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  1. #1
    W8lkinUSA
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    Default Which Hammockgear topquilt for emergency ground camping?

    I'm 167 lbs (75.8 kg) at 5' 11'' (180.4 cm) when empty. Would the following be sufficient for minimal ground camping?

    It must handle summer camping in all North America mountains.

    Hammockgear premium topquilt:
    - temperature : 20° +1oz 950-fill
    - finished length: 74'' (standard)
    - finished width : 50'' (standard)
    - footbox : drawstring

    I usually sleep on a hammock, but I'd like to be ready if I need to go to the ground. It'd be really great to hear from similarly sized individuals as well.

  2. #2
    W8lkinUSA
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    I would hate to go stupid light, but have very little experience.

  3. #3
    Registered User MAD777's Avatar
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    I would go with their wide option for ground sleeping. A hammock and its underquilt wraps partly around you, meeting the top quilt. However, on the ground a wider top quilt will make up for the lack of that underquilt coverage.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by W8lkinUSA View Post
    I'm 167 lbs (75.8 kg) at 5' 11'' (180.4 cm) when empty. Would the following be sufficient for minimal ground camping?

    It must handle summer camping in all North America mountains.

    Hammockgear premium topquilt:
    - temperature : 20° +1oz 950-fill
    - finished length: 74'' (standard)
    - finished width : 50'' (standard)
    - footbox : drawstring

    I usually sleep on a hammock, but I'd like to be ready if I need to go to the ground. It'd be really great to hear from similarly sized individuals as well.
    Are you using a sleeping pad or under quilt in your hammock? If you think there's a good chance you'll be forced to sleep on the ground, you should carry some kind of pad. There are lots of cheap and light options for an emergency sleeping pad.
    You can walk in another person's shoes, but only with your feet

  5. #5
    W8lkinUSA
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    Quote Originally Posted by devoidapop View Post
    Are you using a sleeping pad or under quilt in your hammock? If you think there's a good chance you'll be forced to sleep on the ground, you should carry some kind of pad. There are lots of cheap and light options for an emergency sleeping pad.
    I always carry a sleeping pad and tent as a backup for car camping. Haven't done much backpacking yet..

  6. #6
    W8lkinUSA
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    Quote Originally Posted by MAD777 View Post
    I would go with their wide option for ground sleeping. A hammock and its underquilt wraps partly around you, meeting the top quilt. However, on the ground a wider top quilt will make up for the lack of that underquilt coverage.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
    Being on the slimmer side, I was hoping to get away with a slimmer topquilt on the ground.

  7. #7

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    It's a fairly flexible piece of gear, and you should be fine anywhere where it's above freezing.... assuming you have a proper sleeping pad (r value 3+). Proper head warmth and other layers become more important as you get down toward 30 and below.

    "It must handle summer camping in all North America mountains."
    It won't work on Denali.
    But, it'd be good for most places. Some can get pretty cold late in the summer at elevation

  8. #8
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
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    Sure, a good 20* quilt will be fine for the quilt part of "going to ground", but it's only part - do you have a groundsheet and insulation/padding to go with it? I assume you'll use your tarp for rain cover, but you still need something under you.

    I use a WB hammock, WB minifly tarp, and WB 20* quilt, with a thermarest prolite for bottom insulation. Works fine for sleeping on the ground, too (minus the hammock), with a bit of plastic or tyvek groundsheet.

  9. #9
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    There have been occasions when I badly needed a ground pad. (I use an underquilt while hanging)

    1. Designated sites in park lacked suitable trees A closed cell foam pad worked okay.

    2. Hammock failed. A minimal Thermarest self inflating pad weighed more but was more comfortable.

    You will need something.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  10. #10
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    Default Which Hammockgear topquilt for emergency ground camping?

    setting up your ground shelter is a good thing to practice at home if you're going to take a hammock backpacking. If the weather turns bitter cold or you find yourself without any good trees to hang from, it will be one less thing to worry about. you can continue to enjoy your hike because you know that you can easily set up a shelter with your tarp.
    You can walk in another person's shoes, but only with your feet

  11. #11
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by W8lkinUSA View Post
    Being on the slimmer side, I was hoping to get away with a slimmer topquilt on the ground.
    In general terms of fit, the width is not an issue. Problem is that most of us tend to turn over a lot more frequently on the ground. You can certainly learn to use your quilt such that the slimness is not an issue, but you might desire that extra material to help keep it tucked. As someone pointed out, in a hammock the UQ assists on the side so that I don't feel the need to tuck as much as I would on the ground. And of course, a lot is going to depend on the insulation of your pad on the ground. Something warm and wide like the Exped Downmat9 LW would mean you might get away without issue with a slim quilt. But then, why get an UL HG 950fill quilt to use with that pad?
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  12. #12

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    I would not even consider paying the $77 premium for 950 over 850 fill in that quilt. Big price increase for a tiny difference in weight and packability. That also puts you ~$30 away from a Katabatic Flex 22 with 900 fill HyperDry, a much nicer quilt with wider sizing, more fill, better design and superior construction quality.

  13. #13
    W8lkinUSA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hikingjim View Post
    It won't work on Denali. But, it'd be good for most places. Some can get pretty cold late in the summer at elevation
    For now, this ought to work for me.

    Quote Originally Posted by scope View Post
    In general terms of fit, the width is not an issue. Problem is that most of us tend to turn over a lot more frequently on the ground. You can certainly learn to use your quilt such that the slimness is not an issue, but you might desire that extra material to help keep it tucked.
    I rarely toss and turn in bed. However, I haven't had the same results with my NeoAir Xtherm air pad, but isn't broken in. I'll spend more time on my air pad to figure this out.

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