Hammock Gear Economy Phoenix Under Quilt Review

Overview

The Economy Phoenix is Hammock Gear’s budget-tier 3/4-length down underquilt. It’s cut to insulate a hammock sleeper from the shoulders to the calves, and it’s built in the USA. The 40°F version is meant for warm-season hanging, where a full-length quilt would be overkill and a sleeping pad would be the heavier, fussier choice. The trade-off is that the feet are left to a sit pad or a puffy.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	391.2 g (13.8 oz)
Temperature rating	40°F
Fill	850 fill power down
Shell fabric	20D nylon taffeta, DWR-treated
Coverage	3/4 length (shoulders to calves)
Packed volume	4.5 L
Suspension	Adjustable dual-suspension system
Construction	Contoured shape, customizable options at order
Made in	USA

Performance

Warmth. Hammock Gear’s temperature ratings have a good reputation among owners. One longtime user listing a 40°F Phoenix on Backpacking Light’s gear swap said it performed as rated, and that the five other Hammock Gear underquilts he owns were all reasonably rated. A Trailspace reviewer likewise found the Phoenix 20 right at its number, taking it down to 18°F with only a cold nose to complain about. Those are older reports on the Premium Phoenix line, but the Economy version shares the same 3/4 pattern. At 40°F, the quilt’s job is easy: it stops the convective chill that compresses a hammock’s insulation, and it does that well in summer and warm shoulder-season nights.

Weight and packability. At 391 g, the Economy Phoenix is lighter than many closed-cell foam pads and most inflatables rated for hammock use. A buyer on Hammock Gear’s own site called out that the 40°F Phoenix is lighter than most sleep pads, which is the whole pitch. It packs to roughly 4.5 liters, about the size of a large grapefruit, so it fits in the bottom of a pack without a fight. SectionHiker’s testers, who reviewed the 30°F Economy Phoenix, estimated that the economy line costs a little weight compared with Premium but saves about $70, a trade many users will accept.

Coverage and fit. The 3/4 cut is what saves ounces, and it is also the product’s main limitation. The design runs from the shoulders to below the knees, so feet and lower calves hang exposed. The usual fixes are a foam sit pad stuffed in the footbox of the top quilt or a down jacket zipped around the foot end. Both work, and both add some fuss. A Hammock Gear owner who uses the 40°F as a warm-weather piece said the short length is actually a perk, keeping his head and feet cooler when he first lies back. Gathered-end hammocks are the best match: Trailspace reviewers found the Phoenix pattern fits those hammocks very well and even works on bridge hammocks with few cold spots.

Setup. The dual suspension is adjustable and easy to dial in. SectionHiker’s testers described the quilt as very easy to use. Draft collars at the ends help seal the gaps that cause most underquilt complaints. Hammock Gear’s customer reviews, which rate the Phoenix line around 4.9 out of 5 across hundreds of ratings, regularly mention that it hangs without cold spots or much fiddling.

Durability and moisture. The 20D nylon taffeta shell with DWR is thin but typical for the category, and the DWR handles condensation and light splash. Down remains down: reviewers note that moisture is the one real weakness, so this quilt wants a tarp pitched low enough to keep spray and wind-driven rain off the underside. An underquilt protector is optional, and a sensible add for rough ground or dripping campsites.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 391 g, lighter than most pads that would do the same job
• Compact at about 4.5 L
• 850-fill down with a DWR-treated 20D shell
• Temperature ratings that owners generally call accurate
• Contoured cut, adjustable dual suspension and customizable options
• Made in the USA, with a lower price than the Premium Phoenix

Cons

• Feet and calves are exposed, so a sit pad or puffy is needed
• 40°F rating limits it to summer and mild shoulder seasons unless the buyer orders a warmer version
• Down needs to stay dry, so tarp coverage matters
• Slightly heavier than the equivalent Premium build

Who Should Buy This

This is a good fit for three-season hammockers who already sleep in a gathered-end hammock and want to drop pad weight, especially those who carry a torso-length sit pad and a down jacket anyway. It also suits hikers who sleep warm and prefer cool air on their head and feet. Cold-weather hangers, anyone who wants head-to-toe coverage without improvising, and people who must have the lowest possible weight at any cost should look at a full-length quilt like Hammock Gear’s Incubator or the Premium Phoenix line instead.

Verdict

The Economy Phoenix 40 does what a warm-weather underquilt should: it keeps cold air off the back at a weight lighter than most pads, in a package small enough to forget. The 3/4 cut asks for a little foot-end improvisation, which is a fair price for the savings in grams and dollars. Recommended for summer and mild-season hammock backpackers.