pad for hammock?

[landcruzr]

Could you all help me figure out the best pad to use inthe hammock, and how-if at all- the pad has been altered, or shaped? Pics would be wonderful
Thanks
LAndcruzr

[MedicineMan]

but they have been used and successfully by some...the smaller your body the greater the chances the pad will work---specifically thermarest type pads.
the better option is underquilts like those by Jacks-r-Better and KickAssQuilts, up to you to determine whether you like down or synthetic better...down is lighter and packs smaller.
but know this, many of us who use underquilts also use pads...just usually smaller, much smaller....i'll often carry a torso length pad that is 1/4 inch thick closed cell foam---for me if i carry the pad is determined by which backpack i carry....the small pad has many other uses and really should always be there.
Sgt Rock has HikingHQ (website) and i think he goes over pad useage there.
Also many have found success with an SPE which is a pad extender, see the Speer hammocking website for details. I've bought and used the SPE just for curiosity.....it came about because most people (remember the comment about body size above) are too wide for most pads to keep their shoulders warm in a hammock----the hammock will wrap at your shoulders and compress insulation that is there...insulation that is compressed is not insulation anymore....the SPE addresses this by allow you to carry small pieces of foam that insert into sleeves in the shoulder and hip area where the insulation compression is most noticeable...you insert your normal sleeping pad (closed cell foam or thermarest) into a big sleeve between the shoulder and hip inserts...so if you've already got a thermarest you just by the SPE and some foam inserts.
I've tried the Exped downmat (the very large one) and was dissapointed because even it is not wide enough for my shoulders and the time it takes to heat up is very long---the heat up time for closed cell foam and underquilts (if properly deployed) is instantaneous.
Try any and all methods, i know i have, and in the end I carry an underquilt and a top quilt.

[Just Jeff]

Pretty much agree with MedicineMan on everything there. I like the Exped Downmat for really cold times just so I still have the ability to go to ground. If I'm confident that it'll be cold but w/o really bad weather, I have several non-pad-based systems that I prefer.

But if you really want a pad because of cost or ability to go to ground, either get a really wide pad (probably over 28") like Oware (40"x60") or check out the SPE (www.speerhammocks.com (http://www.speerhammocks.com)), Risk's Wing Pad (www.imrisk.com (http://www.imrisk.com)) and Sgt Rock's Overlap Pad (www.hikinghq.net (http://www.hikinghq.net)). Everything else is basically an adaptation of those.

I'm about 5 minutes from finishing a new SPE modification that I'll probably sleep in tonight. Hope to have pics up soon.

[MedicineMan]

to get one wide enough to stop hammock-cold-wrap it will stick too far off the sides of the backpack---been there--and catch limbs/trees etc. while hiking.....that is my favorite benefit of the underquilts, that they stow inside the backpack.
HOI i think is using a downmat in his hammock? maybe he will share his experiences...Jeff is spot on that if you have to go to ground in cold weather not much can touch the downmats....but you will be surprise about how much cold on the ground you can tolerate with the 1/4 inch CCP and even a full length one of those is not heavy at all.

[jlb2012]

Well I am one that has always used a pad in the hammock and never (yet) used an underquilt. Generally I go with a wally world blue CCF pad (20x72 in.). If it looks like it may be moderately cold I'll use two of them. If it looks like it will be definately below freezing I use the Exped DAM - what they now call the Downmat-9 _plus_ a CCF pad on top. The DAM by itself works well except for one issue - while the DAM is warming up I feel rather cold - this takes approx 20-30 minutes - by putting the CCF pad on top I don't feel as cold for the warm up time. One nice thing about the Exped DAM is that when you put it in place in the hammock it _stays_ in that place - it does not slide around like some other pads as you climb in or move around in the hammock. One not so nice thing about the DAM is that it raises one up a couple inches and changes how it feels to hang in the hammock as well as putting one closer to the bug net (I use a HH).

For side insulation around my shoulders I use extra clothing (I almost always carry a set of heavy weight polypro long johns that work well for this) or my rain gear or a small piece of CCF that I use as a sit pad or my Gearskin rolled up etc. I tried the SPE but I didn't much care for it - too much of a single fixed purpose item.

[gdwelker]

I have used CCF pads, inflatables, and underquilts. The underquilt I have is synthetic and very bulky, but warm. The pads I often have issues with condensation between the pad and the sleeping bag - I'm a cold sleeper, but tend to give off (apparently!) a lot of perspiration when sleeping, which condenses between the sleeping bag and the pad. This seems to happen less with the inflatables.

The major issue I have with both pads and underquilts is that I went to hammocking to reduce pack weight. By adding winter pads/underquilts, my pack weight is right back up to where I was by carrying a solo tent, which I find warmer and less breezy in the winter.

So now, I generally hammock until the nights are in the low 40s, then switch to the solo tarp/tent options.

[River Runner]

I've used the Hennessy undercover and underpad and RidgeRest closed cell foam pads. I prefer the RidgeRest for ease of use and the ability to go to ground. A RidgeRest large works best in cooler weather because of the 25" width. I cut a foot or so off the top, and angled the top and bottom on opposing sides to better fit the hammock countours. Sorry - no pictures.

[Fiddleback]

MedicineMan ---

The wide Oware pad (60X40") fits nicely into a LLP XL cylinder with lots of space (volume) left over. Thanks to Bruce's guidance, I learned to fold the pad, not roll it. With just a little effort it fits into the cylinder opening and, once inside, the pad 'opens up' yielding lots of space for other stuff.

For me, the only downside of the Oware pad was it bulk and problem with packing. I was really happy when my LLP solved that problem.:)

FB