I'm wondering if anyone has used a emergency/space blanket under their sleeping bag instead of using an underquilt or a foam pad. I've been using a cheap closed cell pad under me for my trips so far this year and find that I stay pretty warm and avoid the cold butt syndrome pretty well. I'm doing a solo trip starting next weekend and want to ditch the pad. I

How well do the space blankets help with this and how resilient are they throughout the trip? I'm expecting lower 40's during the nights and using a 30 degree mummy bag and a single layer hammock. Thanks!

You need tiny little pockets of air, like that provided by closed cell foam or feathers, to keep you warm. An "emergency blanket" will not provide any insulation, even if its hung under the hammock.

On second thought, you could hang the emergency blanket under your hammock and then fill it with dry leaves and needles. It would probably be a little cool around your shoulders and feet.

I like the idea of using what is available out there. Like using downed balsam boughs under a pad at night. I'll look into some DIY underquilt stuff I can whip together in a week on a budget. Thanks!

Seems that the emergency blanket would cause dampness because it won't breath as well. Back to the drawing board.

I have hung low (*snicker*) and pushed all of the surrounding leaf-litter up around the bottom of the hammock. It worked, but in my mind I could feel ticks crawling around all over me all night long.

The tested/proven theory is that the chill is avoided by creating a lofted area where the wind can't pull heat away from your body. From what I understand of the space blanket tech it works by reflecting your body heat back on you instead of letting it dissipate.

It would make sense to me that a space blanket would be fine as an additional layer, but I would not use it as my primary defense against the cold.

I found it a lot easier just to get an underquilt.

The emergency blanket is designed to reflect our body heat back at you. filling it with leaves will work against you, unless you have it directly under your sleeping bag. My suggestion is get an inexpensive uq. DD hammocks makes a nice one that packs really small. I have one that I use in the summer and then i just need 50 degree sleeping bag to cover me. the uq is right around $65. That is what I have done to rid myself of the sleeping pad.

Thanks for the advice. I was out for a week in late May and really see the utility of the underquilt. I ended up bringing out the pad, slept most nights with it, slept one without it and the wind switched off of Lake Superior and froze my ass. I was up at 4:30am that day.

I found that no matter how chilly it was at night, I still had moisture between me and the foam pad, which contributed to my being a little chilled by morning. I think I'll break down and buy one for this fall/next spring.

I believe you will be happy with that choice.
I have discovered that a UQ is significantly more comfortable than a pad...and no condensation.

quote jcavenagh: "I believe you will be happy with that choice.
I have discovered that a UQ is significantly more comfortable then a pad...and no condensation."

+1, Me too. They also pack down smaller than a pad.

Don't want to invest in an underquilt? Rig a poncho underneath your hammock and insert a down parka between the poncho and hammock. The hood of a parka also makes a great pillow/headgear. With minimal effort, you can thread line through the edge seams of the poncho ($10 dri-ducks)and use the line to attach to your suspension.

quote toddhunter: "Don't want to invest in an underquilt? Rig a poncho underneath your hammock and insert a down parka between the poncho and hammock. The hood of a parka also makes a great pillow/headgear. With minimal effort, you can thread line through the edge seams of the poncho ($10 dri-ducks)and use the line to attach to your suspension."

I LIKE IT! THANKS!

quote OgimaaBines: "Thanks for the advice. I was out for a week in late May and really see the utility of the underquilt. I ended up bringing out the pad, slept most nights with it, slept one without it and the wind switched off of Lake Superior and froze my ass. I was up at 4:30am that day.


I found that no matter how chilly it was at night, I still had moisture between me and the foam pad, which contributed to my being a little chilled by morning. I think I'll break down and buy one for this fall/next spring. "

It's not worth the effort to rig things together that kinda sorta work, just invest in the underquilt and you'll be quite happy.

That.

It's not worth the effort to rig things together that kinda sorta work, just invest in the underquilt and you'll be quite happy."

You can not go wrong with a jarbidge from arrowhead. I have one that I have taken down to 42 and stayed warm. I think this quilt is the best bang for your buck to get started. If you like quilts and want a smaller pack size you can always sell it and get something in 850 fill down.

The link adding button thingy isn't working for me but here is a link to the jarbidge.

http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store/p312/_Jarbidge_River_Under_Quilt.html

Why couldnt a guy buy one of those $8-$15 walmart sleeping bags, open it up, make it a "mock hammock" directly below the actual hammock? This seams like a very easy/fast and useful way to get an underquilt on the cheap.


You may have to adjust it a bit to make sure the sag in the sleeping bag hammock is close to the sag in the real hammock when weight is applied.

quote sirlips: "Why couldnt a guy buy one of those $8-$15 walmart sleeping bags, open it up, make it a "mock hammock" directly below the actual hammock? This seams like a very easy/fast and useful way to get an underquilt on the cheap.



You may have to adjust it a bit to make sure the sag in the sleeping bag hammock is close to the sag in the real hammock when weight is applied."

Bulk! My first attempt at a underquilt was the opened up sleeping bag. It works great once adjusted but you are essentially bringing g two sleeping bags. I later took that same sleeping bag a cut it to size. I used grosgrain ribbon around the outside and hung it from the outside corners using shock cord. Now it is about 1/3 the bulk of the original sleeping bag. If your not he sewing type you will have to live with the extra bulk or buy a for real underquilt. KAQ jarbidge is the best budget one I have seen. Down will cost ya some more dollars all will work awesome.

My last experiment was a couple sleeping bag mods. It can be done. It was for me the best night I've had in a hammock so far, but there are a lot of problems to work out. If I had a bunch of weekends to work it out, my cheap side would take over and I'd still be working on it. As it is, I need a good reliable system and not a lot of time to fiddle.

I am cheap.

I enjoy solving problems.

I am good at sewing and have good equipment for that.

And so I say, before you buy a hammock be sure you are prepared to buy under insulation. An under-quilt or Hennessy super shelter etc. i found a few DIY things that 'work', but none that so far have satisfied all my needs.

The Arrowhead Equipment Jarbidge is on sale for 75 right now. At that price, its hard not to switch to an underquilt.

http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store/c15/Anniversary_Sale.html