trimming a ccf pad

[Katherine .]

I ordered the Gossamer Gear ccf hammock pad for use in my new Warbonnet double-layer blackbird.

Clearly I will need to trim this down a lot. But I'm shy about doing too much at first.

Any one have any photos of how they've trimmed theirs?

Gosh, it's light, but crazy awkward. No idea how I'm going to attach it to my pack (a ULA Ohm). Any advice on that?

I'm hoping the ccd padding works for me, because that was the point of getting the double layer. When I had a chance to demo hammocks I had trouble keeping an underquilt in place. Off the top of my head I think if I get the pad down to 6 oz that would be the same weight-wise as the single layer + under quilt, and I'd feel good about that.

[todd]

Hmmmm. Most have the opposite issue: underquilts stay put while pads are a pain. YMMV though and for the price, why not try it?

I wouldn't butcher the pad without a trial run first. Sleep as is for a night and trim a bit (less at the shoulders than the hips) and try another night. After a few nights, you'll know.

Getting advice from others is a shot in the dark, since you may toss n turn a lot / a little, how wide your shoulders and hips are, how tall you are, etc.

Best of luck. It's fun to experiment.

[Katherine .]

yeah, I probably will just have to whittle away at it.

If my specs help: height 5'6", shoulders 42" around, hips 41", usually a side-sleeper – but toss and turn.

my impression was the double layer would help a lot with keeping it in place. fingers crossed.

wish I had trees in my backyard! Maybe I'll take the big scissors with me on a day hike.

[Michael Gunderloy]

Using a cheap Walmart pad, what I did for hammocking was slice it right in half. Then turn one half sideways under my shoulders, tuck a couple inches of the other half under it and use that for my upper legs. Worked for me.

[todd]

Oh yeah, you're right about the double layer helping prevent/limit pad movement.

[Steven McAllister]

I never had much luck with a ccf pad inside my BB double layer. It would always work it's way out from under my body. Didn't matter if it was directly under me or in between the double layers.

As mentioned earlier in the thread most people do the T shape thing to keep the pad wide enough around your core, this also should help keep it centered inside of double layer hammock.

My experience agrees with most, underquilts work great, once you get them hung correctly.
They are lighter and take up far less pack space for the same amount of insulation.

[Mark Armesto]

I have used underquilts and pads. The pads always move on me, so it simply doesn't work. BUT… if I think I may have to use my hammock as a bivy (trees are not always conveniently planted for some reason, and underbrush makes tarp expansion impossible), an underquilt is better replaced by a pad. It's a conundrum. Take both? I'm looking for a better solution.

You would think, that a double hulled hammock would have some kind if locking devise or strategic stitches to lock in a pad to keep it from moving.

[Kevin Babione]

Ed Speer, when he used to sell hammocks, included velcro "dots" with his segmented pad extender to keep the pad in place. You could probably do the same thing…

Get some of those dots and place the "soft" side of the dots on your hammock and then put the "stiff" side (the hooks) on your pad. It wouldn't cost much to try.

[Joe L]

A second on the suggestion to use a WalMart pad to get the size and shape right then cut the GG pad slightly larger in case it flexes more than the WM pad.

Take a single edge razor blade to use as the pad cutter on the trail, or one of those razor blade knives that you break off the tip on the dull blade to expose the next portion. Dollar store may sell them.

[Katherine .]

thanks for the suggestions.

haven't used my hammock yet — I could have, but stuck w/the ground bivy cause I wasn't sure of the tree situations on my trips (I totally could have brought the hammock on all).

maybe I'll get a hammock overnighter in before I call the season done.

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