Alternative to underblanket?

[HelenG]

Hi,

I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my first hammock and can't yet afford to buy the underblanket. I'm wondering if I could achieve the same effect with a woollen blanket slung under the hammock with ends knotted and tied up with paracord?

Any thoughts or alternatives?

Helen

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[Wayland]

I've done that in mild weather. Blanket pins can be used to pin it together at the top.

Heavier and not quite as good as a proper under blanket but useable in the interim.

 

[bopdude]

A cheap sleeping bag can also be used as an under blanket, or turned into a cocoon, seen that used down to about -3

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[sunndog]

Use a sleeping mat inside the hammock or as bopdude said an old/cheap sleeping bag under the hammock until you can get a proper UQ

 

[John Fenna]

I tried an underblanket - I prefer a mat inside the hammock....

 

[bopdude]

Now I was the other way, found my UQ much warmer than a mat

Edit: going to try a homemade cocoon this week on a two nighter, should be toasty, hopefully.

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[HelenG]

Thanks for all the suggestions.😀

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[C_Claycomb]

Before I had an under blanket I had a mat. Thermarest Ridgerest, large, cut to a coffin shape. Rectangular mats are a frigid night waiting to happen. Foam needs to have a "skinned" surface, bought some 6mm foam off the internet, not an actual sleep mat, and the surface isn't skinned, same closed cell finish on top and bottom as I get when I cut it. That stuff GRIPS and it is all but impossible to get it and me to lie properly in the hammock. The Ridgerest is a lot easier to move around on.

I traded for a down quilt, but I made my own synthetic one with bits from Extremtextil in Germany. Wouldn't say it was easy, but the hardest part was fitting it to the hammock, a second person was invaluable to help with that. The actual sewing was a bit tedious, needed a lot of pins to keep slippery fabric in place, but if I can manage it I reckon anyone could.

Hope you find something that works for you

 

[Hammock_man]

CCF mat first and underquilt 2nd. I use a CCF mat at all times, underquilt sometimes. A old sleeping bag can make a great underquilt, it worked for kim for a few colder camps we did a treat.

 

[Laurence Milton]

A cheap sleeping bag can also be used as an under blanket, or turned into a cocoon, seen that used down to about -3

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Or cheaper still, one of the bedrolls as advertised on the MM site, and referred to on another thread?

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

as an underquilt I've used a few things including plastic bubblewrap type packaging(just an experiment) a poncho liner, and a home made feather/down underquilt, they all worked, I don't see why a blanket wouldn't work, but it's a personal thing, try as many options as you can and seek many opinions before you buy.

 

[mousey]

I've often thought of a double layer of tarp then using leaf litter / duff as a filler. This all depends on having a woodland with a lot of duff, no dog poop, the time to collect it and a potential bug issue.

As far as I can see there are three types of insulation methods:-

1, sleeping on something = CCF matt. These can be simple or modified to provide extra cover / wrap around arms /leg area.

2, Hang something under, if this is a blanket, duvet, spare sleeping bag or purpose make quilt it all pretty much equals the same thing.

3, Cocoon.

In practise I used a combination of 2 & 3 depending on how cold it is. A purpose made under quilt inside my insulated Jerven bag used as a cocoon.

 

[The Cumbrian]

Before I had an underblanket I used an untrimmed CCF mat, which was warm but was a bit sweaty. I improved this by wrapping a light wool blanket around the mat. I found this very comfortable, but a good underquilt is much better. I used a synthetic one for a long time before I bought a down one, but with hindsight I would have used the CCF mat and blanket for a bit longer and saved up for a down underquilt. If you get into hammocking you'll probably buy a down underquilt in the end anyway.

Cheers, Michael.