View Full Version : Quilt question..
Having not seen these quilts in action, Im a little befuddled. I have a 70X50 down quilt I have tried to fasten to the bottom of my hammock. It fits snug on the bottom, but the farther up from the middle the quilt goes, the farther away from the hammock it hangs. Ive tried a thru lacing elastic cord system on the ends to draw it together but it still leaves a big gap on the ends of the hammock. How can I pull the whole quilt up against the hammock so there are no air gaps? Couldnt find any pics for examples. Thanx ahead.
SGT Rock
08-11-2004, 18:41
The quilt should be slightly diamond like in shape, except with the very end tips cutt off. The ends should be about 18" wide.
On the sides, make it a good width to where it clips on the side tie outs and mates to the bottom of the hammock.
On the ends, use some elastic cord on the corners that pull up to the main line. The quilt should fit a little losse when you are out, but have a good fit to the hammock when you get in. To adjust the fit you can move the elastic cord tie out points farther out or in along the main line.
Thanx Rock, I was under the impression from the measured statements of these quilts that they were rectangles. I will conform my quilt to more of a diamond shape as you reccommended. Thanx again man!
SGT Rock
08-11-2004, 22:00
They are rectangles, but they have a way to cinch them down on the ends for use on a hammock. You could build one that way.
NCMTS,
The Jacks R Better Quilts are rectangles. We have a draw string on each end that allows you to close up the ends.
All we've done is match the hammock. The Hennessey is just a rectangular piece of nylon as well. It's pleated on the ends to gather it and attach the end lines. The A-Sym is sort of an illusion created by where Tom put the tie out points.
So, hang the quilt under the hammock - loosely - and cinch the ends.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
SGT Rock
08-12-2004, 09:08
Yes, listen to Smee. The Jacks 'R Better Quilt is a winner since you can use it as a sleeping quilt or an underquilt depending on your need. My No Sniveling Quilt that they made works great for under the hammock insulation, and in warmer weather it is my primary sleeping quilt. www.jacksrbetter.com
For another idea on how to make one, CanoeBlue has a lighter idea, but it isn't as multifunctional as the Jacks 'R Better desigm. You can see CanoeBlue's version at www.thru-hiker.com
Yes, listen to Smee. The Jacks 'R Better Quilt is a winner since you can use it as a sleeping quilt or an underquilt depending on your need. My No Sniveling Quilt that they made works great for under the hammock insulation, and in warmer weather it is my primary sleeping quilt. www.jacksrbetter.com (http://www.jacksrbetter.com/)
For another idea on how to make one, CanoeBlue has a lighter idea, but it isn't as multifunctional as the Jacks 'R Better desigm. You can see CanoeBlue's version at www.thru-hiker.com (http://www.thru-hiker.com)
I ordered a under quilt from Jacks 'R' Better but It will not be delivered until the second or third week in September. Next week I am going to start hiking in PA going north and need something to keep my hammock warm at night. Do you know of a temporary solution to my problem?
God bless,
Corsican
SGT Rock
08-15-2004, 09:40
Go get a 24" wide blue clossed cell foam pad from Wal Mart. It costs about $6 if I remember right. It should work for you down into the 40s. I recommend trimming into a mummy shape: http://hikinghq.net/hammock/hammock3.html#Tip 11 (http://)
SGT Rock,
Thank you very much for the information. What do you think about a D.A.M. in conjunction with a windshield reflector?
Corsican
SGT Rock
08-15-2004, 15:08
Well I found the windshield to be less usefull over time. I think if I had to do something like that I would get some tyvek and make a garlington to go around it, then wash it a few times to get the crinkle out. I've never used a DAM either, but I have heard some good things about them. If you use a garlington and a pad you should be pretty good. But if you already ordered a down quilt and you don't yet own a DAM, I would save my money and just get the cheap pad until the quilt shows up.
MedicineMan
08-16-2004, 01:15
Here is a pic of a Garlington Taco here at WB:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/1414/password/0/sort/1/cat/500/page/13
I made it out of aluminized sil-nyl....works well with the down underquilt by Jacks-r-Better or anything you can stuff between it and the hammock body (typically then I would stuff a WM Flight between the two)....
Ann at Hennessey is shipping me a Winter Solution this Wednesday...I'm betting it will be very similar at least in fuction to the Garlington Taco, I'll let you all know after it gets here.
We fly to Utah/Nevada on Sept 1 for 21days of hiking/exploring and I plan on taking the Winter Solution to play with though it might not see its full potential until we reach Great Basin NP in Nevada.
p.s. if you want a taco of alumized sil-nyl and search for it you will get a hit a Stephenson's Warmlite....dont buy it there unless you have to, last I checked it was 25$/yard...i got mine from OWF for 6$/yard
I have developed an underquilt with a friend of mine here in Los Angeles who is a Grader (pattern maker") for the garment industry. It fits Hennessy hammocks. It has 10 darts in it, is a mother to sew but boy does it fits like a glove. There are no gaps underneath and no wasted material because the thing is custom fitted. It's similar to Dennis Klinksy's (aka Blue Canoe's) design but we have taken the contoured shape and dart thing about 10 steps farther. When you take this thing off it still holds it shape and looks like a canoe sitting on the ground. This is nothing you would want to make commerically but we are real proud of the way it works. I have made one with .85 DWR ripstop and 12 oz. of 850 fill down. I believe this quilt could go down into the teens. The one thing I have noticed about the underquilts in real cold temps is that only the area underneath you is heated by your body. If you move far to the left or right of where you are lying you will hit a cold spot that takes about 5 minutes to warm back up. I don't think any amount of down is going to resolve this problem. Just don't move too much!
Todd Homchick
peter_pan
09-03-2004, 08:33
Upricon,
If you want to heat the entire quilt area don't pull the sides out. Use the HH as if it were a Speer. Your body will heat the sides better this way. This is the same as getting a bag that fits you vs getting one that is too big, with too much dead air to heat.
Congrats on your quilt...let's see some pictures.
Peter,
This problem only occurs when the temp drops into the teens. I never tie off the sides, never made much sense to me. What I do do though is take advantge of the assymetrical nature of the hammock in order to sleep as level as possible. This probably causes the sides to flatten out and get cold. The other problem I have had when sleeping in weather that is in the teens is cold feet. I attribute this to the elevated position of my feet and the reduced blood circulation. My ID primaloft socks have solved this problem plus they are nice to have on when nature calls in the middle of the night. Speaking of nature calling I find that since I have started hammocking I do not have to get up to pee near as much as before and some nights I dont get up at all. I attribute this to how deeply I sleep now. Hammocks are so nice. I could never go back to sleeping on the ground. I never imagined I could be so comfortable while backpacking
Todd
peter_pan
09-04-2004, 11:58
Upricon, Socks are ok, What are you using for a top quilt/bag at 20 degrees? Also are cold feet a regular issue for you? What is your winter bed time snack of preference? Cheese for example take a long time to consume and the body burns calories because of digestion most of the night to help with the warmth issues. In all of this I bet you are still warmer and more comfortable with and underquilt than you were with a pad. What say you,, on this, the real question?
I have a Nunatak Backcountry Blanket with 4oz of extra fill in it. I sent it back to Tom and had him sew a footbox into it. I then removed all the velcro and installed a snap up at the neck. I now have what is essentially an oversized Arc Alpinist or what he would call an "Expedition" sized Arc Alpinist. It works great as an overbag and I intend to use it this winter as such. I bought it used and with all the modifications it is still far less in price then what it would cost new. It's really comfortable and I notice that when I tuck it under me it makes a big difference to the insulation value of the underquilt because of the overlapping that occurs. I'm snug as a bug. I do not normally have a cold feet problem. I do elevate my feet higher then my head when I set up the hammock. I find this is the only way I keep myself from sliding down. Maybe this is why I get cold feet. BTW do you use a pillow? It seems I remember reading one of your posts and I am pretty sure you have a BC blanket as well. I like to use a pillow but the dang thing is always moving around too much. Back in the old days before I evolved and moved up the evolutionary scale and stopped sleeping on the ground I would put my pillow inside the sleeping bag but now with the BC blanket I can't. What do you do for a pillow? I will post pictures of the underquilt as soon as I get it back. People keep borrowing it.
peter_pan
09-07-2004, 17:27
upricon,
Yes, I use a pillow. Generally, my clothes bag, if not full enough I put my Rainshield jack in it as well. It never moves. Just like I don't move once I lay back and briefly shift to a comfort point. Hammocks are so comfortable and stess points so non-existant (assuming you are no longer using a pad) I don't get all the discussion of people moving around in hammocks. I use a No Snivrler quilt 3 seasons and an Old Rag Mtn quilt in the winter.