DIY underquilt protector for Ridgerunner

[TNhunter]

I just finished making two underquilt protectors out of Argon 90 from Dutch for my son's and my Ridgerunners. Here are the photos of the finished project. There are 3 yards of Argon fabric used for each UQP. I used 3/32 shock cord with some mini cord locks on the side pulls. The corners just have a slip knot tied with a bead in the loop to keep the knot from pulling out.

http://mc2photo.com/images/uqp1.jpg

http://mc2photo.com/images/uqp2.jpg

http://mc2photo.com/images/uqp3.jpg

http://mc2photo.com/images/uqp4.jpg

http://mc2photo.com/images/uqp5.jpg

http://mc2photo.com/images/uqp6.jpg

[TNhunter]

Here is the main reason I'm trying the UQP route for raising the temp of my sleeping envelope during cold night hangs. This was about 4 weeks ago on a night with little to no wind and temps in the high teens/low twenties. The first night I didn't get any condensation but the second night I did. I think the main difference was the wind. The first night it was really windy. So I think that constant airflow kept the moisture evaporated through the spindrift. The second night with little to no wind was a different story. By midnight I could tell there was quite a bit of condensation (dripping on my face). I was awakened at 2:30 by a pack of coyotes howling and found this.

http://mc2photo.com/images/spindrift1.jpg

http://mc2photo.com/images/spindrift2.jpg

http://mc2photo.com/images/spindrift3.jpg


This IS NOT a gripe with the spindrift. I've had 3-4 great nights with it in the low 20s. It does exactly what it is designed to do - block the wind and raise the temp of the sleeping envelope. I will continue to use it in the future. But I'm experimenting with the UQP as an alternative.

[hikenbike]

Nice work! Did you cut the width of the fabric at all? If not, I'm guessing you have a ~106" x~56" rectangle?

[TNhunter]

No cutting the width at all. The extra width is part of what allows it to drape down underneath the hammock/underquilt once the ends and sides are adjusted with the shock cord.

[Scotty Von Porkchop]

Wow thats some scary looking ice ceiling !! The UQP looks great, I found them great in low temps, but I swapped out a my 1oz ripstop for 2.5oz brushed fabric at that kind of temp

[JBRanger]

Got a pattern for this?

[TNhunter]

3 yards (108") of whatever your fabric of choice is.
2 3" long pieces of grosgrain ribbon for reinforcement for the side shock cords
sew the 3" long pieces of grosgrain onto the long sides at the center of each side (perpendicular to the edge of the UQP)
use a soldering iron to melt a hole in the center of the grosgrain about 2" from the edge (so once it is roll hemmed it will be centered on the edge)
roll hem the long sides first
roll hem the ends
cut 2 pieces of 3/32" shock cord for the ends. Each piece is cut 2" longer than the spreader bars for each end of hammock.
insert the shock cord into the ends of the UQP and tie off with a double slip knot (I used a bead in the loop to keep it from pulling through itself).
cut 2 pieces of 3/32 shock cord for long sides. I cut each piece 50" long.
thread a bead onto the shock cord and thread both ends through a cord lock
thread the shock cord into the hole in the grosgrain toward opposite ends of the long side.
Each shock cord should thread ~ 24" along the long side. I marked a spot 4" toward the end and gathered the edge of the UQP to take up a little slack along the edge and then doubled back the shock cord end and sewed across it perpendicularly twice on each end.
Hang the loops on the corners of your hammock around the spread bar ends.
Adjust by pulling out slack on the side shock cords.

[JoshuaTrees]

very nice! thanks for sharing

[OutandBack]

Great picts of a frosty sock. Proper venting is critical in those temps. The spindrift really needs a head and foot vent.
Your DIY UQP looks very nice.

[TNhunter]

Next time at those temps I'll be unzipping that Spindrift to vent for certain. Once I realized I had condensation it was too late.