Down costs

[WV]

I saved money by using "hybrid insulation" for some of my insulated hammocks; you could do the same thing with an underquilt. "Hybrid" = 1 layer of Climashield Green + enough down to fill the space above it. Baffles can be much farther apart or left out entirely. I stitched the Climashield to the bottom surface only for the insulated hammocks. The down works like JustJeff's "bag of feathers" (Thanks!). It also corrects for thin spots where the synthetic insulation is sewn to the bottom. To make a fitted UQ, divide it into four or more "plates" with curved edges, sew the insulation to the plates, stitch the plates together, add a top cover (or just sew it to your hammock around the edges), then fill with down (4 oz.?). Confused yet? For the plates, think of cutting 3 darts on each side of the UQ, then cutting across to connect each dart to the one opposite it, thus dividing the UQ into four separate strips. If you add a 2" seam allowance for each strip you can fold the edge over the insulation part way and sew it down before you connect the plates. This helps keep strands of insulation out of the sewing machine foot. Also, once the plates are sewn together, it leaves a nice tube at each seam in which to run a small bungee cord to hold the insulation against the hammock. Hammocks like this are good for me to 20 degrees (sometimes with a small ccf pad or piece of reflectix under my feet). Sorry, no construction photos available; I strongly suggest using a piece of cheap fabric to get dart size and placement and subsequent cutting into plates correct before proceeding with the real thing. Use the cheap fabric plates as patterns to cut the insulation, then use the insulation pieces as patterns for the UQ material (my next one will be Pertex), remembering to add the 2" seam allowance. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that the hammock will stretch. Have someone lying in it when you first start to measure for those darts. If the UQ is too big, the lofting of the down and the bungees will correct for it. If it's too small ... good luck.

[PuckerFactor]

Here's my modification to the Loft Calculation spreadsheet that allows for overstuffing, and gives you a price for the down.

Enjoy,
Acer