Where do I Start?

[lebugman]

It works pretty well, but your shoulders will probably stick out enough to be cold. That was the general idea behind the SPE concept. Basically adding wings of padding to cover your shoulders. You could try using the BA sleeve for your pad and then adding a small, light Gossamer gear pad cross-ways under your upper body. That should work well until you decide whether to take the underquilt plunge. I eventually moved to an underquilt and like it much better, but I still use my BA bag as my sleeping bag in the hammock.

Excellent advice; thank you! I'll have to try using an extra pad for my shoulders when I use the Big Agnes pad insert. I have some reflective bubble wrap I bought for making pot cozies that I can use for the extra.

I'll probably get an underquilt once I graduate and get some extra cash, but for now I'll try co-oping the gear I already have.

[sunny]

I too have a Big Agnes and 3/4 length 2.5 REI pad. I fold some of my spare clothes, place in a spare bag, and use it for my feet. So far so good. For really cold weather I'll just by a cheap closed cell foam pad for now and double the pads under me.

Sunny (OKC)