Help me decide on an underquilt

**The Rambler** · 01-12-2011, 07:39

Hey everyone. I am really loving hammocking thus far. I have a 1.7 dbl BB, and will soon have a superfly. I am planning on ordering an underquilt probally sometime in Feb, just saving up the funds.

I camp year round, rain, sleet, shine or snow. So far I am making do with a thermarest prolite 4 and a ccf pad for the really cold temps. I live in CT where the lowest I would see on average in the winter is around 15F +/- a few degrees.

I am on a budget and would really like to have just 1 underquilt. I will be using a 15F down bag as my top insulation for the time being, and plan on using a poncho liner during warmer months.

I am wondering if I should go with a 3 season incubater with 900 fill for 15F, or go with the winter incubater. I am leaning towards the 3 season incubator, but am wondering if the 15F rating is fairly accurate? Or if I should go with a winter one and just vent it some what in the warmer months.

I could also add a ccf pad to my winter setup and just use the 3 season quilt.

Let me know what yall think!

**bear bag hanger** · 01-12-2011, 07:55

It's hard to beat the JacksRBetter quilts. The "No Sniveller" or the "Rocky Mountain Sniveller" are hard to improve on for the price. They can be used as a poncho on cold mornings where a little extra insulation around camp would be helpful.

http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Quilt%20...on%20Chart.htm

**cataraftgirl** · 01-12-2011, 07:57

I was also looking for one UQ for all my needs. I am a 3 Season camper. I don't winter camp, at least not yet. I went with the 3 Season Incubator with the regular 800 fill, and a 3 season Burrow with regular 800 fill. I talked with Adam at Hammock Gear, and also got input from HF members. The consensus was to get quilts to cover my coldest anticipated temps, then vent the bottom quilt & open up the top quilt as needed for warmer temps. I'm happy with my choice.
KJ

**lazy river road** · 01-12-2011, 09:46

Originally Posted by The Rambler

Hey everyone. I am really loving hammocking thus far. I have a 1.7 dbl BB, and will soon have a superfly. I am planning on ordering an underquilt probally sometime in Feb, just saving up the funds.

I camp year round, rain, sleet, shine or snow. So far I am making do with a thermarest prolite 4 and a ccf pad for the really cold temps. I live in CT where the lowest I would see on average in the winter is around 15F +/- a few degrees.

I am on a budget and would really like to have just 1 underquilt. I will be using a 15F down bag as my top insulation for the time being, and plan on using a poncho liner during warmer months.

I am wondering if I should go with a 3 season incubater with 900 fill for 15F, or go with the winter incubater. I am leaning towards the 3 season incubator, but am wondering if the 15F rating is fairly accurate? Or if I should go with a winter one and just vent it some what in the warmer months.

I could also add a ccf pad to my winter setup and just use the 3 season quilt.

Let me know what yall think!

Well first off IMHO the Incubator or Phoenix are both great choices. I have 2 of Hammock Gears UQ (Phoenix) with a 3rd on the way (3S Incubator) and love um. If you really want to save some money IMHO I'd say go with a 3/4 UQ get the Phoenix and supplement with a pad especially if you plan on back packing with it. Then you have a pad for your calf's as well as a sit pad for around camp and save weight and money. I am a very cold sleeper. I used the Winter Phoenix a week or so ago with 13 oz of 800 Fill and I was sweating from underneath and it was 19 degrees out. And I ordered my 3S Incubator with the specs listed with 900 Fill and have no worries about being able to get down to 15 if not lower. The temp ratings are warmer then waht they are listed as IMHO and again I am a cold sleeper. And instead of adding a pad (weather you go full or 3/4) you could always pack an xtra pair of heavy weight long johns and a fleece to sleep in and then that's your warm clothing for around camp. I have the WBBB 1.7 DLB as well and my Phoenixes fit perfectly on them. No matter what quilt you choose from Hammock Gear your going to get a great piece of gear.

P.S. I only mentioned Hammock Gear's quilts because that is what you refered to in your post as well as the one's I own but their are many vendors with top notch pieces of gear but Hammock Gear's quilts work for me and I love um so that what I choose to use. Good luck deciding.

**Rilmoigan** · 01-12-2011, 10:10

I have a 3-Season 900FP Incubator (rated to 20F) and a seriously overstuffed Winter Incubator rated to (-20F). I live in downeast Maine. I have been down to 17 degrees in the 3-Season and quite toasty, thank you. I have been down to 5 degrees in the Winter incubator with NO sense of cold. Properly fitted and adjusted the Incubators are incredibly effective.

My experience with both has been very positive.

**ShadowAlpha** · 01-12-2011, 10:53

I would go with the 3 season - can always add a cover and/or sock if needing more warmth

Good luck!

**Cranky Bear** · 01-12-2011, 11:32

I don't own a Incubator "yet", but I can say that from my own experiences Adam's ratings on his quilts are spot on! Mind you "I" am a very, very warm sleeper (almost hot) so I actually push my quilts lower than the temp rating! So my question to you is what type of sleeper are you? Cold? Warm? or ? knowing this might help us, and you make a better informed choice/recommendation as to whether to choose the 3S or Winter version!

**The Rambler** · 01-12-2011, 11:50

Thank you everyone for the input thus far. I would say I am somewhere in the middle, I wouldn't classify myself as a warm or cold sleeper. Right now I use a 15F bag, with a prolite 4 down to 32 or so, and add a ccf pad down to 10F which is the lowest I have experienced in a hammock so far. I typically wear a capaline 2 bottom baselayer, and a capaline 3 top, and a smartwool beanie and or balaclava(usually just pulled down around my neck).

I have yet to have a night, whether in my hammock or back in my tent days where I was uncomfortably chilled. I have been warm on several nights where I just vent my bag. So if I had to choose warm or cold sleeper as a label I guess I would say warm.

One question I do have. Does adding overfill to an UQ increase it's temp rating? For example if I add say 3 oz of fill to a 3S Incubater 900fp would that be around a 10F rating?

**Beast 71** · 01-12-2011, 11:50

If you only want one under-quilt, you should consider a Jacks'-R-Better (JRB) Mount Washington 3 Convertible (MW3C) I use it in the 2/3 mode all summer long and then I switch back to full mode when the temps drop below 40F. Here is a thread about the test hang I did for the MN Cold But Hang (MNCBH) http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=25604 , (Unfortunately I wasn't able to go to the MNCBH myself, because I got a bad case of bronchitis

).

**Pithy** · 01-12-2011, 12:19

I'm leaning more towards using multiple UQs so I just have to carry the ones I need. I have a 3 season incubator. What would be a logical choice for going down to the high 20s? I also have a Superfly and I'm using a HH Asym right now.