Insulation (down and primaloft combo)

[jrs62284]

I'm not sure if anyone has seen this yet, but my cousin just sent me the link. I found it pretty interesting and was just wondering if anyone has tried it, or thought about it. I apologize if this has already been brought up.


http://www.backpacker.com/gear-pro-insulation-trends/gear/18267

[richtorfla]

Thanks for sharing. I actually think this is a cool solution to a ongoing problem of supply and demand. Plus I wonder if your insulation would still work to a degree if it becomes wet.

[WV]

I have used synthetic insulation quilted to the bottom layer of an insulated hammock with a layer of down above it. This has two things going for it. First, the synthetic insulation (I've used both Climashield and Primaloft, but prefer the latter) does a better job of keeping my left shoulder and my feet (especially the right foot) warm because it is fastened to the fabric and can't settle under my butt. Second, down expands to fill the available space if you use enough of it, so regardless of the accuracy of your pattern, any gaps (and there will be gaps) between you and the synthetic insulation will be filled by the down. I still believe I can make the perfect (i. e. - no gaps) synthetic insulating layer, but it's a comfort to know I can throw a couple of ounces of down in there to cover my butt, as it were.

[riverjoe]

I have used synthetic insulation quilted to the bottom layer of an insulated hammock with a layer of down above it. This has two things going for it. First, the synthetic insulation (I've used both Climashield and Primaloft, but prefer the latter) does a better job of keeping my left shoulder and my feet (especially the right foot) warm because it is fastened to the fabric and can't settle under my butt. Second, down expands to fill the available space if you use enough of it, so regardless of the accuracy of your pattern, any gaps (and there will be gaps) between you and the synthetic insulation will be filled by the down. I still believe I can make the perfect (i. e. - no gaps) synthetic insulating layer, but it's a comfort to know I can throw a couple of ounces of down in there to cover my butt, as it were.

I am about to embark on the creation of a synthetic UQ/insulated hammock that I hope will take me to zero degrees or below . I intend to create about 4 to 5 inches of loft by useing a series of interconnected triangles .
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=87070
Within each baffle or triangular tube will be another triangle of polyester insulation and within that triangle will be a cylinder of light material around a cylinder of poly insulation . ( removable for the spring and fall , maybe )
I see by your gallery you have lots of experiance with synthetic insulated hammocks , The idea is to have about 8 layers of insulation with air gaps in between to trap heat . Might have to fill some of the voids with down but I hope not .

Any thoughts or advice or critisizm . Ive been around long enough to know I don't know what I don't know .

[WV]

I am about to embark on the creation of a synthetic UQ/insulated hammock that I hope will take me to zero degrees or below . I intend to create about 4 to 5 inches of loft by useing a series of interconnected triangles .
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=87070
Within each baffle or triangular tube will be another triangle of polyester insulation and within that triangle will be a cylinder of light material around a cylinder of poly insulation . ( removable for the spring and fall , maybe )
I see by your gallery you have lots of experiance with synthetic insulated hammocks , The idea is to have about 8 layers of insulation with air gaps in between to trap heat . Might have to fill some of the voids with down but I hope not. Any thoughts or advice or critisizm? The first thing is that it will be heavy, but that might be okay for a winter hammock which you might transport on a pulk. As far as making it convertible for warmer weather by removing the inner tubes of insulation, I think you'd do better to make a separate 3-season hammock. You'll learn things on the first one.
Be careful if you sew the triangular baffles to the hammock bed. I got away with it for my down-insulated winter hammock because I used supplex fabric (strong, but heavy) for the hammock bed. It still stretched more than I expected, breaking some of the threads holding the baffles, and I had to take it apart and use taller baffles because the volume of the tubes disappeared. The broken threads don't seem to have allowed much migration of the down, though.

The thing that works well for me now is to sew synthetic insulation to the bottom layer only and then use quilting loops spaced about 12" to 15" apart to hold that layer the right distance from the hammock bed. This solves the problem of differential stretch of the two layers (as long as the bottom layer is big enough). I go to considerable lengths to make the bottom layer the right shape, but that may not be necessary. Just putting some darts in the sides and ends by guesswork might be okay, especially if you toss in some down on top of the synthetic insulation to fill any gaps. Good luck! Share your results with us. :)


Ive been around long enough to know I don't know what I don't know . Then you're way ahead of me! :laugh:

[riverjoe]

Thanks for the tips WV . Maybe double up the hammock to reduce stretch . Zig zag stitch to the bottom of the hammock . Hoping to stay under 5 pounds total . This would be about 10 lbs less then my present toasty warm system .
Still may use the down filler . Im going to put zippers at each end of the baffles to change things if my polyester triangle with tube inserts don't work .

[WV]

You don't need to reduce stretch. Just anticipate it. Make your bottom layer and baffles big enough that the top can stretch and still be enough smaller than the bottom so there's room for the insulation..

[riverjoe]

I think I understand . The material I have for the hammock itself is about 1.9 ripstop and Im a little worried about my 250 pound self on that after I make the 10 length wise baffels stitched every 6 inches . The quilt itself will be 5 feet wide by 6'6 long .
The bottom of the quilt would be 70 inches wide to accommadate the larger semicircle .
So the triangles will be spaced 6 inches apart on the hammock and 7 inches apart on the bottlom of the quilt or maybe 7.5 inches after I test things .

edit .. I got to thinking I might need to put some darts in my triangular tubes since I may need to accomadate the lengthwise curvature also .. so then the dimension of the quilt will be 6 foot 6 on the underside of the hammock and maybe 7 foot or more on the bottom of the quilt .

[wildcrafter]

I am working on something similar joe but my idea is using sock cord crisscrossed under the hammock as an alternative to baffles or quilting loops. a pleated pocket to allow for expansion with a Velcro sealed end. Loops for shock cord ever so often and crisscrossed shock cord to keep it up against the underside of the hammock.

[riverjoe]

I am working on something similar joe but my idea is using sock cord crisscrossed under the hammock as an alternative to baffles or quilting loops. a pleated pocket to allow for expansion with a Velcro sealed end. Loops for shock cord ever so often and crisscrossed shock cord to keep it up against the underside of the hammock.

Sounds interesting .Im pretty new to hammocking at least full time , but I've heard quite a few comments from guys in the morning complaining about gaps in their underquilts caused them to have a cold nights sleep . I just bought a cargo net at Harbor Freight to harvest the shock cord . Ive got about 75feet so far and still have half the cargo net to unravel .It was about 11 bucks so pretty good deal for 3/16 or 1/4 inch shock cord .

Have you started yours yet and if so do you have a link ?

[WV]

I think I understand . The material I have for the hammock itself is about 1.9 ripstop and Im a little worried about my 250 pound self on that after I make the 10 length wise baffels stitched every 6 inches . The quilt itself will be 5 feet wide by 6'6 long .
The bottom of the quilt would be 70 inches wide to accommadate the larger semicircle .
So the triangles will be spaced 6 inches apart on the hammock and 7 inches apart on the bottlom of the quilt or maybe 7.5 inches after I test things .

edit .. I got to thinking I might need to put some darts in my triangular tubes since I may need to accomadate the lengthwise curvature also .. so then the dimension of the quilt will be 6 foot 6 on the underside of the hammock and maybe 7 foot or more on the bottom of the quilt .
Good thinking on the length adjustments. I think the 1.9 ripstop might be okay, even with sewn baffles, but suggest using long zig-zag stitches.

[SSGHawk]

Harvesting the Harbor Freight shock cord is a great idea.
Thanks.