Newbie with questions

**elcolombianito** · 04-27-2009, 15:09

I have not had the pleasure to use a real underquilt, but have some DIY.
I would recommend blindly the Underquilt... and as some have said here in the forums, if it gets too hot, just vent topside, as if you were sleeping in a bed in hot weather. And a small fan... great for the morning to last a bit more in the hammock.

For the HHs its the best way, IMO, specially if you could afford the JRB Nest that has the bottom entry slit in mind in its design.

**Cruiser161** · 04-27-2009, 15:21

Originally Posted by hikergirl1120

2) actually hanging my hammock, any pointers for a first timer...

Oh yea annnnnddddd I am doing a week long hike in May to get more comfortable with the hammock before my thru...

Here are a couple more thoughts from an experienced backpacker but a relatively new hanger, also with a Hennessy:

1. I would hang a night or two in your backyard, local park, or other site where it is easy to bail before you go on a week-long hike. In my case, on my experimental hangs, my newly modified suspension system failed pretty comically, and I got cold. It was easy to fix these issues from where I was, but might not have been if I had been 10+ miles down the trail.

2. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy an inexpensive line level. Hang it on your ridgeline (inside the bugnet) and leave it there--it is a lot easier to get your hang level using this for a reference.

3. Try using the Hennessy Hitch a few times before modifying your suspension system. It isn't that hard to live with once you learn it. If you hate knots anyway or don't like the Hitch, go to www.tothewoods.com and see Justjeff's discussion of other options. If you can find someone near you that uses those options, try them out before you commit to one of them.

4. Consider adding a zipper to your bugnet. Mod 2 is the most popular choice, described further here: www.2qzqhammockhanger.com

5. If you decide to go with an underquilt, check out the Dri Ducks combination poncho/weathershield at www.jacksrbetter.com, and also the tarps at www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com.

I bought from ZQ and from OES (and I have JRB underquilts), and I am very glad I did. The poncho along with your existing HH tarp, or a larger OES tarp, will help a lot in keeping your underquilt dry in a blowing rain with a less-than-ideal hang.

Good luck!

**Ramblinrev** · 04-27-2009, 16:10

a common first error is to hang the hammock too tight. The stuff sack directions make it sound like you have to crank it down. Such is definitely _not_ the case. Hang it where you think you should with the ridgeline just taut.. Then sit in it. When it sags down to where your butt scraps the ground then push the attachment points 1 foot up the tree or pole or whatever. Then sit in it again. If you want it higher.. push the huggers up another few inches. As a last resort retie the hennessy hitch.

Hang the foot end just a bit higher than the head. I personally don't mess with a level but I can see their usefullness. If the foot end is equal or lower you will tend to slide that way at night.

Get your self as dramatic a diagonal as you can. Snooze soundly.

**Peter_pan** · 04-27-2009, 18:02

Hikergirl1120,

There are realitively few UL luxuries on a Thru.... Quality sleep system is to be appreciated....Simple is better....You need better than 50* capabilty (adding SB and extra pads is a pita).... You will be on the trail well into fall and winter....Ga is not warm at 4000+ft

.... You can research both the HHSS and JRB UQ on Backpacking Gear Test , arguably the best test reference available.

Enjoy your hike!

Pan

**hikergirl1120** · 04-28-2009, 06:50

Originally Posted by Peter_pan

Hikergirl1120,

(adding SB and extra pads is a pita)

Pan

Translations please....sorry a bit heind with the lingo

**TinaLouise** · 04-28-2009, 07:22

I am coming from backpacking tent camping (a lot of different types of situational type camping w/scouts) into hammock camping so I have lots of different camping equipment to try with the hammock to see if they will work. I've so far been very lucky in choosing which gear to take on my first (and 2nd and 3rd ....) hang. I've tried the exped down pads (short 7 and reg 9) in my hammock. They've kept me warm in below freezing temps. BUT... they moved around on me. The short left many gaps and I had cold areas. I've tried an air mat (no insulation inside the mat) and was just plain cold in 50 degree temps. This past weekend I tried a summer weight synthetic quilt that I just finished making. Temps about 55 at night, I'm toasty warm the first night and just plain perfect the next night. No hot spots, no cold spots and best of all, no pad under me that I've got to keep myself on every time I move!!! To pack my under quilt, I just stuffed it into my backpack (w/out it's own stuff sack but I do carry one incase I need it) along with my summer down quilt (that I also made). I didn't have time to test the uq before heading out on Friday so I also had my exped short mat in the truck.
Something else I do is "practice, practice, practice" hanging my hammock in the back yard. When I first got the hammock, I went out back and hung it up, took it down and chose different trees and hung it up again and again and again. Then I started hanging it with my whole pack (just like as if I was out on a trail somewhere) Now I'm testing things like my quilt with the hammock and do I need a pillow (my stuff sack w/clothes). I think all this practice caused me to have a very successful first (and 2nd & 3rd...) hang. As far as insulation goes, I've found that if I set up in the backyard w/out any insulation, get in hammock, that withen a few minutes my backside is cold. And the temps are fine while I'm standing around in the backyard, but lay in the hammock and I start getting cold. I've found that temps vary and while it's very warm/hot during the day at night it's cold. I'm still experimenting on what all I need to carry but items that can do double duty are a plus (like using a long sleeve shirt as under insulation when the temps drop lower than I expected them to)

**hikergirl1120** · 04-28-2009, 07:29

How much does your homemade synthetic UQ weigh?

**Peter_pan** · 04-28-2009, 08:27

Originally Posted by hikergirl1120

Translations please....sorry a bit heind with the lingo

pita... pain in the a..

Pan

**hikergirl1120** · 04-28-2009, 08:35

Thanks!!! Jeez I was reading to far into that lol

**Binford** · 04-28-2009, 11:19

Practice-hang for a night or two somewhere near home. My son and I did in our front yard and I hammock-camped at a recent Boy Scout campout where we were car-camping. That way if what you try for warmth doesn't cut it for you, you're not a day's hike away from doing something about it!

I found that a $4 Wal-Mart Mylar windshield screen (to reflect radiant body heat, plus some insulating value from the "bubble-wrap" structure of it) with an $8 blue CCF pad over it was enough to keep me perfectly comfortable down to a light frost. Others might have been cold, but I was just peachy.

The pads are light-weight, simple and it doesn't really matter if they get wet, bashed-up on the trail, etc. And if you find you HAVE to go to the ground some night, you can use your pads in the conventional way with your hammock as a bivvy.

That being said, I'm really new to hammock camping myself and I've never slept with an Under Quilt so I can't really speak of their virtues. It's just that I'm *perfectly* comfortable with the pads and don't mind the extra weight of the $100 or more left in my wallet that I saved by not getting an UQ!

Practice-hang and see how it goes! Enjoy!