Using a sleeping pad and bag in a hammock

New to hammock camping? You don't need to use expensive hammock quilts (yet), but using a regular pad and sleeping bag can be tricky. I hope these tips help you make the most use of your regular pad and bag.
00:47 - Trouble with sleeping bags
02:02 - Trouble with pads
02:39 - How to get into a sleeping bag
03:25 - How to keep your pad in line with your hammock
04:19 - How to avoid being claustrophobic in a sleeping bag
05:32 - How to cover your shoulders with a pad in a hammock
hammock #camping #hammockcamping
Visit my website for more hammock tips and gear reviews: theultimatehan...
For more information on how to stay dry, warm, and bug free while hammock camping, be sure to check out my book, The Ultimate Hang at bit.ly/ultimat...
The Ultimate Hang LLC and its owners assume no responsibility for the information contained on this channel and disclaim all liability in respect of such information. The Ultimate Hang LLC hereby excludes liability for any claims, losses, demands, injuries, or damages of any kind whatsoever concerning any information, content, or services provided, including but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential loss or damages, compensatory damages, loss of profits, or data, or otherwise.
This video is used for education, criticism, and advocacy about safe practices related to hammocks and hammock camping. Hang at your own risk.

[@johnx9318]

Nice to see you're still at it buddy! Good on you! Thanks for the tips.

[@theultimatehang]

Well, every once in a while. :)

[@mbarr1029]

Under quilts are the BOMB. No fuss. One wind makes one for about 60 bucks and well worth the comfort. Do not get the banana shaped Under quilts they will affect your diagonal lay. I feel pad sleepers go back to ground and miss the benefits of the hammock sleep due to the Fidgeting. If you don't like the UQ then pull the strings out and you have a blanket to go to ground with. JMHO ( 5 years in a hammock Every Night in the house and back yard. I do not own a bed.) Ridge lines are great so You can use Dereks Hang Time Hook= A Must have item. Thanks Derek It is #1

[@mikedendooven6484]

Agree about the Hang Time Hook

[@theultimatehang]

Agreed! I'll probably do a quilt vid next. I also enjoy my hang time hook -- it's a great luxury item. It's great to hear you hang full time! I have for many years (even though my wife stays in the bed :)

[@better.better]

I'd like to see you do a video about ultralight setup comparisons (ground versus hammock). I've seen a few in my time and what people always get wrong is when they compare insulation weights... they don't include the pad as part of their ground insulation weight, but they do include the underquilt as part of the hammock insulation weight, whereas the pad is the ground sleepers equivalent to the underquilt... also they typically compare a stock setup, never showing how you can reduce the weight by switching out stock cords for dyneema, and other mods. they also never talk about the advantages of not sleeping on the ground that might justify that little bit of extra weight, such as not waking up flooded out because it rained in the night and the area where you bedded down flooded over, and now all of your gear is drenched

[@theultimatehang]

You make some good points here. Great idea about a future vid!

[@robingood62]

I am also interested in ultra light hammock hiking with the option to go to the ground if needed. Modifying a stock hammock for weight savings as a theme would be great!

[@theultimatehang]

@@robingood62 Right up my alley! But let me ask: which "stock" hammock would you like torn down?

[@robingood62]

@@theultimatehang My Hammock is the Hennessy Hammock Ultralite Backpacker Zip. I really love it, but coud I do anything to save some weight?

[@theultimatehang]

@@robingood62 The biggest weight savings on that hammock will be the suspension. What are you currently using?

[@piebald]

Can you do a video showing the closed cell foam pad cut in half method that you mentioned for your shoulders at the end of the video

[@theultimatehang]

Sure! I also have more illustrations in my book that may be helpful in visualizing how it works, but I can demo it as well.

[@piebald]

@@theultimatehang thanks. I bought the book, so I'll look there as well

[@outdoordauber]

A few beads of 100% silicone caulking on the bottom of your pad can help keep it from sliding around.

[@theultimatehang]

Great tip!!

[@threeDeeBeginner]

nice tips

[@stevesummersell_K4WXX]

Never thought about putting the pad in the sleeping bag 🤔

[@threeDeeBeginner]

Hammock is great for ppl who can sleep in whatever possible conditions.

[@avatorl_in_a_hammock]

I never sleep on my back on a bed. But I can comfortably do that in a hammock. Although side sleeping is also possible and then there are bridge hammocks if you need a flat surface to sleep in whatever position you want.

[@MaxIQ77]

I've got an original blackbird from like 15 years ago. Double layer. Can I put a pad between the layers?

[@notquiteultralight1701]

Yes. That’s what the two layers are there for. I have a dd hammocks frontline that’s the only reason why I answered ya😄. I tried putting my ridge rest between the layers as well as two relectix pads and i found i was way warmer with the ridge rest just right under my bag and not between the two layers. The two layers actually work together to give the pad and bag some structural support I found. It helped to keep the pad in place a little bit. Hope this helps.

[@outdoordauber]

Absolutely, as @notquiteultralight1701 said that's a major reason for a double layer hammock and why I made one.

[@theultimatehang]

Agreed agreed! Double layers are designed for pads! They can also help with bug bites, but yes, get that pad in there. Or upgrade to.a quilt :)

[@ihikefar]

God help me, I’ve tried both. Never. Again.

[@theultimatehang]

Haha! Well, yes. And I'm right there with you. Trying to stuff myself into a sleeping bag -- I've never experienced claustrophobia before until I tried being in a sleeping bag in a hammock. BUT, yes, there are a lot of folks who still do it -- maybe even prefer it? (Gah!), but I digress. For those who need to use a sleeping bag, I hope the tips in this video help.

[@volleytheory]

😂😂 never again, indeed!

[@better.better]

when I first started hammocking, it's because I'd just got the new job after the plant I had worked at closed down, my savings had run out, my vehicle had died, and it was a two-and-a-half-hour bicycle ride to the new job (45minutes by car). my first time riding the bike there I made it three quarters of the way home and couldn't go any further. dragged my bike into the woods and tried to sleep buried in the leaves (surprised I didn't get any ticks, maybe because it was autumn). only was able to sleep a couple hours before I woke up too cold, & still not recovered at all, I had to push the bicycle home the final eight miles three of which were a step climb uphill. when I got home I went straight to bed. when I woke up I looked at my camping gear which included a Northface Cumulus, a three-season, two-man tent. at a glance I could tell it wasn't going to work on the bike. that's when I remembered the net hammock that my father had had back in the '80s. I went on KZbin to see if I could find instructions to make one, saw somebody mentioned in the KZbin comments about Hammock Forums, and thus began my journey. For the first two years, depending on our schedules worked out I either shared a car with my brother, or bicycled to work. When I occasionally had to sleep out, I slept like this in a sleeping bag, because a sleeping bag was what I already had and I hadn't financially recovered yet from being jobless. Eventually I did switch to a quilt system, and in fact I still have my Wilderness Logics Summer Quilt Set (RIP, Marty) which was my first Quilt Set. My first hammock was the cheap one you could get from Walmart at the time, clones of which are now all over Amazon, and even at Harbor Freight this year. I don't usually recommend Hammock Forums anymore, there's a lot of misinformation there, not on purpose -just things that everyone used to believe that has since been disproven or current techniques and technologies have made irrelevant, but new members still find it don't read the thread to the end, post a question and revive the thread, and no matter how many times you explain, there's always one of the old-timers it still hangs on to whatever that was, and keeps the misinformation alive. (then too there is a certain person that is "toxic", and one of the more prominent moderators seems to stick up for them, even though this person should have been banned from the forum along time ago for their "trolling")