Simply Confused

[whatnowmitch]

Ok ok ok...

I am very confused about the whole bag vs. quilt realm of hammocking.
- why does it make a difference?
- So there are top and bottom quilt? are bottom quilts the same as underquilts?
- Do quilts hang out outside/on top of the hammock?
- if so, what do you cover up with at night?
- how do you "wear" a quilt?
- isn't wearing a quilt the same as using a sleeping bag?
- do you need quilts if it isn't very cold outside?
- whats the difference between pea pods and quilts?
- is there a way to get all of this stuff without ruining my financial future?
- when did everything get so complicated?

...sigh... any help would be great, thank you guys

- mitch

[angrysparrow]

Ok ok ok...I am very confused about the whole bag vs. quilt realm of hammocking.

Welcome to the forum. Let's take your questions one at a time:

- why does it make a difference?

You can certainly use a bag, or even just use one as a quilt. Many here do. The thing is - When you are in a bag, the insulation that you are laying on top of gets compressed by your body weight, thus making it ineffective. This is a particular problem in hammocks due to the convection of heat away from your underside with air movement.

- So there are top and bottom quilt? are bottom quilts the same as underquilts?

Yes, there are top quilts and underquilts. And yes, bottom quilts and underquilts are the same thing.

- Do quilts hang out outside/on top of the hammock?

Underquilts hang below (outside) the hammock, but are suspended as closely as possible to the fabric of the hammock without compressing the insulation.

- how do you "wear" a quilt?

Some quilt designs include a 'head hole' so that they can do double duty as a serape.

NS-Serape.JPG

- do you need quilts if it isn't very cold outside?

It depends on the temps, the situation, and the person. Some sort of bottom insulation is needed for most people below 70ºF, when sleeping overnight.

- whats the difference between pea pods and quilts?

A peapod is a design of quilt that wraps all the way around a hammock. like a cocoon.

image002.jpg

- is there a way to get all of this stuff without ruining my financial future

Take your time, and acquire gear one piece at a time. Also, if you are a DIY type person, have a look at the gear making articles. You can make every piece of gear yourself, if you are so inclined.

- when did everything get so complicated?

It's not really complicated. Spend some time reading here on the forum, and also here. You'll get your mind wrapped around it.

...sigh... any help would be great, thank you guys

Again, welcome to the forum. Read and ask questions - that's what the forum is for...

[FanaticFringer]

Ok ok ok...

I am very confused about the whole bag vs. quilt realm of hammocking.
- why does it make a difference?
- So there are top and bottom quilt? are bottom quilts the same as underquilts?
- Do quilts hang out outside/on top of the hammock?
- if so, what do you cover up with at night?
- how do you "wear" a quilt?
- isn't wearing a quilt the same as using a sleeping bag?
- do you need quilts if it isn't very cold outside?
- whats the difference between pea pods and quilts?
- is there a way to get all of this stuff without ruining my financial future?
- when did everything get so complicated?

...sigh... any help would be great, thank you guys

- mitch

Welcome to the site. There is a learning curve but well worth the time.
Most all of your questions are answered here:

www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html

[Tobit]

Yup, as Mr. Sparrow stated, it's not complicated.. we just have a lot of options and everyone hangs somewhat differently than the other.

[Doctari]

Yup, as Mr. Sparrow stated, it's not complicated.. we just have a lot of options and everyone hangs somewhat differently than the other.

The hangers learning curve is a bit daunting, but well worth the effort in the end!!!

YEA! Come to one of the "Hangouts" & see how many set ups there are. At one I was at, there were 18 hammocks, 18 completely different set ups.

[neo]

welcome to hammock forums.good luck on your learning curveneo

[tight-wad]

- is there a way to get all of this stuff without ruining my financial future?

DIY is your only hope...

tight-wad

ps. and even then, ... once you start down that slippery slope, there is no hope, you become addicted, you want more, you want less, you are squeezing every ounce, then gram, then milligrams. You start out saving bucks, only to spend tens of bucks for the lightest, strongest, driest, ...

[te-wa]

and even then, ... once you start down that slippery slope, there is no hope, you become addicted, you want more, you want less, you are squeezing every ounce, then gram, then milligrams. You start out saving bucks, only to spend tens of bucks for the lightest, strongest, driest, ...

hey! I resemble that remark
by the way, has anyone seen my beer bottle cap alcohol stove, i know its around here somewhere..

[Fiddleback]

Be warm, be comfortable, get a good night's sleep. How you do it makes a difference only to you. Sleeping bags, quilts, coccoons, pads, underquilts, sleepwear...in the end, it's all about insulation with, IMO, a deserved emphasis on under insulation.

I favor starting slow (read; 'cheap') and testing and experimenting before hitting the trail. You most assuredly do not want to find out in the middle of the night and 12 miles from the trailhead that your system isn't keeping you warm. Nor do you want to find that you're too hot after dropping a few hundred bucks on a system that's more than you need.

I also favor reading...read about hammock camping and hammock-based sleep systems and read up on sleep systems in general. A fun read is Ed Speer's Hammock Camping. One of my favorites, specific to keeping warm, is Clothing and Sleep Systems for Mountain Hiking, from Ryan Jordan and others at Beartooth Mountain Press. And don't forget this forum and others! But always remember that specific gear, brands, etc. are important but not necessary if the theory behind why they work is followed. A wealth of information is found on the web sites of the suppliers and manufacturers.

I like simple, lightweight, convenient, low bulk, and inexpensive ideas and solutions. I appreciate systems that are modular...that can be added to and built up as conditions warrant.

If you've been tent/tarp camping you already have what you need to hammock hang during cool nights. You bag and pad should easily keep you comfortable to 40° or lower. That's a good start...

FB

[FarStar]

when did everything get so complicated?

whatnowmitch,

Simplicity is the enjoyment you will have using a topquilt, thus freeing yourself from the confines of a heavy, inefficient fartsack. You don't need to an underquilt to start with. An inexpensive closed cell foam pad will do just fine -- just get one that's wide enough to cover your shoulders, because the hammock envelopes you to some extent and a topquilt tucked in between your shoulders and the hammock will prevent drafts, but it won't insulate shoulders. Speer and Oware sell wide, inexpensive CCF pads. I'm sure you can find CCF pads even cheaper at Walmart (although I don't know if you can find wide ones).

Before sinking money into an expensive down quilt, try using blankets from home. I used a couple of 300-weight fleece blankets when I first started using a quilt. It worked, but I soon realized that down and synthetic fills bound in nylon weighed less than fleece -- and they shed wind better. You can also just toss a fartsack over you like a quilt to prove to yourself that half it's weight is of little use in keeping your backside warm.

FarStar