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Thread: Undercover Idea

  1. #11
    Senior Member teletrekker's Avatar
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    Good advice fellas. I may try my hand at the sewing machine. Although I'd hate to buy the stock materials for the KAQ (around $100) and F it up.

    Plow- It's a HH Explorer UL.

    Ramblin- IYO is the KAQ doable for a first timer? I'll certainly have to get a hand from the old lady.

    Also, there's an option in the directions to add another (I think it's a third) layer of insulation for added heat. Anyone know how much more weight that would add? How many more degrees it would (theoretically) add to the system.

    Thanks for your help guys. This forum is invaluable for the hammock noobie.

  2. #12
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by teletrekker View Post
    Good advice fellas. I may try my hand at the sewing machine. Although I'd hate to buy the stock materials for the KAQ (around $100) and F it up.

    Plow- It's a HH Explorer UL.

    Ramblin- IYO is the KAQ doable for a first timer? I'll certainly have to get a hand from the old lady.
    I was operating under two assumptions. 1) You were looking to make it out of an old sleeping bag you had around because 2) you didn't have the coin to spend on buying materials.

    If those two assumptions are accurate then yes I think it is doable. If they are in error then I think you can find alternatives for a reasonable cost difference that would better serve your needs. I am a strong advocate for the Super Shelter for the HH and use it myself. It is not a DIY project in my opinion. I don't know what the KAQ commercial quilt costs but it would have to be lighter than an old sleeping bag DIY jobber.

    If you want commercial quality first time out then don't do the DIY KAQ from an old sleeping bag. But if you want super cheap get by til you have the coin for what you really want (whether super shelter, KAQ or Mt Washington) then the old sleeping bag is a viable concept and easy to do.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
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  3. #13
    Senior Member teletrekker's Avatar
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    Ramblin- I've thought about the supershelter but, yes, I would rather save the money for this season. Do you know of a link for a sleeping bag conversion? It looks like the DIY KAQ is 60" wide. I don't think my older bags are that wide. Any ideas/opinions on how a narrower bag would work? Again, I appreciate your input.

  4. #14
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by teletrekker View Post
    Ramblin- I've thought about the supershelter but, yes, I would rather save the money for this season. Do you know of a link for a sleeping bag conversion? It looks like the DIY KAQ is 60" wide. I don't think my older bags are that wide. Any ideas/opinions on how a narrower bag would work? Again, I appreciate your input.
    If they are not that wide they are probably close once you open them up. There is a thread on making a sleeping bag into a top quilt which is easily modified into a bottom quilt. the thing about DIY is that you do not need to be slave to published instructions. Make it do.n You will want at least 54" IMO for the explorer. It is rather wide and to get a good diagonal coverage you will need that. YMMV.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
    Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

    We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series

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  5. #15
    Senior Member RootCause's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by teletrekker View Post
    <snip> I would rather save the money for this season.
    Hey Teletrekker, welcome to the forum!

    Have you come across the "Garlington Insulator" yet?
    http://www.hammockcamping.com/Garlin...GIversion2.htm

    This is 'sort of' a second hammock that hangs underneath you. Put whatever insulation you deem necessary for the given conditions. I made one with leftover nylon I had, 8' long, I did it no-sew by using GE Silicone adhesive. (So far, no problems, but no heavy usage yet either.) It works very well!

    There are a couple downsides: 1) weight penalty (a few ounces), 2) one more thing to fiddle with, 3) less convenient adjustability compared to a 'true' UQ.
    There are corresponding upsides: 1) can leave it at home if conditions are favorable, 2) near-infinite adaptability: you can put a lot of insulation in it or very little.

    That's my 2 cents. Which, strangely enough, is about the amount I spent on my Garlington Insulator!

  6. #16
    Senior Member teletrekker's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info guys. The garlington is similar to my net system idea. I'm going to have to ponder this one. I'll let you all know how I'm making out and I'm sure to have many more questions. Thanks again.

  7. #17
    Senior Member teletrekker's Avatar
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    Ramblin- did you say you didn't think the supershelter is a diy project. That's my latest idea. I would think it would be easier than an underquilt. If you took the directions for the KAQ uncover, cut 2 pieces if silnylon using the template for the quilt, and sew. Use the same fastening system as the quilt as well.

    I'm not saying it would be easy, especially for a virgin. I'd have the old lady do most of the sewing. Am I missing something.

    After reading all of the info on the forum about staying warm and dry, pads vs. undercovers vs. underquilts; I'm more confused than ever. The one thing I'm sure of is that I'll have to do lots of trial an error before I hang in the cold. I've decided to start with the gear I already have and go from there. But if I thought it was doable to make an undercover, I may do that. What do you all think?

  8. #18
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    I would not attempt to make a super shelter undercover and I have one to copy. Knock yourself out. The OCF is available by itself so that would be available.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
    Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

    We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series

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  9. #19
    Senior Member dblhmmck's Avatar
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    Tarp for SS

    One purpose of an undercover is to block some of the wind (although your tarp should be doing most of that). A net wouldn't do that, nor would it block any spray or splash of water.

    I did see an idea for converting the stock HH tarp into a SS type undercover. I think it was on Just Jeffs site. It required minimal modification, it could probably be done with a couple saftey pins.

    I mention since many users here upgrade their stock HH tarps at their first opportunity. If you go that route, you would have the stock tarp to experiment with.

  10. #20
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ramblinrev View Post
    I would not attempt to make a super shelter undercover and I have one to copy. Knock yourself out. The OCF is available by itself so that would be available.
    Perhaps a little more information would be helpful. The super shelter undercover is not a two piece unit sewn down the middle. It also uses a tunnel type of suspension to hold it in place and maintain the position. The biggest obstacle that I can find to doing it yourslef is the system is not highly adjustable. In other words, the undercover is built for a specific hammock model. It need to be just right when it hangs or you will end up with gaps or compression of the OCF. There is enough play in the system that you can add some insulation if you need to but not so much that is sags the wrong way. When it comes right down to it, I think it would take more trial and error than it would be worth when Tom has already done that for you. But again... knock yourself out.

    The overcover is a totally different beastie. One of those can be churned out DIY with almost no trouble at all. They really help keep the heat inside the hammock.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
    Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

    We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series

    Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies

    Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint

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