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Why can't I just choose.
Okay looking for some pushing for the order in which I obtain my gear. First a little background. Have not camped in 10 years and for some reason was bite by the bug out of the blue 6 months ago. Signed a few buddies up for the ride and will be taking a 4 days hike in the Cohutta WMA in 2 weeks.
I started buying gear since I had nothing, about 3 months ago. Got introduced to hammocks a couple of months back and have not looked back. I was able to borrow a HH explorer xl and love it.
I bought a pad last week only to find out I hate pads and want a UQ. So need to make a decision about insulation.
So this leaves me here. Trying to figure out the UQ situation. I have roughly an extra 200 to spend on camping stuff. I can either buy an UQ from a cottage or make one DIY. I actually went out and bought a few down pillows and was heading the DIY route. I am starting to 2nd guess that.
If you were me how would you spend the 200?
Should I just buy the UQ from a cottage? But that leaves me with a borrowed hammock for the trip which is fine but obviously I will need my own ASAP.
Or should I try my hand at sewing and make a DIY UQ and then just buy a warbird hammock? The DIY is starting to worry me and I wonder if that is something to tinker with after I have a quality UQ.
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If you are new to sewing and DIY in general you do not want to start off with an UQ, particularly a down one. You could maybe try your hand with IX but even then some sewing skills are kinda necessary.
I'd recommend purchasing an UQ, either from a vendor or from a member, and borrowing the hammock for this trip. You can get good quality hammocks for relatively cheap. Check out buttinasling.com. Since we are headed into colder weather you don't need a bugnet right now so that will help to keep your hammock cost down. I bet, depending on your preferences, that you could get a hammock and a synthetic underquilt for near $200 if you wanted to.
If you wanna try DIY then try making the hammock. Much easier and less money wasted if you mess up. Or you could get a tablecloth and some suspension and you're good to go. No sewing necessary, although kinda heavy.
Short story long, I say buy the UQ, borrow the hammock and then you can figure out another way of getting your own hammock.
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You need to make up your mind soon, as cottage vendors aren't like amazon.com.
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If it was me, I'd just bite the bullet and buy a nice UQ from one of the vendors here. You won't go wrong with most any of them. I love my Wilderness Logics UQ, but I've heard great things about Hammock Gear, and so many others here. I really don't think you will regret it.
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^^^. Grannypat. That was also something I was thinking.
How long on average would you say it takes. Am i already possibly pushing it?
I love this forum.
I'm trying to also track down someone local to borrow a UQ for this trip. I have a few people making some calls.
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+1 on WildernessLogics.
The majority of my gear (hammocks, TQs, UQs, bugnets and tarps) is WL.
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I don't know how the cottage vendors do it. The materials cost for a DIY UQ is not so far off from the finished price.
My $0.05 --- you're better off doing a DIY hammock than a DIY UQ. That will pair will get you by as you save your shekels for a vendor's hammock, if you still want one after you seeing how comfortable you are in your own creation.
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Synthetic?
Greetings
If cost is a factor, you could get a Synthetic underquilt from Arrowhead Equipment . Their Jarbridge underquilt is very reasonably priced. Also if you can, Hennessey Hammocks is having their annual scratch and dent sale. Check out the thread in the Hennessy forum for further details. You could pickup an inexpensive hammock with the rest of your funds.
Cheers
Brian
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Or I can just just buy both now and sleep on the "couch" ( meaning outside hanging) for a few nights. The wifey will come around. Lol no, in all seriousness great input so far. Giving me some things to ponder about.
Thinking the UQ is the logical choice and get the hammock for Xmas or something. I may be able to borrow the HH in the future as well. I would just feel much better not being responsible for someone else's hammock. Plus the war bird looks sweet.