View Full Version : HH and space blanket
I have a HH Hyperlite with Undercover and OCF Underpad. I place my pack and compactor-bag liner between Undercover and OCF pad. I have a 25 deg. sleeping bag inside, but I'm still cold on the bottom, esp. when the wind blows. I'm ready to add an emergency space blanket (ESB). Questions:
1) Do I place the ESB between the OCF and hammock bottom -- or between the OCF and Undercover?
2) Or, do I put the ESB UNDER the Undercover and just use it as a wind break?
3) In any of these options, does the shiny side face up -- or down? I heard down prevents condensation.
Note: I do not want to increase my weight by adding a quilt or interior pad to my configuration. Thanks.
Cannibal
07-11-2007, 15:32
I carry one for emergencies, but as I understand them they need to be as close to your body as possible (ie directly under you) to have any real effect. Shiny side goes towards body. I don't see why you couldn't use it as a windbreak, but you'll have to deal with the "crinkly" noise everytime the wind blows.
Yeah, condensation is gonna be an issue.
Cannibal
07-11-2007, 15:33
Come on over to http://www.hammockforums.net. Ask the same question and you'll have a flood of responses.
What I can tell you is that Tom Hennessy recommends that the ESB goes above the OCF... and that any other clothing you might have goes under the OCF. That's what i've always done, but i haven't compulsively studied alternatives... I get a small amount of condensation on the space blanket, but it doesn't seem to be absorbed by the hammock beyond a small wet spot here and there... I shake it out in the morning, and pack up -- no problems. occasionally i get a little moisture in the OCF, and if it freezes during the day, it can make the OCF stick to itself. I think i'm going to abandon the snakeskins, leave the OCF and ESB in place, and fold the hammock from now on, and keep the rain fly separate. I do wear a stephenson vapor barrier shirt when colder... don't know if that reduces the condensation issue. hey, the hammock forum Cannibal mentions has threads on similar questions... good luck to you!!!
Come on over to http://www.hammockforums.net. Ask the same question and you'll have a flood of responses.
Thanks for the tip. I just posted over there.
I carry one for emergencies, but as I understand them they need to be as close to your body as possible (ie directly under you) to have any real effect. Shiny side goes towards body. I don't see why you couldn't use it as a windbreak, but you'll have to deal with the "crinkly" noise everytime the wind blows.
Yeah, condensation is gonna be an issue.
Good News: My new ESB is made of some kind of plastic. It doesn't make the crinkling noise and seems a little more durable.
If I leave room between the Undercover bottom and the ESB and don't cover the head or foot tightly, do you think I'll still have condensation?
What I can tell you is that Tom Hennessy recommends that the ESB goes above the OCF... and that any other clothing you might have goes under the OCF. That's what i've always done, but i haven't compulsively studied alternatives... I get a small amount of condensation on the space blanket, but it doesn't seem to be absorbed by the hammock beyond a small wet spot here and there... I shake it out in the morning, and pack up -- no problems. occasionally i get a little moisture in the OCF, and if it freezes during the day, it can make the OCF stick to itself. I think i'm going to abandon the snakeskins, leave the OCF and ESB in place, and fold the hammock from now on, and keep the rain fly separate. I do wear a stephenson vapor barrier shirt when colder... don't know if that reduces the condensation issue. hey, the hammock forum Cannibal mentions has threads on similar questions... good luck to you!!!
Freezes during the day?? Brrrrr. It must be really cold at night too where you hike. Do you pull down the sides of your fly really tight? I'm not sure how low to deploy the fly or if it matters. Does that help keep you warm?
When you sleep on the diagonal, are your feet and left shoulder off the OCF? Is there some way to align the OCF so it matches the recommended diagonal-way to sleep in the hammock?
Have you tried Python skins? I found a free pattern online. It holds my hammock, Undercover, Underpad, and fly in one long, fat "snake" that I coil it into my GoLite Breeze.
I'll try the hammock-ESB-Underpad-sandwich tomorrow night. Thanx for your help.
BillyBob58
07-13-2007, 01:56
I think that space blanket on top of the OCF pad is probably the 1st thing you should go to if the pad is not enough. Maybe also some very light clothing ( extra socks, neck gators, etc) on top of the pad. When you ad anything heavier than the SB, make sure the weight is not pulling the pad or undercover away from the normal position relative to the hammock. Which will defeat the purpose of anything you add. Especially if your tarp is atached to trees, you can adjust your under pad/cover suspensions as much as needed to pull the added insulation to just touch your back when laying down. This adjustment will probably be needed if you add heavier items like insulated jackets to the undercover beneath the pad.
Look up "garlington insulator", these work wonderfully in the undercover, lots of extra loft without enough extra weight to pull the undercover away from the hammock.
Lastly, TeeDee has had great success with Gossamer Gear pads which fit nicely on top of the OCF HH pad and conforms nicely to your back.
Keep experimenting, good luck.
I think that space blanket on top of the OCF pad is probably the 1st thing you should go to if the pad is not enough. Maybe also some very light clothing ( extra socks, neck gators, etc) on top of the pad. When you ad anything heavier than the SB, make sure the weight is not pulling the pad or undercover away from the normal position relative to the hammock. Which will defeat the purpose of anything you add. Especially if your tarp is atached to trees, you can adjust your under pad/cover suspensions as much as needed to pull the added insulation to just touch your back when laying down. This adjustment will probably be needed if you add heavier items like insulated jackets to the undercover beneath the pad.
Look up "garlington insulator", these work wonderfully in the undercover, lots of extra loft without enough extra weight to pull the undercover away from the hammock.
Lastly, TeeDee has had great success with Gossamer Gear pads which fit nicely on top of the OCF HH pad and conforms nicely to your back.
Keep experimenting, good luck.
BillyBob58 -- Thanks for the info. Last night I tried the ESB UNDER the OCF and couldn't tell any difference from it being ABOVE the ESB. Clothing etc. that I put in the Undercover eventually migrated to the lowest point and left my shoulders cold and damp. Until your note I didn't know how much to tension the UnderCover/Pad. I'll take another look at mine. I'll also look into Garlington and Gossamer. Thanx.