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Hello all,
I am starting this thread with just a question.
I have seen old army poncho liners used to
make an underquilt for hammock.
Are there any huge difference between older and new poncho liners?
How warm of an underquilt would this make? 2 season 3 season, i am guessing not 4 season.
also, just trying to get up my 50 posts so I can Pay It Forward!
I have a sewn surplus PL, have one layer of IX in the sandwich. Kept me warm and toasty @ 45 F, but I do sleep warm. I have heard that the new PL from Wiggys is a slight amount warmer, but I have not experienced first hand.
I have the Wiggy's liner that uses Lamilite. It's slightly warmer (that I can remember haven't used a service liner in a few years) than the issue liner. I also use it with a solar blanket and a Wiggy's 40 deg bag and was warm down to the 30s.. I definitely think I'll need a true on winter underquilt for the Michigan winters to be sure.. Hope that helps a little.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aardvark
Nick
We currently use issue poncho liner under quilts, and for our last two colder hangs I did take down throws and pinned them onto the poncho liner UQ, on top. It got us down to 32 this past weekend, but with much adjusting. I first night all 3 of us about froze. The second night we were just fine, but like I said it was with much adjusting of the suspensions. Personally, it is just not something that I want to keep messing with below 45 degrees. I plan on making a better UQ and one that is more compressible. By the way, I am a hot sleeper and so is my son, we had layers on and still about froze our first night.
I just made a no-sew UQ from my wiggys poncho liner. I also just bought an issue PL to use as a TQ in warm weather. I don't know about the difference in warmth but the Wiggys PL is significantly heavier and stiffer than the issue model.
For an alternative UQ starter material I'm thinking about hacking up my kids' new sleeping bag. I got a Kelty Shooting Star from Target for $20. It's the same price as the PL I bought but I'd guess at least 5 times thicker. The bag is rated for 45F so I figure that's a good estimate or lower for the UQ.
I've made and used a few PLUQs, including some with IX layers inside. Like others, 45–50°F is about the comfort range. If you can sew some loft, then you can get lower. The problem is that the PLUQs have thickness, but it isn't a lot. Adding more layers or getting baffles is possible, but it will be heavy and bulky -- non-issues if you're car camping. I like using the PLUQs for summer family hangs or as loaners for the Boy Scouts as they take a beating and are inexpensive.
For me, with the suspension dialed in, I'm good down to 40 or so with just a PLUQ and a poncho liner top quilt. That being said, I'm an extremely hot sleeper (on the ground, I'm good down to about 55 or so in just a T-shirt and shorts with no additional insulation).
For most folks, 45 to 55 is probably a good temperature range for the low end on a PLUQ. They're cheap and easy to make, and a good first DIY project.
There doesn't seem to me to be a huge difference in the issue liners; I have one brand-new as my top quilt and one used as my PLUQ, and they both seem to give me about the same amount of warmth. All the usual acronyms apply, however.
Yuu can buy thinsulate Poncho Liners that are warmer than the issue ones. How much warmer, I couldn't say. In my active duty days we would make a "Ranger Roll" with a poncho, space blanket and poncho liner tied together in that order. The whole shooting match would be a bit bulky when added to a hammock but it's very warm.
Wondering what the total cost & weight is using this combo down to 40'sF?
I'm looking at Insultex & trying to see the cost vs weight & ease of making one.
It also seems it would be better to have two UQ's. One for 40f & up, and one for 35f & below.
I don't have a scale that measures in ounces over a pound or so, but the weight of an issue liner is about 22 oz. Figure another eight ounces for rigging gear, and you're talking about 30 oz. Which is not ultralight-approved, but is much lighter than most sleeping bags in the price range.Quote:
Originally Posted by OneThing
My liners cost me $22 a piece at the local Army/Navy store and the rigging gear came out to about $15 at JoAnne's (I had a couple of coupons, though, so it might be a bit more). Call it $40 for round numbers.
I got a couple poncho liners on ebay for less than $10 a peice, and I found one at a yard sale for $1. That was sweet. I love those things.