cheap UQ ideas?

**thecrumb** · 11-03-2008, 13:28

This weekend I took my SBPro out and went camping with my daughters (5 and 9). We had a great time - they slept in my old tent

It was chilly though - down in the mid 40's I'm guessing and I was cold!

I know there are several great UQ's on the market but I just don't have the money right now to drop a few hundred bucks on something I won't use that much. I've got a Wally World blue pad - and it works OK but I want to explore jury rigging some kind of UQ. Weight and size aren't an issue - my girls had more gear than Hillary did doing Everest!

I've got a few old el-cheapo sleeping bags - I'm wondering if I can't somehow rig one up as an UQ? Maybe using those tarp clips someone had posted about recently? Clip those to the sleeping bag and then rig up some kind of suspension system? How are UQ's usually hung? I'm thinking if I used some type of elastic cord similar to the stuff the SBPro bug net is suspended with it should 'self-adjust' a bit to my hammock...

Jim

**Ramblinrev** · 11-03-2008, 13:59

The most expensive underquilt I have is a sleeping bag mod I bought from a member here. The rest are wither bags I had or bags I bought for ground sleeping. The second most expensive is a 45 degree bag I bought at Wally World for $9.98

This is the mod I bought from someone and then used for my $9.98 bag. I bought an old bed quilt and did a KAQ project on it, followed by another KAQ mod on a sleeping bag I bought for ground sleeping years ago. I say go for it.

They ain't the warmest and they ain't the best but they ain't too awful bad. They are all "pre-quilted". Just cut hem and go. My SG mods I use on my wife's bridge and the KAQ I have on my HH.

**Take-a-knee** · 11-03-2008, 14:08

I don't know if this qualifies as cheap but I'll take $135 for my KAQ. It's all black 1.1oz, made by Patrick himself. It is his "small" version.

**thecrumb** · 11-03-2008, 15:26

What is KAQ?? Is that Kick *** Quilt? I remember seeing that before...

Take-a-knee - thanks for the offer - but right now anything over $0 is too expensive

**Ramblinrev** · 11-03-2008, 15:28

Kick *** Quilt... There is a tutorial for making them on line somewhere. They are built for the asym design of the HH They fit nicely....I like mine. The Sportsman Guide mod is mostly rectangular and would probably work better on the SB Pro.

**thecrumb** · 11-03-2008, 15:37

OK. Still digging through forums

Found this quote - which seems to answer my "how quilts work" question... and seems like something easily done to a rectangle sleeping bag...

Just make a rectangular quilt, with corner tabs and drawstrings on the ends. That would allow you to attach and adjust it in the same way that the JRB quilts are done.

So basically you tie out the corners - maybe to my suspension rings (?) and then use the cinched ends to 'tighten' or snug up the quilt around the ends of the hammock?

**canoebie** · 11-03-2008, 15:49

Originally Posted by thecrumb

OK. Still digging through forums

Found this quote - which seems to answer my "how quilts work" question... and seems like something easily done to a rectangle sleeping bag...

So basically you tie out the corners - maybe to my suspension rings (?) and then use the cinched ends to 'tighten' or snug up the quilt around the ends of the hammock?

My wife and I took some old mummy bags, removed the foot box and spread them out on a rectangular piece of breathable ripstop we got at JoAnn fabrics. We simply tacked them to the ripstop, sewed channels along the sides of the ripstop and on each end and put draw strings through independent of the sides. Pulled the sides up and hooked them to the biner near the cinch buckle on the suspension and simply drew the end draw strings tight to reduce draft and they work great. We were down in the 20's and snug as a bug in a rug.

This was a nice inexpensive alternative until I get the skills to make a down UQ. I will continue to test it as it gets colder. We have slept outside since mid-May and these UQ with pads really seem to work. Be sure to use breathable material to avoid condensation. We had a total of less than $20 plus the old bags in the deal and are very happy with it.

**thecrumb** · 11-03-2008, 15:54

Originally Posted by canoebie

We simply tacked them to the ripstop, sewed channels along the sides of the ripstop and on each end and put draw strings through independent of the sides.

Hmm - I like this idea. I could buy some ripstop and do a bit of learning on the sewing machine to get the cord channels sewn in. Then I could simply safety pin my bag to the sheet and hang it. If that works I could then modify the bag itself - or maybe just leave it and I could pin on different weight bags...

Jim

**rigidpsycho** · 11-03-2008, 15:57

oetzi on the forum made himself an UQ out of a military poncho and liner. Check out this thread http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...t=poncho+liner. I believe he was able to get down to 50 degrees.

**Mustardman** · 11-03-2008, 16:53

I'm screwing around with this very idea at the moment. I have a pair of cheap eddie bauer rectangle bags from target sitting on a self collecting dust. These things are so huge, I'm actually considering using one as a makeshift peapod instead of an underquilt.