Do I need a pad at ALL?

[Buzz_Lightfoot]

I'm a new hanger and am wondering if I need to carry a ground pad at ALL in decent weather. I realize that in cool weather that I will need under-insulation.

Trying to save a few pounds. Do y'all leave the pad at home in summer? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks, BL

[fiddlehead]

Most people carry them.
But you are correct, they are not necessary when it's not cold out.

[bigcranky]

In warm weather I carry a 3/4-length closed cell foam pad (a Ridgerest or Z-rest). It provides plenty of insulation on cool nights down to 50 or so, and it's useful when I stop on breaks, etc. If all else fails I can sleep on it on the ground.

[Fiddleback]

A ground pad for use in the hammock? Depends on the definition of 'cool' weather. IMO, somewhere around 65°-70° and below a hanger needs under insulation. Breezy conditions might make insulation necessary in even warmer temps. YMMV.

It's very dependent upon the individual and his/her sleep system. We all react to the same temps differently given whatever sleep system we're using at the time. None the less, the light, thin pads from Oware and Gossamer should cover most three-season temps in the lower-48. The 3/8" Oware pad I use (with my sleep system) keeps me comfortable well below freezing and it weighs just 7oz.

The sleep system components (bag/quilt, clothing, under insulation, etc.) work together...when you adjust one, it can/will affect the others. Backyard experiments will get you on the track to knowing what works for you.

FB

[Deadeye]

Sleep is something I won't compromise on, so I carry a pad no matter what the forecast. Besides, forecasts are very unreliable in the mountains, so you may not get the weather you're expecting. I carry a good pad, too, either a big agnes or thermarest, so if I choose to sleep on the ground, it's still a good night, not a torturefest.

[Buzz_Lightfoot]

I brought a pad for my test run of the new hammock. I never did bring it inside but it did sit on the ground UNDERneath. The ground was wet and I put my pack on the pad. It also was a good place to drop my boots and not get muddy socks.

I did feel a little cool underneath towards dawn. I can see myself bringing the pad inside on cooler nights.

Thanks for your comments everyone.

BL

[Tinker]

No pad is necessary in warm weather, but I always have one since it's the frame of my backpack. I've used it on cool summer nights.

[Wise Old Owl]

I'm a new hanger and am wondering if I need to carry a ground pad at ALL in decent weather. I realize that in cool weather that I will need under-insulation.

Trying to save a few pounds. Do y'all leave the pad at home in summer? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks, BL

I looked at your biography and the best answer is

YES!

[Nasty Dog Virus]

In warm weather I carry a 3/4-length closed cell foam pad (a Ridgerest or Z-rest). It provides plenty of insulation on cool nights down to 50 or so, and it's useful when I stop on breaks, etc. If all else fails I can sleep on it on the ground.

ditto.....

[Diamond Diggs]

i never use an undercover when the temp is over mid fifty range, i can be a moderate cold sleeper and do not usually have a problem with out one in the summers. If it is a particually cool night I sometimes get a little chilled in the early am, but not so much that i am miserable. You might try just taking something for a wind shield. You can use an emergency blanket for that, it weighs hardly anything, and if temp drops a little lower than expected you can stuff leaves or clothing in between the two layers.

[steve43]

i tend to be a three season hiker and i rarely use a pad unless i hear temperatures will be consistently in the thirties at night. i am also someone who likes it on the cool side when i sleep. i guess it depends on the individual.

fifo

[Doctari]

K, I have (constantly?) been referred to as a "Homesick Eskimo / Polar Bear" due to my love of & high tolerance to cold weather & my low tolerance to the heat, & even in the warmer months I still carry my underquilt. Usually it’s the lighter duty one I have, but I still have a way of putting insulation under me if: I pick a low sheltered site near running water. A T-Storm blows in & I don’t seek shelter soon enough. I get sick & my resistance is down. Etc.

I would say at least take a torso length “sit pad” for just in case. If nothing else, it will give you a good place to sit & look at the views!

[take-a-knee]

K, I have (constantly?) been referred to as a "Homesick Eskimo / Polar Bear" due to my love of & high tolerance to cold weather & my low tolerance to the heat, & even in the warmer months I still carry my underquilt. Usually it’s the lighter duty one I have, but I still have a way of putting insulation under me if: I pick a low sheltered site near running water. A T-Storm blows in & I don’t seek shelter soon enough. I get sick & my resistance is down. Etc.

I would say at least take a torso length “sit pad” for just in case. If nothing else, it will give you a good place to sit & look at the views!

I always take a pad long enough to go from my butt to my feet, year round. A piece of 1/4in evazote that size weighs 3-4 ounces, and like Doc said, you need something to sit on anyway. I was recently made aware by a hammockforums poster that my ULA pack had a sizeable chunk of insulation in it's frame/backpad.

[kayak karl]

I always take a pad long enough to go from my butt to my feet, year round. A piece of 1/4in evazote that size weighs 3-4 ounces, and like Doc said, you need something to sit on anyway. I was recently made aware by a hammockforums poster that my ULA pack had a sizeable chunk of insulation in it's frame/backpad.
same thing in my go-lite pack. speer sells the pad and it can be cut to size. http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/Accessories.htm

[JuiceBox]

I can't decide if I'll bring one when I get my Hennessy. I figure, if I have a good bag, then I won't need a pad in the summer. I don't do much backpacking during the spring and fall due to school, and I have a 30* bag, so I figure I should not have any problems. Anyone feel any differently?

[take-a-knee]

I can't decide if I'll bring one when I get my Hennessy. I figure, if I have a good bag, then I won't need a pad in the summer. I don't do much backpacking during the spring and fall due to school, and I have a 30* bag, so I figure I should not have any problems. Anyone feel any differently?

You might be okay, and you just might freeze your a$$ off, all to save eight or nine ounces, and every time you sit on a rock, your unpadded a$$ will be in direct contact with it. Suit yourself.

[JuiceBox]

I've never had a problem sitting on rocks or the ground, I don't care about getting dirty. I'm out in the woods, I'm getting dirty anyway. It's more space than weight I'm concerned about with bringing a pad or not.

[Fiddleback]

Having never used a sleeping bag in a hammock (except for one use as a quilt) I can't comment from personal experience, but...

Everything I've read on forums such as these has said that sleeping bags compress in a hammock to the point where they provide little to no insulation on the bottom. Since the hanger is then 'exposed' to the ambient air temp and air movement which carries the body's heat away this results in some pretty chilly hanging if there's no supplemental underinsulation. YMMV.

Again, a light pad can do wonders. Oware's and the similar ones from Gossamer weigh around 6-7oz and work well in some pretty cool temps. But I gotta admit that Oware's pad is bulky to pack. If you want to go without underinsulation first give it a try in the backyard to determine if it works for you.

FB

[JuiceBox]

I'm not sure how valid that point is, considering the bottom of a bag would probably compress just as much on the ground as it would in a hammock. However, I'll definitely be testing it out before packing with it.

[take-a-knee]

I'm not sure how valid that point is, considering the bottom of a bag would probably compress just as much on the ground as it would in a hammock. However, I'll definitely be testing it out before packing with it.

JB, since you've already got this stuff all figured out bro, stop wasting your time asking us.

[JuiceBox]

I'm thinking out loud here, no need to be condescending.

[Ulfhedinn]

Bags do compress on the ground, but a pad on the ground solves this problem as well.

[Wise Old Owl]

Well I can't seem to get comfortable in the hammock and the Big Agnes Insulated Pad with a little air allows me to toss & turn. But my aches & pains keep me up most nights,

Anybody else running into this?

[Fiddleback]

I'm not sure how valid that point is, considering the bottom of a bag would probably compress just as much on the ground as it would in a hammock. However, I'll definitely be testing it out before packing with it.

As I said, I don't use a bag in a hammock so I don't have the personal experience. I think the theory speaks to the fact that the insulation is compressed and the air and air currents robs the heat radiating out of the hanger's body, i.e., more heat is loss in a hammock than on the ground other factors being the same. I believe this explains why one of the ways to bail out of too cold temps while on the trail is to go to ground.

I think all of us agree...hammock hanging is colder than sleeping on the ground and one of the steepest learning curves of a hammock is keeping warm. I'm not sure it's harder than sleeping warm on the ground, it's just different and requires more thought and effort, IMO. But it is definitely worth the effort for most of us...the comfort level is sublime.:D

FB

[JuiceBox]

That does make a bit more sense I guess.

[Wags]

owl. have you tried giving your hammock more sag than you think it should have and lying diagonally???

i've been fine down to 45 with a torso length blue walmart pad and a 20+ bag (true to temp). someone else said it. it's the air underneath you that's moving that chills the backside! however this works for you when it gets hot out :D

so i went to walmart and got the $6 blue pad. took a ballpark measurement of the distance from right below my butt to right above my shoulders. that is the size pad i use and am fine w/ it. if you're worried about the bulk of it just lash it to the outside of your pack somehow

[SteveJ]

I'm usually a 3 season hiker here in the south - every season except summer. The two summer hikes I've been on recently, I decided to leave the pad at home, and regretted it. Pulled into camp one afternoon (80+ degree day) with everything wet from either rain or sweat. Changed into dry sleeping clothes, temps dropped into low 60's. Windy, foggy, humid night. I had a 40 deg down bag. Even zipped up in the bag I woke up several times during the night uncomfortably chilled - could feel the heat being sucked out from beneath..... I'm leaving this weekend for a short section in NC - and will be bringing the pad!

[DavidNH]

I'd say a resounding yes! The hard ground feels very hard. And if you are thru hiking you lose a lot of the fat that previously cusioned you. From Gorham on I had a thermorest. Yeah it weighs a pound but I can sleep comfy!

To me it is comfort that matters most.

DavidNH

[Downhill Trucker]

same thing in my go-lite pack. speer sells the pad and it can be cut to size. http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/Accessories.htm

That pad is awesome. Same one I use as well.

[callook66]

I usually bring my pad for something to sit on, but i dont use it for insulation when i hammock during the summer.

[Buzz_Lightfoot]

I usually bring my pad for something to sit on, but i dont use it for insulation when i hammock during the summer.

That is ultimately ending up doing too.