View Full Version : Underpad Length
I'm totally new to hanging and my HH Expedition Asym is supposed to be in the mail waiting for me today when I get home. I tried posting this on Hammockforums and didn't get much of a response, probably because it is an obviously question to those who are experienced with hammocks, but how long does your sleeping pad have to be? I'm using a CCF one but I don't want to carry the bulk and weight of it if I don't have to, I was thinking of maybe cutting it a little bit below the waist or something. Will this suffice, or do you really need the entire pad for insolation? I will only be going in the summer and I have a 30 degree synthetic bag. Thanks guys! :rolleyes:
bigcranky
05-16-2013, 14:01
For summer use, my CCF pad is long enough to go from my neck to the middle of my thighs. That works just fine in temps down around 50 or so, and I've had it to freezing though it wasn't comfortable.
I've used a Z-lite, a Ridgerest, both 3/4 length, and a Walmart blue foam pad cut down to torso length. All of them work fine, though the Walmart pad is 24 inches wide and wraps around my shoulders better. I just bought a 1/8-inch CCF pad from Jacks r Better and might try that this year.
patman25
05-16-2013, 14:15
I like having a full length pad under me in my hammock, more of a personal preference than anything. I use a Therma Rest self inflatable pad. I'm thinking about swapping to a 3/8 CCF pad though and trying it out.
So I just tried my hammock out for the first time, I cut it to about knee length. How the hell do you get your pad to sit flat and not get all crumpled up underneath you? It was really a PITA getting in that thing and I could never lay correctly, I was always off to the side of it or had part of it crumpled up or folded underneath me.
Trebor66
05-16-2013, 21:42
First of all I'm not claiming to be an expert on hammocking. I've been asking a bunch of questions myself lately. However, I have experienced the same issue wit the pad bunching up. It seems that there is no real solution for it other than using a hammock that has an extra layer of material underneath that acts like a pocket that the pad slips into. One of the popular brands is the Warbonnett Black Bird Double Layer. You can look it up on You Tube, there are several videos of reviews etc. that talk about this. There are also many videos made by a guy named "Shug". He's a bit of a character but he has some very informative videos. Once specificaly about pads and sleeping bags. This may answer a lot of questions you have. Hope this helps
First of all I'm not claiming to be an expert on hammocking. I've been asking a bunch of questions myself lately. However, I have experienced the same issue wit the pad bunching up. It seems that there is no real solution for it other than using a hammock that has an extra layer of material underneath that acts like a pocket that the pad slips into. One of the popular brands is the Warbonnett Black Bird Double Layer. You can look it up on You Tube, there are several videos of reviews etc. that talk about this. There are also many videos made by a guy named "Shug". He's a bit of a character but he has some very informative videos. Once specificaly about pads and sleeping bags. This may answer a lot of questions you have. Hope this helps
Thanks for the reply. If there is no real solution to the pad issue I'm surprised that so many people use them and don't complain... that's why I seem to think there must be a solution. I found Shug's videos via Hammockforums today, funny stuff and very informative as well.
I never liked using a CCF pad in my hammocks, always used an inflatable (prolite or big agnes), shorty length. works for me, YMMV. Lots of folks wind up using an underquilt and being very happy.
gunner76
05-16-2013, 22:13
Tried pads and switched to UQs. Much easier to use and more comfortable, They do cost more.
When using a pad, self inflator or air mattress it's always far less hassle when using a double layered hammock. When moving around in a double layered hammock your body moves against the silky smooth material of the hammock not the textured often sticky surface of the pad. You'll experience far less crumpling and/or movement of the pad. I've always used full length and usually with some sort of wings to keep the shoulder and upper arm warm. You really should see Shug's videos. Cat in the Hat
Thanks for the replies guys. The thing is, I just got this hammock and I don't really have the funds to invest in an underquilt yet. And besides, the bottom entry of the HH makes it seem like it would be difficult to configure that with an underquilt.
gunner76
05-17-2013, 20:02
There is a company that can mod your Hennessey http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/index.html. Also there are UQs made for the bottom entry hammocks
There is a company that can mod your Hennessey http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/index.html. Also there are UQs made for the bottom entry hammocks
May look into this in the future, but for now I'm going with the pad. I'm going out to Taylor Lodge on the LT tomorrow night to test it out, I'm excited to see how I sleep in it.
From the tip of the shoulder to your knees is the minimum IMO. Thermarest Z-Lite short is an example. Also the Z-Lite is a little nicer for laying out in a hammock. I've no experience with a bottom entry hammock so I can't give any pointers for holding a pad in position.
Trebor66
05-19-2013, 11:21
How was it last night?
How was it last night?
It went all right. My pad stayed in place and didn't slide around or crunch up at all. I cut it to about my knees and I wasn't cold at all. However, my friend's dog was running around this morning and he ran into the foot-end guy out and it tore right off the hammock. It wasn't a very hard hit and I don't think it should have broken so easily, I didn't have it pegged out that far either. I emailed Hennessy about it but I'll just fix it by myself.
I'm going with a z-lite short. I bring a small piece of reflectix for the footbox of my bag if it is going to be chilly. I'm 6'6" by the way.
I'm going with a z-lite short. I bring a small piece of reflectix for the footbox of my bag if it is going to be chilly. I'm 6'6" by the way.
Yea the Z-Lite lays out much better than most CCF pads I've used. The short is my choice for augmenting my 20* under-quilt for winter camping.
Here is some advice based on my experiences and a lot of tiral and error. Help from Hammock forums. Also living down the stret from Jacks R better has helped me learn a lot about Hammocks.
Prolite
Personally I wouldn't recommend it or any other inflatable pad unless you can get a wider width for the one you plan on using. An exception would be an Inertia X Frame but I can’t confirm how well it would work. I plan to do some testing soon with it. I’ve addressed that below. My prolite kept me warm but as soon as I hit the sides or it slipped out from under me which happened often I woke up and it made for a lot of bad nights of sleeping. I almost gave up hammock camping because of it and several other inflatable pads that I tried to use.
Thermarest Sleep systems
Recently I have found that there are pads made by Thermarest that have buttons that allow you to attach a TQ to the pad. TQ is included in the system. I’m sure that you could probably copy their process and do a DIY. I’ve read that it’s a great option to prevent slipping pads and to prevent from getting cold spots at night. But based on the cost I would rather pay for an UQ then this option. Also the weights seem too heavy for my taste. If you have a TQ already then this would be a cheaper option then probably getting a UQ.
Solite
I later bought a Thermarest solite. The one with the silver reflector on it. It seemed to work better for me with less sliding then my prolite or any inflatable but I still had issues with it sliding and rolling around at night. That and areas of me touching parts of my hammock that weren’t covered causing me cold spots. This caused me to do more research on ways to stay warm while avoiding cold spots. I realized that I needed a wider pad.
Torso Pad JRB
I later bought a torso pad from Jacks R Better. They sold it to me for $10. The pad is 26"X48", thickness 1/4, and weighs in at 4.3oz. I’m 6’2 and it worked better than the other options mentioned for me. If you’re going to use a pad I recommend using one that’s 26” wide or wider. I also use the pad in one of my frameless pack. I prefer dual purpose gear and you can use it when you go to ground. Very cheap option and worth the $10. If you need more width check out info that SGT Rock has posted in hammock forms for ways of making wings for your pad. Using 2 pads you can make this work and it would cost you around $20 and weight less than 7oz.
Hennesy Hammock Supershelter
Cheaper than an UQ but in my opinion a piece of crap. If you wanted to do cheap you could copy their idea for making the bottom section. This would allow you to place a CCF pad or any pad that you wanted underneth you to prevent slipping. It works but I wanted soemthing that would carry me down into lower temps with less weight with more options. I sent it back the next day. They killed me on shipping because with HH you have to pay both ways.
Under Quilt Nest JRB
If you are a dedicated hammock camper eventually you will want to upgrade to a UQ. I tried to avoid it for as long as I could trying to go the cheap routes but it got to a point where I realized if this didn’t work I would sell my hammock and never go back to it. FYI the nest is specifically designed for HHs and allows you to use the bottom entry. I use a HH Hyperlight. Being cheap ended up costing me more in the long run and gave me a lot of bad nights of backpacking. I still have nightmares. J/K When I had the money I upgraded to a Jacks R Better Nest UQ. Nothing beats using an UQ and in my opinion it was worth every cent that I paid for it. Sleeping on a pad takes away from the comfort you get with a hammock. I know for some the cost may not be an option but after the several items I purchased some not mentioned if I had just started out with a UQ I would have saved money vs. trying to go the cheaper route.
In warmer months I use it as a TQ when I go to ground. It weights less than most sleeping bags so why not. If it's really hot I'll just use a silk liner. If I plan to go to ground in colder weather I still bring my torso pad or my X Frame and use my UQ as a TQ. UQ is 1.5oz and pad at 4.3oz so total weight for pad and quilt is 25.3oz. If I went with a traditional TQ I could cut more weight. I had sticker shock when I bought it. After taxes I paid almost $300 for it. But after I used it I realized I would have paid more for a UL down bag with around the same temp ratings around the same weight. I can use it in warmer weather when I dont need a UQ as a TQ and of cousre the obvious as a UQ. You can't put a pricetag on good sleep when your on the trail. If you wanted to go a cheaper route you could go with their Grey Lock torso UQ. I think they actually have them on sale right now for around $150. Just get a torso pad from them for your feet.
Klymit Inertia X Frame
Another option I’m going to be experimenting with on my next trip in July is my Klymit Inertia X Frame. Weighs in at 9oz. If it works out I would think this may be one of the best options. Before I purchased it I combed the net trying to see if anyone had any posts for it for hammock camping and I've wondered why no one has considered it as an option. I’ve found no info on it. The problems with pads are they slide. The problem with UQ's is that a 3 season could weight 2-3X as much as a UL pad.
The X Pad seemed to me to be the best of both worlds. With the X Pad it doesn't have an R-Value because it uses your sleeping bags lofting to work as a barrier in the pockets of the pad. Exactly what you need to keep the bottom of you warm in a hammock. Kind of giving it a UQ feel but on the inside of your hammock. Also because the pad can work inside of your sleeping bag it’s nice to know that your pad will be under you all night making it a potentially great option for people using a HH hammock and trying to cut costs on buying a UQ.
If you go to ground for those of us who prefer our inflatables and want to save a few ounces it has worked well for me. If I know it’s going to be really cold when I go to ground I take my torso pad and use it under it and keep the pad outside of my sleeping bag. Total weight is 13.3oz and I’ve taken it to the low 20’s with no problems. In theory you could do the same with hammock camping except that I would just keep the X frame on the inside of my bag. It’s possible this may work in the 20’s. No confirmed numbers yet but if it works for me this may be a new an option for those of us who enjoy hammock camping and still looking to save a few ounces with a 3 season set-up at an affordable cost.
If anyone has tried this let me know. If not I’ll post how it worked out for me when I get back from my trip in July. Pray I don't freeze my ass off LOL. Hope this helps someone. I did a lot of trial and error while searching for the perfect set-ups and wished someone had told me these things before I got into hammock camping. It would have saved me a lot of money and a lot of sleepless nights.
da fungo
06-16-2013, 10:21
"Recently I have found that there are pads made by Thermarest that have buttons that allow you to attach a TQ to the pad. TQ is included in the system. I’m sure that you could probably copy their process and do a DIY."
I have no experience with hammocking, but reading the above makes me wonder:
Would a DIY approach as follows work: Take your CCF or other pad, punch through small holes in the corners, and put in grommets. Then use some small Velcro straps through the grommet holes to stabilize the pad against the hammock? Or, even, just glue some Velcro strip or patches to the pad, and use Velcro strips for stabilization?
Your going to want to make sure the set-up keeps you in pretty tight to prevent the pad from slipping or buckling depending on the type of hammock your using. I'm posting a link to the Thermarest sleep system below. Looks like you may even be able to buy a snap kit directly from them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESLrooRJUSM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
gravitino
06-18-2013, 21:59
Here is some advice based on my experiences and a lot of trial and error...
Thank you so much for the detailed report, I enjoyed reading it, and will benefit from your experience.
Thank you so much for the detailed report, I enjoyed reading it, and will benefit from your experience.
NP glad you got something out of it. :) Made it worth typing if even one person benefited from it.