DIY UQ

[daveysnowis]

I picked up a poncho liner the other day for a warmer weather underquilt. I just am not satisfied. I will be buying an actual UQ at some point but that isn't really the point. I want to make it myself! I have looked at the thermarest tech blanket and snugpak jungle blanket but I can't seem to find a finished UQ to take a gander at. Is anybody making a warm weather UQ out of something else that doesn't require a lot of sewing (mine just took a crap and the ol lady isn't real keen on me getting another)?

[boulderv7]

I think most DIY UQ's will require some sewing....the poncho liner being least amount of sewing. Hunter55 recently made a climashield UQ.... that wouldn't be as much sewing as a down UQ, but still a substantial amount. I've seen people modify cheap sleeping bags as well, you may want to look into that, that is probably the next best option from a poncho liner.

[Theguywitheyebrows]

i came upon a poncho liner and attempted to utilize it for a not-so-cold UQ as well and was also dissatisfied with the performance of the designs i found here and elsewhere. after seeing the cheapest TQ/UQ setup i could find i decided to revisit this PLUQ idea, so i laid it out and began the brainstorming process. im not a big guy (bout 5'9" 180 lbs) so i figured some tweaks that made the PLUQ a viable option for me. a few nights trial and error later and i am COMPLETELY satisfied with the way it satys under me and keeps me warm. one thing you can do to add a SIGNIFICANT boost to the warmth of your PLUQ is to add a mylar space blanket. those things seemingly generate warmth. any store like mkart or wallyworld have those, and there are high end 'survival' versions around. mine was like $3 at the big5. DIY is the way to go, because you may have to adapt what you purchase some amount anyway. www.ripstopbytheroll.com sells 7.5oz climbasheild and i'll add a layer of that to my PLUQ with the space blanket and test that out to deeper colds than my A/C can give me under guidance of the members of this forum here.

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/...l-blanket.html

https://www.hammockforums.net/galler...mageuser=53552

[WeWalked]

I picked up a poncho liner the other day for a warmer weather underquilt. I just am not satisfied. I will be buying an actual UQ at some point but that isn't really the point. I want to make it myself! I have looked at the thermarest tech blanket and snugpak jungle blanket but I can't seem to find a finished UQ to take a gander at. Is anybody making a warm weather UQ out of something else that doesn't require a lot of sewing (mine just took a crap and the ol lady isn't real keen on me getting another)?

Check out craigslist for cheap sewing machines. Some good ones can be had.

[xxl_hanger]

I bought yesterday two fleece blankets very cheap for about 5€ (I got a 70% discount during a going-out-of-business sale and the quality was good). With the first XXL blanket I made at once a TQ with a drawstring foot box with snaps and a drawsting channel with a button hole at head end. I can use it as a one-season TQ for hot summer nights or inside my CS-TQ in winter times. The other fleece blanket is black and has a 69" x 52" dimension, just right for an UQ. I can lay it between the layers of my hammock and tie the corners to inside loops. During the summer months this could be all I need. A perhaps better solution would be to sew on a windproof fabric shell on the outside of this fleece blanket. Then I would get an light summer UQ which I could use as an additional UQ-protector in winter times too. It's about 10" longer and wider than my CS-UQ but the pack size is much smaller.

[Hunter55]

With the advice from Punkisdead and Boulderv7 the Climashield UQ I made a few weeks back was pretty simply. But there is no way to put one together w/o a sewing machine. Previously I had been using a PLUQ that stated out as a no sew before I turned it into a sewn PLUQ with a layer of standard Polyfill from JoAnns. This took me down to 43* in a backyard hang w little or no wind and honestly think it could go lower. Just haven't had the op to try it since the weather has warmed. My advice would be to find a used machine and take the dive. It's not that hard with all the advice here.