Attach UQ to hammock??

[Junebugdawn]

As I progress through my first year of hanging, I am discovering that I am at least a10 month UQ user. Yes, I know what you are thinking..."In SC???" Yep, my fellow hangers just shake their heads...except the ones who also got cold last week when the night temps were 68°-70°. Anyway, since I will most likely use my UQ almost year round, I am thinking of adding some way of attaching my UQ directly to my hammock. Currently I am using triangle thingies along with a JRB suspension kit. While this is working well to keep it snug against my hammock, the suspension compresses the ends of the hammock some not allowing me to have as much range of lay to the hammock. Both my winter and summer hammocks are 11'x90" tablecloth hammocks. My UQ is 48"x68". I am envisioning using some nylon hooks that I cannabalized off an old t**t and sewing loops on which to hook them. I am hoping that by attaching the UQ this way that it will stay in place better and also allow complete spread of the hammock. The hooks could be sewn onto the UQ and loops onto the hammock. Has anyone done this or see issues that would make this not work?

[DemostiX]

I am envisioning using some nylon hooks that I cannabalized off an old t**t and sewing loops on which to hook them. I am hoping that by attaching the UQ this way that it will stay in place better and also allow complete spread of the hammock. The hooks could be sewn onto the UQ and loops onto the hammock. Has anyone done this or see issues that would make this not work?

Buttons, hooks, loops, or halves of nylex buckles will all work. You'll want a little adjustability, such as you find on the straps of backpacks, so you should include either short cords or short straps. The straps can be ribbon or gros-grain.

Per the former R&D director at Leighlo, stay light and breakable: You are supporting 2lb / 4 = 8oz at most from each of four hooks, and you want the cord, or lightweight strap or fastener to fail BEFORE an error tears your hammock or UQ apart.

Error? Like climbing into your UQ in the dark, when you meant to climb into the hammock above it.

[DemostiX]

I am envisioning using some nylon hooks that I cannabalized off an old t**t and sewing loops on which to hook them. I am hoping that by attaching the UQ this way that it will stay in place better and also allow complete spread of the hammock. The hooks could be sewn onto the UQ and loops onto the hammock. Has anyone done this or see issues that would make this not work?

Buttons, hooks, loops, light nylex mitten hooks, or halves of the lightest nylex buckles will all work. You'll want a little adjustability, such as you find on the straps of backpacks, so you should include either short cords or short straps sewn onto hems of the UQ and the hammock. Allows for for-aft variation in preference and different UQ lengths. The straps can be ribbon or gros-grain.

Per hangnoout, the former R&D director at Leighlo, stay light and breakable: You are supporting 2lb / 4 = 8oz at most from each of four hooks, and you want the cord, or lightweight strap or fastener to fail BEFORE a mistake or error tears your hammock or UQ apart.

Mistake? Error? Like climbing into your UQ in the dark, when you meant to climb into the hammock above it.

[WV]

I have a new insulated hammock that uses a shaped layer of insulation (Climashield Green single layer and an outer covering of 1.1 ripstop) that matches the curve of the hammock with someone in it. It's quilted to the hammock body more or less every 15" with 3/4" loops of thread. This supports the quilt and lets it flex with the hammock bed, without needing bungees to the ridgeline or suspension (which I feel diminish the comfort of the hammock). This is my summer hammock, and I find it comfortable above 60° F. (I sleep colder than most, I think.) Each of the quilting loops ends in a small button on the bottom surface. I attached small loops of 1/16 bungee to the upper surface of an old synthetic UQ (one which I had never been able to rig comfortably), and now it fastens to the buttons on the hammock bottom, fitting nicely and flexing well without compressing the first layer of insulation built into the hammock. So far, so good. I expect good things from this design. There are some new things about the adjustable hammock suspension, too.

[Junebugdawn]

Thanks for the info, so far.
WV, could you possibly post some pics of how it's attached?

[wiscoman]

As I progress through my first year of hanging, I am discovering that I am at least a10 month UQ user. Yes, I know what you are thinking..."In SC???" Yep, my fellow hangers just shake their heads...except the ones who also got cold last week when the night temps were 68°-70°. Anyway, since I will most likely use my UQ almost year round, I am thinking of adding some way of attaching my UQ directly to my hammock. Currently I am using triangle thingies along with a JRB suspension kit. While this is working well to keep it snug against my hammock, the suspension compresses the ends of the hammock some not allowing me to have as much range of lay to the hammock. Both my winter and summer hammocks are 11'x90" tablecloth hammocks. My UQ is 48"x68". I am envisioning using some nylon hooks that I cannabalized off an old t**t and sewing loops on which to hook them. I am hoping that by attaching the UQ this way that it will stay in place better and also allow complete spread of the hammock. The hooks could be sewn onto the UQ and loops onto the hammock. Has anyone done this or see issues that would make this not work?

My cousin and I just sewed button holes into the side channels of the UQ(3 equally spaced). We then put mitten hooks on the shock cord at each button hole. The UQ is still suspended on the ends but the 3 mitten hooks on each side can be clipped on the edges of the hammock and really help to hold it up tight when you lay at an angle. I hope this helps

[NMardin]

Sgt Rock has a video on one of his threads (sorry I'm not certain which one right meow) which shows how he modded his UQ suspension and used Dutch hooks and I believe some small loops of grosgrain on the sides near the head. I saw that same setup not long ago at Sunrift Adventures in TR when fireinmybones was gracious enough to give a fantastic demo on UL backpacking. It's pretty cool.

[FireInMyBones]

Dawn, I thought I showed you how I attached my UQ at the Smoked Butt Hang... NMardin has it about right. I have been using small grosgrain loops to hook my UQ on to by having Dutch quilt hooks attached to the UQ directly. The quilt then hooks to the hammock at the pre-designated spots.

[Junebugdawn]

I don't rememeber you showing me. I knew some people use the Dutch hooks to keep the sides in place, but I thought they still had end suspensions running over the ridgelines. Do you have hooks on the ends, too?

I don't think I was allowed that close to your setup. ;-)

[FireInMyBones]

I have a normal suspension on the foot end but I have dutch hooks on the head end. I do not have anything attached to the middle.