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View Full Version : Thermarest pad and 0d bag good for winter weather?



audiophile
01-20-2009, 13:07
I'm wondering if a full size thermarest pad underneath me will keep me warm enough if I use a 0 degree bag? I don't want to hike ten miles out only to find that I won't be warm enough! Or should I opt for an underquilt? Or what? I haven't used my hammock in the winter at all yet.

I'm using:
ENO Singlenest Sleep System
Full Size Thermarest Pad
Slumberjack Latitude 0d Sleeping Bag

Compass
01-21-2009, 01:10
I will give your question a go but Hammock Forums : Your Number One Hammock Community (http://www.hammockforums.net/) will get more responses.

You say "full size thermarest pad". IMHO a Prolight 3 will work effectively to mid 30*F. A Prolight 4 will get you to the upper 20*F range with most of your clothes on. the first part I feel loosing heat is my butt. A sit pad at your butt will decreese your range a couple of *. Below 20* F you will need more loft 2"+.Try Jacks R Better (http://www.jacksrbetter.com/) for under quilts.

There are many other factors as well.
How exhausted you are?
Do you sleep hot or cold?
What you ate and eat in the middle of night?
How hydrated you are?
How old you are?(each decade over 18 add a degree)
How cold you were when you go to bed?
How wet your stuff is?
How acclimated you are?
I recommend doing a test in your yard or something so you can see what works and do not push the limit where your options are few.

Ashman
01-24-2009, 11:23
Ditto the comment on checking the other forum. Here is my two cents worth. My first two times in a hammock I went with a pad and bag combo. Doable but not desirable. I made the plunge and got an Underquilt and top quilt. They are pricey but I bought mine used on the Hammock Forums from another member at a fraction of the cost. In my opinion the quilts give you more warmth, compress better and weigh less than the bag/pad combo. Give both a try in your backyard first. Better to find out what doesn't work there than in your home. See if there are any hangers in your area that might let you borrow a quilt to try at home.

audiophile
01-24-2009, 11:49
Well, I live in an apartment with no access to a yard so that's why I'm trying to see if what I currently have will work with temperatures 10-30d.

An underquilt is basically a sleeping bag attached to the bottom of the hammock, right? I'm thinking about getting a sleeping bag and modding it to be an underquilt. It'll probably be warmer than a pad.

bigcranky
01-24-2009, 19:20
A 20-inch wide pad isn't wide enough. The hammock body wraps around your shoulders, crushing the insulation in your bag, making you cold. Use a 25-inch pad -- I like a Ridgerest XL, but any 25- or 27-inch blue foam pad will work. It's bulkier than a Thermarest, but it's kept me warm below freezing.

Camping Dave
01-25-2009, 15:35
A 20-inch wide pad isn't wide enough. The hammock body wraps around your shoulders, crushing the insulation in your bag, making you cold. Use a 25-inch pad -- I like a Ridgerest XL, but any 25- or 27-inch blue foam pad will work. It's bulkier than a Thermarest, but it's kept me warm below freezing.

Right on. Cold shoulders and hips might not sound awful but they can ruin your night.

Another trick I've used is taking 3 20" pads, running 1 lenghtwise, 1 crosswise at my shoulders, and another crosswise at my hips. That's alot of insulation below. In any case, it was enough last spring to keep me warm into the 20's with a 35 degree bag and some long underwear.

Just Jeff
01-26-2009, 08:50
Yep - cold hips and shoulders will keep you awake at night if you don't find something to fix it. Overlap pads or a SPE are the cheapest ways and work great for some folks. I get a sweaty back when I use CCF pads so underquilts are a better option for me. Much more expensive, though. But definitely plan in some insulation beyond the single 20" wide pad or you'll be awake with cold spots in winter.

Check here for some ideas:
http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingWarm.html

heescha
02-18-2009, 23:49
personally, i have yet to use an underquilt...but i also had two zero degree bags inside each other and two blue foam pads...i'd definetally recomend getting an underquilt...way easier

Compass
02-19-2009, 00:12
The Full length Thermorest Prolight 4 pad is 25" wide and a good "go to ground" alternative, yes it weighs 2lbs, but an underquilt is not useful as a ground option. You will have to find what works for you.

photomankc
03-13-2009, 00:07
I love my Exped 7 Down Mats, both the short and the Deluxe. The deluxe pretty well keeps me comfortable everywhere. My butt and feet can get a little cold if the temps get to freezing or lower. The short is a good warmer weather option when I actually like having some spots stay a little cooler. I then use my pack for my legs and feet.

The Deluxe is a brick, no doubt about it, but it also means I can go to ground and it's much easier to stow than masses of CCF.