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  1. #1
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    Redneck UQ Options?

    Hello all. I just ordered my first hammock a couple days ago, and it's supposed to get here tomorrow. I rigged up a tiny hammock from stuff I had on hand on a recent camping trip, and my youngest son (6) loved it. He has autism, and he was becoming restless and hard to manage in the campground. The makeshift hammock calmed him right down. Then when we got back from our trip, the Grand Trunk Ultralight was so inexpensive, I couldn't resist. Here's the thing though, when it gets here, I'm going to be anxious to try it out right away, and the nights here have suddenly dipped into the high 50s, and I sleep cold. Plus, I'm on a very tight budget. So, I was hoping to get ideas on what would make a half decent redneck underquilt. Maybe encase the entire hammock, in a sleeping bag? I have two of those cheap rectangular bags that zip together, so they'd probably be big enough, but I'm not sure it'd be warm enough. I think they were 40f bags, but I was never comfortable in them below about 60 without extra clothes. What about one of those foam mattress toppers, has anyone tried that? It seems like those might be pretty warm. Also, I've heard of people using reflectix or car windshield shades in the hammock, but has anyone tried using it under the hammock?

  2. #2
    Senior Member bkrgi's Avatar
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    Experimentation is your friend...bottom line.
    Since your budget is tight use the knowledge of the forum to formulate a plan of attack and experiment thoroughly.
    Getting a sleeping bag to conform to the hammock for a snug fit will be your biggest challenge and with a pad should redneck it for now.
    Meantime save your cash seriously for a treated down 20* UQ from any of the vendors...worth every penny.

    https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...-an-underquilt
    Last edited by bkrgi; 09-24-2014 at 17:51.
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  3. #3
    Senior Member humer91's Avatar
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    you can always male a DIY underquilt with a military poncho liner, they can easily be had for $20 or so
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  4. #4
    Senior Member Yojimbo's Avatar
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    Even though I have multiple down UQs, 2 poncho liner UQs my son still prefers to use the sleeping bag method. Run the hammock through the sleeping bag and use a light weight fleece bag inside the hammock. He has done this for over two years. So if you already have the sleeping bags you're set. Maybe down the road you can switch to a fancier albeit more costly setup. But you don't have to.
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  5. #5
    Senior Member Steve D's Avatar
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    I'll second the poncho liner UQ. If you have some DIY skills a couple of inexpensive sleeping bags can be turned into a nice underquilt and top quilt or a single bag can be made into a peapod. A bit of research here should give you some good how-to ideas. Another possibility...a closed-cell foam sleeping pad from WallyWorld works well for many folks. The bedtime aerobics to get on it can be a bit of a pain but can usually be mitigated somewhat. Many folks report that they can work well into the 30s. I think WallyWorld carries 2 versions...one that's stiffer that's around $10-$15 and one that's a little less stiff and a bit wider for around $20-$25.

  6. #6
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    I use two 6ft by 29in pieces of Reflectix taped together on all 4 edges down to around 45*F instead of an UQ. I tried using just a 30*F sleeping bag but it was too cold without that insulation underneath me. Those 2 pieces probably cost me around $10. BTW, that was just enough at 45*F.

    Another alternative is to shop online and find a used inflatable sleeping pad. Sometimes you can find these in thrift stores but only with a great deal of luck. UQs are nice, I have several, but you can get by with a sleeping pad. You'll want to partially inflate them for use in a hammock.

    I highly recommend that you try out your equip by camping in your backyard first to make sure it works for you.

    HTH
    “I held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dropped it carelessly, Ah! I didn't know, I held opportunity.” -Hazel Lee

  7. #7
    Senior Member Bic's Avatar
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    Message hillbilly deluxe on here. He had a really successful "redneck" way of rigging up an existing sleeping bag as an UQ that I've not seen anyone else do.
    The camper formerly known as HikingDad...

  8. #8
    Senior Member oldpappy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yojimbo View Post
    Even though I have multiple down UQs, 2 poncho liner UQs my son still prefers to use the sleeping bag method. Run the hammock through the sleeping bag and use a light weight fleece bag inside the hammock. He has done this for over two years. So if you already have the sleeping bags you're set. Maybe down the road you can switch to a fancier albeit more costly setup. But you don't have to.
    I find a sleeping bag hammock pod with a blanket inside very warm and comfortable - a little snug, but very comfortable if you can lay still/straight most of the night.
    Here's Shug using his sleeping bag pod in extreme (for me) temps. Note how he just added some cordage to to the ends of the bag to keep it in place.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTe6-kxY5rI
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  9. #9
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    I found a link to Hillbilly Deluxe's setup on the adjustable sleeping bag under quilt. Might have to try it this weekend.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l2vyOPqiuo

  10. #10
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    There're some good ideas on here. I really like the idea of a "peapod", either just slapping a sleeping bag on there, or done right as a DIY project. Logically, it seems like it would be less weight than a separate UQ and TQ and warmer because it's sealed all the way around. But, if you're using a peapod and the weather's too cold to go without it, but too warm to kill the mosquitoes, how do you seal netting around the edges to keep those little vampires from getting in? Would you have enough no-see-um to loop all the way around underneath and seal at the bottom? I've got some no-see-um left over from a previous project. I was thinking about, if it's enough, sewing it directly to the hammock with a zipper for entry, but then I couldn't use a peapod.

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