Shock cord mesh for holding up a down sleeping bag as an UQ

[burtonator]

I posted the other day about the issues of using a sleeping bag as an under quit... The biggest issue seems to be the air gaps.

I was thinking that one could use some shock cord to keep the UQ/sleeping bag up and against the hammock the entire night.

I'm EXPERIMENTING with winter camping and I would prefer not to lay down $1k for the correct gear if it turns out I don't like it.

Right now my total expenditure is only $600 so not bad.

I have a couple winter sleeping bags I'm trying to use for UQ/TQs...

[Sidewinder]

I posted the other day about the issues of using a sleeping bag as an under quit... The biggest issue seems to be the air gaps.

I was thinking that one could use some shock cord to keep the UQ/sleeping bag up and against the hammock the entire night.

I'm EXPERIMENTING with winter camping and I would prefer not to lay down $1k for the correct gear if it turns out I don't like it.

Right now my total expenditure is only $600 so not bad.

I have a couple winter sleeping bags I'm trying to use for UQ/TQs...

If your bag is big enough you might try a peapod setup. Others have had luck with that method. If you're trying to hang it like an underquilt with out modding it, probably not going to work very well for winter use.

Try going to a winter group hang and trying someone's out. Might be the best way to get a feel with out any cost.

S

[pathfinder]

You might consider attaching grosgain loops along the outside edges of the sleeping bag to help support the weight and prevent too much sag. I did this with a diy under quilt and it works great. If you are using a down bag you should not need more than one in the middle but if using synthetic you may put two.

[nothermark]

I think the problem you will have with mesh is compression. Quilts are usually diferentialy cut so the panel against the hammock can be "tight" and the quilt isulation will hang down from that uncompressed. Putting a mesh net over that will compress the outer layer and leave the inner one as the one that moves. Down collapses easily. If you can hang the mesh and maintain spacing it may work. If you substitute one of the synthetics they tend to be stiffer and harder to compress but that works in your favor.

If you have a summer quilt I would think using that with a pad on the inside would be a better approach for a low cost setup.

[old4hats]

Maybe make yourself a gathered end hammock out of 1.0 or 1.2 ripstop to go under it and hold it in place without doing anything to the bag itself. In case of blowing rain you're ahead of the curve with a rain cover.