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Hi Guys,
Just bought an Explorer asym zip, and I can't wait to giver a try. The nylon seems pretty thin. I'm worried that my butt is going to be a midnight snack for a million mosquitoes. Two questions, will a sleeping bag and the hammock be enough to stop mosquitoes from making a blood withdrawal? The other question, will a good sleeping bag be enough to keep warm in the summer?
Sorry for all the question, and thanks for the advice guys!
Scooter...
Here are some threads on the skeeter problem.......http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ight=mosquitos
As to the sleeping bag keeping you warm....http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...eeping+hammock
Carry forth.
Shug
Yes on both counts. You don't need much to keep your backside bite free. Even clothing will protect you when inside the hammock. It's difficult for bugs to poke through more than one piece of fabric.
Pads will work. I used them for some time before moving on to under quilts. In hot months, a thin blanket may be enough.
I'm newly a HH owner myself and the best tip I've used so far is to pick up one of those jumbo sun shades from Wally World that you would put in your truck window to keep it cool. It will reflect your body heat back to you and keep you toasty warm.
Also read the forum and watch some of Shugs videos on YouTube.
Shug, you crack me up to no end. I think you are my fathers long lost twin!
The sleeping bag will protect you from the bugs. It will also be warm enough for the 60's or above temps. You will need more bottom insulation if it gets much colder.
If in the future you decide to use a top quilt instead of a sleeping bag, simply spray the bottom of the hammock with Permethrin to keep the bugs at bay.
Thanks for the advice guys I hope I like sleeping in a hammock...
:)
As always, Shug comes through. If you don't want to wade through those posts, here is a short version.
Mosquitos - If you are worried, get some permethrin spray like this and spray down your hammock. It is pretty safe once dry and won't hurt your hammock fabric.
http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Permeth...1260954&sr=1-1
Cold - Sleeping bags are great, I use one. The bottom, however, will be compressed and won't keep you very warm underneath. (The bridge freezes before the road.) Most people think that 60 degrees is the cutoff for needing some kind of bottom insulation. A cheap foam pad will work just fine.
Thanks very much. I've ordered the spray you recommended and the 60degree advice will really help me decide what to do. Below 60 I guess I need an under quilt. Is there anything fairly cheap that does a good job?
Thanks again
The cheapest option is to go with a foam pad under you instead of an underquilt. A popular option is the blue foam pad from walmart. They are only around $10 I think. If you can, look for the 26 inch wide one that is sort of a "waffle"-type raised pattern. I had to look in four different walmarts before I found that type. The other type they carry is only 20 inches wide. It will work, but your shoulders might get a little cold. You could also get a thin foam pad from Gossamer gear. http://gossamergear.com/sleeping/1-4-wide.html These also work well.
Many people stick with pads and are very content. They can take you down to some pretty cold temperatures, as long as you have a decent sleeping bag or quilt on top. A lot of people feel that it is hard to stay on a pad and that they aren't as comfortable. They eventually move to underquilts for comfort. You can read the bottom insulation thread for opinions about down v. synthetic underquilts. There are several cottage manufacturers on this site that make good underquilts. To stay inexpensive, I went with a 3/4 length synthetic Jarbridge River underquilt from Paul at Arrowhead Equipment. I got it on one of his sales. I think the regular price is about $125. I love mine. If you get a 3/4 quilt, you will need a small pad to go under your feet. I thought Wilderness Logics made an inexpensive underquilt, but I don't see it on their site. Hope this helps.