Big Agnes sleep system, is it good

**NWNomad** · 12-09-2015, 11:47

I've recently gotten into hammock camping, and so far I've done all my hanging in the tropics of Costa Rica. Soon I return home, and I will need to buy a new pad and maybe sleeping bag, since my pad is pretty trashed and my bag is synthetic and also worn down.

After a lot of research, I settled on the Clark Mark 2 since its designed to double as a bivy. This allows me to use my hammock for my summer job, which has me camping either in a school football field or in the middle of a forest. I bought a Amok Draumr on a whim (doh!) since it looked really comfortable. What I should have spent the money on is new cold weather gear for my Clark.

Now I'm pretty much committed to a pad, both because the draumr needs it, and the Clark wants it when I go to ground. I fancy the Big Agnes sleep system, but for the bag and the pad I want is just over 500 USD! Both my hammocks combined were only a little more expensive than that.

I guess what I want to know, does anyone else who happens to read this use the Big Agnes bag? I really think having my bag somehow attached to my sleeping pad is the way to go for the Clark and when I "cowboy camp" which is most of the time at work. Has anyone MacGyvered a similar system that works for them? I'm sort of thinking it might be cheaper to buy a different bag and try to mod it to do the same thing the Big Agnes does. Any thoughts or ideas would be welcomed. Spending 500+ for a bag and pad frankly sucks.

**Twin Dragons** · 12-09-2015, 12:40

check out undergroundquilts.com all of their top quilts can come with a pad attachment system that will allow them to attach to most any pad.

**Twin Dragons** · 12-09-2015, 12:43

You could also build a hammock stand (spurtle stand, turtle dog stand, pipe stand, etc.) for when you set up in a sports field. Hammeck and Tatogear even sell pre-made ones. This way you can use an under quilt rather than a pad if you would like.

**locknload** · 12-09-2015, 12:57

I started out with a BA system, (Lost Ranger - 15* 650 down bag and insulated pad). It worked well but I ended up going to quilts and no pad. Getting in the sleeping bag is much easier with a pad in the BA bag sleeve than no pad at all, (I tried the bag only when I bought an underquilt). No insulation in the bottom of the bag just made for a slippery sheet to navigate so, keep using the pad.

**locknload** · 12-09-2015, 13:07

Nomad, I sent you a PM.

**NWNomad** · 12-09-2015, 14:10

Originally Posted by Twin Dragons

check out undergroundquilts.com all of their top quilts can come with a pad attachment system that will allow them to attach to most any pad.

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to check this out after lunch. However, my main problem is that I fight forest fires for a living, and I don't have the time or space to rig up anything comfortable. I mostly throw out my sleeping bag with no pad at all and use my camp bag for a pillow. If it rains, then I use a tent provided by my ranger station. The hammock is a big time luxury that I will be able to set up quickly when I am actually in a position I can do that. The UQ is something I will posses eventually, but I just can't see using one in that environment. Too little use and way too expensive to be treated roughly.

I see your in Spokane. I used to hike all over the outskirts playing the GPS ingress game. Perhaps this spring we can do a group hang for those in the area.

**Twin Dragons** · 12-09-2015, 14:21

Sounds great. I have always wanted to get to a group hang, would be awesome if there was one in the area. Stay safe fighting those fires!

**mfcaus** · 12-10-2015, 22:23

I've been using a macpac neve (NZ) bag for 15 odd years... Similar to the big anges bags I think, normal top side zip and a roomier foot than mummy bags , the base is a sleeve that fits a thermarest or pads.
Has its advantages, very roomy and adaptable.
I'm new to hammock's having just returned from my first long ( 3 week) trip and it seems to work well...covered from 10c overnight temps to frosty nights and 2 of damp snow..
Being in Australia there are a fair few areas that are treeless or not strong enough to hang from so I'm not getting rid of the mats...
There's no sliding off the pad and with a duct hare hexon hammock it didn't move around,for a bug net use what u want, just drape over ridgeline and tuck under the bag and mat combo ...

**Big JJ** · 12-29-2015, 22:38

I use a Big Agnes Summit Park bag with a Exped pad and it works well on the ground or in the hammock.
It gives me a great deal of versatility, insulation and comfort in many different situations.

**Fastmatt** · 12-29-2015, 23:50

I've never used it in a hammock as I made an under quilt but the BA system works very well for me on the ground so well in fact I don't ever use any other bags anymore. Gone are the days of slipping of the pad and BA bags are roomier and I get a lil claustrophobic in tighter bags. I will say I don't agree with the temp. Ratings. You could also make / purchase one of a hundred diff. Top quilt or quilt designs and add in hooks or straps to go around the sleeping pad basically making it a BA system. I made a diy top quilt added on mitten hooks staggered so I can cinch the bottom of quilt together like a foot box and then I can run (I use shock cord) up and crises cross the mitten hooks slide pad in and boom BA system.