This weekend I stayed 2 nights in the Deam Wilderness with the family. Temp got to 19 on Friday and wind made it feel much colder. I made it through fairly comfortable with my set-up. I know that there are always posts and questions about alternatives to under quilts, so I thought i'd share my experience and what I learned.
My setup is a SLD DL with a blue Walmart pad (actually the Ozark Trails pad that has little egg crate pattern on one side) between the layers. I used my DIY PLUQ (folded in half length wise, attached to prussic knot on ridgeline with bungee cord) under the hammock, them I hung my DIY fleece sleeping bag liner attached to the same prussic with bungee cord under the PLUQ. I rigged the line so that I could position the PLUQ on the diagonal to get the best coverage, and the fleece liner is a little wider than the hammock, so no issues there. I tightened up the ends and laid down hopping for the best.
My top insulation was a Mont Bell 32* sleeping bag (synthetic burrow 3) and I dressed in several layers of thermals and socks.
Results were mixed, but overall it was a success. I was able to get comfortable and slept the night through with only "natural" interruptions.
I am generally a cold sleeper and I definitely pushed my gear to the lowest limits, but I did stay warm enough to tolerate and sleep.
This is a heavy setup! As such, I would not recommend for more than a few miles into camp. My sleeping bag is 2.6#'s, and the PLUQ and fleece liner are each a little over 2#'s. Add the -weight of the pad and the thermals and it was bulky and heavy.
I have wanted an underquilt for quite a while, but every time I have funds allocated, something comes up and takes priority. But, I now know that I could be very comfortable with a 20* uq and little else for this type of weather, saving lots of weight and space! I also know that I will plan better and be more flexible to changing dates when venturing out in early spring!
Anyways, I hope this info is helpful to someone. I will have some time this week to post pictures of my gear if anyone is interested.