Underquilt, help!

[Chris.Biomed]

Hi everyone,

I received my HH UL a week ago and immediately got out into the nearest forest to try it out. What a hassel it was to set it up for the first time! But it doesn't discourage me to keep on using it, understand that I need some more practise. But what was annoying was my cold back and knees, the ccf pad that I was using kept slipping away during the night and even when I laid on it I felt uncomfortable... :(

Now to remedy this problem I've read on Just Jeffs homepage about underquilts, seems like the answer to my problems! But which one should I choose? I'm not going to attempt sewing one so the alternativ seems that I choose either one of the three following: KAQ, The Nest (JRB) or the SuperShelter (HH). Is their anyone that has any experience with these systems? What would you guys suggest?

[Seeker]

welcome to the hanging world!

I used to use a ccf pad, but like you, got tired of wrestling with it. also, as humid as it is here, i tended to stick to it a night.

i now use a JRB Underquilt and love it. it's down-filled, light, but was expensive. if cost in an issue, a KAQ synthetic might be a better option.

keep asking for help, and you'll work through the 'learning curve' and enjoy your hammock to its fullest.

[wallace]

After my first week using a pad, I too went to an UQ. I was originally going to buy a KAQ from the bishop himself based on the cost vs. the No Snivler. I had a logistical problem and wound up getting the Jack's no snivler. Glad I did. It is worth the dif.

[Slosteppin]

I have a Hennessey Hammock. I got the Supershelter 2 years ago. I used it about 6 nights and went back to a tent. It just was not warm enough for me when the temperature got below 45 F.
I finally ordered a JRB quilt. It came the same day I was out bushwhacking in the rain and twisted my ankle. Once I get fully healed I will try the hammock again with the JRB when It gets cooler again.

Slosteppin

[River Runner]

The JRB Under Quilt is much warmer than the Super Shelter. And less trouble to install. One nice thing too is that it does not seem to leak down at all. Nary a stray feather on mine so far.

[Lost My Mind]

I have a Speer Snug Fit (down filled) and a Potomac Kick Ass Quilt (synthetic) and love both of them. If there is any way you can get to a get together you will probably have the opportunity to check out the different options first hand.

I had problems with the Super Shelter - too much trouble setting it up. Just my opinion, lots of people have them and love them.

[Fat Man Walking]

is when are you planning to hike and do you get hot in a down sleeping bag?

I am a notorious hot sleeper and at this point in my life, winter time hiking is not an option. So, I am forced to hike in the heat of summer and some of the heavier options for underquilts simply will not work for me.

I purchased the Shenandoah UQ from JRB and this is a much lighter weight UQ. It provides just enough insulation to keep me comfortable when I know that the night time temperatures are not going much below 55 F. If much over 70 F, I leave it off as this is almost perfect for me.

When I get to a point to where I can do cooler weather hiking, I know that I will need a heavier UQ and will get one at that time. More than likely, I will get something from JRB as I am sold on their products. But that's just me

Your mileage may vary.

[Chris.Biomed]

Thanks everybody for your help.

First of all I have to point out that I live in Sweden at the same latitude as Anchorage Alaska :D. So even though it's summer here and the temperature is helped by the Gulf stream to around 85 degrees Fahrenheit, it drops to about 50 or less during the night. So to be comfortable I think that I need something that'll take me down to around 30-20 degrees (I simply need a 3 season system).

Just an aesthetic question, does the JRB Nest only come in the emerald green color? It doesn't seem to blend that well with the forest.

[Ramble~On]

The JRB UQ's are green on one side and black on the other.
I had the same issue with using a pad inside the hammock-PITA
I got a JRB No Sniv... in super cold the UQ with a flannel pad extender and down bag as over quilt works great...set up under a tarp and I'm toasty.

[take-a-knee]

Thanks everybody for your help.

First of all I have to point out that I live in Sweden at the same latitude as Anchorage Alaska :D. So even though it's summer here and the temperature is helped by the Gulf stream to around 85 degrees Fahrenheit, it drops to about 50 or less during the night. So to be comfortable I think that I need something that'll take me down to around 30-20 degrees (I simply need a 3 season system).

Just an aesthetic question, does the JRB Nest only come in the emerald green color? It doesn't seem to blend that well with the forest.

I love my JRB Nest but I hate that damned lime green color.

[BillyBob58]

I have and use pads, SuperShelter and a Speer PeaPod. All have their pros and cons, and all can work more than adequately ( for me, at least! ).

There is a learning curve involved with all of them, some more than others.

I started out with a HH SS. As some have said, it was indeed a PITA. But as I grew more experienced with it, it seemed that it could not be much simpler. And it worked fine for me at least to the 30s using the basic system of the space blanket, pad and UQ, and a synthetic ( 20*F) sleeping bag on top. By adding things like the HH kidney/torso pads and/or Garlington Insulators or extra clothing, I have taken it to the high teens OK. I also like that it definitely gives me some extra wind and rain protection. The key to using it is to make sure there are no gaps under you, but that is not really hard to do after you have played around with it a while. At least not for me. It is one of those things that the more you use it, the better it seems to work and the more intuitive it all seems.

I have also used a full length Ridgerest with a 3/4 length Thermarest ultralight inflatable, all in a Speer SPE, at 22*F. I was at least adequately comfy, and had no back sweat issues such as many folks do. I was TOASTY warm. Though I have not tried it yet in winter, lately I have been using a Claytor hammock with a double bottom. This makes use of the pad ultra simple and quite comfortable. This ( pads ) is also the lightest, cheapest and most bombproof approach, plus you are all set if you have to go to ground or a shelter. And I will have to seriously debate going with pads only on my next long hike where every ounce counts.

Lastly, I have used the Speer PeaPod ( for top loading hammocks ONLY). It is my favorite approach in many ways, but not all. If it is going to be REALLY cold, it is the most simple and comfortable and least bulky way for me to approach things. If I have a narrow hammock ( Claytor ) it is probably good to about 20*F top and bottom all by itself plus the normal cold weather sleep gear like longjohns and/or a little warm clothing. If used with a wider hammock like the Speer ( which causes the top part to lift above your body a few inches, it is good to 20*F on the bottom and maybe 40*F ( for me, others say more like 50) on top. Though with some very light Polarguard clothing I have done mid 20s no problem even with the wider Speer, with out an additional top bag. It is really easy to add clothing, pads or space blanket to the bottom in order to go way below 20. There is a lot to like here. It's drawbacks are it is very expensive compared to the SS or especially pads, and keeping it dry is more of a worry than the other approaches. And if there is any possibility you will have to sleep on the ground, you still have to carry some sort of pad( same with SS or UQs). And, if it is not going to be all that cold, I can probably get things done with less total weight with a thin pad or maybe the SS ( or one of the thinner UQs) and a lighter top quilt. Although, the PeaPod is very usable in warmer weather ( I have used it in the high 60s with comfort) but really more weight than you need for those temps.

There are a lot of ways to skin this cat. Good luck finding the one that is right for you. Also, the learning curve can be fun, especially if most of it is safely learned near home where bailing out is easy.

[Deerleg]

Thanks everybody for your help.

First of all I have to point out that I live in Sweden at the same latitude as Anchorage Alaska :D. So even though it's summer here and the temperature is helped by the Gulf stream to around 85 degrees Fahrenheit, it drops to about 50 or less during the night. So to be comfortable I think that I need something that'll take me down to around 30-20 degrees (I simply need a 3 season system). ..



I started with the "nest" as an underquilt and a 20* down bag and was cold when the temps got below freezing. I switched to the old rag mnt. as an underquilt and use the nest as an overquilt and would say it is a warmer combination that works OK for me in the 20's...I'v also used it in warmer weather (high 50's at night and wasn't too hot. If I were to do it all over I probably would have started with the Old Rag Mnt. and just kept using my bag, but I do love the lightweight combination of the 2 quilts on my 3 season hikes. If I lived in your part of the world I thing I would opt for the extra warmth.