Snugpak underquilt from DD

[GwersyllaCnau]

My wife has given me permission to buy a DD underquilt LOL.
Has anyone got any experience of it?
What's it like?
Is it any good?

[Al21]

My wife has given me permission to buy a DD underquilt LOL.
Has anyone got any experience of it?
What's it like?
Is it any good?

I bought mine in the first group buy over at BCUK, very good in my opinion. I hadn't realised they'd become so expensive though. I'm sure others prefer the down copies that are now available, but I guess you're looking at parting with even more cash.

Al

[garethw]

Hi there
I bought one of these last year, as its pretty much the only option available to me in France. Cost about 85 Euros including shipping, direct from DD. I didn't fancy a home made jobbie, nor ordering a far more expensive one in down.

I personally think its a great piece of kit. It seems to be pretty well made. The filling is light and has plenty of loft. The outer is very fine, but seems strong enough. I would guess it feels very like their sleeping bags. It packs down relatively small about rugby ball sized and fits in the bottom of my pack, next to the hammock.

I have used it now since September, for at least a dozen nights out, with temps so far well down below freezing. It has been very warm, I have not felt the slightest bit cold from underneath. I use it on a Travel hammock and have found I have not had any condensation, which I did get a little of with a thermorest. When I get in the hammock I can immediately feel it insulating me. It is long enough that my feet are kept warm too.

Until the winter I used it with a Highlander centre zipped 3 season bag flipped as a top quilt, but recently I've used my British Army Arctic down bag in the same way. (upside down as a top quilt) I've been very warm so far.

One of the first things I did when I got is was to tie a loop in each of the shockchords at each end and clip them all togther in a minibiner. I have then put a prussik loop on each whoopie sling. It is now very fast to clip the biners at each end into the prussik and tension the whole affair. I got this idea of the video from RVOps on youtube. Works fine for me and get the quilt in place very quickly.

I don't know how far down the temperature scale it would keep me warm, but at -3°C I was toasty. I think any colder and I'd not go camping.

If you have any more questions let me know.

cheers
Gareth

[Shewie]

A great bit of kit, I used one for a couple of years before switching to down versions.

The lowest temp I used mine was -9, with a Snugpak Elite 4 bag I was toasty all night.

You could try a lad called Phil Carr who goes by the name of Unsponsored on other forums, he makes down versions for really good prices. Another alternative is getting in touch with Mat at UKHammocks.

The Snugpak one will cope admirably for 4 season UK camping, the only real downer is the bulk and weight. Compressed down you're looking at a package around 14x9" and weighing in around 1400g including stuff sack.

Some decent pics here
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33712

[Martin]

I've got one too. Had it for a couple of years and wouldn't go hammocking without it.

Martin

[JonnyP]

Have DD taken over selling them from Snugpak..?

I got a Snugpak one from the first BcUK group buy too. Its done me well but I had issues with the elastic cords and swapped over to paracord, which has been much better for me.

[Shewie]

Have DD taken over selling them from Snugpak..?

I got a Snugpak one from the first BcUK group buy too. Its done me well but I had issues with the elastic cords and swapped over to paracord, which has been much better for me.

They're still made by Snugpak JP, I'm not sure if DD have their badge embroidered on though now?

Paracord isn't the best for the suspension as it doesn't have much give in it, the whole lot needs to move with you.

[JonnyP]

They're still made by Snugpak JP, I'm not sure if DD have their badge embroidered on though now?

Paracord isn't the best for the suspension as it doesn't have much give in it, the whole lot needs to move with you.

Paracord is the best for me.. I just set the underblanket about a foot or so beneath my hammock so I sink down into it when I get in the hammock, then I just adjust it as needs. Simples..
The elastic cords it was supplied with soon wore out and broke on mine, and I would sometime wake up and find the underblanket had slipped round me, cos I am a fidget. Paracord holds it in place and also is much better at holding my coat and any other clothes I take off when I get in the sack, without it sinking, as it did when it was held up by elastic..

Snugpak seem to like doing deals with other companies. I once bought an expensive Arctic sleeping bag for my Winter night fishing trips. It was labelled up as a company called Fox, who made fishing tackle, but the bag turned out to be a Snugpak Antarctic 5c

[garethw]

Don't know about paracord, but so far I've had no issues with the shock chord. As I said I have put over-hand loops about half way down each of the elastics from where they exits the quilt.
I then bundle the four at each end up and clip them into a minibiner. I can the clip the biner into a prussik loop tied onto my suspension in paracord. This gives me good tension and makes sure the quilt is tight to the hammock when I get in, yet gives as I move around. I've not found it moving laterally at all.

I got mine direct from DD, and it only has the Snugpak logo embroidered on it.

JonnyP...Fox used to get a lot of their gear made by third parties... early bivies were by Aqua Products for example. By the way the hammock & tarp have become my No:1 carp fishing set up now, wherever I have trees. didn't get the bivvy and bedchair out once last year.

cheers
Gareth

[GwersyllaCnau]

Thanks for the comments/ advice and pics shewie, Looks like it made need a bit of improvisation to fit the hennessy but thats what we do isn't it?

[JonnyP]

Thanks for the comments/ advice and pics shewie, Looks like it made need a bit of improvisation to fit the hennessy but thats what we do isn't it?

Yes, but you would not to be using paracord on the underblanket in a hennessy, you may be in it for some time lol..

Gareth.. I wish I knew about tarps n hammocks in my carp fishing years. It was pretty much just big umbrellas with wraps or sides back then..

[Shewie]

Yes, but you would not to be using paracord on the underblanket in a hennessy, you may be in it for some time lol..




:)

[garethw]

Yes, but you would not to be using paracord on the underblanket in a hennessy, you may be in it for some time lol..

Gareth.. I wish I knew about tarps n hammocks in my carp fishing years. It was pretty much just big umbrellas with wraps or sides back then..

Hi Jonny,
Gosh your carp fishing year!!!!.. makes it seem like a long time ago...

I've been doing it for over 30 years... and must admit most has been under an umbrella, in all its permutations...(remember the Send Marketing Brolly Camp???) or more recently a bivvy, (since Hutchy started marketing them).... (Started off by pinching my mum's sun lounger with orange flower on it as a bed chair.)

I'd have been very grateful to have known about a hammock & tarp before, on lakes that needed a good hike to get to the pegs.

It was Shaun Harrison, a good friend of mine, whom you may have heard of, that gave me the idea. Since, everywhere I can find trees I hang a hammock. Then my bivvy and bed chair stay in the motor.

cheers
Gareth

[JonnyP]

Hi Jonny,
Gosh your carp fishing year!!!!.. makes it seem like a long time ago...

I've been doing it for over 30 years... and must admit most has been under an umbrella, in all its permutations...(remember the Send Marketing Brolly Camp???) or more recently a bivvy, (since Hutchy started marketing them).... (Started off by pinching my mum's sun lounger with orange flower on it as a bed chair.)

I'd have been very grateful to have known about a hammock & tarp before, on lakes that needed a good hike to get to the pegs.

It was Shaun Harrison, a good friend of mine, whom you may have heard of, that gave me the idea. Since, everywhere I can find trees I hang a hammock. Then my bivvy and bed chair stay in the motor.

cheers
Gareth

Sorry for digressing here folk..

Your Mums sun lounger lol.. Was it one of those that folded up from the top and the bottom, and went click click click into place..?
I started on the carpies in the Eighties when it became popular. I started out on the floor on a roll mat before spending way too much money on all the identical kit and posh bits of stainless steel and padded beds from all the right brands. Consumerism got me hook line n sinker.
That lake of yours looks nice. You got some monsters in that water eh..

[jus_young]

Hennesey hammock and Snugpak underquilt...? Could be a pain setting this one up but there must be an easy way somehow. I am sure I have seen an underquilt somewhere that was specifically designed to work with the Hennesey but I just can't think where at the moment.

But saying that, do you have the bottom or side entry?

[GwersyllaCnau]

Hennesey hammock and Snugpak underquilt...? Could be a pain setting this one up but there must be an easy way somehow. I am sure I have seen an underquilt somewhere that was specifically designed to work with the Hennesey but I just can't think where at the moment.

But saying that, do you have the bottom or side entry?

I've got side entry on the Hennessy. I thought about how an underquilt would work on it before I bought the hammock and just thought the bottom entry version wouldn't work for me. I looked at the KAQ from arrowhead equipment ( http://arrowheadequipment.webs.com/kickassquilts.htm ) but they're a bit pricey for me.

I think the snugpak would work fine just may have to attach one corner each end to the ridgeline to get the asym diagonal right.

[garethw]

That's part of the problem.... Most of the small companies making these probably do is by hand with top quality materials, but you pay the price for a bespoke piece of kit. 185$ for an underquilt was way.... over my budget. The Snugpak has easily been warm enough for all the nights I've used it so far.

I didn't have an old sleeping bag to butcher.. and the cost of buying a bag and making my own would have not been significantly less than the Snugpak.. plus the fact I have no sewing equipment.
The only drawbacks I can see to the Snugpak is that it is twice the weight of the Arrowhead version and certainly more bulky. To me the weight and bulk are not an issue.. it fits fine in the sleeping bag compartment of my pack with my sleeping bag. As for the extra pound in weight, well my gear is anything but ultra light, being mostly military.

Finally I asked myself the question "Will I be using this where I walk huge distances?" the answer is NO!! I will do short hikes in to the local forests with my son for weekend camping trips, the rest of the time it will be for fishing where I can park my car right close by.

For the price its a brilliant piece of kit..

Cheers
Gareth

[Ben Casey]

I wonder if it would be a fessable option to make one out of felt or something slike that? :)

[garethw]

Here's the Snugpak under blanket in use while waiting for the fish to bite....

http://www.croixblanchelakes.com/hammock%20carping.jpg

cheers
Gareth

[jus_young]

I wonder if it would be a fessable option to make one out of felt or something slike that? :)

Do the sleepig bag underquilt option Ben, it is cheap and works.

[Ben Casey]

Do the sleepig bag underquilt option Ben, it is cheap and works.

I will at some point but I think the price was 75 quid when I Looked a bit to much at the min :(

[Roadkillphil]

I will at some point but I think the price was 75 quid when I Looked a bit to much at the min :(

Ben, I think Jus was meaning his home made DIY under quilt in this thread here....

http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?2777-DIY-underquilt-project

All the best

Phil

[Ben Casey]

Ben, I think Jus was meaning his home made DIY under quilt in this thread here....
http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?2777-DIY-underquilt-project
All the best
Phil

Whoops cheers mate :)

[jus_young]

T^ thats the one :D

[TreeCamper]

Here's the Snugpak under blanket in use while waiting for the fish to bite....

http://www.croixblanchelakes.com/hammock%20carping.jpg

cheers
Gareth

Hi Gareth

Do you still need a sleep mat under you when using the Snugpak underquilt?


Thanks

TC

[Martin]

Hi Gareth

Do you still need a sleep mat under you when using the Snugpak underquilt?


Thanks

TC

The underquilt replaces the need for a sleep mat.

Martin

[Jefferson]

I've got side entry on the Hennessy. I thought about how an underquilt would work on it before I bought the hammock and just thought the bottom entry version wouldn't work for me. I looked at the KAQ from arrowhead equipment ( http://arrowheadequipment.webs.com/kickassquilts.htm ) but they're a bit pricey for me.

I think the snugpak would work fine just may have to attach one corner each end to the ridgeline to get the asym diagonal right.

Going back to an old thread here... I'm in the process of making an underblanket for my Hennessy.. Did you manage to make one fit, if so what did you do differently?

My Hennessy is bottom entry (they sent the wrong one and would cost me less to get it modified then to post it back, so I kept it and its not been a problem so far.) I'm struggling to decide whether I should have some fun trying to make it work or to just take my hammock to get modified at the local shop...

Cheers, Dave