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Thread: My Situation.

  1. #1
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    Post My Situation.

    Hey forum,

    I need a bit of help, I am a noob so what do you expect :P

    I am a brand new hammocker, and i am trying to decide which gear i am going to purchase. I *think* i have found the right hammock for me, which is the ENO ProNest. It is a reasonable price and it is lightweight, which is what i like. I have decided to make my own bugnet (ill talk about that later). I understand i need top AND bottom insulation. I live in CA so weather isnt too bad. At the lowest it gets to 40's and 30's on some nights in the winter. I am currently trying to find a cheap way to get good bottom insulation. The only way i have found is with pads. I have a blue infatable pad which i use while camping. I considered a wool blanket but its weight (5 LBS!) is terrible, as i am a backpacker. Here is/will be my set up as of now:

    Hammock: ENO ProNest with WhoopieSlings
    Top Insulation: Sleeping Bag rated at fairly low temperatures (10's - 30's?)
    Bottom Insulation: Infatable Pad

    So, as i mentioned earlier, i was going to make a bugnet to save money. I found mosquito netting for $2.99/yd and i figured i would get 2 or 3 yards of it. I am planning on just making the shape of a hammock and velcroing the sides, sewing the bottom (much like Shug's "Noobie" videos). I might add a zipper so i can get out without having to pull the bugnet off.

    I am also going to be going on a snow trip soon and i was wondering what i might need for that: will the sleeping bag and pad do the trick? or will i have to invest in a wool blanket for the guaranteed warmth? My kit needs feedback! I havent bought ANY of the above yet, and that is why i am asking for the help/recomendation. Thanks in advance.

    - The Torch
    Last edited by TheTorch; 12-27-2010 at 17:28. Reason: saving the world from a zombie apocalypse

  2. #2
    Senior Member mbiraman's Avatar
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    Pretty much anything below 70* you need something underneath you. About the cheapest way to go is to use a couple of ccf pads, one might be enough depending on the temps . Open your sleeping bag over you. That said you simply can't beat the warmth , comfort and compact ability of an under quilt. Its worth the $$$. Have a look in the Insulation section of the forum.
    " The mind creates the abyss, the heart crosses it."

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  3. #3
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    I guess for me it would depend on what your endgame is while you're out. I know a LOT of people here go out to hang, that's the end game. Then comfort and weight is the priority. You'd probably want to start looking at an UQ if you're not satisfied withwhat you have currently which I imagine would work just fine, it's what I use and I'm a crazy cold camper/hanger.

    If your objective is backpacking, the travelling and exploring, I personally would go for versatility, which is how I gauge what gear to buy/make. I prefer a sleeping bag and pad because:

    a) economical for those of us on a budget

    2) versatility, if you are in a spot that's more advantageous to be onthe ground, or there simply isn't a place to hang, I'd be able to use my sleeping bag and sleeping pad/mat.. I could even use my hammock as shelter if my tarp wasn't doing it alone.
    Last edited by Red Wing; 12-27-2010 at 17:55. Reason: spelling

  4. #4
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    btw, instead of a wool blanket, consider a fleece sleeping bag liner, they add 12degrees to your bag on average and is incredibly versatile and lighter than wool. I've slept comfortably with a sleeping bag and my fleece liner and my polartec stuffed under my butt down into the low 30's... with a sleeping pad I would've been even better off but had to improvise with what I had.

    Also I've heard CCF (blue wallyworld pads) can have adverse reactions in truly cold weather so maybe a military surplus PT pad might work a little better as it's a softer more high quality feeling material. You can get them for $20 at a surplus world and they're light as all get out.
    Last edited by Red Wing; 12-27-2010 at 18:00. Reason: spelling, illiterate

  5. #5
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    Could i go and just buy a cheap sleeping bag and cut a hole in the bottom and slide it onto my hammock like one of those expensive underquilts?

  6. #6
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    That's what I'd intended on doing when Gander Mtn puttheir 0degree bag onsale for $60. There's a guy on youtube, fixedbydoc, who did that exact thing and he said he had good success but I can't vouch for it. However, I can't see why it wouldn't work with the right setup.

  7. #7
    gunner76's Avatar
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    Be sure and test your gear before you head into the woods. Nothing worse than finding out in the field your setup does not keep you warm or dry ect. I spend more nights in my backyard than I do in the woods so I can test different combinations of my gear to find out what works and what doesn't.
    I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !

  8. #8
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gunner76 View Post
    Be sure and test your gear before you head into the woods. Nothing worse than finding out in the field your setup does not keep you warm or dry ...
    Great advice! If you find your gear doesn't work in summer, it's frustrating ... if you find that it doesn't work in winter, it's dangerous!!

  9. #9
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    So basically the cheapest option would be to use my current set up, and maybe add a fleece liner? But if I were to go for comfort I would buy the uq.

    Based on what everyone said above: a quality ccf pad and my sleeping bag will take me to the low 30's? Because that is more than enough in CA for the most part. Would I need a PSD (I think that is right) to keep my pad from moving or will I just have to test it out?

  10. #10
    Senior Member JCINMA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndrewP123 View Post
    So basically the cheapest option would be to use my current set up, and maybe add a fleece liner? But if I were to go for comfort I would buy the uq.

    Based on what everyone said above: a quality ccf pad and my sleeping bag will take me to the low 30's? Because that is more than enough in CA for the most part. Would I need a PSD (I think that is right) to keep my pad from moving or will I just have to test it out?
    The SPE (i think is what you are talking about) is not to keep your pad immobile but to provide extra "wings" of foam that insulate your shoulders and thighs.

    Test it out, and if you have a wide enough pad, you should have no problem.
    Be like Bob

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