View Full Version : Big Agnes for Hammocking?
I've been looking at the Big Agnes sleeping bag and air core pad for a few years and finally made the purchase. After only two days of back yard use, here are my findings:
Pros: Sleeping bag sleeve with pad, warm underside and no more wiggle dance to 'get on' or 'stay on' the pad. This is a great fit for hammocking.
Cons: The rectangular air pad. Suggest the 'mummy' shape. The rectangular pad hangs off the edges of my ENO Single.
I haven't taken it overnight or down in temp but I do feel confident that it will hold comfort to freezing.
Has anyone else worked this system? I'm looking for ideas or suggestions ...
Let the hammock season BEGIN !!!! :D
I've been looking at the Big Agnes sleeping bag and air core pad for a few years and finally made the purchase. After only two days of back yard use, here are my findings:
Pros: Sleeping bag sleeve with pad, warm underside and no more wiggle dance to 'get on' or 'stay on' the pad. This is a great fit for hammocking.
Cons: The rectangular air pad. Suggest the 'mummy' shape. The rectangular pad hangs off the edges of my ENO Single.
I haven't taken it overnight or down in temp but I do feel confident that it will hold comfort to freezing.
Has anyone else worked this system? I'm looking for ideas or suggestions ...
Let the hammock season BEGIN !!!! :D
Try about 20 puffs in the pad.
Greg Dunlap
04-11-2010, 11:15
I have the Cross Mountain with the Air Core pad and was finding myself waking up with a cold back side. I added the Sleeping Giant Memory Foam pad and that cured it.
I began using the exact same setup when I first started hanging. It worked but it sure limited my enjoyment sleeping in the hammock. Even with the sleeve it is hard to keep the pad under you.
Barefoot Child
04-11-2010, 12:08
I have used the BA Air core mattress with a BA Horse Thief sleeping bag and had absolutely no problems....but then again I have a WB Traveler 1.7 Double and just put the pad in between the fabric layers.
I would agree with you about using the mummy shape and not the rectangular shape, but then again I don't really care if the pad sticks out HYOH/YMMV
The mummy Big Agnes does fit a hammock much better and mine stays pretty well in place, however my butt gets cold on it in a hammock below freezing. I put foam under and that helps, especially around the shoulders. Its still not an ideal set up, sort of fussy and may require two foam pads with it. I'm thinking of going to a hybrid foam pad system, especially considering the weight of the insulated Big Agnes. Of course if you want the option of sleeping on the ground its nice to have along.
Jim S
Barefoot Child
04-11-2010, 12:34
I agree with JimS on that comfort issue...I wuv my BA Air core mattress.:boggle: When ever I used or use it I just simply don't try to convince others of it's value to getting a good nights sleep. You don't always have the opprtunity to use a hammock sleep system, and there is more than one way to skin a cat. ;)
Most comfortable sleeping pad ever made, and BA customer service is great if you ever have an issue with anything. I own several BA producs and wuv them all! But then again...since taking to the hammock way of things I don't have much use for a lot of them. Just saying.
And as always----HYOH/YMMV
Adding the foam pad is a great idea.
I am not yet a hammock purest. Overall, I need to be able to go to ground on regular basis. Grand Canyon ... no hammocks :( and kids not there yet. So, the sleeping bag setup is more versitile for my needs.
Although, someday ... we'll all hang :laugh:
oldgringo
04-11-2010, 18:06
I began using the exact same setup when I first started hanging. It worked but it sure limited my enjoyment sleeping in the hammock. Even with the sleeve it is hard to keep the pad under you.
My experience, too.
I use BA bags (got two), but found inflatable pad inside sleeve or outside sleeve did not work well for me inside a hammock (pad always moved, and it just wasn't comfortable to me). Now I use two CCF pads inside my hammock. One is 1/2" and cut to shape of BA sleeve and goes inside sleeve. The other is 1/4" thick, and 40"x50". This one goes below my torso. Now I have little trouble with pads moving about and I've been successful with these two pads down to 18F so far.
Yep, have a Lost Ranger and Horse Thief. I am donating the Lost Ranger to a Youth Hiking group in VA, and hanging on to the HT in the off chance I ever need to go to ground again (shudders).
openingshok
04-25-2010, 11:13
I have a storm king and a thermarest pro lite plus used in a air bivy extreme. I have been down to 27 deg. with a simple DIY poncho liner under quilt and had absolutely no issues. Was down to 37deg with no underquilt and was extremely warm. Never lost the pad once.
I use a Mystic long with a 3/8" Evazote pad + sit pad (to fill out length) down to near freezing. Beyond that I'd use my 78" Ridgerest Deluxe (no longer made, I fear) or take an additional torso-length 1/4" pad -- I've tried both and they work fine as cold as I care to be walking around in the woods. I've used the insulated inflatable BA mattress and it works fine, but only take it if I might have to sleep a night on the ground for some reason (seldom). Very comfortable, even luxurious, and flexible system.
tgreening
05-03-2010, 21:08
I use a Lost Ranger and either an insulated air core, or a 2 track. The air core is lighter and good to 15 deg, same as the bag, but the 2 track is good down to 0. Or so they say. I don't have much trouble staying on either pad, and neither one trys to pop out of my hammock (clark). I sleep just fine on either and I can't quite figure out what other folks are finding uncomfortable about them.
I'm keeping my eye out for a BA Yampa as a warmer weather bag and as an over-bag for the Ranger. Supposedly it would take me down to -10 used that way, or so they say. :)
Those bags together would be a few oz. over 5 lbs, but if it keeps my butt warm then I'd deal with it.
I used the aircore pad under a a 25 yr old LL Bean synthetic mummy, rating unknown, and was way more than toasty at 32 deg.
wisenber
05-03-2010, 21:22
I never really used a sleeping bag in a hammock as an actual sleeping bag, but I have used my BA Insulated Aircore. I got one of the petite rectangular ones. Having a shorter pad helps keep it in the hammock. I normally use one of my down UQ's now, but if I'm off for a wet weekend be it from rain or fog, the BA in an SPE works without fear of getting wet. Letting some of the air out or not inflating it all the way tend to give it enough flex to stay under me in the hammock as well.
psyculman
05-04-2010, 04:49
I never really used a sleeping bag in a hammock as an actual sleeping bag, but I have used my BA Insulated Aircore. I got one of the petite rectangular ones. Having a shorter pad helps keep it in the hammock. I normally use one of my down UQ's now, but if I'm off for a wet weekend be it from rain or fog, the BA in an SPE works without fear of getting wet. Letting some of the air out or not inflating it all the way tend to give it enough flex to stay under me in the hammock as well.
I have used the regular length mummy INSULATED BA Aircore also, it is well worth it, but works best between the bottom cover and hammock. (about 1/2 full of air) The short version would probably be much better.
kayak karl
05-04-2010, 05:30
I've been looking at the Big Agnes sleeping bag and air core pad for a few years and finally made the purchase. After only two days of back yard use, here are my findings:
Pros: Sleeping bag sleeve with pad, warm underside and no more wiggle dance to 'get on' or 'stay on' the pad. This is a great fit for hammocking.
Cons: The rectangular air pad. Suggest the 'mummy' shape. The rectangular pad hangs off the edges of my ENO Single.
I haven't taken it overnight or down in temp but I do feel confident that it will hold comfort to freezing.
Has anyone else worked this system? I'm looking for ideas or suggestions ...
Let the hammock season BEGIN !!!! :D
thats how i started, but didn't like zipping a bag. so i eventually got an underquilt and cut the pocket and zipper off bag for overquilt. my son uses that setup now.
TheTorch
01-20-2011, 01:49
So do inflatables work well? Or should I stick with the ccf pads. The coldest I'll be hanging in is probably 40. Would just a pad and a 10 deg sleeping bag work for weather down to that degree?
So do inflatables work well? Or should I stick with the ccf pads. The coldest I'll be hanging in is probably 40. Would just a pad and a 10 deg sleeping bag work for weather down to that degree?
Yes, a 10 deg F bag and a ccf pad or an air pad will keep you warm at 40 deg F. I wouldn't buy a UQ or TQ until you know you like hammocks.
The BA sleeping bag / pad combo has the advantage of the pad sleeve to hold the pad in place. Helps on the ground and really helps in a hammock.
On gathered end hammocks, people experienced cold shoulders and sides and so created ccf pad extenders to fix that.
IMO, UQ and TQ are required for lower temps, but @ 40 deg F their only advantage is that they are alot easier to use...
Crismateski
01-20-2011, 10:14
My wife and I both got a big agnes bag/pad about 2 years ago, and returned them after one weekend. I was using it on the ground, so in a hammock may be different. What I found was that even though it was a 15 degree bag, and it was only about 26deg (I sleep warm normally) we were freezing. the problem is where the bag and pad meet, it is a thin spot with no insulation, and created nice cold spots all the way around. We solved this the second night by packing our clothes around the edges to fill in this spot. I have some other BA products that I am very happy with, but at least for me, the sleeping bag design did not work.
c
gratefuldanny
01-20-2011, 11:14
may i suggest a ba bag and an exped symnat or downmat? I used the synmat 7 and a buffalo park and have gone down to 30 degrees in my eno hammock quite comfortably. Some people laughed at the amount of cushion I had but they all admitted it was extremely warm and comfortable. I was cold with the ccf pad by my shoulders but not with the synmat.
Lost_Biker
01-28-2011, 20:57
I've always used a sleeping bag and pad in my hammock. Its comfortable for me. For the last year I've used a Big Agnes Encampment and the insulated air core (2.5 inch height).
Boy is that nice! No slipping off the pad anymore. This is what I'll be using in my new WBBB I got yesterday.
CajunHiker
01-28-2011, 22:26
Is anyone using on of the Park series bags with a 25" pad?
I would agree with all these comments, as that's what I used years ago. I still have my Horse Thief and Lost Ranger and associated insulated Air Cores, mainly to loan people that don't have gear. I should probably sell that stuff one day and buy another UQ with the proceeds....
Sweeper
trailryder42
02-02-2011, 14:07
I've had my WBBB for a week. Slept out 2 nights in 25* weather. I don't have an underquilt, so I used my BA 15* Lost Ranger bag and BA Insulated Air Core pad. After about 4 hours I had to call it quits because my feet were freezing and of a cold backside.
Next night I added a Walmart CCF pad into the sleeve of the bag. That pretty much took care of the cold backside, but my feet were still cold.
The Air Core pad has an R value of 4. Might be worth investing in an Exped 9 with an R value of 8.
I have a year to figure out what setup I'm going to use before my AT hike in 2012.
Go with a nice comfortable pair of down or synthetic booties. They're lighter than an extra pad and you can wear them around camp (and no cold spots). I forgot mine on the FL hang and deeply regretted it in the morning (25F).
brushybill
02-03-2011, 08:01
i tried the same system for years and finally had to get a uq, i still use the ba bag though and i'm very toasty
in 2010 I used a big agnes pitchpine 40* bag for a month out on the AT and also on a couple of weekenders and numerous backyard test-hangs. I really like the weight of the sleeping bag (17oz!) but didn't very much care for the blow-up airpad. Sometimes it would be tough to get the pad to lay flat in my hennessy hammock and it was always annoying to put away in the morning when I first woke up. It was always a concern of mine that I would pop it or otherwise ruin it.
Eventually I figured out that I could take a Thermarest Z-lite pad and trim it to fit into the sleeping pad sleeve of my big agnes bag. The end result weighs a little less(under 10oz after trimming), is much more durable, no inflating, and you can just stick it on the outside of your pack somewhere when you break camp the next morning.