If you’re in a rush and want to find out what the best hammock underquilt is, we recommend the ENO Ember Underquilt.
I think many of us dream of hammock camping at some point in our lives. Swinging between the trees, the ground a few feet below, is a fairy tale camping experience for those of us who enjoy spending time in the wild. On chilly nights, though, you might find that your backside is the princess in need of rescuing! To avoid freezing, you’re probably going to want a hammock underquilt, which is one of many useful hammock accessories. We’ve taken a look at some pretty affordable options that will still keep you cozy in cooler temperatures.
In this article we’ll be reviewing the following hammock underquilts:
- Wise Owl Outfitters Hammock Underquilt
- ENO Blaze Hammock Underquilt
- AYAMAYA Full Length Underquilt
- ENO Ember Underquilt – Best Bang for Your Buck
- One Tigris Shield Cradle Underquilt
- Go Outfitters Stratus Underquilt
- Kammock Firebelly Trail Quilt – Most Versatile Underquilt
- Onewind Double Hammock Underquilt – Best Double Hammock Underquilt
What is an Underquilt?
If you’ve never been hammock camping before, you might initially think that all you need is a comfortable place to rest your head, and perhaps a coat to keep you warm at night. It’s certainly not a bad thought, especially when you don’t bring much more than this for a fun get-together with friends by the lake. But what are you going to do when a rainstorm passes through, or you find that your coat isn’t nearly warm enough?
Tent camping and hammock camping are quite similar in this sense. Buying a hammock and calling it good is like getting a ground sheet without the tent – when nighttime temperatures and bad weather roll in, you’ll be wet, cold, and downright miserable.
Bug netting and a rain tarp are obvious additions to your setup, and many times, they even come included with your hammock. But what about when you lay down for the night after patting yourself on the back for remembering everything, only to discover that your backside is getting awfully cold as time goes on? That’s no fun!
And it’s precisely why you need an underquilt. Simply an insulated quilt that hangs under your hammock, underquilts are designed to prevent heat from escaping your cocoon. They also act as an additional barrier between you and any cold breezes that decide to pass by.
Underquilt vs. Sleeping Pad
So, are underquilts necessary for a cozy night of hammocking? And the answer is…not necessarily, though most hammock campers will tell you they are (including myself). This leads us to the age old “underquilt vs sleeping pad” debate, so let’s dive into a few pros and cons of each.
Sleeping Pad: Pros and Cons
There are different types of sleeping pads for you to choose from. Closed cell foam is what I typically go with for backpacking, but you can also choose one that inflates – either will work just fine inside of a hammock.
Pros:
– You probably already have one, if you’re a tent camper. This saves you the hassle of needing to buy an additional piece of gear.
– They can be used in both a hammock and a tent, though you’ll find that the way they fit in a hammock is less than ideal. To get around this, you can take a closed cell foam pad and cut it to size.
– They can add a bit of comfort, similar to adding some hammock cushions.
Cons:
– With inflatable air pads especially, the bulk can make your hammock a little tippy.
– They aren’t designed for hammocks, and you’ll notice this when you try to fit it inside one.
Underquilt: Pros and Cons
Pros:
– Designed specifically for cold weather hammock camping. This avoids any weird lumps, bumps, or shifting that can happen with a sleeping pad.
– Underquilts with high loft fills are incredibly warm.
Cons:
– Can be more expensive, depending on what type of pad you’re comparing it with.
Warmth
But ultimately, the whole reason you’re getting an underquilt is to help you stay warm at night. So in that case, how do these two different products compare?
Unfortunately, that question isn’t as straightforward to answer. By nature, you can’t assign an R-value to a quilt like you can for a sleeping pad, so a side-by-side comparison doesn’t work out so well. In fact, there is no universally accepted rating system for underquilts, so you’re kind of in a pickle if you’re the type of person who likes exact numbers for these sorts of things.
However, as a general rule of thumb, the warmth of an underquilt that fits well and has quality, high loft fill is incredibly hard to beat. In this regard, I would take a premium underquilt over a sleeping pad any day, especially when I expect temperatures to be uncomfortably cold.
Other Features
Warmth isn’t everything, though, especially if you’re backpacking. Weight also needs to be a major consideration, and you might think that a quilt will have some considerable heft to it. However, aside from closed cell foam, underquilts are actually pretty comparable in weight to most sleeping pads. Many of them hover around the 1-2 pound mark – a number that might make you cringe if you’re trying to stay ultralightweight. But when you consider the difference between a handful of ounces and a decent night sleep, I think it’s a pretty easy decision to make.
And then there’s a matter of cost. Closed cell foam pads are obviously going to be the much cheaper option, but if you want something a little more substantial, how do the inflatable ones compare to an underquilt?
While it depends on the specific product you’re looking at, they actually hover around a pretty similar price. Expect to pay around the low 3-figures for either an underquilt or a high quality sleeping pad. You could always save even more by doing a DIY hammock underquilt, but it’s likely that you’ll be missing out on a bit of quality if you go with that option.
Hammock Underquilt Reviews
Wise Owl Outfitters Hammock Underquilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Synthetic
- Weight: 1.77 Pounds
Can I just start by saying how much I love the dark gray color of this underquilt? I’m a sucker for neutral colors. But as much as I’d like to continue with that train of thought, I’m sure you’d rather hear more about how it performs rather than my personal color preference!
Well, to start, this down underquilt is rated for 40 degrees. This isn’t a very low number in my opinion (certainly nothing more than a 3 season product, at best), but many of you won’t be hammocking in temperatures below that anyway. The down fill does do a good job of keeping the warm air close to your body, and the cold air where it belongs, without steaming you on milder nights.
The item weighs in at a little over 2 pounds, which isn’t terrible, though also not as good as others on the market. Overall, I’d say you get what you pay for – a well made, highly effective underquilt with a few kinks that are easy to live with.
Pros:
– Great if you’re on a budget
– A decent weight
– Very good craftsmanship
– Center pull straps are a nice feature
Cons:
– Not for exceptionally chilly nights
ENO Blaze Hammock Underquilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Down
- Weight: 1.8 Pounds
It really is hard to go wrong when it comes to Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) for hammock gear. If you want equipment that will go above and beyond your expectations, and last you for many years to come, I would highly recommend you check out the ENO Blaze underquilt.
Rated for use in 30-40 degree temperatures, I would say that’s an accurate description of what the Blaze underquilt is capable of doing. Though, it’s very possible to stay toasty with this down underquilt even when the air dips below 20 degrees, if you’ve paired it with a cold weather sleeping bag and top quilt. For the amount of warmth that it produces, you’d expect it to weigh more than 1.5 pounds, but that’s not the case. Being so lightweight, it’s easy to carry long distances, and it packs down small enough to shove in the tightest corners of your pack.
Overall, the word that best describes this product is cozy. If you’re tired of freezing your butt off (literally), the Ember is one of the best things for you to get to enhance your hammocking experience.
Pros:
– Quite warm (perhaps warmer than advertised)
– Convenient, adjustable cinches
– Lightweight
– Appropriate size
– Cozy
Cons:
– A little on the bulky side
AYAMAYA Full length Underquilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Synthetic
- Weight: 2.6 Pounds
This underquilt by AYAMAYA hits a lot of the points that I look for in a product. It packs down small, so it’s easy to slip inside your pack when you’re done using it, despite being big enough to fit most double hammocks comfortably. The specs listed on Amazon state that it weighs a little more than 2.5 pounds, but after testing that, I’ve found that it’s actually closer to 1.3 pounds. Great for 3 season backpacking, it’s an affordable option due to the use of synthetic insulation.
In terms of warmth, the underquilt claims to keep you comfortable in temperatures down to 20 degrees. Personally, I’d be wary of that number, but it’s definitely fair to say that you’ll be toasty down into the 30s. There are elastic straps and short bungee cord loops to keep the quilt contoured to your hammock, and it comes with two extra (larger) carabiners as backups in case something happens to the originals.
Pros:
– A great entry level quilt
– Fairly lightweight
– Quite warm for the price
– Cinches up nicely
Cons:
– The sizing seems to be a little off. Don’t expect this to fit all double hammocks perfectly.
ENO Ember Underquilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Synthetic
- Weight: 1.7 Pounds
With a temperature rating of 40-60 degrees, the Ember underquilt isn’t exactly the most hardcore product on the market. But the light insulation also expresses itself in the overall weight of the quilt, which comes in at about 1.5 pounds. It’s certainly not something I would use in the winter, or the colder spring and fall months, but for chilly summer nights (especially at elevation) it does the job nicely.
It might not be rated for freezing temperatures, but the underquilt does do a good job at eliminating cold spots that tend to pop up. And if you’re like me, having toes that feel like ice can make it difficult to have a good night’s sleep! With a ripstop nylon shell coated with durable water repellent, it makes for a cozy cocoon to help protect you when the weather starts to take a turn for the worse.
Pros:
– Lightweight
– Weatherproof exterior
– Packs down well for travel
– Great at maintaining even heat across your entire body
Cons:
– Not for winter temperatures
One Tigris Shield Cradle Underquilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Synthetic
- Weight: 3.7 Pounds
An underquilt specifically designed for winter temperatures, the Shield Cradle underquilt certainly lives up to expectations. Rated to keep you comfortable even when the air starts dipping into the low 20s, the polyester filling might not be the lightest material out there, but it’ll certainly keep you warm. Despite being 3.5 pounds, there are just some things that are worth the extra weight, and heat retention during winter is one of them.
There are bungee cord loops that make it easy to attach to your hammock, but remember to leave some room between the underquilt and the hammock for better insulation. This little tip is true for all quilts – when there’s air space between it and your hammock, you’ll be able to last a lot longer in colder temperatures than you would if they were touching each other.
Compared to many of the other underquilts listed in this review, the Shield Cradle also does a better job of providing full coverage to hammocks of all shapes and sizes. It’s easy to find a quilt that fits a single hammock nicely, but a lot harder when you start looking into double or asymmetrical territory!
Pros:
– Very warm
– Easy to attach
– Full coverage
– Durable
Cons:
– Not the lightest quilt out there
Go Outfitters Stratus Underquilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Synthetic
- Weight: 1.5 Pounds
Finally, we have the Stratus underquilt by Go Outfitters. While not the warmest or cheapest product that we’ve reviewed so far, it is the lightest, coming in at a little over the pound. In fact, the compression sack that comes with the underquilt is about a third the weight of the actual quilt itself!
And just because it’s not the warmest we’ve talked about so far doesn’t mean it won’t keep you cozy in spring and fall. It’s certainly no winter underquilt, but when temperatures dip into the 40s (or even the 30s, if you have a good sleeping bag), you still won’t have any cold butt syndrome. The ripstop nylon shell will prevent water from soaking in on humid or rainy days as well, but even if it did, the fill is synthetic. Unlike down, which loses its insulating capabilities when wet, this will still work to keep you warm and dries out quickly.
Pros:
– Ultralightweight
– Solid temperature rating
– Weatherproof
– Easy to pack away and carry
Cons:
– Not as warm for the price as I’d like to see, but still a good budget option
Kammock Firebelly 30 Trail Quilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Down
- Weight: 1.8 Pounds
Based on the picture alone, you may be wondering why I’ve decided to include a trail quilt in a review for hammock underquilts. After all, this looks more like a blanket than something you can hang underneath your shelter and cinch up to block out the cold.
And you would be right – it is a blanket. As well as an underquilt, top quilt, sleeping bag, and poncho. It’s a minimalist’s dream come true, simply because of how multifunctional it is without sacrificing on quality in the slightest. Filled with duck down, this trail blanket says it can keep you warm down to 30 degrees, but I think it’s safer to say that you’ll be comfortable down to 40 degrees. Even so, that’s a good temperature range for something designed to serve many purposes.
The included conversion kit can easily transform this blanket into an underquilt capable of hugging any hammock. If you happen to have a hammock developed by Kammock, this blanket can easily be attached to the gear loops on it to serve as a top quilt as well. When not in use during a camping trip, I would suggest leaving it in your car as an emergency blanket or sleeping bag if you find yourself in trouble.
Pros:
– Multifunctional
– Filled with duck down
– 88 inches long
– Vertical baffles
– Versatile shockcords
Cons:
– Takes a little extra time to set up
Onewind Double Hammock Underquilt
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation Type: Synthetic
- Weight: 1.1 Pounds
Whether you want a little cuddle time with your significant other, or you just like to have some extra room to spread out, double hammocks are great at opening up possibilities. But unfortunately, it can be difficult to find a good underquilt that’s large enough to accommodate such a big hammock.
Onewind’s design solves this problem by offering a quilt that’s roughly 10 inches wider than most other products. You’ll be able to cinch it up snugly around your shelter, and stay warm even when temperatures drop below freezing. In fact, it’s so warm that I would say it’s a little overkill in 50 degree weather or higher.
Because it is larger, the weight does exceed two pounds, though not by much. In my opinion, this is hardly a concern, considering just how warm this quilt is in cold temperatures, and its ability to hug such a large hammock. As an aside, you can still use this with a one person hammock as well, by cinching up the shock cords. However, it shines the best when used alongside the hammock size it was ultimately designed for.
Pros:
– Meant for double hammocks
– Incredibly warm
– Water resistant lining
– Can be adjusted to fit any hammock well
– Breathable
Cons:
– The number of cords can be confusing and hard to manage
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Final Thoughts
Hammocking is a favorite past time for many of us, whether we do it in the form of camping or as a way to hang out with friends. For those of us who decide to get more serious about the hobby, though, certain measures need to be taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable night in the woods.
A high quality underquilt is something that any hammock camper worth their salt will recommend. For colder temperatures especially, having a product that fits your hammock, is easy to carry, and keeps your backside warm is a must. The ENO Ember underquilt is the product that checked these boxes the best, in our opinion, and is what we would use on those cooler spring and fall nights. It’s a good weight, and the fill is warm enough to let you sleep well even during some days in the winter. And as far as brand name quilts go, this one is reasonably priced while maintaining a high standard for quality.
