Understanding what I can or shouldn’t do to go light

You need both top and bottom insulation on a hammock. You can use a wide CCF foam pad, but an underquilt is more comfortable. The top quilt can still be used for ground camping. You can use a lighter sleeping bag and drape it over you like a quilt in warmer weather or get in all the way when it's colder out. The quilt option is usually lighter and has less volume.

There are plenty of good synthetic fill insulated items, so you can still get UL with no problem. I live in a very wet climate and don't use down at all.

Thanks Dale. I had forgotten that a friend had recently given me a wide CCF pad. I suppose I could try that with a TQ before the expense of a UQ. If it's uncomfortable I'll spring for a UQ.

Do you mind (if it's allowed) giving me some sites for synthetic TQ or telling me the brands that you would recommend and I can look them up. Thanks for the insight!

"I recently found out that I am allergic to down"

Most of the ones that react to down are actually allergic to dust mites.
Those are very common in a down cover at home but not usually present in modern treated sleeping bag down.

For example from a previous thread on this :
I too have allergies to down. Recently I purchased a Montbell sleeping bag and haven't had any issues.

From their web site: MontBell chooses all gray goose down for its superior down-to-feather ratio. Then we gently rinse the feathers to rid them of allergy-causing dirt and dust.

ahh but I wish it were so. A lung biopsy, 80 percent lung capacity and a visit to the Mayo Clinic tells me that I have what is known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. While they cannot say for certain what is causing this the 1st culprit is always down based on their experience. And at this point it is something I do not care to risk. So it isn't a simple allergy but something more serious.

I agree with what you are saying though. We in fact had a 10 year old down comforter, down parka and of course the ubiquitous dust that all homes have. And that may very well have been what caused the problem.

All of this is in large part is what has led me to this site and the desire to pack lighter-so that I can keep going with the sport that we all love!

Thank you for your comment though. Much appreciated!

John,

You should checkout hammockforms.net. There is a wealth of information on the site regarding hammock camping. I myself have a DIY TQ and UQ made from 1.1oz ripstop and 5oz/yd Apex Climashield insulation. I like the Climashield because it's fairly light and packs down pretty small. At least as synthetic insulation goes. Arrowhead equipment is one manufacturer of quilts and their jar bridge UQ is very reasonably priced at around $100.

I have never used a hammock. But from the gear lists I have looked at, it seems a comparable ground-based sleep system is lighter.

John,

My hammock camping is limited but I've grown tired of playing "chase the sleeping pad" so I'm in the market for a UQ.

I believe Englightened Equipment is going to launch their new website tomorrow but they have synthetic offerings under their Prodigy line:

http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/product/prodigy-uq/
http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/product-category/prodigy/

If you have the MYOG bug, search YouTube and you'll see people who use a military poncho liner as an UQ. I purchased a USGI Patrol Bag off of Amazon for $30 and made a quilt out of it. I'll have to re weigh it but I believe that it's about 2 lbs with the zipper removed. I could remove even more material and maybe get it down to 1.5 lbs.

+1 for Hammockforums but BPL is a great place to dial in the rest of your gear.

Happy trails

Nick wrote, "I have never used a hammock. But from the gear lists I have looked at, it seems a comparable ground-based sleep system is lighter."

I've done a lot of comparisons, and my take is that the lightest hammock systems are ***generally*** about 10oz more than the lightest ground systems. I freely admit that this is a broad generalization.

But, a hammock system is really a very weatherly double wall tent with the most comfortable sleeping pad imaginable and one that will never go flat. If we compare UL hammock systems to double wall tents plus a middle of the road pad, it all evens out and a hammock may even be lighter. You need a couple suitable trees, but other than that, the hammock will leave you HAPPILY high and dry, free of bugs and out of the rocks, roots, mud, uneven and/or sloping ground and pooling/running water. You get a free chair in the bargain, you can stand up to dress, and get a dry kitchen shelter too. Indeed, sleeping on the ground is for troglodytes and Neanderthals :)

Where can a hammock system be heavier than a ground system?

In general:

*Larger tarps
*Suspension and hardware
*Bug nets
*Underquilts

I don't have a handy list of synthetic top or bottom quilts. I have an under quilt made by Wilderness Logic. I don't use and under quilt often and prefer a clone of the Hennessy SuperShelter system, with an open cell foam pad, space blanket and under cover sandwich. I have one under cover that can double as a poncho, dropping the effective weight that much more. The SuperShelter type system is great for summer use in the PNW. Google "garlington insulator" for more inside to under cover based hammock insulation systems.

I woulndt buy a Jam backpack as your first purchase. Figure out your quilt/shelter situation first so that you have a good idea of the volume and weight the pack will need to support.

I bought the prodigy jr X quilt from enlightened equipment for my daughter and definately recomend them. Very reasonable cost especially the X line.