Keeping pads in place

[skylark]

How do you keep pads in place when you use more than one?

I have heard of cutting one of the pads and laying it across, or cutting strips out of the pads and taping them on the sides.

I'm thinking of going out tomorrow night and trying out a hammock, 2 pads (or whatever configuration I come up with), pod, 20F bag as a quilt, and tarp. The weather forecast is mid 20's F, maybe snow.

[Just Jeff]

Wing pad, Overlap pad, or SPE: http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingWarm.html

I use a homemade SPE when I use a pad (which isn't very often).

[stag3]

I had the slipping pad problem with a thermarest in my HH. I put someof the sticky shelf paperunder the pad--four squares each 4in x 4in. This stiff is corrrogated and soft to touch., you can get it Walmart or home depot, plus some others. You could try this beteen the pads

[Fiddleback]

"How do you keep pads in place when you use more than one?"

Consider making one of your pads the plastizote pad offered by Oware. It seems to be stickier than others and slipping by a second pad should be reduced.

Whether the Oware is stickier or not, its size at 40X60" seems to minimize slipping in my Hennessy. When the hammock cups/wraps around me the extra-wide pad cups as well. That provides insulation and windblock along the sides/shoulders and restricts the pad's movement, i.e., the pad is held in place by the hammock. I'm not saying all slipping is stopped but that the limited slippage (along the long axis of the Hennessy) does not significantly effect the sleeper. In other words, you don't roll off the pad. At least, that's my experience, YMMV.

The pad only weighs 7oz but I clip a light fleece throw to it which takes the total to ~21oz. I think the throw helps with condensation under the shoulders and adds a bit of insulation. Even so, I need 'more' for temps below the high-20s since the pad is only 1/4" thick. I plan to insert a piece of blue foam (an oversized sit pad at 30X24", 4 or 5oz) inside the sleeve formed by the Oware pad and the throw. That will add insulation from my shoulders to the top of my butt. The two pads will not easily slip on each other and the throw will keep the two in place. I expect this combo will be good to 20°. (All of my experience has been without further bottom insulation. That is, I've slept in various combinations of clothing and top cover, but not 'in' a sleeping bag.)

The downside of all of this is bulk. The Oware pad is bulky to pack. Also, I just don't plop down on the pad...for comfort, I have to take care when laying down to ensure the pad isn't wrinkled. Keeping the pad unwrinkled is a tiny issue, packing the pad a little bigger:-? .

FB

[Hana_Hanger]

"How do you keep pads in place when you use more than one?"



The pad only weighs 7oz but I clip a light fleece throw to it which takes the total to ~21oz. I think the throw helps with condensation under the shoulders and adds a bit of insulation. Even so, I need 'more' for temps below the high-20s since the pad is only 1/4" thick. .

FB

Hi Fiddleback,

I used this system you stated in a test the other night and I was warm and toasty but found the fleece to keep bunching up around me and under me. (I did not have the large Oware pad but did use a CCF blue pad cut 48" wide)

I was wondering just HOW you clipped the fleece throw to the pad?
What dd you use, hope you don't mind me asking. I thought of a few things but worried about tearing a hole in the hammock.:confused:

[Fiddleback]

Hi Hana!

There's good news and bad news...:welcome

Pictures of my pad, throw and clips are posted on the Yahoo group, hammockcamping at this url; http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/hammockcamping/photos/browse?b=65&m=t&o=5

If the url doesn't get you there, sign-in on the group, go to Photos, and then to album #71 (currently). The albums are alphabetized and mine is titled; "Pad with fleece throw and Target clips", by jmgiv47.

The clips are rounded and I don't think they'd ever poke through or tear the hammock. The bad news is that I bought the clips at Target and I haven't seen them there recently. In any case, I think they are called 'spring clips' and there's hundreds of different types out there. The best I can suggest is to scout the stores, particularly office supply and school sections and look for clips that; 1) won't hurt the hammock, 2) will fit your particular pad and throw and, 3) can be operated in cold weather. With care, I can lie down on the pad/throw combo with little wrinkling or bunching of either piece.

Mentioned in my post above, the piece of blue foam you see in the pictures is my idea on how to take this system down to 20° or maybe less. Without the blue foam, I've felt cold coming through after three hours at 22°. A cut down piece of blue foam (my piece weighs 4oz) can be inserted into the sleeve formed by the pad and throw and should provide a lot of insulation gain. Total weight with this added piece is 25oz...I think that's pretty good for a <20° system.

FB

[Hana_Hanger]

Great....I see how you did it now.
I am a member of the yahoo hammock group... just hee hee (feeling stupid) have not figured out how to post or read any of it yet. Usually just come back in here. I need to branch out a little I guess.

I will try a few stores here...sad to say we have no Target here...wish we did.
I am for sure going to figure out how to do that, even if I need to punch holes and install grommets in both the pad and fleece bag :)
Thanks again for your report and ideas.

[Wolf - 23000]

How do you keep pads in place when you use more than one?

I have heard of cutting one of the pads and laying it across, or cutting strips out of the pads and taping them on the sides.

I'm thinking of going out tomorrow night and trying out a hammock, 2 pads (or whatever configuration I come up with), pod, 20F bag as a quilt, and tarp. The weather forecast is mid 20's F, maybe snow.

Humm .... Let me think about this. Did you ever consider putting the pads inside your sleeping bag inside of keeping them on the outside?

Wolf

[Just Jeff]

The problem is that the pads wrap around you in the hammock so they have to be wider. When it's wide enough to cover your shoulders comfortably, it'll also keep the sleeping bag from draping down on your sides, which will create air pockets inside your sleeping bag for your body to heat.

I'm sure it'll work for some people with some bags in some situations, though. And it sure would be easier than trying to wrestle two pads in a hammock from a sleeping bag!

Some kind of sheath like Fiddleback's fleece and clips, or like the Speer SPE, would keep the pads together while still letting the bag drape well, though.

(No financial interest in any of these products, btw...just offering ideas)