# Hammock Sleeping bag advice?



## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

Anyone a avid hammocker? I have a hammock, I need a sleeping bag and saw this one at cabelas and was wondering if someone knows if its good or bad?

http://www.cabelas.com/product/grand-trunk-hammock-sleeping-bag/1993862.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhammock%252Bsleeping%252Bbag%26x%3D10%26y%3D6%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%252BProducts&Ntt=hammock+sleeping+bag

Thanks!


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## collegehuntnfish (Aug 7, 2014)

I haven't seen this one before. The typical problem you run into when hammocking in the cold is the air underneath you. It gets a lot colder than the ground does during the night. In a typical sleeping bag you crush the insulation underneath you which negates its usefulness. In the past I have just used a sleeping bag pad with a high r or insulation value. However, this looks like it might be a way around that. Anyways, hammocking in the cold can get kind of miserable. If you are using a hammock to keep your pack light I would recommend just sleeping on the ground when it starts getting colder.


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

Ya the main reason I was considering hammocking was finding a campsite just requires two trees and inclined ground is not a problem...also easy take down and weight. I was hoping something like one of these sleeping bags would work since it looks like it kinda makes your hammock into a sleeping bag pocket without smashing the insulation on your back.


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## collegehuntnfish (Aug 7, 2014)

If you end up purchasing this let me know if it works. I would be interested. Also now that I think about it if your sleeping back has a two way zip at the bottom you could just thread the hammock through that. That would save you the money of buying a new one and probably give you higher quality insulation.


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

My biggest problem with sleeping bags is I am 6'5" and fairly big guy, so I generally tend to feel cramped. But this thing sounds huge... 78"x90" so i might just give it a shot and report back...


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Here is another option:

http://www.backcountrygear.com/ember-2-underquilt-eno-hammock.html?gclid=CNrUmKDOi8gCFYgAaQodryIIFw

Gives you the added insulation and then you can use your existing sleeping bag.


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

Bax* said:


> Here is another option:
> 
> http://www.backcountrygear.com/ember-2-underquilt-eno-hammock.html?gclid=CNrUmKDOi8gCFYgAaQodryIIFw
> 
> Gives you the added insulation and then you can use your existing sleeping bag.


thats kinda cool, lightweight too.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

There are also hammocks that have a sleeve to slide your foam pad in to. Theoretically if the R value of the pad is high enough, you should stay quite warm as well.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

I work with a bunch of guys who hammock quite a bit. They swear by the ENO hammocks, from Rec Outlet or Amazon. Lots of options available, including some with insulation.


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## twall13 (Aug 2, 2015)

If you are a big guy who hates feeling confined in a sleeping bag the only way to go is a top quilt and an under quilt. That is what I run and I'll never go back. It might weigh slightly more than a sleeping bag and certainly costs more but it is infinitely more comfortable. The sleeping bag in your link will be better than most for a hammock but will act more like what is called a peapod. It won't work in really cold temperatures as the bottom won't hug your back as tightly as an under quilt. As far as ENO products go they are okay but you can get better products for less money through cottage vendors who specialize in hammock gear. I can point you towards some of those sites if you are interested, just let me know.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Clark jungle hammocks if your looking for 4 season nuff Said. The rest are junk.


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## twall13 (Aug 2, 2015)

Clarks are nice, but I'd put dream hammock, warbonnet, hammeck, wilderness logics, and Dutchwaregear at least as good as a Clark if not better. As far as value goes you can't beat Dutchware. Of course this is all specific to hammocks, insulation is another story.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Looked at those hammocks and the Clark still beats them. It beats them for storage, warmth, ease of use, room and quality.

The dream hammock looks like it bends you in half. I can sleep sideways in my clark. The Clark comes built in with a bug net. The dream hammock has you buy a bug sock for extra 70 bucks. The sock for cold weather looks like another pain to use. The Clark just fastens on with velcro. I put mine on in the house before I go out in the cold. I take it off when I don't need it and it stays home.

The Clark isn't cheep but you get what you pay for.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Crap SW! Those are super pricey!


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## twall13 (Aug 2, 2015)

I own 7 different hammocks, including ENO, and my preferred hammock for sleeping is the $35 Dutchware PolyD 11' hammock. It is a simple gathered end hammock but it is incredibly comfortable. It weighs 10 oz. With the suspension and double sided stuff sack and compresses to the size of a baseball. 

You can get all sorts of complicated with over covers, pea pods, underquilt protectors, bug nets, tie outs, shelves, etc. But it ultimately comes down to comfort, at least for me. I prefer a longer hammock with very little stretch. Not everyone feels that way so you have to figure out what works for you but regardless, you can stay warm in any of them if you know what you are doing.


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## twall13 (Aug 2, 2015)

For the price of the Clark, which is a 9' hammock if I'm reading things correctly, I can get an 11' Dutchwaregear hammock in various colors and material types ($35) with Fronkey Bug net ($55) and Whoopie slings/tree straps ($39), an Arrowhead Equipment Jarbidge 3 season under quilt ($100) , and a Warbonnet Superfly tarp ($140). The Clark does not come with an underquilt nor does it's tarp provide the coverage of a Superfly. All of that still comes out to be $90 cheaper even with the under quilt and that's just one option. Also, the weight will be similar and, you'll have an underquilt. You could probably go cheaper than that on a tarp and you could also choose a different hammock, maybe Dutch's Halfwit, which would save even more weight at a comparable price.

I only bring this up to point out that there are a lot of great options out there. Clark's are certainly a great option, but not the only one and not for everyone. I personally wouldn't be comfortable in a hammock that short, but I'm 6'1" and someone shorter might find it comfortable. Clark's are definitely a quality product. I started out in an ENO doublenest, which I still own, and at 9.5' long it was too short for me, but still infinitely more comfortable than sleeping on the ground. I didn't realize how much more comfortable a different hammock could be until I tried a longer one.

Anyway, sorry to get off topic as I know the original post was asking about a sleeping bag for a hammock. As long as you have some under insulation like a closed cell foam pad or an underquilt, any sleeping bag you already have can work well in a hammock. I prefer top quilts as they are easier to get into and less weight/bulk but I also used a sleeping bag for a couple of years before making my own top quilt.


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

twall13 said:


> If you are a big guy who hates feeling confined in a sleeping bag the only way to go is a top quilt and an under quilt. That is what I run and I'll never go back. It might weigh slightly more than a sleeping bag and certainly costs more but it is infinitely more comfortable. The sleeping bag in your link will be better than most for a hammock but will act more like what is called a peapod. It won't work in really cold temperatures as the bottom won't hug your back as tightly as an under quilt. As far as ENO products go they are okay but you can get better products for less money through cottage vendors who specialize in hammock gear. I can point you towards some of those sites if you are interested, just let me know.


Wonder if the cabelas "peapod" can get down to zero since thats what their rating claims...probably not...


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## twall13 (Aug 2, 2015)

phorisc said:


> Wonder if the cabelas "peapod" can get down to zero since thats what their rating claims...probably not...


Without seeing it on a hammock in person it's tough to say but I'd guess you aren't going to get a very good seal against your back in the hammock with it. That little air gap can really make things cold. Even with my underquilt, when it gets in the low forties or below I can get cold spots if I don't have it adjusted properly. I have to have the shock cord on my underquilt pulled surprisingly tight so it is lifting the hammock about 18-24" up from where it would hang without my weight in it to get a good seal everywhere. I think with the weight of the sleeping bag it would naturally sag below you rather than being pulled up against your back. Again, that's just my guess. If you decide to give it a shot let us know how it goes, I'd be curious to see how well it works.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I've spent several nights in snow on different trips in November on the Wasatch front. I Spent two nights in two feet of snow in November on a north facing slope on the wasatch front at 8,000 feet. The wind blew 25 mph all night and the temperature dropped to about 5 below zero. When I woke up the first night the snow had almost buried the hammock. I stayed nice and warm. 

On another snowy trip in November at 8000 feet a friend of mine shot a 6 point bull. I can say this I've put the Clark to the test and it's always passed. There are quite a few hammocks out and 90% give hammocks in general a bad name when it gets cold. The Clarks are expensive but again you get what you pay for.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

SW- I'm no hammock connoisseur, and I'm just happy to lounge around in one given the opportunity. What does the Clark hammock do differently to provide that kind of insulation to keep you warm? My understanding is that a good sleeping pad below you is key but is there more to the equation?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

The Clark has insulating blankets you can attach to them. It also has pockets. The pockets create air space that also keep you warm. I put clothes, boots, ect in them. No other hammock that I'm aware of has the pockets


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Hammocks are good for steep terrain durring bow hunts. I can't think of anything better you can pack on your back and sleep comfortable.. I can also ditch my hammock in places people never hike or look. It keeps my gear from disappearing. Most of the time I've hunted late and spent nights in the snow I've been by myself so weight has been a concern. If I do it now with friends I would split a two man tent up and share the weight. Nothing like cracking a stove in the morning while getting dressed. That's the part that sucks about hammocks. Your warm until you get out and get dressed. 

I have a spring bar for hunting near roads. When I bring that I leave the clark at home. The Clark is just another tool.


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## Daisyhardy05 (Dec 31, 2015)

I am a side sleeper and 260pds. I have a BA Encampment 15 degree and it is plenty big enough to turn over without any problems. Pulling my knees up is a little easier with the CCF but not really enough to make a difference. The bag is big enough to allow you to pull them up without folding the bag most of the time.


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