Hammock camping on an AT thru-hike

[Connie]

Is it possible to have an uninflated air mattress in the hammock, without getting too warm, because it would not be "breatheable" and no underquilt, then, use the air mattress if you have to sleep in a shelter or hostel with wood benches or wood slats "beds" or have to go to ground?

[wdanner]

Holy resurrected thread, Batman!

[Connie]

It got "resurrected" in post #16.

I am interested. Any experience?

[scope]

Those of you that have hiked the AT using a hammock, I wouldlike to know your personal system and how it handled the weather. I have hikedmost all of the Georgia sections many times, but have most always used a tent.My last three overnighters have been with a hammock and I have found I restbetter. I plan my hike for 2016, andwill be using a hammock for the whole hike, except for the GSMNP. Anyinformation and advice for using a hammock on the trail will be well received.
Thanks.

My system is pretty standard, though I do have a large tarp with doors on the end. "Weather" is typically two things, wet and wind. Hammock systems deal with wet better than tents. Folks often interpret an open tarp as being open to weather, but if you're hanging in trees, you don't get as much windblown rain. There will be a lighter colored hex shape on the ground below my tarp - I consider this "area" my tent.

The second thing is wind, which is a significant concern with hammocks. Tents block wind pretty well, though there can be issues with getting in staked out, etc. A hammock tarp will block wind as well as a tent in most cases. Sometimes, though, wind will tend to swirl, and if you don't have doors on the ends, you may get some wind channelling through your tarp. That can make even a mild night very cold. You can use an undercover which will help block some wind from underneath, and you can also use a wind sock which completely covers you top and bottom.

Once you learn how to use your system, a hammock setup is more flexible and better for a greater range of temps than a tent setup - IMHO.

Is it possible to have an uninflated air mattress in the hammock, without getting too warm, because it would not be "breatheable" and no underquilt, then, use the air mattress if you have to sleep in a shelter or hostel with wood benches or wood slats "beds" or have to go to ground?

Not quite understanding why you would have an uninflated air mattress in your hammock? Uninflated = no insulation. Too warm only if its 70 and you need the hammock to be breathable. Certainly, you can use an inflated pad instead of an UQ and then you would have that pad for the places you mention.

[SouthMark]

I carry a Gossamer Gear Gorilla and use a three panel Gossamer Gear Night light as a back pad. I use a 3/4 under quilt and can use the night light under my feet when needed and also when I have to stay in a shelter.

[Abatis1948]

Scope & SouthMark,
What are your suggestions for quilt, under quilt and/or Pad to handle a mid-March start at Springer? Would you use 10, 20 or 40 degree? I already have a 40 degree under quilt and was wondering if it would hold for lower temps if used with a pad and a 20 degree top quilt. If needed I will spring for a lower degree under quilt. I have done no hammock camping below 45 degrees. Thanks.

[scope]

Since you have a 40 you can switch to, I'd say go low with a 10 or even a zero (since those are more readily available) UQ. I use a zero into the 40s, but then, I'm a wuss.

Combining insulation types can be tricky. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, though, as I seem to get into these arguments with engineer and physics types who will argue insulation is insulation. I think its much more complex than that. If you take two sleeping bags, using one over the other, you have thicker insulation of the same type and get a legitimate increase in insulation. Down insulates by trapping air, but I believe down insulates more efficiently with warmed air. Put a pad between you and the down, and you are effectively insulating the down from your body heat, such that it more easily loses whatever heat it does trap. For the most part, what you're doing with a pad/quilt combo is making the pad more efficient. In many cases, that can be fine, and you don't need any pad wings because you have an UQ on the sides. There are many folks who use pad/quilt combos with success. Of the folks I know, who I've camped with, only one uses a pad/quilt combo, and its a thin reflective pad like what you use inside your car windshield to insulate the inside from heat. I have my doubts about its effectiveness - though he swears by it - and he does occasionally have to deal with condensation.

[Dochartaigh]

I've only done hammock camping down to 42º. That was with a 25º 3/4 length Jarbidge (synthetic) underquilt with small CCF pad for my feet, and a Hammock Gear 40º down quilt with 2 ounces of overstuff. I was plenty warm wearing just boxers. Underquilt is much more important than the overquilt for keeping warm people say.

[A/B]

I did half the AT in 2014 before getting injured; will finish in 2015. My system: NX250 with top quilt. Love it, and many admirers along the way. Heavy, but the poles and pockets make it a tent in the air. Great for occasional privacy, great in the rain to keep gear off the ground. Never had a problem finding a place to hang. Used Whoopieslings. Even with pockets, for me temps below 50 degrees needed some insulation.
Heavy, so I broke down and bought a Hammockgear.com tarp with doors for $300; tough and very light. Top quilt I bought from them, as well; recommended! For comfort in cold and the occasional shelter stay, as well as some hostels, I decided to go with an inflatable. (Tried 1/8" foam, but didn't work for me, especially on the floor). I tried a standard 20x72 Thermarest, but not wide enough in the hammock; I was always fighting with it. Changed to a Therm-A-Rest NeoAir Xlite Large, 25x77. 4 ounces heavier, length I don't need, but the width is perfect and luxurious. Worked so well for me, that I used the air mattress regardless of temp, for the comfort. Total weight, about 6 pounds: 3.5 for hammock with lines, .5 for tarp, 1.2 for quilt and 1.0 for mattress. Luxury set up at the price of weight, but always knew that I could look forward to a good night's sleep.

[Abatis1948]

Folks,
This is exactly the type of information I am looking for. The first time I used the hammock was at Hawk Mountain this past July. I was just using the hammock with a 40 degree sleeping bag. I woke with my shoulders chilled. Took my Frogg Toggs poncho and covered my shoulders. This worked. My next overnighter was at the Toccoa River Swinging Bridge on the BMT. The temp was in the upper 40’s and I was using a pad with wings and the same 40 degree bag. This worked well. The next time I used a 40 degree UQ and I was sleeping without cover most of the night. I know with what I have I can sleep well down to about 45 to 40 degrees in comfort, but knowing how the weather is in early March in Georgia and NC, I wanted some good advice before I spent high dollars. I like he idea of a tarp with doors. I will start shopping for a 0 degree or 10 degree UQ. Thanks.

[Grits]

Not quite understanding why you would have an uninflated air mattress in your hammock? Uninflated = no insulation. Too warm only if its 70 and you need the hammock to be breathable. Certainly, you can use an inflated pad instead of an UQ and then you would have that pad for the places you mention.[/QUOTE]

You are right it depends on your system but a air mattress always works better partially inflated and having a double layer hammock vs single layer makes a difference. Check out Shug's videos to learn more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7NZVqpBUV0

[Speakeasy TN]

I have a 25 degree top and bottom set. I use a neoair in the hammock and have slept down to that. As a hammock newbie I am not getting an ideal fit and was still pretty comfy. The neo will let me go to ground in the Smokies. As it gets warmer, I plan to trade out the quilts for a 40 degree bag. Best stay warm investment was down booties! Teamed with beanie and gloves makes a nice night.

[Cuacoatchoo]

My buddy tried using a neoair in his hammock on our Mount Rogers trip in Late October. He reported he was pretty cold. Later that winter he got a 20 degree under quilt and reported it was much warmer and comfortable. I recall chuckling a couple times when I heard the sweaking of his neoair as he shifted several times before finally falling out his hammock. (Imagine a thud and a "ooff" noise).

[TomN]

I use a 20 degree top and bottom quilt and I am comfortable down into the 40s, once it gets in the 30s I get cold but I am a very cold sleeper. I have had a couple times where wind has blown rain under my tarp and gotten stuff wet but normally not a problem. If it is going to be close to freezing much on a trip I take a Squall 2 tent, Xtherm pad and 10 degree GoLite sleeping bag. Much warmer than my hammock.

[Flounder940]

I used a Jacks R Better Mt. Washington 4 underquilt and a JRB High Sierra Sniveller top quilt, both rated to 0-5 degrees. I left in mid Feb. 2013 and saw single digit temps through the end of March. I also carried one of those Thermarest Zlite egg crate looking mats that I cut a few panels off of to make it closer to torso length. This served as my sit pad or if I went to ground or slept in hostels.

The he thing to remember about the shelter rule in The Smokies is, if the shelter is full, you can tent or hang outside in the vicinity of the shelter. With a mid-March start date, the shelters will be full.