I’m wondering if you pack a sleeping pad instead of or in addition to an under quilt for use in sites you get “stuck” with where hanging isn’t an option. I’m going solo so I’d definitely prefer not to pack both.

Unless you’re in a known burn area, you’ll have no troubles.

Never taken a quilt, I've always used a self-inflatable pad, it seems to have plenty of insulation for me...but I've never tripped past early September.

If your solo there should always be a place to hang.

MidwestFirecraft: "If your solo there should always be a place to hang. "

Yep, pretty much all sites outside of burn areas should have at least one good hanging spot.

I do bring a sleeping pad just in case my hammock tears for some reason (happened to a friend, but he sagged low onto a dull rock and thinks he moved around just enough to cause a tear) or if there really is nowhere to hang at a campsite my group had to take due to congestion or weather or something. There's always enough room for it (size of a 1L Nalgene) and it only adds a pound or so. If I was trying to go as light as possible, I'd skip it.

I don’t think it’s necessary to take both. If going to a burn area, I probably would just go tent or pad only and no UQ.

When I bring a hammock for sleeping I use an underquilt and a top quilt. I like the top quilt so much that if I am sleeping in tent, I've stopped using a sleeping bag and instead use just the top quilt.

Just a top and under quilt for me. If I ever did have to go to ground I'm sure I could find enough pine duff to make a mattress of sorts. The small odds of that happening are not worth the extra weight of a pad for me.

Leave the pad at home. Its a Forest, there will be trees. Even in a blow down area. If you rip your hammock, sew it back up, very easy to repair. A needle and thread is a thing you should be carrying anyway.

TacoOverland: "I’m wondering if you pack a sleeping pad instead of or in addition to an under quilt for use in sites you get “stuck” with where hanging isn’t an option. I’m going solo so I’d definitely prefer not to pack both. "

I used to chaperone my boys' scout hiking trips. On those trips I carried a small inflatable pad only because I was not in control of my own trip.

As a solo traveler, I do not concern myself with unlikely hypotheticals. Anything serious enough to keep me from hanging a hammock would be too serious to sleep through.

I’m a top and under quilt guy also. I only bring an insulated pad when I need extra insulation.

No pads, just quilts.

It might be a good idea to have some extra rope just in case you do not have perfect trees, but you can always make something work.

SinglePortage: "It might be a good idea to have some extra rope just in case you do not have perfect trees, but you can always make something work. "

This is a good suggestion. I always take a 10-15' dog bone of 7/64's dyneema just in case.

Just an underquilt for me. I have never had any difficulty finding a spot to hang. One night, I did have to go closer to the Biffy to find a spot to hang. I discovered that I was too close when the wind shifted in the middle of the night.

I have taken in the realm of 40 BW trips with a Hammock and haven't ever not found something to hang it in. Some nights have been miserable with rough tree options, broken hammock components, or tears in the mosquito net, but, as others have said, most sites have something. You may not always find the "perfect hammock trees," but, in a pinch, you can make due.

I use a sleeping pad for the cold weather camping. I know a lot of people love their underquilts, I just haven't gotten into that ever. I've taken my sleeping pad hammock with a good bag down well below zero and done okay.

I've always used a sleeping pad in my hammock and have never used an underquilt, not even in the winter. To me, it's like carrying two sleeping bags.

My NEMO Tensor packs down to about 1/3 of the size of most underquilts and I'm always struggling to fit everything in my pack as it is. Been meaning to try an underquilt for winter camping but I just can't bring myself to buy one.

theshrewdloon: "I've always used a sleeping pad in my hammock and have never used an underquilt, not even in the winter. To me, it's like carrying two sleeping bags.


My NEMO Tensor packs down to about 1/3 of the size of most underquilts and I'm always struggling to fit everything in my pack as it is. Been meaning to try an underquilt for winter camping but I just can't bring myself to buy one. "

Interesting, I’ve never used a sleeping pad in my hammock, only underquilts. My 2 850 fill down underquilts equal one sleeping bag and compress down very small.

It’s cool how everyone has a different approach and perspective. One of the reasons I really enjoy hearing from people in these forums.

In warm weather, when I'm not bringing the underquilt and bringing just a light fleece to cover myself, I bring my pad. I have an inflatable lightweight pad. I don't bother to inflate it, but put it underneith me to prevent bugs from biting me through the hammock.

I had a trip where the last available campsite was in a burn area with no sturdy trees were available. I ended up putting the group tarp down first with my thermorest z seat under my back. I setup my system as normal, just on the ground. I still setup between tiny trees to tie up the bug netting and tarp. slept fine since it only dropped to the 50’s in mid August. If I did get cold I would have slid my legs into my empty backpack over the sleeping bag.

I would advise hanging and sleeping in your back yard a LOT! You will start to learn what works and doesn't work in the hot and cold weather by experience...and worst case is you go back into the house at 3 AM.

Blackdogyak: "I would advise hanging and sleeping in your back yard a LOT! You will start to learn what works and doesn't work in the hot and cold weather by experience...and worst case is you go back into the house at 3 AM."

I’ll give it a try but I thought after 10 years of hammock camping all over North America I’d already have figured that out. Go figure. Anyway, my suggestion is to read the OP question and stick to that. Just a thought. More useful.
Cheers.

I use a 3/4 length closed cell pad as my knee pad, then I have it as a sleeping pad if I can't hang.