Quote Originally Posted by dirtwheels View Post
I was not displeased with the SS performance, that said I am displeased with the SS volume, particularly the volume of the pad. Have you tried other pads? I purchased an 1/8" EVA foam to make an alternative pad from SS pad, thinking the volume would be less. And the the EVA foam may possibly be warmer per thickness (guessing).

Have you tried the UC & SP combo without the pad with a sleeping bag? I think that may be my next experiment. I am unlikely to get out often in the 30* range, and am looking at a lightweight small volume option. Guess I need quilts.
Do you mean sleeping in the sleeping bag inside the hammock, with just a space blanket down in the UC? The trouble with that would be, as I'm sure you know already, your body weight compressing the insulation, especially down, so that you would be way warmer on top than on bottom. You would get some warmth from a compressed synthetic bag, a good bit less from down, plus whatever the UC and space blanket would give.

I have put a sleeping bag or quilt down in the UC, under a space blanket, and it has been very warm. The only problem is a tendency for the elastic UC to compress the insulation in some spots.

I have used the WM blue CCf pads and the Thermarest Ridgerest, but they don't curve around your body or work nearly as well in the HHSS UC as does the HH ocf pad. They work better sleeping right on top of them, and then they are pretty warm. But I don't think they are any warmer than the HH UC and pad/ space blanket, not as comfy and take up a whole lot more volume than the HH system.

Have you tried a compression dry or stuff sack with your HH pad? Once just for fun I got my HH pad and the UC back into the sack they came in:


Now getting it back in there would be way too much hassle for me on the trail, I just squeeze it all down into a dry sack or my pack and compress it way down that way. And I don't try to roll it up tight or compress it with my hands, too easy to polk a hole in it. I put it loosely in a sack 1st, with or without my down clothing, and then compress the sack. Just like I do with a Pea Pod or UQ. ABut it does show how much it can be shrunk down. Way more than any CCF pad I have. In fact, I'm no sure an equally warm and wind proof ( i.e. with an UQ protector ) down UQ would pack down a whole lot smaller.