So how cold is cold??

**Agfadoc** · 08-13-2009, 16:41

I was all excited to get my new hammocks until I began to read all the people saying, you have to get a quilt..underlayment... etc.

That would increase the weight and add more complexity. One of the reasons I bought the hammock was for ease of use and light weight portability.

Do I REALLY have to invest in a quilt or some other insulation other than a 1/2 CCF, a 0* bag and depending on the weather, underarmor or some other brand of layered underwear? I also have a lightweight fleece sleepign bag to add to the layer..

Is this like when I had 5.1 surround sound and all I could think about was the NEW 7.1 surround sound.. So I reinvested and moved to 7.1 and sure there was a difference but not that much of a difference.

So, I understand why the hammock gets colder than a tent, but how cold is cold when it is relative to real use three seasons? 40*-80*?

**Darby** · 08-13-2009, 16:54

Your sleeping comfort really depends on you. I can stay comfortable with the set-up you described in 40 deg. and above weather, BUT, I am a warm sleeper.

**plowhorse** · 08-13-2009, 17:02

ditto. I have slept in forty degree weather witha 20 degree bag and a windshield reflector. people like the quilts because they pack up small and light, and are more comfortable. they also substitute a tq for the sleeping bag, again a comfort issue. the quilt isn't necessary, more of a personal preference.

**te-wa** · 08-13-2009, 17:05

Originally Posted by Agfadoc

I was all excited to get my new hammocks until I began to read all the people saying, you have to get a quilt..underlayment... etc.

That would increase the weight and add more complexity. One of the reasons I bought the hammock was for ease of use and light weight portability.

Is this like when I had 5.1 surround sound and all I could think about was the NEW 7.1 surround sound.. So I reinvested and moved to 7.1 and sure there was a difference but not that much of a difference.

So, I understand why the hammock gets colder than a tent, but how cold is cold when it is relative to real use three seasons? 40*-80*?

the way i see it:
you need something under you that will not compress and lose r-value. a well designed pad sleeve works great to keep a pad in place but not squished under your weight.
an underquilt if designed/used properly is an even better option, but personal. you may like UQ's you may like pads. you may like them together!

a true audiophile is fine with 2.0 and with a system capable of producing false 5.1 like McIntosh, youd never know the difference.

to me, in just a hammock with no pad/quilt under it im cold at 65°
ive used a 1/4 pad to about 50, a 3/8 pad to about 40, but that is pushing it for me.
ive used a 3 season UQ to about 35, and the same UQ with a 3/8 pad to about 22° and i had no issues whatsoever. warm as a bug.

**Agfadoc** · 08-13-2009, 17:52

My plan is to use 2QZ2's pad idea and try to copy it, covered with neetsheet or something similar, formed to touch the key area's.

From 2Q Site: "In the main pad section, there was a velcro slit that could be opened for the insertion of additional pads. With two 3/8" CCF pads in place and my Marmot Coloiur sleeping bag, I was able to be comfortable to 3 degrees!!"

I think I am making too much of the cold thing and should just go and get them hung and make sure it's right for me.

Thanks for the input.

**BillyBob58** · 08-13-2009, 20:39

Originally Posted by Agfadoc

I was all excited to get my new hammocks until I began to read all the people saying, you have to get a quilt..underlayment... etc.

That would increase the weight and add more complexity. One of the reasons I bought the hammock was for ease of use and light weight portability.

Do I REALLY have to invest in a quilt or some other insulation other than a 1/2 CCF, a 0* bag and depending on the weather, underarmor or some other brand of layered underwear? I also have a lightweight fleece sleepign bag to add to the layer..

Is this like when I had 5.1 surround sound and all I could think about was the NEW 7.1 surround sound.. So I reinvested and moved to 7.1 and sure there was a difference but not that much of a difference.

So, I understand why the hammock gets colder than a tent, but how cold is cold when it is relative to real use three seasons? 40*-80*?

A pad is all you "need" unless you are some one who suffers from back sweat. A few folks are fine with pads( Neo and others), quite a few others hate them (Cannibal, you know who you are!

)

It also depends on which hammock you chose: some work far better with pads than others.

I slept toasty at ~20*F with a thin torso length Thermarest UL pad on top of a full length Ridgerest pad stacked inside a Speer SPE. I was also quite comfortable.

As for the weight and simplicity, don't forget that when you slept on the ground, you probably needed a pad for both cushioning and insulation, and maybe a thick one year round at least for cushioning. Or, if you used a thin pad, then you likely had WAY less comfort. You need no cushioning in the hammock, but you will need varying amounts of insulation, just like on the ground. But in the summer, you can maybe use a very thin pad, or just a torso pad, or maybe no pad at all if you live where I do.

As for quilts, you maybe used a sleeping bag before? So remember an UQ plus a top quilt basically are the equivalent of a full sleeping bag. So that is not much additional. And, you can use just a torso UQ to save some more weight.

Once you go to the UQs or HH Super Shelters, you no longer need a pad of any type, unless you want one in case you must sleep on the ground for some reason. ( Though you might need ONLY leg pad or your pack if you use a short torso under quilt.) However, it is very unlikely that if you are using a sleeping bag on the ground ( TQ+UQ= full sleeping bag) that you won't also use a pad. And if you are like me, a thick, heavy pad.

**Coffee** · 08-13-2009, 20:42

Anything below 0 is a little on the cold side for me. Then again I moved to a place that saw snow once in 5 years.

**Cannibal** · 08-13-2009, 20:56

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

A pad is all you "need" unless you are some one who suffers from back sweat. A few folks are fine with pads( Neo and others), quite a few others hate them (Cannibal, you know who you are! )

I have noooo idea what you're talking about.

I even have a SuperShelter to test this winter.

Yeah, I hate pads. But, that didn't stop me from using them as I was getting started in my hammock training. They are a very low cost solution that can work very well. I didn't get a lot of cold weather when I was using them, but I did dip down into the high 30s a few times. Stayed 'warm enough'; somewhere between comfortable and chilly. I was using cheap ccf, but I imagine a better quality pad would perform better.

I can live with a pad in a double layer, but laying directly on top of one is for the birds in my book. I like the pad system you pointed out on 2Q&ZQ's site; I hadn't seen that particular page before. I've had some experience with the Speer SPE and really can't say enough good about it. It was the only thing that made life with pads bearable for me.

You should be fine as long as you can hold off the uq urge. It isn't easy and we certainly don't help with all our talk of glorious downy goodness.

**Scratch** · 08-13-2009, 21:53

I recommend trying out different options in your backyard where you can easily bail if you're too uncomfortable. Certainly Wisconsin will be a suitable test environment this fall and winter. Everyone is different.

**Peter_pan** · 08-14-2009, 08:32

Cilled bottoms and sides begin between 65-75 for most folk...

Do something to ensure a comfortable night.... Pad or under quilt.... the choice is all about your back sweat issues, bulk, weight and cost...Try three or four approaches and spend more in the long run than researching a great breathable UQ, and deciding to make yourself happy from the start.

Been there, done that, learned... BTW thats how JRB got started.

Pan