This may be a dumb question (or one answered before), but if I'm already using the hex fly which gives excellent coverage, can I just use the underpad without the UC? Is there a moisture problem w/o the UC?
This may be a dumb question (or one answered before), but if I'm already using the hex fly which gives excellent coverage, can I just use the underpad without the UC? Is there a moisture problem w/o the UC?
I believe the UC is what holds the pad up to you with compressing it, which is what would happen if you put it inthe hammock with you. the UC appears to be the foundation of the system and you add to that as it gets colder.. I'm still learning about HHSS myself however.
In the HH video, Tom rolls the pad into the UC. But the one I just ordered has shock cord in the front (joined in a large 'U' at the corners) and back as well as one strand of shock cord at the tie out positions. It even came with two glove hooks (I assume for the front and backs to be attached to the ridgeline. So it should be adjustable enough to be drawn tight but remain relatively uncompressed.
eeeeeeeentaresting! You think you'dbe able to rig it withoutthe air gaps? You think with the tie outs alone it'd support and comfort to the body?
although the pad is only 36 iches on the larger system.. could lead to cold arms no? Most UQ's I see are at least 40 inches wide and some 46. But I bet that pad with a sleeping bag may get rid of CBS
Do not fortget it is an open cell foam, and delicate. It is designed to be used in the SS undercover. I believe the lines and clips are for securing the pad in place in the SS undercobver. Sleeping directly on the pad, or with the pad stretched around the outside of the hammock may damage the open cell foam, and ruin what insulating capabilities it possesses.
You can certainly hang it to the suspension mitten hooks ( or Prussick hooks on the old style). in fact, feel free to do it, as it will give you a good idea how the system is supposed to work. With or without the UC, you can lay in the hammock and the underpad will be at correct tension against your back. This tension is supplied by the elastic cord on the ends of the pad attached at an exact factory designed position.
However, the pod is wide open foam. The slightest breeze will suck warm air right out of there, unless you find a way to cover the entire thing with the space blanket. The UC not only provides some protection for the pad, and keeps wind and sideways rain out ( way better than a tarp IMO) it also fits very close to to the pad, even slightly touching in some areas. This will in theory provide a small somewhat "dead" air space for more insulation.
I'd never thought about the air draw of heat from the pad. What brought this up was me playing with my pad (I had originally just ordered the replacement pad and was experimenting with it in my Grand Trunk UL underneath instead of a UC (my GT UL is so light I had to try it. It worked pretty well but was a little finicky in setting up.
For those interested, I took my GT UL, (which has amsteel in place of the the stock strap) and actually fed the end lines through my HH EXP (through the same hole as the ridgeline feeds). My thought was that with the lines running through that channel, I could simply pull on them inside the hammock to adjust UC tension. Does that make sense? Anyway, once the tension was set I had a good night sleep. But... there was too much friction (even with slick amsteel) to make it effectively adjustable inside.
I've included a bad sketch of it in Paint. While it didn't work in step one, I wonder if anyone has considered this before in some manner (maybe a short length of tubing in the ends to allow the line to run freely). I know there's a way to hook up a ring to the outer RL and then feed back through the HH velcro slit, but this (assuming one is leaving the UC attached as Tom Hennessey models in his vids) would require no added connections once in place.
So the HH OCF pad is just laying loose down in the GT hammock(or is that a ccf pad?)? And you are adjusting the GT to pull the pad up to your back? Or do I have this all wrong? Interesting, I have not seen that approach before, but I guess it could work.
But I'm not quite getting what you are trying to do . I guess you are wanting to replace the HHUC with something breathable? But even if so, wouldn't you still want the pad suspension hooked to the hammock in the normal fashion? Rather than using the GT UL to pull the pad up close? Plus, the hammock will be breathable, but will also have very little ability to block wind or rain/snow/fog.
Of course, nothing wrong with experimenting just for the sake of experimenting. We ( at HF ) certainly do a lot of that!
I am sensing this is a financially driven idea. There is no question the undercover is the most expensive part of the Super Shelter. Certainly more than a simple hammock and the replacement pad combined. If you are using the SS with a compatible HH hammock I don't know if there would be a benefit. But for a non-HH it could certainly be worth the experiment.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
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