If you had to start over, what would you choose for your first underquilt?

[doctor patches]

If you had to do it all again, knowing what you know now, where would you look for your first quilt?

[OutandBack]

I would not have messed with any kind of pad or the HH SS.
I would just save up and get a nice down 3/4 for summer and 20f full for colder weather.

[Thumbs]

Like Outandback said, I wouldn't have wasted time with synthetic insulation or trying to stay on top of a pad with a sleeping bag.
Down is where it's at. You won't really know if hammocking is right for you unless you give a great UQ a night or three.
Unless it's car camping only, synthetics just don't pack small enough to be super practical for backpacking.
I went straight to a HG 0º full-length incubator. Mainly my choice because I started hanging in the winter.
I'd probably start with a 20º UQ from HG or UGQ. I've met the folks at UGQ and don't own any of their stuff yet but their work looks great.
It is also correct to start with UQ instead of TQ. Too much UQ is better than too much TQ.

[ringtail-THFKAfood]

Warbonnett

[Coldaddy]

Without hesitation, Hammock Gear Incubator 20°. Awesome piece of gear!

[mrcheviot]

Yup to all of the above.

Go with best down you can afford, 0 and 40 versions. Add an UQP from 2QZQ for an extra 5-10 degrees along w/ wetness protection. Always better to err on side of too-warm, as it's easy to vent an UQ to cool off if needed.

Not going to get into the 3/4 vs full length debate, only to say it's really about personal preference and pack volume considerations.

I will talk briefly about features and suspension though.

First and foremost, channel suspension along the length of the hammock makes a huge difference in keeping the UQ where it belongs. I will never ever go without again. If a quilt doesn't come with any, ask for a custom mod to include it, or at the very least be willing to sew some grosgrain loops every 20" or so along the length.

Second, having dual suspension (separate along channels for quilt height and corners for position) definitely makes adjusting and finding the proper placement easier. There are a number of ways this can be accomplished, some common solutions are to larks head the corner shock cord around an s-biner so it doesn't slip, or you can use the quilt suspension hooks from Dutch (large plastic ones) to accomplish the same thing.

Third.. draft collars are standard on a lot of quilts now. While they help - especially if you move or shift around a lot when you sleep - they are not necessary if you have your suspension set properly.

Fourth - trying to save weight by switching to thin shock cord is not worth it, especially for your cold weather quilts and especially along the channel. Shock cord performance degrades as temperature drops, which is when you need it to perform the most. For the ends and corner suspension if you have dual it's not quite so critical.

One more thing.. while it's tempting to want to chose flashy colors and UL fabrics for the UQ, keep in mind that the outside at least often comes into contact with surrounding plants, bushes, rocks, or god forbid prickers, thorns or thistles. Opting for a slightly more durable outer fabric is probably a good idea, and conveniently enough those tend to be the fabrics available in camo.

[TallPaul]

Not sure I'd change anything.

1 - learned about UQs at a group hang. Nice to see them in action.
2 - tried a pad I already owned enough to realize it wasnt for me
3 - decided between between 0, 20 and 40° - got the 20° as that covers 80% of the time I'm out there and really am I going to all the sudden winter camp? Living in the SE, I have been too warm in my 20° in summer, so I later added a 40°
4 - length choice - went 3/4 as I backpack and I do watch my packweight. No issues so far.

I really think the group hang helped the most.

[Country Roads]

I might go with the winter or 3-season Yeti, but only because I am short and sometimes my feet cause gaps in hammock gear Phoenix. Not the fault of the quilt, but of my stature. The Yeti is shorter and I don't have this problem with it.
That said, the Phoenix is an awesome and light quilt.

[dirtwheels]

It depends on the temps you will experience most, general convention is 20*, I've tried my JRB Greylock 3 as high as 60* and could say from experience that 20* under quilts are very doable in warmer weather. I think I will spend more time out in cooler weather so the 20* is a great temp to start with, I've never changed mattresses based on temp. Just research the manufacturer and IMO you pick the vendor based on rep and the durability or weight would factor almost equally, weight would hold a higher factor and compressibility is also important to me.

I did initially use a HHSS with fair success and reasonable weight, the packed size and fiddle factor was the reason I purchased down. I would have kept it if I liked the HH hammocks but the one I had fought the dreaded calf ridge. I purchased a Simply Light Designs Streamliner and have NEVER had a HINT of calf ridge, and use a tablecloth nightly with no hint of calf ridge.

So there you have it, there are many manufacturers out there the 2 I have not used or seen that have my attention most are Enlightened Equipment and Hammock Gear, I have no personal experience with either, but the bean and gram counter in me sure find those 2 intriguing. The best I've seen in person is Under Ground Quilts. The downside to EE is the added cost to go dry down.