View Full Version : SuperShelter or Underquilt?
asimpson1983
10-01-2007, 11:03
Hey - I was wondering what your guys' thoughts are on what I should get for a thru-hike starting April 1, 2008. Is the Hennessy SuperShelter solution adequate, or do I need an underquilt? The SuperShelter is kindof attractive because it costs a lot less and is lighter...however, I know people on here love their underquilts, so I am kindof expecting to hear that I should get one of those.
Also - again, for a thru starting April 1, would a 40 degree bag be adequate, or will I be cold? I can suffer through the occasional cold night.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Andrew
Both of those questions are quite hard to answer. Both have to do with personal preference, and or whether you sleep warm or cold. I use an underquilt (JRB Stealth) and a sleeping bag used like a quilt (WM Highlight). I have been down to 20F in my WM and was toasty warm even though the rating is for 35F. The one thing I like about an underquilt is that I can be really warm if I need to go to the ground. I always bring a sleeping pad, so that I can get down to lower temps and for the just in case I need to go to the ground. Additionally, the Stealth/Sniveller underquilt is nice since you can wear it.
trippclark
10-01-2007, 11:31
What you really need are comments from folks who have tried both systems for several nights each and can provide advise based on this experience. I have never tried, or even had the opportunity to examine closely the SuperShelter. I own and have used the JRB underquilt for quite some time. I am a very cold sleeper and I do occassionally get chilled with the underquilt. I still think that it is the better of the two systems. I base this on the fact that of the many comments and reviews I have read on Whiteblaze and elsewhere I have rarely read of anyone being dissatisfied with an underquilt. Contrarily, I have read several posts by folks who have or have tried the SuperShelter and were underimpressed.
SGT Rock
10-01-2007, 11:41
If I had to chose between one or the other I would go underquilt.
FanaticFringer
10-01-2007, 12:02
If I had to chose between one or the other I would go underquilt.
Same here.
SGT. Rock, you have used both systems haven't you?
SGT Rock
10-01-2007, 12:35
yes I have.
Hey - I was wondering what your guys' thoughts are on what I should get for a thru-hike starting April 1, 2008. Is the Hennessy SuperShelter solution adequate, or do I need an underquilt? The SuperShelter is kindof attractive because it costs a lot less and is lighter...however, I know people on here love their underquilts, so I am kindof expecting to hear that I should get one of those.
Also - again, for a thru starting April 1, would a 40 degree bag be adequate, or will I be cold? I can suffer through the occasional cold night.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Andrew
neither my trusty army pad has took me down to the single digit's and wieghs less than a pound and only cost 5 bucks:cool: neo
Cannibal
10-01-2007, 12:53
neither my trusty army pad has took me down to the single dist's and wieghs less than a pound and only cost 5 bucks:cool: neo
Yes but, it has already been determined that Neo does not have any blood left; it has all been replaced by anti-freeze. I've heard that if you cut him, he bleeds camo green. :D
FreeTheWeasel
10-01-2007, 13:57
Greetings,
I have both the No Sniveller underquilt and the Supershelter. I've been testing both and you can read about them in the links below.
In the first link, I found the underpad system to be a bit colder at 50 F, but I may not have had it adjusted correctly.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=1859 (http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1859)
In the second report, I was very comfortable at 55 F with the supershelter while my daughter was very comfortable with the underquilt.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1887
I've used the supershelter down into the 30s but I haven't had a chance to test the underquilt that low yet.
I find the underquilt to be a bit more forgiving in terms of placement. The underpad on the Hennessy is a bit narrow whereas the underquilt is simply wider.
Both seem to be effective solutions but I'm leaning toward the underquilt at this point for when I go solo camping. I'll continues to use the supershelter when I go camping with my daughter.
FreeTheWeasel
BillyBob58
10-01-2007, 15:24
I have no experience yet with the UQ, but have used the SS with no problems. With the basic undercover and pad, I am good to about 40, plus there is a fair bit of extra wind and moisture protection at the same weight and price. When I add the space blanket ( ~ 2oz), I am good to about the high 20s.
When I add various other supplements, some of which I may already have with me, I am good to the hi teens or lower. I have the torso/kidney pads, which add quite significantly to the warmth. I think they are about 5 ozs and inexpensive and compact pretty well.
I have a thick down vest that works great either on top of or under the HH pad. (Everything is always underneath the spaceblanket, which keeps the dry)
A very low weight and very cheap option is to add a garlington insulator to the SS. garbage bag + air+space blanket ( or leaves)= several inches off additional loft under the HH pad. Adds a lot of warmth. Or if you have a jacket you are not going to sleep in, put that down there. What ever you put down in that undercover ( or really light stuff on top of the pad), adjust tension as necessary so that the weight won't pull the undercover away from the hammock, it should just be touching when you are laying there.
There are a couple of folks here, believe it or not, who prefer the SS to the UQ. I can't remember their names, maybe they will chime in, they have used both. One guy gave a nice report of not being able to get warm with pads + UQ one sub 20* night. About 2AM he switched to SS + a sit pad and was fine. ( I don't remember what all he had in the SS besides the basics, if anything) But most seem to prefer the UQ.
BillyBob58
10-01-2007, 15:28
OK, here ya go- varying opinions- check Gregg3's and StevenLazarus' reports:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=324828&highlight=SuperShelter#post324828
Good luck on your decision!
SGT Rock
10-01-2007, 15:32
Get and underquilt. It is a good option and if you have to go to ground - there is another quilt you can add to what you are using to stay warm. If you are using a supershelter and have to go to ground - you have a sil-nylon blanket to add around you - not very warm.
well, i really like my super shelter and will use it year round for quite a while to come... however, if i were starting from scratch, what???!!! well, above forty degrees or so, when you don't really need a lot of warm clothing, the light weight of the "good for one purpose only" super shelter is a real plus, and does the job just fine without a space blanket. by the way, when using the super shelter, ditch the snake skins and just roll the shelter up with the hammock. string the rain fly up separately -- so you can put it up first, take it down last, put it higher above your hammock if you want to... but i digress. when it gets colder, i find myself carrying camp clothing -- like a down vest, and a montbell insulated sweater -- which i would not have to carry if i could wear my underquilt. so at colder temps, the wearable "good for two purposes" underquilt wins the weight battle and the multi use battle as well. last comment -- i really like the overcover, or whatever that thing is called. now that's light and really adds to the warmth by reducing air infiltration.
anyway, if you're likely to be camping at forty degrees or above, the super shelter may just be the way to go. gets more complicated below that temperature.
the pad is cheaper lighter and better,plus doubles as a frame for my frameless ruck:cool: neo
SGT Rock
10-02-2007, 10:46
the pad is cheper light and better,plus doubles as a frame for my frameless ruck:cool: neo
And if you have to go to ground you can use the pad to sleep on. That is why I have a top quilt and pad as my base in all weather - it just gives you flexability to go different ways if you have to.
all right, you guys, what pad do you use/suggest with a HH? Good points on the pad/pack frame dual use and "going to ground" use...
SGT Rock
10-02-2007, 10:52
I like my oware/GG pad. Here is a link to make one: http://hikinghq.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2439
I like my oware/GG pad. Here is a link to make one: http://hikinghq.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2439
is oware pad the same stuff as what ed speer sells.i bought a 30 x 72 in and a quarter in thick and its grey in color pad from speer hammock
i plan on using with my closed cell pad:cool: neo
SGT Rock
10-02-2007, 11:06
I haven't seen the pad Ed sells so I cannot say. The pad GG sells looks the same - just a slightly different shade of gray.
The stuff GG sells is Evazote. So if Speers is selling Evazote or one of the other Zotes they will be either the same or very close.
very nice, Rock. is it hard to access the entry slot with the pad, or does it just lie on the diagonal and mostly miss the slot?
SGT Rock
10-02-2007, 14:18
My experience is you push it off out of the way a bit because it does block the hole a little, but then as you turn around to get ready to sit down inside the HH it can slide into place as you bring your feet in. I haven't found it to be an issue for me.
BillyBob58
10-02-2007, 14:52
On my recent Olympic Park trip, I very nearly left my SuperShelter behind at the last minute. I was starting to get fanatical about every ounce. And since I was going to carry a pad anyway in case I could not find small enough trees close enough together. Or if I camped above timberline, which often happens. If it's going to be really cold (below 25 or so ) I also like to have the pads for backup in the hammock with an SPE. A Ridgerest + SS will get me well below 20. But this trip was unlikely to be much below 40, so the pads would serve no purpose other than to go to ground. But that possibility made me unwilling to leave them behind. So I got to thinking, why carry the SS weight?
But the last day so before I left, I got to experimenting in the back yard with the ridgerest and SPE. Yes, it was comfortable enough and much better than any ground sleeping. But in the end, it was clear that the pad/SPE was just not as comfortable or convenient to use, so opting for max comfort, I took the SS along with the pads. As it turned out this time, unlike last year, the pads were never used. But I sure was glad I brought the SS. Because every night was toasty and max comfort. Just sit down in the HH as usual, draw feet up and lay down then pass out.
We also had constant light rain/drizzle/mist and fog. My friend took his Big Agnes bag with air core pad in the built in sleeve, to use in his HH. Even though no rain ever got under his large tarp, after a few days he realized his down bag was starting to get noticeably damp and he was worrying about loosing loft. I'm not sure, but we either finally got a few hours of Sun and he was able to dry it and everything else out, or our trip finished before any real problems arose. He did have a 15* bag, and it was never colder than 40*, so he had some reserve to work with. But if the trip had been a few days longer or the weather just a little colder/damper, that might have developed into a problem. With my synthetic underpad and syn. bag used as quilt, I never had any problems at all. In fact, the last night I did not even sleep in my bag, just in my BMW Cocoon jacket with hood and pants. I woke up a little before 0700 feeling just a little cool on top, warm as usual on bottom.
So that clothing, about 22 ozs total, was not quite warm enough for those temps. But if I felt sure that temps would not be below about 50, I would not even take the bag, just SS and Cocoon clothing top and bottom. And if I ever go back here or another place (with my HH) where I feel pretty confident of finding usable trees, and the temps are going to be 25* or above, I will only take the SS for bottom warmth and maybe a 3/4 length CCFP for possible, but unlikely, going to ground and a sit pad. If temps are going to be below 20* on some nights, I'll still take full length pads in case I don't have enough extra clothes or Garlington insulators or whatever, to make the SS work below 20*