Originally Posted by supcom
The biggest problem with hammocks is that they do poorly in cold weather because there is only a thin layer between you and the cold air beneath you. Using a sleeping pad inside a hammock is difficult because it's hard to maneuver things around underneath you when inside a hammock. There has been considerable experimentation to develop methods of adding insulation underneath the hammock and some of these are showing promise, but I am still skeptical as to their effectiveness.
True, the hammock without any supplementary assistance is great for our warm summer nights. When I went camping in Wales in October I was expecting temperatures between 5 and 8C overnight. I'd experimented last winter in Toronto where we get lots of nights like that. My setup keeps me comfortable down to -5C. The cure is not as expensive, bulky and time consuming as the Hennessy system. Anyone who is interested can surf my tour diaries.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journ..._id=19639&v=64