure's Avatar
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    IX UQ, OK! I will take that under Klauss-visement.

    Cheers!

    SE

  10. #10
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    Great job not only on your underquilt, but also on your report. This is the kind of thread that gives people real, useful DIY info.

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