Some fabric and insulation questions..

[booone0]

Hey everyone. I've been a little busy for camping over the last year but hoping to do some this year. I have a homemade Hennessey based on the headchange4u design. I like this style with the side tie outs because it keeps material out of my face. I have been using a sleeping bag and thermarest but I think I have time to make an under quilt and top quilt.

How I sleep: room as cold as possible with a down comforter, and I am miserable if hot or clammy, but I'm skinny so I get cold easily too. Not sure what that means but I think I would be a warm sleeper? I have a guide gear tarp I will pitch low if its cold or windy, and a separate bug net for summer.

For the UQ, I am going to start with insultex because I already have 6 yards of it. Question 1: for optimal temp range should I use breathable fabric or not for the outer layer? I do tend to get sweaty easily when I sleep. I have some breathable ripstop (nylon I think) and some that seems thicker and much less breathable, I think this is polyester because it is low stretch.

Question 2: I would like to do a synthetic top quilt (and eventually UQ) to increase warmth and decrease weight. My goal is a 3ish season system that can go from Michigan summers to spring/fall, so lows of 30-40. I am thinking of 5oz climashield apex. Would that be versatile enough? If I had to pin down a minimum temp it would be 30.


And finally, fabric... There are so many choices now! If I am using climashield I want to invest in good fabric, but the budget is tight. I definitely can't spend more than 10/yard. So given that... How do you select fabric for a TQ? Wind resistant outer, soft inner? Need guidance. It seems like every fabric is described as having a soft feel.. I have been reading but it seems overwhelming.

Thanks as always! I appreciate the awesome resource that is Hammockforums.

[Scotty Von Porkchop]

1. With the insultex being a vapour barrier it doesn't matter too much what fabric you use be it polyester or nylon, waterproof or not, its your choice. Its basically a over complicated pad in my view but seeming as you have the stuff to make it go and try it out.

2. 5oz climasheild is about right in my book that way you can easily add a light quilt or fleece if you are pushing the limits of the top quilt. There's a plethora or good fabrics stateside ATM but I can't say that the fabric for a climashield quilt will make much too difference just so long as it's a light nylon (definitely not polyester)

It's easy to get bogged down in getting a track right from the start. You won't, I didn't, most don't. Don't worry about it though it's fun to experiment and tinker (it's even more fun trying to get it ultra cheap!)

[booone0]

Thanks for the tips! I feel like I've made my share of mistakes on the DIY front so I trying to get it right this time.

I suspected that the outer fabric wouldn't matter with an IX UQ. I know IX isn't the best insulator but if it gets me a couple trips before I upgrade to a
climashield UQ, its worth it to me.

So if I should shoot for a nylon fabric, any thoughts on hyperD 1.0 vs nylon 1.1, aside from the 0.1oz difference (I don't count grams that closely!)

So I really can't go wrong picking a nylon fabric for the TQ?

[boulderv7]

I may be mistaken, as I usually only work with down, but my understanding is you will still want a calendared fabric for your TQ. Whether it be for wind resistance or keeping the insulation fibers from poking out, I do not know, it is most likely a combo of both. As far as I've seen most will use a calendared fabric for a TQ or UQ.

[Scotty Von Porkchop]

I may be mistaken, as I usually only work with down, but my understanding is you will still want a calendared fabric for your TQ. Whether it be for wind resistance or keeping the insulation fibers from poking out, I do not know, it is most likely a combo of both. As far as I've seen most will use a calendared fabric for a TQ or UQ.

I've always seen calendared fabric suggested for top quilts so naturally I tested out the theory on one of my latest quilts (I used a lightly siliconed loose weave nylon because it felt nice on is water resistant and breathable, 5oz climasheild) it worked just fine for me.

[booone0]

So it seems 1.0 HyperD for top quilts would be a good choice?

Hmmm... This has me thinking of making a new hammock too...

[McGadget]

2. 5oz climasheild is about right in my book

How durable is the 2.5oz CS on its own. I was thinking of trying to make a quilt using 2.5oz CS that would allow for a 2nd layer of 2.5 CS added or removed at home based on the expected weather. I was wondering how it would stand up to being stuffed into and removed from the shell over time?

[prussik]

From everything i have read on the matter CS relofts better than other options including down, but when i was reading up on it. Then again what i read was talking about general storage and not temporary packing

[daneaustin3]

How durable is the 2.5oz CS on its own. I was thinking of trying to make a quilt using 2.5oz CS that would allow for a 2nd layer of 2.5 CS added or removed at home based on the expected weather. I was wondering how it would stand up to being stuffed into and removed from the shell over time?

Having just completed 2 uq and a tq with cs 5 I wouldn't try to take it in and out of a quilt as it seems to stretch fairly easily. If it was me I would make a second quilt that you could snap to the first to layer them.