Need newb advice from "Bigboys" and/or big anges users plz

**Jeeps** · 02-14-2011, 19:55

Hello Gents^^

I'm about 5'11" 265 lbs. and muscular with some manbewbz

lol

I tried the ultralight tent thing like prolly more than a few have here but my biggest problem is I cant zip up a lightweight sleeping bag to save my life. So now i own both big agnes bags....an encampment and a hog park using 20" and 25" pads respectively. The encampment i can actually zip up but really puts the cramp on my shoulders so the hog park will be what i really want to use. The double curse was i want ultralight or close as possible but i need a really big bag to sleep in. The big agnes seemed to get 'er done cuz it's big enough to fit in but the missing insulation keeps the overall size of the bag down. Which is what made them way too uncomfortable to sleep directly on the ground with a closed cell foam pad >.< Every air-pad i have tried, both cheap and expensive, has deflated on me the first night of use.

I just recently ordered a HH xplorer deluxe asym to see if i can find a way to enjoy camping without having to use a duece and a half to get what i need into the wilderness. I dont mind doing without on many things but sleep is not one i can go halfway with

Ive tried hammocks before in the marine corps and couldnt sleep shaped like a "V" very well but these "asyms" ive heard allow you to sleep at an angle to provide flatness of some sort (ive spent alot of time sleeping on ship and even three months on a cot in Korea and didnt mind it at all). So ive got my fingers crossed and am currently waiting on the delivery truck to come this week with my hammock.

My big question is am i going to have a hard time using the 25" pad with an asym hammock?? I really wish big agnes could make a mummy version of their "park" series, or i may possibly try to find someone who could tailor the bottom half of it to become a mummybag and shave my pad to fit such a contraption.

Is there anyone out there who is currently dealing with what i think im about to and how did you do it? Any advice would be much appreciated even if its not for big guys and just about big agnes bags or maybe even an alternative to them.

Thank you in advance......Jeeps

P.S.- Any difference between the thermarest ridgerest and a walmart blue pad as far as temps are concerned?

**Ramblinrev** · 02-14-2011, 20:07

You are going to want to invest in an underquilt (i use the supershelter) instead of relying on pads. Pads can work fine for thinner folks, but us larger models need more shoulder warmth than the pad is capable of. YMMV

As far as the sleeping bag is concerned... I use a quilt. No zipping. No contortions required. Slip your feet in the foot box and snug the sides in around you.

**oldgringo** · 02-14-2011, 20:23

Yeah...ditch the bag and get a set of quilts. Your large self will go, "Ahhhhh!" and thank you.

**creativeKayt** · 02-14-2011, 20:38

Stormcrow from Hammock Gear and many other vendors on this forum do custom UQs and TQs too. You might ping one of these fine craftsmen and/or craftswomen to put together a suitable UQ/TQ for ya.

**jeremesh** · 02-14-2011, 22:54

I'm not knocking quilts cuz I've never tried one but I can tell you that a bag can be comfy too, you just need to find the right one. 5'9" 270 pounds and I'm comfy in my Helium Long bag from Marmot with an exped DLX mat underneath. That is definitely not ultralite though. Before the Marmot, I used a north face bighorn and that had plenty of room for me too... so dont give up on bags, just find the one that fits you.

**aboyd** · 02-14-2011, 23:06

I have to say, I ditched the pad, was using a Big Agnes Insulated Aircore. It would keep my warm while I was in my sleeping bag, doen to high 20's with no issue. I have since gotten an AHE New River UQ and it is much better, much more comfy. I have yet to purchase a top quilt, as I do still tent camp with my wife and kids sometimes. I have been using a Marmot 15* unzipped as a top quilt and it keeps me nice and toasty, but is over 3 lbs. I just ordered a Stoic 30* down bag to try as my top quilt and as a lighter weight sleeping bag. Weighs in just under 2 lbs, well...so it says. Have not received it, but we will see. I am 6'4" and 300 lbs, and UQ's and TQ's or(sleeping bags as TQ's) is definitely the way to go for us wide bodies.

**adkmcmahon** · 02-14-2011, 23:10

I've used a 25 inch exped but went to underquilt, much betterer.

**Ramblinrev** · 02-15-2011, 07:55

I use a sleeping bag as a quilt. However the Big Agnes brands do not lend themselves to that function due to the lack of bottom insulation. For ground dwelling the theory is excellent. But to turn the bag into a quilt puts the pad sleeve on top where you want the loft.

**Jeeps** · 02-15-2011, 08:08

Thank you very much for all the info so far....

It didn't occur to me that the UQ could negate the use of a foam pad, just goes to show ya how "grounded" my mind was lol. I had planned to fashion a few poncho liners as an UQ but i watched Shugs movies and with the info you guys have given me i have few ideas formulating atm.

With the bottom entry HH i have bought maybe i could use a 2/3 or 3/4 UQ and with my Big Agnes bag i could test and see just how much foam i would need in the foot area. Then i could cut out whatever "floor" area i didnt need in my bag and have a TQ that has a sleeve under the foot area for a small pad if needed and a hood up in the head area also. Best of both worlds

Jeeps

**Ramblinrev** · 02-15-2011, 08:31

An full underquilt with the bottom entry HH is not really a problem. They push aside when entering and exiting and slide back into place if they are suspended properly. It's not hard to do.