Hennessy and windshield visor question

[Beth]

I looked at the Hennessy site and somebody spoke of sewing fleece to a windshield visor. I was wondering if glueing the fleece might be a better solution? I can sew (sort of), but it would seem that the fleece would scrunch around when you got away from the seams and that glue might make it stationary. Maybe the sewing meant doing what Jardine does with his quilts, where you just put a piece of yarn through the layers, tie a knot, then do it again, in a pattern. Does anybody have a better sense of whether glue would or wouldn't work? The taco/warmer idea sounds a little bit complicated for me. I still get my hands caught in the knots while tying up the hammock. :-)

Thanks. Beth

[deeddawg]

Haven't tried such myself yet, but I suspect that if you sewed velcro to the fleece and hot-glued or epoxied the opposite velcro to the reflector you might end up with a decent setup which would also allow for easier packing, washing the fleece, etc.

For that matter, perhaps the hook side of the velcro might grab the raw fleece well enough on its own that a series of velcro strips hot-glued or epoxied (or JB welded) to the reflector would adequately "grab" the fleece to keep it in place?

So many ideas, so little time.

[Hog On Ice]

forget the windshield reflector idea - just go with a light weight closed cell foam pad

[tlbj6142]

Ditto. Windshield reflectors are not thick enough. I used one once in my hammock while wearing long johns. Froze my ass off and it was only 40F that night.

I think a wide (24"-27") 0.5" thick close cell pad cut to mid-thigh length and covered with a neat sheet (or just wear clothes when you sleep) would be find down to 25F.

[Kerosene]

I concur with Yellow Jacket, but I would get 27" and think about going longer than mid-thigh. You would be amazed at how cold your heels will get if they're touching the hammock when its only 50F outside. However, I did find that they kept warm enough if I tied my fleece pants around my ankles, thereby keeping them slightly elevated.

My frustration with the closed cell pad was that it doesn't roll up very tight (contrary to the HH in snakeskins) and did a lousy job relative to my Therm-a-Rest when I wanted to sleep on a shelter floor, even when I doubled it over.

[tlbj6142]

I concur with Yellow Jacket, but I would get 27" and think about going longer than mid-thigh.

I put my feet inside of the foot box of my bag. Haven't really had any issues so far. I guess I could wear socks (don't really compress) if it was really windy. Also, my head doesn't rest on the pad either. I use a fleece lined stuff sack as a pillow.

My frustration with the closed cell pad was that it doesn't roll up very tight

I fold my closed cell pad (wal-mart blue) in 12" sections. It is tough the first couple of times, but once you get the creases in place, it folds rather nice. I do need to buy a 27" pad, my 20" is just a bit too narrow (knees, elbows, etc. hit) when the temps drop below 40F.

[Youngblood]

Beth,

How cold do you expect the temperature to be? The bottom insulation for a hammock is a little tricky and it makes a big difference if you are talking about 50, 40, 30 or 20 degrees F. The insulation required is usually not particularly heavy (except for fleece, which is pretty heavy), but it does get bulky so be careful about just picking a very low number if you have to carry it on/in your backpack. Be warned that some people wear most of their insulation in forms of multiple long johns, fleece tops & bottoms, etc; so pay attention if someone mentions staying warm with just a 9 ounce closed cell foam pad to 5 degrees F... they may be overlooking most of their insulation.

Youngblood

[kank]

I'd suggest either the hot glue (may not stick to the reflector well) or spray adhesive (may not stick to the fleece well). My first instinct would be spray adhesive, but I notice that someone on Hennessy's site reported that they used hot glue successfully, so maybe it would be better to listen to someone that's actually done it .

1/4" closed-cell foam pads are good for hammock use, since they are thin enough to coform to the hammock shape and allow for lots of versatility in differing temperatures. If you start with a full-length windshield reflector, you can add a 1/4" or 3/8" full or half-length closed cell pad for colder temps, giving you the option of using the extra insulation when necessary. A 1/8" thick windshield reflector certainly won't provide enough insulation to keep you warm at 40F (which is quite cold in hammock terms), but it can be a very functional part of a cold-weather system.

You do need a wide pad (27" or so) in a hammock, but your secondary pad(s) may not need to be so wide, since they are mainly going to serve as torso insulation where your are compressing your bag the most or where you have no quilt wrapped underneath. Your legs may not need so much thickness, either.

[Beth]

Thanks for the information, folks. Someone, I believe Youngblood, asked what temperatures I anticipate. I can't say for sure, but I'd guess down to 25*. I'd like to use it until the snows come and stick. I used it in Rocky Mountain National Park this summer, and I think it got down to 45*. I was using an uninflated Thermarest and was comfortable. Maybe I should just take that as a hint. I'd like to be able to use it in the fall and late spring, and it's still quite chilly here at those times. Beth