Hammock Transition Advice - Staying lightweight

[ggreaves]

Question on the sleeping pad. Why the Klymit Insulated Static V-Lite pad VS say a Neo Air? I ask this because I'm going to try out hammocking this year and I was hoping to reuse my existing sleeping pad.

I tried a Neoair xlite large in mine. It's 77"x25". The Klymit is 72"x23". The baffles in the neoair go across the pad. The pad doesn't like to bend into a taco shape once inflated which is what is required in a hammock. The baffles in the klymit are V shaped and there are 3 columns. And it bends quite easily at the tip of the V on the middle column of baffles too. so it wraps around you in 4 segments. The neoair just tried to stay flat. The ridgeline was 2 inches above my nose in the hammock and it bacame quite tippy. Maybe if it was underinflated a lot it would work better - but that would steal insulating value.

[Jayne]

Question on the sleeping pad. Why the Klymit Insulated Static V-Lite pad VS say a Neo Air? I ask this because I'm going to try out hammocking this year and I was hoping to reuse my existing sleeping pad.

I use a Neoaiir in my XLC and find it to be quite comfortable. YMMV. Comfort is very subjective and depends on how your specific body fits in a specific hammock and how you are hanging and adjusting the system. The advantage of a hammock is that it is very adjustable; the downside is that getting everything right requires some practice and different things work well for different people.

[Jayne]

I tried a Neoair xlite large in mine. It's 77"x25". The Klymit is 72"x23". The baffles in the neoair go across the pad. The pad doesn't like to bend into a taco shape once inflated which is what is required in a hammock. The baffles in the klymit are V shaped and there are 3 columns. And it bends quite easily at the tip of the V on the middle column of baffles too. so it wraps around you in 4 segments. The neoair just tried to stay flat. The ridgeline was 2 inches above my nose in the hammock and it bacame quite tippy. Maybe if it was underinflated a lot it would work better - but that would steal insulating value.

I think you are hanging your hammock at way too shallow of an angle if that's the case. The XLC needs a nice bend and the foot needs to be a good 18" higher than the head before it really starts to get comfortable. I highly recommend the Shugemery Youtube vidieos on the XLC for some very good tips.

[ggreaves]

I use a Neoaiir in my XLC and find it to be quite comfortable. YMMV. Comfort is very subjective and depends on how your specific body fits in a specific hammock and how you are hanging and adjusting the system. The advantage of a hammock is that it is very adjustable; the downside is that getting everything right requires some practice and different things work well for different people.

which size neoair are you using? 20" wide? or 25"

[Jayne]

The 25" wide one

[ggreaves]

I think you are hanging your hammock at way too shallow of an angle if that's the case. The XLC needs a nice bend and the foot needs to be a good 18" higher than the head before it really starts to get comfortable. I highly recommend the Shugemery Youtube vidieos on the XLC for some very good tips.

I don't have an XLC (anymore - most uncomfortable hammock I owned - calfridge city). The hammock I used to try the Neoair was a Dream Hammock Dangerbird.