Need help with a bottom insulation plan!

**golfpro1286** · 06-04-2012, 13:12

New hanger here... Only spent a few nights in the air from so far and have loved every minute of it! My concern is when I get to winter time... I have a 0degF rated bag but no other insulation as of right now. I keep hearing underquilts are the only way to go but I need something light that packs pretty small. I also like the idea of a pad as backup in case I have to go to the ground for some reason. So I guess in my mind I would like both but they need to fit in my pack. Any suggestions? And sorry my thoughts are so jumbled and probably make no sense.

**Pipsissewa** · 06-04-2012, 14:09

Sell the bag, buy a 0 degree underquilt and a 0 degree top quilt. If you really want to take a pad, get a 20 degree underquilt. That, plus a pad will get you pretty low temperature-wise.

P.S. Your avatar scares me.

**golfpro1286** · 06-04-2012, 14:36

Originally Posted by Pipsissewa

Sell the bag, buy a 0 degree underquilt and a 0 degree top quilt. If you really want to take a pad, get a 20 degree underquilt. That, plus a pad will get you pretty low temperature-wise.

P.S. Your avatar scares me.

I love my bag so probably going to keep it, it is super warm and very compact. I have yet to hammock camp with it in the winter though, I was always on the ground so didnt have to worry about bottom insulation. I like the idea of an underquilt just need one that is pretty light and compresses to a pretty small size....

**Bannerstone** · 06-04-2012, 19:26

Originally Posted by golfpro1286

I love my bag so probably going to keep it, it is super warm and very compact. I have yet to hammock camp with it in the winter though, I was always on the ground so didnt have to worry about bottom insulation. I like the idea of an underquilt just need one that is pretty light and compresses to a pretty small size....

+1 on Pipsissewa's recommendation.

The pic is a HG 0* Incubator and a 0* Burrow at 28.5oz and 27oz respectively. You can do the math and estimate the pack size compared with your bag.

It's hard to appreciate/trust how well the two work together till you actually use them in the temps they're designed for.

David

**Peter_pan** · 06-04-2012, 20:17

If you want to save bulk... make a decision... UQ or Pad...not both.

Summer UQ easily pack to 7x7x5 or less... Three season 7x7x8... Zero degree winter UQ 8x8x9.

Pan

**Otter1** · 06-04-2012, 21:27

A good down UQ packs smaller than a pad of equal warmth. I'm sure there's an exception but.........

Go w/the UQ! more comfy too.

**tmckay2** · 06-07-2012, 18:09

what kind of bag and hammock do you have? it really depends on those. i have a marmot helium which is very warm, about a pound and a half and packs quite small. as such i don't see myself getting rid of it. however, an under and over quilt could be better in terms of money and space depending on the bag you have. also, if the bottom allows an additional bottom where you could slip a thermal pad or something, that may be cheaper and less bulky than an underquilt, but it really depends on the hammock. sadly, as most have found, the best is to try one way and see how it works, if it doesn't go the other route.

**tmckay2** · 06-07-2012, 18:10

oh the big advantage to an underquilt is in a bind you can use it in other ways

**MAD777** · 06-07-2012, 20:06

I use a partial underquilt that reaches from my mid-thigh to my neck. Then I use a CCF pad to cover from my feet to my thigh. This system provides a pad to sit on or, in an emergency, to go to ground. The partial underquilt takes up almost no space.

**TZBrown** · 06-08-2012, 07:18

You could mod your sleeping bag into a "POD" system, to get you started.

check out Shug's videos
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=27487