DIY Underquilt (UQ) - Newbee with (specific) questions

[Waldi]

Hi all,

although kinda new in the world o' hammocks I am already planing to make myselfe an UQ. The basic plan is this turorial for a DIY IX-Underquilt altered to my specifications.

I am planning a 3-season UQ, for the whole, diagonally-lying me, main use: backyard and sailing-yacht, so weight and bulkyness are not my first concern. The outside of the UQ will be silnylon, the inner liner will be fleece. The UQ should be pretty cosy up to (or rather down to) 40°F/5°C.

First problem: no IX here in Germany.

Because I don't want to spoil fine material at the first try, I am thinking about taking an old synthetik quilt, I put back for guests some time ago, as insulation. It is about an inch thick and about 72x50" wide. The dimensions are ok but I am wondering about two things:

The liner of the old quilt seems to be cotton. Do you think, the cotton will become damp (and than cold)? Yesterday I sewed in some darts and hanged it under my hammock, attached with paracord, just to test it. When it became clammy in the evening, the outside of the old quilt felt pretty cool... . I am wondering, if this could become a mayor problem, especially at sea.

I am thinking about climashield as an alternative (what would double the costs). Does anyone know climashield good enough, to give me advise? I can get it 1" or 3/4" thick. How many layers do I need? One 1" thick, two 3/4", two 1"? I like sleeping IN the cold, but with a nice, warm quilt or sleeping bag.

As seen above, I will alter the Dimensions of the UQ as well. At the middle it should be around 50x70" (130x180cm). I am planning to sew darts (12"/30cm long) at both ends, that will reduce the 50" to about 35"/90cm. Is that enough or should I go for about 30"/80cm?

Thats it for a start, any comments, for pitfalls of the tutorial, also, etc. very, very welcome!

Kind Regards

Waldi

[VictoriaGuy]

Waldi-
Welcome to the DIY area of HammockForum!

First, as an ex-sailor, I'm impressed that you have a large enough yacht to swing a hammock ...or do you have what we call a 'pipe berth' - a fixed berth with a canvas bottom?

I would not make any of the layers of your UQ with waterproof material (silnylon) as it will not allow moisture to escape from the insulation.

For the sea berth/hammock, (where weight and bulk don't matter?) I'd probably use open-cell foam - you can use the cushioning when the boat is slamming into waves at sea.

Be sure to tell us how the project goes....with pictures, please!

[Big Wheel]

As a direct replacement for IX I was using some 1/32" ldpe packing foam I found on ebay. 48" wide roll perferated every 12" .
with great success. It is easy to tear but after sewing inside a project or facing with ripstop it is very durrable and way cheaper and easier to find than IX.
my 3 layer UQ works great And weighs 12.7oz with stuff sack.
good luck with your project

[Wolle]

....I am thinking about climashield as an alternative (what would double the costs). Does anyone know climashield good enough, to give me advise? I can get it 1" or 3/4" thick. How many layers do I need? One 1" thick, two 3/4", two 1"? I like sleeping IN the cold, but with a nice, warm quilt or sleeping bag....

Hallo Waldi, Gruß aus Dorsten

To Climashield APEX / / I have somewhere listed times:

2.5oz Climashield APEX good to approximately 45°F / 7,2°C
5oz Climashield APEX good to approximately 25°F / -3,9C
7.5oz Climashield APEX good to approximately 15°F / -9,4C

Underquilt: body length +20 cm, width about 1.20 m (my immodest recommendation / experience)

[Waldi]

Thanx a lot for your comments!

@Victoria Guy: that would be pretty cool, but no, some friends and I hired a 32' yacht some weeks ago and definitiveley will do that again (whole story here).
Outer liner: I see the problem. What would you prefer as outer fabric instead of silnylon? Unseald ripstopnylon? The fabric should block the wind and be repellent, at least.

The insulation will be Climashiel Apex. With two layers of the 3/4"/3oz/sqyd-material I should have a nice 3-season UQ at least.

[Wolle]

http://dutchwaregear.com/argon-67.html
oder
http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/R...087a8eee6ac229
oder
http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/R...-qm::1680.html
oder
http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/N...-qm::1518.html

[Waldi]

Wow, Wolle, youre pretty fast!

Thank's a lot for the links. As It does'nt has to be ultra-ultra-light and is beginning to stress my budget, I will stick to the nylon tafetta, particularly beceause the german comments at that shop suggest, that it is pretty repellant as well.

Well, let's see, if I can start sewing next weekend!

One detail isn't completely clear to me, yet: the UQ will be 130cm/50" wide in the middle. That seems to be a good dimension after testing with the old quilt(see above). But how wide should it be at the (tapered) ends? I tested 90cm/35" but that seemed to be too much slag (I am not shure, if the shockcord will tug the ends together, enough). But I am unshure, beceause it is pretty hard to have a look at that detail, while lying in the hammock...;-))

Any suggestions?