I had a suspension failure because I was bouncing around too much trying to adjust at 10 degrees. I use BIAS strap anchors that do chew into straps some and now plan on replacing them every 2 years. My strap that failed was about 4 years old and I was on a big tree so I was about 6 inches from the end of my 12 ft strap.
Formerly McBlaster
The Tent is a Lie
My hammocks have never failed. I, myself have failed many times (Thud! Whoops- forgot to check my knots...Thud! Whoops- that idea didn't work...Thud! Whoops- sat in the underquilt instead of the hammock).
"Sat in the under quilt" is my personal favorite trick, always at 3:00am after a bathroom break.️
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Mike
"Life is a Project!"
Glad to know I'm not the only one that's done that. Maybe I should learn how to pee from my hammock?Originally Posted by MAD777
"Sat in the under quilt" is my personal favorite trick, always at 3:00am after a bathroom break.
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I am enjoying all the confessions of personal failure
I think all of these have happened to me, plus there was that one time I missed the hammock and sat back into the bug net. The bug net did not survive... But, I got to practice my hand sewing skills and now I have a hammock that looks like Frankenstein's monster!
Recently I've been trying a regular length Term-a-Rest Pro Lite Plus sleeping pad (the Women's version). I got it really cheap on sale.
https://www.rei.com/product/881577/t...ing-pad-womens
It's self inflating but I blow into it until it's a firm as I can get (only takes a couple of breaths). I slide it between the dual layers and, except for it sliding a bit from side-to-side before I get in, I don't really notice it once I lay down. It's much thinner than the width of the pocket so it moves around a bit, especially when I'm just sitting on the side of the hammock. I sometimes need to re-center the pad before I get in but once I'm laying down it never moves.
I like the insulation it provides without fuss. I have to tweak my UQ every time because I have several UQs and bridge hammocks so I can't just set-and-forget it. If I only had one it would be easier because I could find an optimum setting and never have to adjust it. I also once had one end of my UQ slip off the hammock and got cold on that side but I'm sure that was user error on my part.
With an UQ, I find myself constantly checking under the hammock to see if the UQ is properly snug against the hammock because I occasionally feel a draft. I don't have to do that with a pad.
I know some people say it raises you up in the hammock but since this is only 1.5" thick and 20" wide, I don't think I'm benefiting from that with this pad.
I've been down to 60 degrees and was toasty warm. This pad has an R-Value of 4.2 so that's probably not surprising. I'll have to see how low I can go.
As for the weight, this is a 20 oz. pad so that's not bad considering it's pretty near what a full size 40 degree UQ would weigh and at much less than half the cost
Obviously using a different pad would be different but since many of us already have a pad, it's worth trying it out, especially if you have a bridge.
So, to answer your question, I find the weight comparable, the comfort comparable, and it's easier to adjust initially (you just put it in the hammock). I'll keep using it for a while but I'm sure I'll switch between this pad and other pads I have and my other UQs because, like everyone else, I'm looking for that holy grail of the perfect sleep system. And it's just fun to try different setups.
My most embarrassing failure was when I first started hammocking and got into a hammock with the bugnet and flipped the entire thing so I was face down in the bugnet hanging inches from the ground. In case you're wondering, that's a difficult position to get yourself out of.I am enjoying all the confessions of personal failure
I took myself to ground quickly when I did a really bad job of using a marlin spike which caused a gunshot boom -- and my bottom to go boom. I eventually only found half the toggle. The other half is probably in the next county.
All user error but I don't make those mistakes again -- I make new ones ;-)
This is great info from a guy that uses both pads and UQs in a bridge! Though I have hung plenty with pads in my bridge hammocks and found them very comfy, I have only done so for short periods, and never slept over night. (except for a few hours when I would add a torso sized CCF pad to my JRB bridge when I would get cold at 3 or 4 am in the summer,(slept with no insulation most of the night) but never tried them for 8+ hours) So I am finding your comparison VERY useful.
I have long considered blowing off UQs fo my longer trips which are deep in the wilderness and far from trailheads, and replacing with pads in a bridge hammock. Why? Zero concerns about a wet UQ or condensation of body vapor inside the quilt, or wind getting under the tarp(pad is wind and waterproof, or at least a lot more so than any quilt). No concerns with "tonight the quilt is not fitting just right thus I'm cold and can't figure out what needs correcting". And lastly, something prevents hanging, no trees, shelter use required, I'm already good to go. Unless there is a significant comfort advantage, why would I risk an UQ? But so far, I have never pulled the trigger and have always taken one of my UQs. Hearing from a guy who is not apparently finding a significant comfort advantage to a quilt vs pad in a bridge is therefore very useful! Thank you!
I bet that pad will take you down about 30F, or at least some users can go that low. Using an R value with Closed Cell Foam(CCF) pads of about 5.2( 2 stacked pads, in an SPE(segmented pad extender), each pad was about 2.6 R value) , I was toasty warm at about 18F. Definitely could have gone lower. YMMV.
If you need more warmth, and are concerned with thickness changing the center of gravity, a CCF pad either added to your TR pad, or a thicker CCF only pad, will get you a lot more warmth for a given thickness. For ex, to get a 4.2R value with a CCF pad, it would probably only be no more than 1" thick. Of course, I can not say for sure it would be as comfy in your hammock as your TR, I do know they feel plenty comfy for me. But, the negative would be, if I was ever forced to ground due to know trees or whatever, the inflatable pads would be more comfy. But hopefully that would only be for 1 night, if ever, so I could probably get by with a minimal amount of comfort while on the ground. And of course, a 25" wide pad will help with those fit issues and cover your shoulders better.
Did you have any sweat or condensation issues? Alot of folks complain about that. I have not had that problem so far. But since recently I use vapor barrier clothing, that is not going to be a problem for me anyway.
I did this very same thing on my first ever night in a hammock. High in the Wind River Mountains of WY 1st week of Sept, above 10,000 feet, I was both trying to figure out how to use my HHSS while suffering from a severe case of altitude sickness and low oxygen induced stupidity. I think in retrospect I actually got the HHSS figured out, but I did not know how difficult it can be to get inside a mummy bag in a hammock. I thrashed and flipped and flopped, never did get adequately into the sleeping bag. I finally passed out in exhaustion. About 0200, at about 22F, I woke up shivering violently, and I could not get out of my bottom entry HH. Finally when I got a light on it, I realized the bottom entry was above me, and I was in the net. Apparently my gymnastics in the dark(trying to get inside my bag) had managed to rotate the hammock around the RL. I thought I was going to have to cut my way out, but I finally got my feet through the bottom entry and got the hammock flipped and escaped. Got my pads, went down the hill to where my buds were in a tent on the only flat ground. Laid my pads out beside their tent, got in my bag, and slept warm under the stars. It is a wonder I ever gave hammocks another try. But no one knew I had done that until I told them way later, I was too embarrassed to mention it. They just knew I nearly froze in that danged hammock.
Last edited by BillyBob58; 08-03-2018 at 09:10.
Hammock camping for 10+ years,, most times I have 3-6 people in hammocks,, never had a failure.
We are kayak campers, so we don't count grams. My straps are 3500# rated and slightly thicker than the usual ones.,, I use the heavy cast/forged cinch buckles (before they disappeared.) Up till this year all of our hammocks (7 of them) have been Hennesy Hammocks.
I go for double layer hammocks, Our new WBBB XLC is the heavy double layer for my 130# son, have a Dream Hammocks DL 2.2hex Darien on order.
And with all that over sizing I carry a backup ENO double nest,, just incase.
I think a lot of guys are riding that razors edge on weight savings,,, Glad I am not a hiker
Slack
Well now this is kind of funny. After 12 years of hammock hanging, and after having been participating in this thread, I finally had a suspension failure.(Not counting sliding to the ground one time when I did not assure that the cinch buckles were straight, user error) No bruises, just barely hit the ground. The Hennessey rope did not break completely, rather the outer sheath stripped away for about a 1 or 2 foot section. I think it was caused buy a sharp edge on the metal where I connect on my hammock stand. Those edges don't really feel sharp to me, but after carefully examining them and running my finger over them, I can tell that they are marginally sharper than the carabiners I usually connect to. This is the first time I have attached this hammock to this stand. I have connected my old Claytor in this fashion several times with no issues, as well as other HH. Other hammocks, with straps, have required that I use a carabiner. Now I will use a carabiner with every hammock attached to this stand, or get some different end connectors for the stand. I assume this would not have happened in the woods where it could be a real problem, where I would have been attaching the rope either to tree straps or a carabiner which then connected to the tree savers. I'm assuming it was caused by the metal edge on my stand, but who knows, it could have been a defective rope. ( I would reduce the size of these images if I knew how)
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