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A winter underquilt is a must for anyone who wants to enjoy their hammock during harsh winters. Take the time to choose a good one now and you’ll be grateful when the cold weather hits.
Of course, the temperature rating is a key consideration for hammock underquilts, but it’s not the only consideration. The best ones are designed to keep you warm and comfortable while still giving you enough freedom of movement so that you can sleep comfortably.
In this article, I’ll review some of the best options available on the market today and help you decide which underquilt is right for your needs.
Choosing an Underquilt for Winter
Most standard hammock underquilts are rated as 3-season, this means they are suitable for use from spring through until autumn but don’t have the necessary temperature limits for winter.
If you’ll be camping out in winter, you’ll need to look for a specific 4-season underquilt that can handle the more extreme weather.
There are different ways they can achieve a better temperature rating, either using more filling, a higher density material, or through using down filling instead of synthetic. The design also has an impact, those that can create a tight seal against the hammock will trap in more air and provide better insulation.
Keep an eye on the extra weight that winter underquilts can carry and how compact they can be compressed when putting them away.
Best Hammock Underquilt for Winter
The best hammock underquilts for winter are:
- Best Overall: ENO Blaze
- Runner Up: ENO Vulcan
- Budget Pick: AYAMAYA Underquilt
- Best for Single Hammocks: OneTigris Night Protector (Winter Edition)
- Best for Double Hammocks: OneTigris Shield Cradle (Winter Edition)
- Great for Beginners: GO Outfitters The Adventure
Keep reading below for more details on each recommendation, full specs outline, and key things to look out for when buying an underquilt for winter.
Best Overall: ENO Blaze
Packed Size: 13.7″ x 7″ x 7″ // Temp Rating: 30 – 40°F (-1.1 – 4.4°C) // Packed Weight: 18oz // Shell Material: 20D Ripstop Nylon // Fill Material: Down (DownTek™) // Price: $$$
ENO’s Blaze underquilt is the most rugged piece of gear in their entire insulation range. It ensures you’ll have a restful sleep even when camping out in the coldest of conditions so you feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
The structure of the ENO Blaze has been designed to eliminate cold spots and it can trap heat better than before! It uses a down (feather-based) filling which makes it both warmer and lighter than synthetic fillings. When exposed to moisture, typical down feathers tend to be less effective, however, ENO have their signature DownTek™ insulation that has been treated so you stay warm even if the underquilt gets wet.
Crafted using flexible 20D nylon, it’s strong enough to keep you warm but not heavy enough to add bulk or take up precious space in your pack when folded down. This underquilt is compatible with all gathered end hammocks, both single and double size.
Runner Up: ENO Vulcan
Packed Size: 13.25″ x 7″ x 7″ // Temp Rating: 30 – 50°F (-1.1 – 10°C) // Packed Weight: 29oz // Shell Material: 20D Ripstop Nylon // Fill Material: Synthetic (Primaloft®) // Price: $$
For those looking for a good balance between quality and price, the ENO Vulcan Underquilt is worth considering. It’s not the most expensive underquilt in their range but it features some of the same qualities that you’ll see in more pricey models like the Blaze.
It draws on the same structural design that helps reduce cold spots and ensure even warmth across your body. It also uses the same suspension system as the blaze. You can adjust how it fits by simply tightening or loosening the cords on either side of the hammock which makes it easy to get the perfect hang.
Where the Vulcan is different from the Blaze is the insulation material. This underquilt is lined with ENO’s Primaloft® Silver insulation which is a synthetic material, as opposed to the down material in the Blaze. Whilst this is still ideal for use during winter, it has a lower comfort zone than the Blaze whilst still being heavier.
Note: When comparing the temperature ratings between underquilts, keep in mind that ENO use a ‘comfort rating’ whereas other manufacturers use ‘limit ratings’ which are the very minimum/maximum temperatures for use.
Budget Pick: AYAMAYA Underquilt
Packed Size: 14.9″ x 7.4″ // Temp Rating: 20 – 68°F (-6.6 – 20°C) // Packed Weight: 42oz // Shell Material: 20D Ripstop Nylon // Price: $
The AYAMAYA Underquilt is a 4 season hammock underquilt that will keep you warm and cozy while camping in the mountains. Despite being a cheap underquilt compared to the others here, it still has a temperature rating between 20°F – 68°F which competes with many top-end brands!
The Underquilt by AYAMAYA is a clever accessory for any hammock that will keep you warm during the cold seasons. It attaches via bungee cords, however, AYAMAYA also includes two carabiners if you’d rather attach this way.
It’s rated to a temperature as low as 20°F making it perfectly suitable for camping in freezing winter conditions. Plus, with its bright orange color, you’ll never lose sight of where you set up camp, even in the harsh winter weather.
The stitching across the underquilt ensures that the filling won’t shift once you hang it and provides an even temperature. This underquilt is a tad difficult to pack away due to its irregular shape, but you’ll soon get the hang of it.
Best for Single Hammocks: OneTigris Night Protector (Winter Edition)
Packed Size: 14.9″ x 7.4″ // Temp Rating: 23 – 41°F (-5 – 5°C) // Packed Weight: 28oz // Shell Material: 20D Ripstop Nylon // Filling Material: Synthetic (SSE Polyester) // Price: $
The Night Protector (Winter Edition) hammock underquilt from OneTigris is the warmer version of their popular Night Protector underquilt meaning it’s suitable for use in temperatures as low as 23°F.
This is a slimmer underquilt at 4 feet wide so it’s aimed at single hammocks only. If you have a double hammock, check the next recommendation below.
It’s made from a synthetic polyester filling and lining, with a nylon outer shell. Nylon tends to be more durable than polyester although can hold some weight when wet. Luckily, the DWR coating will keep the rain from absorbing into the underquilt.
The hammock has bungee cords for securing it to your hammock and comes with a compression stuff sack for packing it away neatly. Being designed for single hammocks, the Night Protector is lighter and more compact than any others when packed away.
Note: When buying this product, ensure that it says either ‘Night Protector Pro’ or ‘Night Protector Winter Edition’, otherwise, you may be buying the standard edition which is only 3 seasons.
Best for Double Hammocks: OneTigris Shield Cradle (Winter Edition)
Packed Size: 14″ x 8″ // Temp Rating: 23 – 41°F (-5 – 5°C) // Packed Weight: 59oz // Shell Material: 20D Ripstop Nylon // Filling Material: Synthetic (SSE Polyester) // Price: $$
If you liked the look of the Night Protector but tend to use a double hammock instead of a single. Well, OneTigris has you covered with the Shield Cradle (winter edition) that’s essentially the same specs with a slightly wider profile of 5.6ft so that it can be used with double hammocks.
As with the Night Protector, one of the biggest benefits of the Shield Cradle (winter edition) is that it’s specifically aimed at anyone who will be camping out in below-freezing temperatures in winter. It can be used in temperatures as low as 23°F and should still keep you nice and snug.
Both the filling and lining are made from the same synthetic materials as the previous OneTigris underquilt, however, with it being a double size the packed size and weight are slightly larger than the Night Protector at 14″ x8″ and 59oz respectively.
It comes with a very affordable price tag, especially when compared to the other brands offering winter underquilts of the same size and quality.
Note: Just a watch out, remember to look for ‘Winter Edition’ or ‘Shield Cradle Pro’ to ensure it’s the 4 season version and not the standard edition.
Great for Beginners: GO Outfitters The Adventure
Packed Size: 8″ x 10″ // Temp Rating: 20 – 80°F (-6.6 – 26.6°C) // Packed Weight: 47oz // Shell Material: 210T Ripstop Polyester // Filling Material: Synthetic // Price: $$
The Adventure is a winter underquilt from Go Outfitters that’s lightweight. It utilizes the same technology as our popular hammock camping quilts to keep you warm in temperatures up to 20°F.
What makes The Adventurer unique from other winter underquilts is the shape and built-in shock cords. Go Outfitters have designed this so that it makes a tight seal against the hammock which can be cinched up by the user to lock in a layer of air.
The downside of The Adventurer is that it requires carabiners to attach to your hammock whereas the others do not. This is extra weight and bulk to carry around and hikers will know the importance of shedding as many lbs as possible in their set up.
If you’re a beginner and not so concerned about weight, the carabiner design makes setting up the underquilt extremely straightforward, plus they throw in some spare carabiners too.
