Gear Hammock And Underquilts?

**headchange4u** · 12-08-2006, 23:39

Is it possible to still use a gear hammock with and underquilt, specifically on a HH?

If so is there anything to take into account or and special techniques for hanging a gear hammock?

**slowhike** · 12-08-2006, 23:57

i`ll be curious to hear other opinions. i`ve used a gear hammock (pack cover) several times, & at least once w/ an insulated hammock.
i know that the way i used it (attached to the same two trees the hammock was attached to) it laid snugly up against the hammock.
this is of course going to compress the insulation (same w/ an under quilt), but at the same time the bags, etc in the gear hammock seemed to provide insulation.
i don`t remember any cold spots from the gear hammock.
but i have wondered if it might be better for breathability to have it not touching the hammock`s insulation.
i believe i tried this last winter using a treking pole at one end of the gear hammock to keep it away.

**Coffee** · 12-09-2006, 00:02

I haven't tried this idea, but why not hang it below the hammock from there the hammock is attached to the spretra/straps. This way you can let it hang as far below the hammock as you want.

I am planning on hanging either a gear hammock or a clothes line from my hammock in this way. The clothes line will be protected by my tarp and make it easy to dry thing out while it is raining.

**headchange4u** · 12-09-2006, 00:27

In the winter I hang pretty close to the ground. I'm afraid there won't be enough room for 1, possibly 2 underquilts and a gear hammock without compressing the down.

I had thought about hanging the gear hammock between the tree and hammock so it's not directly under the underquilt and there would be no chance in compressing the down. The downside would be that unless the gear hammock is covered by the ends of the tarp your gear would exposed to the elements like rain and it would hold water like a bath tub.

**blackbishop351** · 12-09-2006, 00:27

I made a crappy knockoff from an old pack cover - I'm going to make a decent one out of my old ULB tarp soon - and hung it beside my ULB like on the JRB site. I don't have an underquilt yet, but I don't think this would compress one overmuch. Besides which, I don't plan on having much weight in one anyway.

**headchange4u** · 12-09-2006, 00:47

I guess if you had gear in the gear hammock it would help pull it down and away from the underquilt.

**Coffee** · 12-09-2006, 02:15

You could hang it above the hammock either from the tree or the tarp tieouts. The only problem with this is that I think you would loos heat having the tarp farther away from the hammock.

**titanium_hiker** · 12-09-2006, 06:01

how about just above you, but tied away from you, so clearing the tarp and you and the insulation?

TH

**Peter_pan** · 12-09-2006, 08:40

The gear in the hammock does generally keep it away from the hammock by an inch or two.... I use mine to the foot side all the time with no ill effect.... It you have a concern try going to the left shoulder tie out as half of that area is the un-used left side foot area .... or just hook both biners to the Suspension line so the GH hangs as a hobo bag /sack at the end.

Pan

**Just Jeff** · 12-09-2006, 10:30

Hehe...that pic is from my backyard here in CA...the movers start packing me out today!!

The only issue I've had is when the gear hammock is attached as in that picture, and it has something heavy in it like my water and food, it can pull the hammock "together" at that end. I.e. the gear hammock pulls the hammock's corner tie-out towards the foot end, which kinda makes the underquilt pull away a little bit. But it's an easy fix...I just angle the tie-out towards the head end to compensate. And once I get in, my feet naturally push the hammock back into position. So with that fix, I don't have any issues with the gear hammock affecting my insulation.