Hammock
Hangers Laugh at the Cold with
Down
PeaPods and Top Blankets!
Ed Speer Jan 30,
2004
Speer
Hammocks just introduced our much anticipated down hammock gear! Down Peapods and Top Blankets offer
uncomplicated lightweight warmth and together make the best system available
for cold weather hammock comfort. They
provide great warmth with low weight and bulk.
For instance, the down PeaPod is twice as thick while shaving a
half-pound off the earlier synthetic-fill model! Hammock campers are no longer restricted to three-season
use--they can now take their comfortable bed and convenient shelter on
cold-weather trips!
PeaPods
are 2.5-inch loft insulated bags that surround an occupied camping
hammock. Designed by Ed Speer from many
years of wilderness use, the PeaPods contain several unique features, such as
extra girth and length, drawstring closures at each end and full-length hook and
loop closure along the top centerline.
The end and centerline closures allow easy setup around the hammock as
well as convenient access and exit for the hammock sleeper. In addition, the user can adjust the amount
of centerline closure as needed--open full length for warm temperatures, or
completely close around the hammock for very cold temperatures. PeaPods can even be worn as warm robes in
camp, eliminating the need for hikers to carry extra gear!
Top
Blankets are 1.5-inch thick insulated quilts designed for use over a hammock
sleeper or as liners inside PeaPods.
When used as a quilt over a hammock user, the length and width are
sufficient to cover the body without excessive weight and bulk. A hook-and-loop-closed foot box on the quilt
and the sides of the hammock keep the Top Blanket correctly positioned over the
body even as the sleeper moves during the night. When used this way as a top quilt with a PeaPod, the total
thickness of down insulation over one's body is 2.5".
The
Top Blanket is also designed for use as a liner inside a PeaPod where it adds
significant bottom warmth. As a liner,
it can be used as a full size 6' X 3.5' single layer giving 1.5"
additional insulation, or doubled end-to-end or lengthwise for 3"
additional insulation! When doubled
end-to-end, it covers an area 3.5' long and 36" wide; when doubled
lengthwise, it covers an area 6' long and 21" wide.
While
retaining the unique features of the earlier models, the down PeaPods and Top
Blankets are designed to function together over a broad range of
temperatures. Use the down PeaPod alone
for 70-50F, or add the down Top Blanket as a quilt inside the hammock for
50-35F. As the temperature drops even
more, add a second down Top Blanket as a liner inside the PeaPod for a total of
3" of bottom insulation, good to 25F!
The Top Blanket used as liner can also be doubled end-to-end or
lengthwise to give a total 4.5" of bottom insulation!
At
even lower temperatures, replace the upper Top Blanket with a sleeping bag and
use both Top Blankets as liners inside the PeaPod for a total 4.5" to
7.5" of bottom insulation! That's
right, the total bottom thickness can be varied as needed by as much as three
inches! It only depends on how the two
Top Blankets are positioned inside the PeaPod--i.e. As single layers or one or
both doubled in half. In this manner,
the cold-weather camper can adjust his/her gear to match a very wide range of
temperatures without having to carry excessive weight or bulk.
For
ideas on how to extend the temperature range even more, see later discussions
in this article or the free reports at: http://www.hammockcamping.com/FreeReports/PeaPod03.htm
http://www.hammockcamping.com/FreeReports/SpeerStayWarm.htm
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Free
Reports/SpeerSleepPads.htm
The
new PeaPods are filled with +700 cu in/oz Prime Northern Goose Down and quilted
with sewn-thru construction. Shells are
breathable 1.1oz/sq yd ripstop nylon.
The bottom three-foot-wide panel is 1.5" thick, while the sides and
top panels are 1" thick, for a total loft of 2.5". These thicknesses reflect the need for more
bottom insulation at any given temperature and the fact that a blanket or
quilt, such as a Top Blanket or sleeping bag, will generally be used over the
top of the hammock sleeper. In this
manner, unnecessary weight and bulk are eliminated from the PeaPod--the regular
size weighs only 1 lb 12 oz!
Peapods
should be attached to top-entry hammocks like the Speer Hammock by positioning
the drawstring ends just inside the end knots on the hammock itself--do not
enclose the hammock end knots with the PeaPod.
Tying the loose drawstrings securely around the hammock end knots
prevents the PeaPod ends from sliding toward the hammock user. However, when extra insulations, such as Top
Blanket liners, are used inside the PeaPod, additional space may be needed to
accommodate the insulation without compressing it. In this case, the drawstring ends of the PeaPod should be moved a
few inches toward the hammock center before tying off the loose drawstrings
around the hammock end knots. This
allows the PeaPod to sag even more than usual below the occupied hammock and
gives the required extra space.
Remember that a PeaPod, with or without extra insulation, should be
adjusted close to the hammock bottom for maximum warmth--but not so tight that
it compresses the insulation and reduces its loft. Modifying the position of the PeaPod ends relative to the hammock
end knots easily performs this adjustment.
The
new Top Blankets are also filled with +700 cu in/oz Prime Northern Goose Down
and quilted with sewn-thru construction.
Shells are breathable 1.1oz/sq yd ripstop nylon. The cold spots common to sewn-thru
construction are eliminated when Top Blankets are used inside PeaPods since the
quilting lines on each are designed to offset the other. The 3.5' X 6' Top Blankets weigh only 16 oz
and are rated to 45F. When used as
single-layer bottom liners, Top Blankets should be pinned to the inside of the
PeaPod--use eight medium size safety pins (1.5" ea; total 0.2 oz). When used as doubled bottom liners, Top
Blankets remain in place beneath one's body without the need for pinning.
Some
simple procedures can greatly extend the warm comfort range of any camping
hammock, including those using PeaPods and Top Blankets. The free reports linked elsewhere in this
article give a good summary. However,
the following thoughts should give you some ideas.
Adding
a vapor barrier to the hammock system probably gives the greatest increase in
warmth without adding undue weight or bulk.
A suitable vapor barrier can be a thin 2-3 oz sheet of plastic, Mylar,
silnylon, Tyvex, etc. placed beneath the hammock as a liner inside the
PeaPod. The purpose of this vapor
barrier is to stop the convective heat loss due to the circulation of warmed
air rising around you and being replaced with cooler air from the insulation
beneath you. A small sheet placed
beneath the body is sufficient--be sure not to completely enclose your body or
unwanted condensation will result. Also
be sure and place the vapor barrier sheet between your body and the insulation
in the PeaPod--this will help keep unwanted condensation from getting into the
bottom insulation.
To
hold them in place, vapor barrier sheets should be pinned to the inside bottom
of the PeaPod--using the same safety pins mentioned above for Top Blanket
liners. Expect as much as 5 to 10
degrees (F) of additional warmth!
Ground sheets, tarps, ponchos, pack covers, etc can double as suitable
vapor barriers for hammock camping.
Regular
sleeping pads also make effective vapor barriers--in addition, they add
critical insulating thickness. Closed
cell foam or inflatable pads filled with down or open cell foam are
suitable. Appropriate closed cell pads
vary from 1/4" to 1", and inflatables vary from 1" to 3". Pads can be used singly or two or more in
combination. While sleeping pads are
warmest when placed inside the hammock directly beneath the sleeper, they also
work fine placed inside the PeaPod where they do not interfere with the comfort
of the hammock. Expect 10 to 50 degrees
(F) of additional warmth! Yes, as much
as 50 degrees extra warmth, depending on the thickness of the pad or pads! When used with a PeaPod/Top blanket system,
a thin closed cell foam pad (i.e., 1/4") is effective for extreme cold
conditions. For a detailed discussion
on using sleeping pads in hammocks, see:
http://www.hammockcamping.com/FreeReports/SpeerSleepPads.htm
Other
items to be considered for increasing the bottom insulation in the PeaPod
system include: wool or fleece blankets, sleeping bags, quilts, extra clothes,
rain gear, jackets, sweaters, wind pants, carry sacks, pack covers, and even
the backpack itself! It's amazing how
much extra warmth these items can provide!
Even
dry leaves collected from the forest floor make excellent insulation without
adding weight or bulk to one's backpack!
Imagine adding 3" to 5" extra insulation without having to
carry it!
The
possibilities are endless and now you too can laugh at the cold!
Safe
Hammocking ....Ed "Not To Worry" Speer
Take a hammock on your next
wilderness trip
and experience the wonder
of nature all over again