Switching shelters in my thru-hike?

[whatnowmitch]

I have converted to hammock camping, and am planning on starting my AT thru-hike in mid March. I have been reading up on temperatues in March vs. insulation for hammock, and a new idea occurred to me: switching shelters midway through the hike...

I currently sport a Hennessey Exped, with JRB Nest insulation, and a Marmot Hydrogen 30* bag for my top quilt, and a Speer 8x10 CatTarp. I am wondering if this amount of insulation will be adequate when temperatures drop below freezing for however many nights?
Or, should I stop the worrying, bust out my tent and sleeping pad for the first month or so, and then exchange it by mail for my hammock system?

thoughts?

[laherb]

I'm heading out in mid March for the thru-hike also, 14th or 15th. My plan is to have my hammock with me the whole time. I'll be using a 3-season 3/4" quilt with a z-lite pad, and superfly tarp with doors. I figure i can combine the pad and quilt together if needed and if it gets too cold i'll just sleep in a shelter or under my tarp on the ground. I've been doing alot of sleeping out in the backwoods to make sure it'll work for me. that's my plan if that helps any.

[Rockdawg69]

I have converted to hammock camping, and am planning on starting my AT thru-hike in mid March. I have been reading up on temperatues in March vs. insulation for hammock, and a new idea occurred to me: switching shelters midway through the hike...

I currently sport a Hennessey Exped, with JRB Nest insulation, and a Marmot Hydrogen 30* bag for my top quilt, and a Speer 8x10 CatTarp. I am wondering if this amount of insulation will be adequate when temperatures drop below freezing for however many nights?
Or, should I stop the worrying, bust out my tent and sleeping pad for the first month or so, and then exchange it by mail for my hammock system?

thoughts?

You might want to add a pad of some type that can be used between you and the Nest UQ. As a fall back it can be used on the ground or in a shelter (heaven forbid that you have to go there).
The weather pattern this year is different than past years: lots more storms (rain and snow). You can expect some temps to get in the teens and 20's for a night or two as fronts move through. I had snow and 11* in early April before NOC and heavy snow, wind, and 20's in mid April in the Smokies. Be Prepared!

[Coffee]

Find a pad you are comfortable sleeping on the ground with that is insulated. It will give you the extra insulation underneath when you need it. 30 deg bag on top seems a little lacking at times. You could use the pad on the ground with the sleeping bag and the quilt inside of it when it gets really cold. That's what I did.

There are times you might want to sleep on the ground. A few of the hostels do not have anything padded to sleep on. A shelter can also be a nice thing when no one is around and it has been raining all day. There are also some ski warming huts, fire towers, or other cool spots to sleep as you go along that sleeping on the ground might be nice.

Whatever you choose you seem to have the right idea and will switch to whatever works better.

Coffee
AT Southbound 07

[TinaLouise]

I currently sport a Hennessey Exped, with JRB Nest insulation, and a Marmot Hydrogen 30* bag for my top quilt, and a Speer 8x10 CatTarp. I am wondering if this amount of insulation will be adequate when temperatures drop below freezing for however many nights?


thoughts?

have you had a chance to test your set-up in below freezing temps? If you can, that would be the best because then you'd already know if you're gonna sleep cold & can then adapt your gear to get by with.

TinaLouise

[Trout]

Good luck on your thru-hike. My two cents is do what you can to stay off the ground. From what I've researched, your camp take down, setup, and gear issues will be less.

[Cannibal]

I had snow and 11* in early April before NOC and heavy snow, wind, and 20's in mid April in the Smokies. Be Prepared!

Did you hike in 08'? I had almost the exact same conditions in front of NOC, then beautiful weather for 2 weeks.

You walk on the ground, not sleep on it. Leave that 4-letter word at home, all you'll need is your hammock. Here is the true beauty of hammocks on the AT; there are so many wonderfully sheltered sites to choose from with a hammock. When those nights come along that you think will test your mettle, start looking for natural shelter. Rhododendron patches make amazing places to hang when the weather turns foul. The HH stock fly excels in this situation due to its tiny footprint. I never camped in them in the rain due to the size of my tarp, but on cold windy nights they were my friends. Sooooo many ways to hang on the Southern AT. Good site selection and a solid 3-season set-up is all you'll need. Well, you'll need to bring your inner fortitude for all the time you'll spend between naps in your hammock, but your hammock won't let you down if you just use a little brain power.

Good luck!

[tammons]

I just did a successful 14dF test hang with no bottom quilt.

I had a full length pad, 2 half length pads sideways at torso, a galington under,
2 garbage bags filled with space blankets, heavy underwear, thick wool socks, down bomber style hat. Golite ultra 20 top quilt and a 10x12 tarp.

Toasty warm.
With a hood, insulated jacket and insul pants I could have gone a good bit lower.

My legs came off the full pad and I never got cold so I dont think I even needed it.

You could add to your pack, a couple of 1/2 pads, a driducks poncho 2 garbage bags and space blankets and go for it.

The pads were dense foam 3/8" blue pads from bass pro shops. Not the cheap stuff from walmart.

[Coffee]

Don't over look the hassle factor. After setting up every night for months on end you will end up with easy and simple. If something takes a lot of work and only works when it is set up just right, it will get old very soon.

Go with what works but for me simple = less = light = easy = less to break.

[Rockdawg69]

Cannibal: "Did you hike in 08'? I had almost the exact same conditions in front of NOC, then beautiful weather for 2 weeks."

I did that piece in 07.