Sleeping Pads for Hammocks

As cold weather returns, we tree hangers naturally begin searching for ways to stay warm in our hammocks. Sleeping pads often solve the problem! This article discusses the use of sleeping pads and offers some handy advice on using and extending the warmth of pads you already own, making or modifying your own pads and selecting new pads for purchase.

The good news is that warmth in a hammock is possible with appropriate sleeping pad insulation beneath you! However, not all pads are created equal and some work better than others. Of course, as in any cold-weather camping, appropriate sleeping bags and clothes matched to the temperatures are also required for comfort and warmth. For this article, it is assumed that the hammock user has the proper sleeping bag and clothes. Even vapor-barrier and heat-reflecting fabrics can be useful in the battle to stay warm, while proper nutrition and hydration play an extremely important role; however these are not covered in this article.

We all know that the winter hammock user faces a greater challenge than the winter ground sleeper since he/she is completely surrounded by heat-robbing air that is generally colder than the ground. Wind of course greatly increases the rate of heat loss from the bottom of the hammock. In exactly the same way that a bridge freezes before the road does, the hammock sleeper will also be exposed to greater cold on the bottom than the ground sleeper. Thus the hammock user must provide sufficient bottom insulation for sleeping comfort. The trick is to maximize the bottom insulation while minimizing the weight and bulk.

Even the novice hammock user quickly learns that a sleeping bag that provides adequate loft and warmth over the top of one's body, becomes compressed beneath the body and thus looses its' loft and warmth. The obvious solution is to grab your sleeping pad. While the pad you already own may be sufficient at first, you may quickly reach the point, as temperatures drop, where it no longer provides enough warmth.

The following hints and suggestions are based on my actual outdoor experience--note that I'm skinny and sleep colder than most folks do; but you might find that you need more or less bottom insulation than I do. And PLEASE remember to experiment at home first before heading into the backcountry!

My cold-weather system using sleeping bags and sleep pads inside the hammock is given in the table below, which comes from the book Hammock Camping: The Complete Guide To Greater Comfort, Convenience and Freedom (see the book at: http://www.hammockcamping.com).

How To Stay Warm In A Hammock

With Inside Sleeping Bags and Sleep Pads

>75⁰F Thin cotton sheet & no sleeping pad

70-75⁰F 48⁰-rated sleeping bag & no pad

60-70⁰F 48⁰-rated sleeping bag & 1/4" pad

50-60⁰F 38⁰-rated sleeping bag & 1/4" pad

40-50⁰F 25⁰-rated sleeping bag & 1/2" pad

30-40⁰F 25⁰-rated sleeping bag & 1" pad

20-30⁰F 15⁰-rated sleeping bag & 2" pad

10-20⁰F 0⁰-rated sleeping bag & 2" pad

I often supplement the above gear with wicking long johns, balaclava, fleece clothing, heavy socks, and/or vapor-barriers. This should give you some idea of where to start your own testing.

Closed-Cell Foam Pads

Closed-cell foam pads are usually the most readily available ones and they can work extremely well in hammocks. Thickness varies from 1/4" to 3/4", however multiple pads can be used together for greater versatility and warmth. Non-slick pads are preferred to prevent them from sliding out from under the user; however, covering a slippery pad with suitable fabric can prevent this problem. In addition, a 1.5' X 2' piece of rubberized shelf liner material placed between a slippery pad and the nylon hammock can also prevent unwanted movement.

Covering a closed-cell foam pad with a thick non-compressing insulating fabric, such as fleece or wool, can greatly improve warmth. Shorting the pad to 3/4-body length is an easy way to reduce bulk and weight without compromising efficiency too much. Trimming off the square corners (cut off 6" triangles) makes for a better fit in the curved world of a hammock. Pads with reflective surfaces offer greater warmth--placing a reflective Mylar sheet, such as one of the emergency or survival blankets, beneath the pad can also add warmth.

Pad width is a critical consideration since a hammock wraps around the user's shoulders--thus the 20"-wide foam pads commonly sold in outfitting stores for sleeping on the ground may not be adequate for hammock sleepers. Most adult users will need 24"-wide pads, while those with broad shoulders will need up to 30"-wide pads. Pads wider than 20" are readily available for retail purchase, but not at outfitters where the narrow ground-use pads prevail. Recommended pads include the 24"-wide Ozark Trail Egg Crate Camping Pad, available at Wal-Mart (~$11); the 27"-wide foam Camping Pad available at Target (~$14); and 24"-wide Camping Pads from Coleman available at various sporting goods stores. The Wal-Mart and Target pads are 1/2" thick, while the Coleman pads come in thicknesses of 3/8", 1/'2", 5/8" and 3/4". The Wal-Mart pad is a wise choice for many folks since it is made out of non-slick 'grippy' foam with egg-create indentations that trap air on one side.

Even thinner pads should be considered. One-quarter-inch thick foam pads are very useful in a hammock since they can be used alone for cool weather, or in combination with other pads for colder weather. They can even be used with pads that otherwise are too narrow! Since they are low weight and low bulk, they provide a good solution for backpacking. Non-slick, 24"-to 30"-wide, 1/4"-thick foam pads are available from Speer Hammocks, Oware, Quest Outfitters, and Seattle Fabrics (See the list for Sleeping Pads under section 7--Camping Hammock Accessories at the end of this newsletter for Internet links).

Inflatable Pads

Self-inflatable pads also work very well in hammocks. Filled with open-cell foam, they partially inflate as the foam expands when the air valve is first opened. The popular Therm-A-Rest® models vary from 1"-to 3"-thick and are about 22" wide. However, the low-weight backpacking models are designed with minimum foam and thus they offer less insulating warmth than the heavier standard models. In fact, many hammock users find that a suitable closed-cell pad or pads can offer the same or even better warmth with less weight than the backpacking inflatable. Of course, combing a closed-cell foam pad with one of the backpacking self-inflating pads works well for colder temperatures.

However, when the temperatures drop below freezing, the warmth provided by a 'full-foam' standard model self-inflatable is hard to beat. For car campers unworried about weight or bulk, this is often the best solution.

Less than fully inflated pads work best in the curved world of the hammock. The common sliding-off-the-pad problem is very aggravating, but can be solved with the rubberized shelf liner as mentioned above.

Down-filled inflatable pads offer the best of both worlds--low weight and greater thickness! Weights as low as 1.5 lbs and thicknesses up to 3" are available. Unlike the self-inflating pads, inflation is done with the bellows-like carry sack. While expensive, these pads easily solve the cold-weather problem for many hammock sleepers. Both Exped and Warmlite offer excellent models.

See the list for Sleeping Pads under section 7--Camping Hammock Accessories at the end of this newsletter for Internet links.

Alternative to Pads

While sleeping pads can easily offer adequate bottom insulation, they can also add unwanted bulk and weight to one's backpack. As an alternative, I developed the PeaPod, which is a unique sleeping bag that fits completely around an occupied top-entry hammock like the Speer Hammock. This gives adequate bottom insulation while allowing the hammock sleeper to use his/her regular sleeping bag or even a light blanket as a quilt over the top of them. Now freed from the hassles of trying to stay on a sleeping pad and getting into and out of a sleeping bag while lying in a hammock, the user is more comfortable yet stays toasty warm! The PeaPod is also more versatile than sleeping pads since the user can easily add more insulating materials as the temperature drops; for instance you can use extra clothes from your pack or even leaves on the ground! Be sure and see next month's newsletter for more on the PeaPod stay-warm system!

Take a hammock on your next wilderness trip

and experience the wonder of nature all over again

Thanks for your time and happy hammocking!

Ed "Not To Worry" Speer Nov 2003

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