Should I try using my 20 in. pad for my first hang

**bmwrider** · 07-23-2011, 23:35

I have a CC pad and few OC pads mostly 20in wide, will be uncomfortable using a 20in pad or would I be better off sleeping with out it?

I see everone making modified pads and I'm not sure if will get the comfort I need and figure its not worth all the money to buy alot of things already before I know I like it.

**shumway** · 07-23-2011, 23:44

Give it a try. I just finished a trip using a 20" thermarest and a poncho liner uq. It worked ok but it was tough getting the pad aligned just right. Once i dialled it in I was comfy enough. I would have went just the uq but it wasn't warm enough.

**dragon360** · 07-24-2011, 01:16

Give it a shot but be flexible. If it doesn't feel right, try a different approach or something new. Its all about fun and ingenuity.

**FLRider** · 07-24-2011, 03:16

Originally Posted by shumway

Give it a try. I just finished a trip using a 20" thermarest and a poncho liner uq. It worked ok but it was tough getting the pad aligned just right. Once i dialled it in I was comfy enough. I would have went just the uq but it wasn't warm enough.

A thought that I've been having about the pads: I, also, intend to use a poncho liner underquilt when the weather starts getting cool (it never really gets cold down here in FL). What I was imagining was putting the CCF pad in between the underquilt and the hammock bottom (in essence, turning my single-layer HH into a double-layer, with the pad-holding qualities that entails). Has anyone tried this that you know of?

I know that it will be heavier than a true down or IX underquilt, or just a good pad by itself. However, it'll come out to be about $30 total (including the tie-outs for the poncho liner), instead of $200+ for a good underquilt or $50+ for a good pad. Besides, it'll be modular; you can go with the underquilt and then add the CCF (I already carry a torso-length 20" section as a sitpad) when it gets colder.

**Simon** · 07-24-2011, 03:26

Originally Posted by FLRider

...What I was imagining was putting the CCF pad in between the underquilt and the hammock bottom (in essence, turning my single-layer HH into a double-layer, with the pad-holding qualities that entails). Has anyone tried this that you know of?...

I'm trying just that this weekend. I may take my cheapo lightweight hammock along as well and string it up tight under the HH and line that with the poncho liner and pad and see how that works too.

**FLRider** · 07-24-2011, 03:41

Originally Posted by Simon

I'm trying just that this weekend. I may take my cheapo lightweight hammock along as well and string it up tight under the HH and line that with the poncho liner and pad and see how that works too.

Please let me know how it goes. I'd really like to hear back on this one; it's only five or six months from being cool enough to wear a jacket here. I really need to get on top of this

!

Seriously, though, I would like to try this if it seems to work.

**shumway** · 07-24-2011, 11:46

This trip i was in my WBBB 1.1 dbl, so it has a place to stick the pad between the layers.

When I was using my Hennessey it was before I knew about underquilts, so I had the pad directly under me. I was also trying to sleep inside my sleeping bag rather than draping it quilt style. That didn't work well at all.

I imagine you could rig up some sort of suspension to hang your pad under the hammock when you don't use the poncho liner. Might just be easier to lay on the pad though. One point about being directly on the pad is it's easier to figure out if it's in the right spot. I found it tough to feel through the fabric whether mine was aligned with me.

Too late for this trip, but I just received my uq from hammock gear. Unless it's mega cold I don't plan to go back to using my pad.

**DaleW** · 07-24-2011, 12:38

Originally Posted by Simon

I'm trying just that this weekend. I may take my cheapo lightweight hammock along as well and string it up tight under the HH and line that with the poncho liner and pad and see how that works too.

That will work, but I can't tell you what temperature range. I've been fiddling with similar options over the last couple weeks. Adding a space blanket with the extra hammock and poncho liner will add all kinds of warmth for $5 and 3oz. That is basically the sandwich used for the Hennessy SuperShelter: outer cover, insulating layer (open cell pad) and space blanket.

I tried it with a Grand Trunk Ultralight body and just strung the channel with some light cord and tied that into the Hennessy suspension. Shock cord is better, as it lets the outer cover flex as you get in and out and move around.

I ended up having a custom poncho made with channels in all four sides to use for an under cover, cloning the SusperShelter. I put shock cord in the channels with toggles for adjustments. That helps draw the sides up tight for more coverage and a better air seal.

If you can sew, or have a helper, you can make an under cover quickly, with open hems for channels. A decent nylon with DWR would be good. The hems need to end in diagonals so they don't cross each other, allowing you to put shock cords in all for sides. I used 1/8" cord for the ends, holding the weight, and 3/32" on the sides. The finished dimensions were 104"x59". If you use silnylon, and add some tie-outs, you will also have a nice one-man tarp. I've been testing and looking for condensation problems and haven't had any real problems, just a little dew on top of the space blanket. I did rig it so it is very close to the hammock bottom, but not tight against it. YMMV.

A space blanket really helps. I've been experimenting with space blanket and polyester fill sandwiches to use with the under cover. I'm going to try one of Molly Mack Gear's IX pads next week.

I made an insulating blanket with an AMK double HeatSheet space blanket, double stick tape, and a small bag of quilting polyester fill (you could duct tape the edges instead). That gives about 1/2" loft and weighs 10oz. IMHO, it will be warmer than a poncho liner and cost $14 to make. It is fragile and just needs a little care when packing. I rolled it up and just put a rubber band around it, for a package just a bit bigger than a Nalgene bottle. A folded double HeatSheet is 48"x60", which is a great size for a 2/3 under quilt. It is possible to tie shock cords on the corners of a space blanket/polyfill sandwich and hang it just like a regular under quilt. I would reinforce the corners with some duct tape.

You can take an AMK Thermo Bivy, add a layer or two of polyester fill, and use it unaltered for an insulating blanket inside an under cover. That does work and it is quite warm and costs about $50. The bivy is about 8 ounces and the total weight just depends on the fill you use. It is more durable than a space blanket and different dimensions -- 36"x84" for the un-stuffed bivy. I think it would be a little narrow to use tied on the outside as I mentioned with the space blanket sandwich, but still better than any 20" wide pad. You don't need to fill the whole 84" length, which will keep the weight down. It takes 15 minutes to make, with no sewing and no damage to the bivy, so it can be kept for emergencies. Note the cost is about the same as a Molly Mac Gear IX pad and it is heavier. It worked for me as I had the parts on hand anyway. It is bulky if you use multiple layers of fill.

**bmwrider** · 07-25-2011, 14:19

Thanks Dale for the detailed info, its great that people here offer so much help, a post like that is very helpful and shows how many good people there are here.

**DemostiX** · 07-25-2011, 14:42

In my trials with pads, I concluded that they would never work as long as I thought of sleeping on the hammock and not in the hammock. Major convective heat loss comes from the sides of the hammock as I shift around.

Therefore, there was more benefit from the certainty of having my torso protected from 40-48 inches of thinner pad coming up both sides of the hammock than from a thicker, narrower pad running a greater length of the depth of the valley. More basic comfort, too.