[13223]

Saw these and thought others might be interested. I most likely will buy one and give a try.

https://www.klymit.com/hammock-v-1.html

or insulated version
https://www.klymit.com/insulated-hammock-v.html

 

[Mumbles]

@Freestone

 

[Freestone]

TD, I've seen in person. You can't really get an assym lay with it. That alone makes in a non-starter in my book.

And the non-insulated one is about useless from what I've heard. With only air under you vs ground, the insulating effect of your sleeping bag filling the pad holes doesn't really work.

 

[13223]

Thank you for the input Freestone! I was seriously going to order the insulated one this evening and see what I thought. I had assumed it would be assym so you could flip it either way depending on your preferred lay direction. I'm really glad you've seen them and could provide insight. I would have been disappointed.

I've used an old rubber/canvas type coleman air mattress in my hammock in the summer months for car camping & was quite happy with it. Then on one trip the wind howled all night and the temp dipped into the mid 30's. I was FREEZING all night. It felt like my entire backside was exposed.

For now I believe I'll stick to my Thermorest. I will eventually break down and spend the money on a well made UQ. I've awaken quite cold on more than one occasion when I've slipped off the pad.

My son's hammock has a pocket for a sleep pad and he claims the pad stays put under him and he has never gotten cold.

 

[Freestone]

I've used an oldI will eventually break down and spend the money on a well made UQ.

TD, can you sew or know anyone who does? You can buy a really nice down throw for $20 at Costco and easily convert it to a summer quilt. Stack 2 together and get down lower. Hammock Forum has lots of instructions and ideas on how to convert them.

 

[13223]

My daughter is taking a sewing class! Maybe I can get her to help me out. The down throw sounds like a pretty good idea. Thank you!

 

[jersey]

Thank you for the input Freestone! I was seriously going to order the insulated one this evening and see what I thought. I had assumed it would be assym so you could flip it either way depending on your preferred lay direction. I'm really glad you've seen them and could provide insight. I would have been disappointed.

I've used an old rubber/canvas type coleman air mattress in my hammock in the summer months for car camping & was quite happy with it. Then on one trip the wind howled all night and the temp dipped into the mid 30's. I was FREEZING all night. It felt like my entire backside was exposed.

For now I believe I'll stick to my Thermorest. I will eventually break down and spend the money on a well made UQ. I've awaken quite cold on more than one occasion when I've slipped off the pad.

My son's hammock has a pocket for a sleep pad and he claims the pad stays put under him and he has never gotten cold.

For the cost of the "almost purchased" gear, you can get a nice underquilt. Synthetics are in the price point, down is gonna be touch higher. They are really worth it.

I bought a lighter weigh synthetic, really am happy. If it gets too cold, slip in the thermarest.

 

[Mumbles]

Under quilt over pad, no contest. This is especially true if you're in a gathered end hammock. Pads in bridge hammocks are more manageable than in gathered ends, but still inferior to a good underquilt.

 

[13223]

Under quilt over pad, no contest. This is especially true if you're in a gathered end hammock. Pads in bridge hammocks are more manageable than in gathered ends, but still inferior to a good underquilt.

I agree. I use a bridge hammock and I have a "system" that works (most of the time). My son described it best when he said, "the first 2 minutes is a struggle where you're fighting to get everything just right, then it's the most comfortable nights sleep ever."

I borrowed a downUQ and the diff was night and day. Getting up to answer natures call at 2am is not too bad knowingI could just slip back in and not have to fight holding the pad just right while I rolled in and then spend the next few minutes wiggling everything in place.

 

[IveofIone]

Hammocks have never been comfortable for me since I am a side sleeper. Fortunately pads have come a helluva long way since I used a 1/2'' ensolite pad on McKinley 50 years ago.

Nowadays I am using a Thermarest Luxury Map in the large size-77'' x 25'' x 3''. Of course I am not backpacking any longer but for car camping these are just about the ultimate in comfort-particularly where lack of bulk and easy storage are important. They are surprisingly warm also.

If you are camping out of the back of your truck or inside your van, throw out that heavy, smelly dirty old foam and try one of these. You'll thank yourself for it.

 

[Alex MacDonald]

Ive, you might get together with Jason or Ed and give one of their hammocks a try. Side sleepers, or even stomach sleepers can get a great night's sleep on some of the new hammocks out there! I find my Warbonnet Blackbird to be waaaay more comfy than any pad yet made!

Even though I'm on my back here, I can easily roll over onto my sides or stomach. I love it!

 

[IveofIone]

Alex, you might be comfortable but to me you look like a guy in a body bag about to be slid off the deck of a ship!

 

[Mumbles]

Alex, you might be comfortable but to me you look like a guy in a body bag about to be slid off the deck of a ship!

Ive, do you care about comfort or aesthetics? Aren't you wise enough to embrace the concept of not sleeping on a hard, cold surface?

 

[Mumbles]

I borrowed a downUQ and the diff was night and day. Getting up to answer natures call at 2am is not too bad knowingI could just slip back in and not have to fight holding the pad just right while I rolled in and then spend the next few minutes wiggling everything in place.

Wait until you can pee from your bridge hammock and not even have to get out of the downy goodness.

 

[Salmo_g]

I might like to try hammock sleeping some time. But it seems rather complicated with all the under quilt stuff and catenary rigging. I sleep in a tent, but not on the hard ground. If car camping I have a 3 1/2" thick Thermarest, and when backpacking a 2 3/4" thick miracle lightweight mattress of some kind. I guess the downside is having to find a bit of level ground to set up on. And I no longer get up and leave the tent in the middle of the night. Special bottle that is not a water bottle.

 

[IveofIone]

Ive, do you care about comfort or aesthetics? Aren't you wise enough to embrace the concept of not sleeping on a hard, cold surface?

Exactly my point Ed, a Thermarest Luxury Map is not a cold hard surface but a soft warm one. In a hammock air is flowing underneath you hence the need for extra insulation. You also need two trees just the right distance apart or some type of metal frame.

I cut my backpacking teeth in the Sierra Nevada with much of it being above timberline-no love for hammocks up there!

 

[Alex MacDonald]

well, yeah, difficult to find trees when there aren't any around, Ive! But an underquilt on my hammock solves the air under your butt rather nicely! It's hard here in Washington to find places that are above treeline when you're hunting elk or deer though. (I realize we have plenty of them, you guys-I just don't have a reason to go there on a hunt. Compared to the spine of the Sierra, the Cascades are nowhere near as high, which Ive alludes to).

 

[13223]

Salmo - I agree; seemed complicated to me too. However, I've learned none of it is really complicated at all. For me the only trick to it was learning how much sag I prefer.

I got into hammocks with the misinformed idea that it would be a much lighter sleep system for backpacking. I've found its about equivalent to the weight I carried when I used a tent. However, if you share the weight of a tent with another person, the scale starts to tip in favor of the tent. There's always exceptions to every rule though.

Now, my son's & I prefer our hammocks simply because we all sleep so much better and wake up feeling more refreshed without any major sore areas from sleeping on uneven ground.

 

[13223]

I cut my backpacking teeth in the Sierra Nevada with much of it being above timberline-no love for hammocks up there!

I've set my hammock up as a single person tent on the ground when above treeline. So, there is a way, but you loose the benefit of sleeping on air.

 

[Salmo_g]

I've got my backpacking sleeping system down to:

Tent - 2 lb.
Sleeping bag - 2 lb.
Mattress - 1 lb.

Total - 5 lb.

How much does a complete hammock system weigh?