Homemade Underblanket

[resnikov]

Am starting to make my own underblanket for my DD Frontline hammock. So far I have got an old sleeping bag from freecycle. I did this as I want to keep costs to a minimum for now until I am happy with the design and hang. Then I will by a half decent sleeping sleeping bag and repeat the process I am doing on the free one.

The sleeping bag is a mummy style one and has a roudn circle of material about a foot across at the foot end, I have removed this and unpicked the seem from the bottom of the bag to the start of the zip. As this is a prototype I am not going to remove the zip.

I am going to trim about off the top of the bag to make it a more symertical shape then create 2 channels running the length of the bag at either side of it. Then I will use shock cord down these and then attach them to the hammocks ropes with a prussik knot.

Thinking about putting a run of shock cord at each end the bag with toggles on so I can draw the bag in tighter round the hammock if required.

Have ordered the shock cord today so am going to have to wait to try that bit, but I can start sewing the channles in this weekend.

Will keep this thread up to date with how I go with this.


nb: will add pics when I get home and take some :p

[Shewie]

Look forward to some pics as it progresses

I've had quite a few UBs so if you need any pointers give me a shout, sounds like you've pretty much got it sussed anyway :)

[JonnyP]

My Janie made herself an underblanket from an old sleeping bag a couple of years ago. It works very well. She did a tutorial on it for her blog.. http://hedgecombers.com/2009/04/04/hammock-underblanket-tutorial-part-1/
I hope it helps.. :o)

[resnikov]

Funny thats where I got the idea from :D

[resnikov]

Still waiting for the shock card to arrive before I can continue with this project :( I thought about makig my own down underblanket but after the quote i got for down at £20 for 100g and I would proably need about 600 - 800 g think that this idea has priced itself out of the market.

[Bush_Men]

Where do you guys buy down btw?

[resnikov]

The place i contacted was http://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk/index.htm

[resnikov]

Shock cord arived yesterday, so all I need now is some time to sit down and cut and sew the prototype. This could be a lot of fun, havent used a sewing machine since high school :p

[Bush_Men]

The place i contacted was http://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk/index.htm


Thank you for that info. I'm thinking about making a quilt for the summer instead of a sleeping bag and this place might be useful...

[resnikov]

My other idea to get down is to buy a sleeping bag of the ebay and cut it up. You might want to have a look on there it might be a cheaper way to get down.

[JonnyP]

Shock cord is not that tough. I pulled it all out on my underblanket and replaced it with para cord.
Don't forget to leave loops of the cord half way along your blanket (with cord lockers), so you can lower or raise the blanket for more or less heat retention. Also, try to make the blanket as long as you can, if possible. I have often woken up with cold feet where I have moved about in the night and my feet end up going past the end of the blanket.. I am a fidget though..

[resnikov]

Going for the shock cord as I want the elasticity of it, para cord has none. That way it can strech if needed when i get in the hammock rather then not streching and risk ripping the underblanket. Similar principle to how you hang the mosi net on the DD Frontline.

[Martin]

My Snugpak underblanket has shock cord up both sides and is great. You can pull it up nice and tight and be snug as a bug etc etc. In fact, it's the only thing that strings it up and stops it falling to the ground.

Martin

[JonnyP]

Going for the shock cord as I want the elasticity of it, para cord has none. That way it can strech if needed when i get in the hammock rather then not streching and risk ripping the underblanket. Similar principle to how you hang the mosi net on the DD Frontline.
I set mine low to allow for my weight, then pull it up via the middle loops if needs..


My Snugpak underblanket has shock cord up both sides and is great. You can pull it up nice and tight and be snug as a bug etc etc. In fact, it's the only thing that strings it up and stops it falling to the ground.

Martin

Mine is a Snugpak. One of the middle cords pulled away from the blanket, then the outer ones started wearing out, so I swapped it for the para cord. I can set it much better now..

[resnikov]

Got my mum over today to help me sew the underblanket MkI. I'm very happy with the results and even though its just a cheap sleeping bag I used, I could feel it warming me in the hammock. So for the MkII I am going to buy a 3/4 season rectangular sleeping bag from somewhere and mod it like I did for the MkI.

[JonnyP]

Got my mum over today to help me sew the underblanket MkI. I'm very happy with the results and even though its just a cheap sleeping bag I used, I could feel it warming me in the hammock. So for the MkII I am going to buy a 3/4 season rectangular sleeping bag from somewhere and mod it like I did for the MkI.

Good for you.. It will be all the more special because you made it too..

[Fletching]

Good for you.. It will be all the more special because you made it too..

Well, his Mum made it really. ;)

Only kidding.

[resnikov]

Its kind of sad at 33 I still get my mum to help me with thing but then i help her with anything modern, TV, computers, her GPS etc etc so its all fair really :p

[Fletching]

I bought a sewing machine and I'm still rubbish with it! :)

[resnikov]

May have change in the underblanket plan. Have found a shop that sells Thinsulate and pertex by the meter, so think I might just order some and make my underblanket that way. Just not sure how much Thinsulate I will need to get the required warmth.

[resnikov]

Well this project has now been canned, I bought a down underblanket instead. Will do a full review after the weekend when I use it for the first time.

[GwersyllaCnau]

Obviously the more air that is TRAPPED if better. I've looked at a lot of commercially available UQ's and home made ones, they all use suspension line. I think this is a great idea, but... Air could still circulate between the Under Quilt and the hammock especially in high wind. My idea is that once you have the UQ in position using the suspension lines, velcro it to the hammock creating a wind tight seal. Just wondering what you guys think of this.

I haven't even got a hammock yet so this idea may be total Bull. I'm thinking of buying the HH zipped version and making a Kick Ass UQ.

[Martin]

Obviously the more air that is TRAPPED if better. I've looked at a lot of commercially available UQ's and home made ones, they all use suspension line. I think this is a great idea, but... Air could still circulate between the Under Quilt and the hammock especially in high wind. My idea is that once you have the UQ in position using the suspension lines, velcro it to the hammock creating a wind tight seal. Just wondering what you guys think of this.

I haven't even got a hammock yet so this idea may be total Bull. I'm thinking of buying the HH zipped version and making a Kick Ass UQ.

To be honest with you, as you sink down in the hammock, any gap is taken up. On the DD under blanket, you can adjust how close the UB is to the hammock with two extra lengths of shock cord that run the length of the UB. In reality, the small amount of air trapped between the two warms up nicely anyway.

Martin