How much top insulation needed??

[GenevaJenn]

I am a Florida hiker (newbie). I have an ENO setup and just purchased an under quilt. I HATED the pad- the slippage and getting "cold butt/shoulder/whatever" set up.

My question is if I am using an under quilt, how much top cover do I need in the warmer temperatures? I already own a nice sleeping bag (although I would have gone with a top quilt if I knew what I was doing when I started purchasing). Is this too much heat? Should I carry something lighter and just sleep in my merino long underwear?

Any advice is helpful. My upcoming hike (my first one to try my under quilt) we expect lows around 60. (We wear jackets at 68-70!).

Thanks!

[normis1]

Personally, I would rather risk being too warm than too cold. At 60 degrees, I would probably use my 3 season UQ and 3 season TQ, both of which are rated to 30* or so. Then, I would "dial-in" my comfort level by adding or subtracting clothing layers.

So, for your situation, maybe bring the sleeping bag on the first trip and see how it goes.


Full disclosure, I'm a cold sleeper.

[Otter1]

I'm in FL too. Note that everyone is different, so take this with a grain of salt.

I'm what I'd call a normal / average sleeper when it comes to temp sensitivity.

For a low of 60 I use a poncho liner confortably w/just a base layer and at most a buff on my head, but usually not.

If you want a little warmer coverage get a 2.5 Climashield quilt from Enlightened Equipment. Not knowing what temp your sleeping bag will go down to, I can't comment on it.

[Nodust]

I have a 60* F sleeping bag I use as a top quilt in summer time. Still take my UQ if temps will be below 72* or so. I only have a 20* TQ so I'll use that when temps get below 60. Eventually I'll get a 40* TQ.

[Tacoma96]

With temps only being down into the 60s you should not need a lot of top insulation with and UQ. Use of the sleeping bag with the UQ you should be fine.

[pinballwizard]

With the temps being what they are, this scenario really depends more on what kind of sleeper you are, as some would get by with a fleece, PL, or other light top quilt, while others need more. Since you said you use jackets at 68-70, I would definitely put you in the cold sleeper category (if I had to guess). You can use your sleeping bag AS a top quilt, which I do. Perhaps I am wrong for it, and lightning from the hammock gods will strike me down soon, but I actually prefer a sleeping bag over a TQ, and just bought another one, already being a hammock camper for some time now. I find it more versatile, and most important to me is I like the attached hood I can wrap around when it gets colder. I never use it in the hammock in the sleeping bag position because I find it too much of a PITA to get in and out of. Just unzip till you have enough for a foot box, turn it sideways, and wrap that till it tucks under your chin.

IF you can, after the UQ arrives and before you go on the hike (congrats on the UQ btw), set this up in the backyard to see what YOU'RE comfortable with. If the whole thing is def overkill, you know you can scale down. If there is even the slight chance you need the bag, take it. It might be an extra lb or 2 at most (don't forget you have to carry whatever you exchange it for), but I would rather carry it and need to vent it, than not and be cold at night. I think at 60 degrees you can do things a bit scaled down... But, you are wearing a jacket when it's 70 out, so......YMMV. Good luck, let us know what worked

[FLRider]

I am a Florida hiker (newbie). I have an ENO setup and just purchased an under quilt. I HATED the pad- the slippage and getting "cold butt/shoulder/whatever" set up.

My question is if I am using an under quilt, how much top cover do I need in the warmer temperatures? I already own a nice sleeping bag (although I would have gone with a top quilt if I knew what I was doing when I started purchasing). Is this too much heat? Should I carry something lighter and just sleep in my merino long underwear?

Any advice is helpful. My upcoming hike (my first one to try my under quilt) we expect lows around 60. (We wear jackets at 68-70!).

Thanks!

As you might've guessed by now, the real answer is, "It depends."

The amount of insulation you'll need on top is dependent upon multiple factors: what your resting metabolic rate is (i.e.: how "hot" or "cold" of a sleeper you are), how recently you've eaten, if you're dehydrated, how tired you are, what the wind is doing, how adequate your under insulation is, what clothing you're wearing to bed, whether you're wet at all, what the relative humidity is like, and an hundred-and-one other things.

That being said, if your under insulation is adequate for the temperatures expected and you've got it dialed in so that it fits correctly (note that this is a big issue for many first-time underquilt users: bring someone to help fit the underquilt correctly and check for gaps if at all possible), a poncho liner should do even a cold sleeper at those temperatures with warm-ish headgear and their normal sleepwear. It's cheap (~$30) and readily available at any local Army/Navy store. However, if you plan on only doing a couple of miles for your hike, I'd bring the bag you already have and just use it unzipped as a top quilt. Save your cash for a proper top quilt; it'll save you money in the long run to do so.

Also, I would recommend at least one backyard testing night (note that your "backyard" can be a car camping trip: as long as you have a place to bail if things go sideways, you'll be fine) any time you get a new piece of gear that your life might depend on (insulation qualifies). It'll save you hassle, for sure, and it might just save your life.

Hope it helps!

[russbus]

I am a Florida hiker (newbie). I have an ENO setup and just purchased an under quilt. I HATED the pad- the slippage and getting "cold butt/shoulder/whatever" set up.

My question is if I am using an under quilt, how much top cover do I need in the warmer temperatures? I already own a nice sleeping bag (although I would have gone with a top quilt if I knew what I was doing when I started purchasing). Is this too much heat? Should I carry something lighter and just sleep in my merino long underwear?

Any advice is helpful. My upcoming hike (my first one to try my under quilt) we expect lows around 60. (We wear jackets at 68-70!).

Thanks!

From personal experience I would say go for a nice under quilt first, preferably one that you can cocoon with. This allows you to open up if it is too warm or close it up if you get cold. To supplement this when the weather gets chilly would be the top quilt. This is my experience from hammocking with only a top quilt.