Pads and underquilts both work well.
Neither are plug and play. You need to fuss with them a bit.
Pads are way cheaper, tougher, waterproof, serve multiple purposes, and can be used above treeline.
Underquilts are slightly more comfortable and pack smaller.
Since I camp in the sierras often above 10K feet and in the desert, I need to be prepared for treeless camp/bivvy, so I use pads.
Make your own list of pros and cons. And sometimes you need both!
No reason to give pads a bad rap!
Last edited by dakine; 09-06-2013 at 14:40.
FWIW I found my BA air pad somewhat difficult to wrangle between the layers of my hammock. This was 'cured' by just throwing the pad into the hammock where I could more easily rearrange if necessary.
At home I tend to be a heck of a thrasher due to a back injury that stabs me awake to move, then stabs me in retaliation for moving wrong... OTOH the hammock is such a relief I've found myself getting better sleep while camping than in my bed.
I know I'm "Doing It Wrong" by not going to an UQ but you'll have to wake me up again to lecture me on why, in which case I'm likely in my irritated stupor to roar at you to just get bent, lol.
Not wrong at all. Some of us have been using pads for a long time and have no problems. I use both, a light quilt in the summer but when it gets cold (subzero)...ccf all the way baby!Originally Posted by DigitalJanitor
No Sir....not wrong at all. I used pads a long time before going UQ. Still was hanging happily.
Shug
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
Pads are like any tool, great for some jobs but may not be the best for other jobs. And one can never have enough tools.
My custom length Dangerbird doesn't like my UQ and seams to work better with my Exped UL7pad. When deflated the pad takes up less room than my UQ and if I need to go to the ground (happened once) I'm all set. I have to admit that I'm tired of trying to wrestle with foot pads when its cold out. I recently purchased a Xtherm pad to try in winter.
I haven't read all the comments in this thread, but it seems pretty much unbiased, I like that. My hanging experience is limited, four trips to the North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia border area. This was in October and early November last year. Didn't use a pad first two trips, temp's down to 30 first time, 26 second time with a DIY under cover ( pad). Purchased some commercial material made for window use (commercial building, I think). Had 3 layers of material and outer poly cloth type material with foil in the center. Tried my best to get a good fit under my grandsons hammock, it did not snug up well. He like to have froze. I used the same material on the inside of my hammock, woke up wet, I was burning up, temp per gauge was 29 degrees. Had to pull it out and get cold.
I'm trying something new, hope it works. I bought some heavy fleece material and sheer curtain material at Wally World. Had earlier picked up some lightweight nylon material (DWR) at Jo Ann's. Made a pattern, Sew the three together (nylon) on bottom. Going to test tonight or Sunday night (cooler temp's). Hope it is cool enough for 60-70's night use and down into the 30's this fall. 3/4 length pad weighs 12 oz, full length weighs in at 16.6 oz's.
Has anyone used something like this? How did it work
I use underquilts but had good times using a pad too when I got started. I actually would be open to going back to a pad if one of you geniuses would invent a mid layer that insulated you from the vapor barrier a pad creates. I carry a pad anyway to set on and as a backup.
Predictions are risky, especially when it comes to the future.
One advantage of using a pad is versatility and having multiple uses in emergency situations. An UQ can only be used as a Quilt and if becomes wet it is pretty much a hindrance until it is dry. Twice this summer I have been glad to have had my pad instead of an UQ.
While hiking with my dogs, my larger dog's feet were cut to the point he could barely walk. I was able to fashion some shoes for him by cutting strips off my pad and securing them with small bungie and rubber bands.
The other was when a storm blew in and pulled my steaks out exposing me and my entire setup to rain. I was wet but warm. An UQ would have been weighted down with water and would not have worked at all to keep me warm.
I have also used small pieces to make a fly float and caught a nice trout that otherwise would not bite. There are countless other uses for CCF in a pinch. And can easily be incorporated into your set up.
I like a good UQ but do not leave home without a pad of some sort. I see an UQ as a luxury item and a pad as a necessity.
Last edited by packdaddy; 09-28-2013 at 14:20.
Thats a good point, and I just love the pic. Looks like he was liking it. Good master!
Pads vs Quilts not a problem for me. When moving to quilts, if found out the weight of my pad went down(excuse the pun)but total weight of my insulation went up.
I just can't leave all of the CCF behind. Too handy for other things, sit and foot pads, used inside my pack for sort of an internal frame. I even pulled the stock foam pad back support out and replaced it with one of the pieces of the CCF, that I cut off, not to take, because I now had a quilt
see what I mean
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