Making a Pea Pod {I THINK ITS CALLED}

[Winchester52]

Hope some of you HH Pro's can give me your thoughts.

I posted this on another thread and I guess I didnt ask the right questions for some input. If someone has a HH Explorer Deluxe Zip or knowledge about this and could tell me if this sleeping bag will work as the guy in the describes. I would be greatly appreciative on your thoughts. If it wont fit and work as the video describes, then I dont want to waste my time and ruin a perfectly good sleeping bag. Whether it will fit around the hammock sufficiently is my main concern.

My first question for the forum is in reference to making a UQ/Pea Pod? (Incorrect description from lack of experience) out of a sleeping bag. I watched a video in YouTube and it looked very easy to make and wondering if it will work with my HH Explorer w/zipper? Having the bag slip over the hammock if it were real cold. Or use the bag as a TQ if sufficient.

This video is of the modified bag:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUPqo7TT-yE

Givin the knowledge and experience in the hammock world here in the forum. I am wanting some input and any thoughts you might have. I have been looking at many videos on YouTube trying to gather some knowledge about an underquilt on the cheap as they say. I ran across this video and wonder if a 40" x 90" top zipper bag modified like the one in video. Would it be acceptable and also practical for use with my HH Explorer as an underquilt? My main concern with this bag would be, Will it fit around my hammock and serve the purpose?

I found one of the bags at KMart for $16. Here is a review of the bag which describes its features. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl96Wl7uqBQ


I dont plan on being in no lower than 30 deg F and have a 40 deg Coleman sleeping bag. I plan on getting the wider "Blue Pad" from walmarts. But everything I have read, recommends a pad or underquilt. Weight is not going to be an issue as I will be traveling via motorcycle from Florida to LasVegas and back over a 2 month period.

Any and all input would be greatly appreciate.

[WV]

Even a normal length sleeping bag is not long enough to enclose a hammock like a peapod, so the reviewed WM bag definitely won't do it. Couldn't see the other review, but I'd guess 90" isn't long enough either. My 2 cents.

[MacEntyre]

WV is correct... a short hammock is at least 8.5' long. Most are 9-11' long.

That's the problem with the Exped Wallcreeper used as a PeaPod. It's the right length for a kid in a short kid's hammock!

[Roadrunnr72]

I tried to use a mummy bag with a foot zipper. I thought it would make a great "peapod". Now after trying it, IT DOESN"T WORK. The bag is way to tight around me. The length is just too short. Maybe with some (probably alot) of modification, it might work, but not worth the trouble. That's my experience.

[BillyBob58]

A peapod is 6x9 feet, tapered on the ends, if that is any help. Sometimes I wish it was a little bigger. You might be able to get by a little smaller but probably not a lot.

[NCPatrick]

Which dimension do you wish was bigger?

A peapod is 6x9 feet, tapered on the ends, if that is any help. Sometimes I wish it was a little bigger. You might be able to get by a little smaller but probably not a lot.

[BillyBob58]

Which dimension do you wish was bigger?

Well, naturally I don't desire any more weight. However, I have sometimes wished for a longer pod on some of my longer hammocks, so that I could cinch it closed beyond or at least very close to the end knots and not have to cinch down on the hammock 6" or 12" from the end knots. Just in case that might effect the hammock comfort. I always kind of wondered if it might be a negative on comfort, effectively shortening the hammock. However, I went ahead and cinched down tight well in from the knots on my Claytor recently, and could not really tell any comfort dif. Still, I would rather not do that. My friend used one on the shorter Claytor ( model?) and we were able to close the pod up tight on the hammock suspension, past the knots.

Other times I have wished it was wider, especially with some hammocks. If it was wider and/or longer, it would make it easier to add insulation without things getting cramped, and without then having trouble closing the Velcro. And a wider pod would allow it to drape down over the edges onto your body with the wider hammocks, without the bath tub effect of the hammock raising the top layer 3 to 6" above you.

But most of all, with some hammocks, it is difficult for me to lay on my side in full fetal without compressing loft at butt and/or knee and even popping the Velcro open. I can do all of that no prob with my Claytor, but it is basically a no go with my Speer, for ex. When the hammock acts like a bathtub and it's edges lift the pod off of you, it effectively narrows the pod.

I have even thought of doing a mod. Make one long fat down filled tube with Velcro on two sides. When feeling the need for more room for whatever reason, add tube, attaching by Velcro to original pod's velcro.

Of course, now there is the Polar Pod at TTTGear! But I don't know specs- loft=size-weight.

But most of the time, especially with the Claytor, the pod is big enough like it is, as it gets the job done and I don't want more weight. When using it on my WBBB yesterday, it occurred to me that it would also be great on a Traveler. With no shelf or netting acting like a high hammock edge or ridgeline, lifting the pod way up on the right. On the left it draped right down on top of me.

[Winchester52]

Ok, thank you ALL for your input. I am new to this whole hammock world. New as not knowing anything other than what I have read here over the last few week. Most of which is totally confusing.

The wrong URL was not working, but it has been redone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUPqo7TT-yE

I said PeaPod (I THINK) only for no better way to describe what the video showed. All I think I would accomplish with the LITTLE UNDERSTANDING of this hammock and staying warm is that. This would fit over the hammock and give me both a bottom quilting effect and also over the top to keep it warm inside IF I happen to run into that situation of very cold night. I know that a 40" x 90" bag will not completely incompass the hammock. But I THOUGHT that it would be long enough to cover my body length of 5'11". Did any of you happen to look at the video the guy made of his application with the same bag I have?
UPDATE: I suppose not, since the URL was incorrect. But it is working now. Very obvious now why I didnt get the info I thought I would.

I think my main concern is will 80" be sufficient to fit around the HH Explorer or will it be so tight that I would not be able to close the zipper on the top.

I may very well have jumped into something that is more complicated as far as the hammocking that I need to deal with. Maybe I need to rethink this and go with a two man tent for my trip.

But again, thanks for the input.

[gstepclassical]

Don't give up on the hammock idea. It really is the most comfortable way to camp. If you find all this confusing just check out Shug's videos and things should become clearer. The input you received was to make sure you don't go out in 15 degrees and freeze to death. People here are really quite helpful so again, don't give up.

[Winchester52]

HaHa, Well, I wont give up that easy. Just a bit frustrating with so much information to try to grasp it all.

I assure you or anyone, if its 15 degrees I will be in a nice warm motel. But considering I am not leaving Florida until mid March or beginning of April. And wont be camping out many nights until late April. I think being prepared for 30 degrees will be sufficient. And with weight not being an issue, I will be prepared.

Again, thanks for the input.