Radiant Heat Pads

Some hammock campers successfully keep warm using innovative sleep pads that have high heat-reflective surfaces--such as aluminum-covered automobile windshield sunscreens! Radiant heat reflectors do work!

These sunscreen/sleep pads are commonly made from Reflectix, which is a five-sixteenth-inch-thick laminate of plastic bubble wrap sandwiched between layers of aluminum foil. The foil may reflect as much as from the bottom of a hammock!
97% of the radiant heat that otherwise would be lostIn addition to the radiant-heat reflectors in Reflectix, the dead-air space in the bubble wrap provides insulation that reduces conductive heat loss.

Reflectix in widths of 24 or 48 inches can be purchased at some home improvement stores; it can easily be trimmed with scissors. The finished windshield sunscreens can be purchased at most automotive supply stores. Sleep pads made from Reflectix up to 40 inches wide can also be purchased from Speer Hammocks, Inc. (see the information box).

Reflectix pads may safely be substituted for foam or inflatable pads in many cases or they may be used in combination for greater warmth. Reflectix pads 5/16" X 30" X 72" weigh about 12 ounces and make effective liners for hammocks since they provide excellent side and bottom protection. The square corners should be trimmed as mentioned above for foam pads.

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