why always cold in my hammock

[sharkdiver]

I'm kind of new to hammock camping and I'm always freezing at night! I have an under quilt and a top quilt, both supposedly rated for 0degrees, but I still get cold even when it's 40degrees out, it's always the underside that feels cold!
I made the quilts myself from down blankets. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a trick to positioning the under quilt against the hammock? Any advice is super welcome!

 

[cougarmeat]

sharkdriver, your first post. Welcome to the forum. How about posting a photo of your setup?

In days of old, people thought the UQ had to be cinched tight at the ends. That looked pretty when you weren't in the hammock. But you know you get the best lie when you are a bit diagonal to the center line. That means your feet and shoulders are pushing out at the sides. If the ends of the UQ are cinched tight, that "push" will create a gap for heat-robbing air flow. Nowadays, ends, still gathered with an adjustable shock-cord, are set loose enough so they can "form fit" to the shape of the hammock with a body in it.

Your problem might be here ... these days most UQ's are made with a differential cut. That means the bottom side of the quilt is cut fuller than the top. Without that design feature, if you snug the UQ too tight to the bottom of the hammock, you'll compress the down, the loft, and you'll lose your insulation effect.

Some vendors, like Hammock Gear, have, in addition to a top and bottom, also have a head end and foot end on their UQs. That's because they concentrate more down/loft from your shoulders to your waist. So you attach their UQs with the proper top/bottom and head/foot orientation.

It's recommended by some that the UQ be attached such that full-length shock-cord suspension (on the sides) lift that hammock about 10 inches when no one is in it. That assures the UQ bottom is right up against the hammock body - no gaps. But again, they can do that because of the differential cut. No matter how tight the UQ is against the bottom of the hammock, it will not compress the down insulation, the loft.

So does that give you any ideas about what to look for? It might be that you are not attaching your UQ tight enough, so there are no gaps along the bottom of the hammock. Or you are attaching it too tightly so it's compressing the loft.

Note that a "comfort rating" is just a manufacturer's suggestion. I've found that a 20° rating keeps me comfortable in the low 30s and maybe a degree or two into the high 20s. I would NOT be comfortable at 20°. Each person discovers what works for them.

As that great philosopher, Columbo, would say, "One more thing sir. ..." I'm old. I have to pee at night. When it's time, my body stops producing heat. It's my body's way of ... encouragement. I'm thinking, "I don't have to get up now. I'll wait. Morning is almost here (it's 3 AM)." So I get colder and colder. Then I finally get up, water a tree, and get back in the hammock. Half an hour of suffering when it only took a minute or two to heed the call.

If you're young, don't worry about it. Just one of the many surprises waiting for you down the road

 

[Hammock k1ng]

your DIY blankets probably didn't seal properly, creating cold spots, especially under you. the trick is to get a snug, draft free fit by adjusting suspension cords, ensuring it's not squashed by you.
also, filling gaps with a pad or reflective material inside the hammock for extra warmth, as DIY quilts need a precise setup for full insulation

 

[shadyshad3]

sharkdriver, your first post. Welcome to the forum. How about posting a photo of your setup?

In days of old, people thought the UQ had to be cinched tight at the ends. That looked pretty when you weren't in the hammock. But you know you get the best lie when you are a bit diagonal to the center line. That means your feet and shoulders are pushing out at the sides. If the ends of the UQ are cinched tight, that "push" will create a gap for heat-robbing air flow. Nowadays, ends, still gathered with an adjustable shock-cord, are set loose enough so they can "form fit" to the shape of the hammock with a body in it.

Your problem might be here ... these days most UQ's are made with a differential cut. That means the bottom side of the quilt is cut fuller than the top. Without that design feature, if you snug the UQ too tight to the bottom of the hammock, you'll compress the down, the loft, and you'll lose your insulation effect.

Some vendors, like Hammock Gear, have, in addition to a top and bottom, also have a head end and foot end on their UQs. That's because they concentrate more down/loft from your shoulders to your waist. So you attach their UQs with the proper top/bottom and head/foot orientation.

It's recommended by some that the UQ be attached such that full-length shock-cord suspension (on the sides) lift that hammock about 10 inches when no one is in it. That assures the UQ bottom is right up against the hammock body - no gaps. But again, they can do that because of the differential cut. No matter how tight the UQ is against the bottom of the hammock, it will not compress the down insulation, the loft.

So does that give you any ideas about what to look for? It might be that you are not attaching your UQ tight enough, so there are no gaps along the bottom of the hammock. Or you are attaching it too tightly so it's compressing the loft.

Note that a "comfort rating" is just a manufacturer's suggestion. I've found that a 20° rating keeps me comfortable in the low 30s and maybe a degree or two into the high 20s. I would NOT be comfortable at 20°. Each person discovers what works for them.

As that great philosopher, Columbo, would say, "One more thing sir. ..." I'm old. I have to pee at night. When it's time, my body stops producing heat. It's my body's way of ... encouragement. I'm thinking, "I don't have to get up now. I'll wait. Morning is almost here (it's 3 AM)." So I get colder and colder. Then I finally get up, water a tree, and get back in the hammock. Half an hour of suffering when it only took a minute or two to heed the call.

If you're young, don't worry about it. Just one of the many surprises waiting for you down the road

Really helpful breakdown, thanks for sharing! I’m still dialing in my first UQ setup after years of tent camping. Do you find the “10‑inch lift” rule works across different hammock lengths, or does it vary a lot?

 

[cougarmeat]

The English language can be too fuzzy or overly restrictive. So know that, in this case, "Rule" equals "Suggestion". The purpose of the 10-inch lift is to ensure the bottom of the hammock is securely mated to the top of the UQ with no gaps. But, as mentioned earlier, that assumes the UQ was constructed with a differential cut so that no matter how tight the UQ is to the bottom of the hammock, it doesn't compress the loft of the UQ.

A long shock cord on both sides supports the UQ. That shock cord is attached to the hammock ends. For any particular length of hammock, you can tie a knot (usually an overhand slip knot) in the cord to shorten it so that it lifts the UQ for a proper fit.

If you have an assistant, one of you can be in the hammock while the other makes adjustments. It will probably be clear to the person in the hammock as "best fit" is approached. It brings a feeling of warmth and security.

Remember, the end cinches are usually left loose enough (but not too loose) so the UQ form-fits to your diagonal position. But depending upon the rest of your UQ suspension, it may need more help with lift. There are several ways to accomplish that. There are commercial tools like "Thingies" - a triangle piece of material that connects to the hammock and UQ suspension to provide more lift. Or DIY adjustments with a line over the hammock ridgeline that connects to the UQ, giving it lift.

Most of my UQ's are from HammockGear, and their design has a secondary suspension that lifts the UQ ends. But even with that, unless it's really warm (mid/late summer) I use an Under Quilt Protector (UQP) that hangs under the UQ. It's an extra layer of breathable (to prevent condensation issues) nylon that provides an additional wind block. When I got into hammocks, a UQP cost about $30. Now they cost ... more.

Here's a link that might be useful: