Sleeping Pad in Summer?

[Spider]

There's a good chance I'll be taking an extended hike this summer from mid July to mid August in central VA. I'd be taking my 20* bag and I know that'll probably get a bit toasty but I'll most likely end up using it as a quilt. Is there a need to bring a pad for these conditions?

[HiKen2011]

Yes.......................

[lori]

In a hammock you need something under you well into the 60F range. I always use an underquilt or pad, since I'm never out at night when it's that warm.

[Croft]

Even on a 60 degree night with a 20 degree bag, the ground cold will chill you if you don't have a pad.

[steve43]

I've hiked in VA during this period and have never used a pad with my hammock. I've always been comfortable. That being said, I must add that I tend to sleep well in chilly weather, so I may be the exception to the rule.

fifo

[lori]

Even on a 60 degree night with a 20 degree bag, the ground cold will chill you if you don't have a pad.

Hammocks don't lay on the ground...

[bigcranky]

Yes, for me anything under 70 gets cold without some sort of insulation. A 3/4 length Ridgerest does very well in a hammock for summer hiking.

[ShelterLeopard]

Having a slightly chilly bag and a pad is better than having a warm bag and no pad. You lose insane amounts of heat sleeping on the ground. (Or on shelter floors)

[Croft]

Hammocks don't lay on the ground...

How'd I get in the hammock forum? lol Scratch my above post--obviously I was referring to sleeping on the ground

[Camping Dave]

There's a good chance I'll be taking an extended hike this summer from mid July to mid August in central VA. I'd be taking my 20* bag and I know that'll probably get a bit toasty but I'll most likely end up using it as a quilt. Is there a need to bring a pad for these conditions?

Yeah, probably. One wonderful thing about hammocks is that you can lay down in one, all sweaty, in 90 degree weather, after a long day, and wait for a breeze to come along. When it does and the sweat from your body evaporates off the hammock fabric, oooh lovely cool breeze. Downside is you can wake up chilly in the middle of the night.

[gunner76]

A Wallyworld blue pad 24" wide by 72" long weights 15oz. I would take one. Better to have and not need it.

[Raul Perez]

Yep... you're gonna need some sort of insulation on your back when temps drop around 2am.

[fredmugs]

I hate sleeping cold but I would say my cold line is around 50 in a hammock. I bring a 40 degree bag and don't really have any problems. If I feel some cold I can always put on my rain gear.

[Papa D]

yes - a pad is more important than quilt or sleeping bag - you must be insulated from the ground to sleep well and unless you want to make a "browse bed" of straw and leaves every night, you need a pad - simple roll up foam pads will do as long as they are "closed cell" and don't absorb water - something like a "ridge rest" is cheap, but a tad bulky. I like inflatable thermorest pads - they have become much smaller and lighter - I carry a regular women's 3/4 pad which is perfect for a 5.7 guy. A lot of people like the NANO - you have to blow it up though.

[gatc-blazer]

I would use a CCF pad...

[Fiddleback]

For me the cutoff is 70° nighttime low. Below that, I need something...some combination of sleepwear, bag or underinsulation. Since I don't use a bag a light pad does the trick.

FB

[Tinker]

How'd I get in the hammock forum? lol Scratch my above post--obviously I was referring to sleeping on the ground

I think you caught yourself .
This is not the hammock forum, but,
I believe that the question is about a

PAD FOR USE IN A HAMMOCK. (Note: bold caps are for emphasis here ).


If I'm wrong, I hope the OP corrects me.


I'm sure someone will .

[HangEm High]

Think of it this way. When driving on a highway you see signs that say" Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface". The same goes for a hammock. Bring a pad.

[Toolshed]

I would agree on having a pad in your hammock. Not only does it insulate you on cooler nights below 65 degrees, but it also stops the mosquitos from biting you through your hammock bottom when you use your bag as a "top only" quilt.

Get the $5 wally world pad as someone suggested and round all 4 corners off (take off about 6-8" diagonally from each corner so you have nice rounded tops and bottoms. These will fit your hammock much better than a pad with corners.