New to winter hanging

**Nagol** · 12-29-2018, 10:35

Looking for advice;
I currently have a HH explorer which does well for spring through fall with the gear I have. But I’ve found it’s not enough for winter. I’ve tried my exped down winter in it and found it hard to get a comfortable lay.

I’m thinking about going to a different system for winter as the weather here is variable, I have to deal with a possible 30* plus variance in a 24 hr period and expect temps as low as -30. Now I’ll have these temps without snow coverage so uneven frozen ground makes a tent a hard sell to me.

Any advice from people who have experience with similar conditions?

**TrailSlug** · 12-29-2018, 11:22

I have no experience in those temps but it's typically the same no matter what the temperature gets down to. You need down insulation on top and bottom that is rated to the lowest temps (+10 degrees buffer) that you will be hanging.
Go to youtube and search for "shug deep winter" and you will see a guy with experience in temps this low and many suggestions on how to deal with these temps.

You may also want to upgrade that hammock while you are at it as a longer hammock is so much more comfortable.

**SnrMoment** · 12-29-2018, 11:24

I made an insulated hammock with 3.5 climashield insert that's 3' x5'. Under that is a 0* Hammock Gear UQ. Under that set up is another Climashield quilt of the same weight, but it's a full 11' long. This is then covered with a UQP. On top I use a 0* TQ from Hammock Gear with an extra ounce of down in it. Draped over that is a fleece top with a separate head piece. The bottom part of the fleece top is suspended under the ridge line with a couple of prussik loops. Over that is another Climashield quilt which is draped over the top. All this hangs inside an outfitter sized winter tarp with long pole mods. You may notice that I'm a cold sleeper, but I'm 73 have slept outside full time for the past 4 years.
The two climashiled quilts are used in the summer. It will take me a while to find pix since Photobucket has them held hostage.

**BillyBob58** · 12-29-2018, 11:33

Originally Posted by Nagol

Looking for advice;
I currently have a HH explorer which does well for spring through fall with the gear I have. But I’ve found it’s not enough for winter. I’ve tried my exped down winter in it and found it hard to get a comfortable lay.

I’m thinking about going to a different system for winter as the weather here is variable, I have to deal with a possible 30* plus variance in a 24 hr period and expect temps as low as -30. Now I’ll have these temps without snow coverage so uneven frozen ground makes a tent a hard sell to me.

Any advice from people who have experience with similar conditions?

What gear are you trying to insulate the bottom of the hammock with now? Is that Exped a pad, or a sleeping bag?

Are you happy with the HH Explorer? I have used a UL explorer since I started in 06(along with quite a few other hammocks) and I am still pretty happy with it. But if you plan to keep on using that hammock, why not just get the system that is designed to be used with it, the HH Super Shelter? They are not expensive, they often go on sale in October(but you probably need something now). They are only good into the 30s F for me, but they are easily augmented with whatever you might already have with you to get a tremendous boost. And one way you could augment is just to use an extra HH pads( $35, about 10 oz), along with say an unworn down parka placed down n the under cover. I have been toasty warm at 6F by using the additional 4 oz or so of the HH kidney and torso pads along with vapor barrier( VB )clothing. I don't know how much the VB clothing added to the bottom warmth, since the HH system already uses a space blanket as a VB in the basic system, and I don't think additional VBs are additive. But the clothing may have added something just by being a more effective VB.

The thing about this system is: it is custom designed for fit with the HH hammocks(be sure to get the right size). Here is a test from years ago, where kwpapke joined Shug on the very first way below zero hammock backpack reported here as far as i know. Notice that by just adding a very thin, flexible pad to the bottom along with his down Parka( things he probably would have had with him any way- you need a sit pad and something for standing around and cooking in the snow) he was plenty warm at minus 5( could have gone lower? ) and by adding his summer/fall bag, he was plenty warm at minus 27F. And he had no condensation problems down below. The other advantage to this system is that plenty of extra wind block and wind blown rain/snow resistance is built in, already part of the cost and weight even if using a small tarp.

There are many other great ways for you to go, but this is certainly one good alternative for the HH users:
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/6740-Supershelter-27F

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=Jnoo4BPe2eo

**Nagol** · 12-29-2018, 12:18

I have the Hennessy shelter, and I agree it’s ok to -5 with a good cover but at -20? Not much good at all.
The exped i have is the down filled winter air mattress(rated at r7).

**BillyBob58** · 12-29-2018, 12:46

Originally Posted by Nagol

I have the Hennessy shelter, and I agree it’s ok to -5 with a good cover but at -20? Not much good at all.
The exped i have is the down filled winter air mattress(rated at r7).

Did you look a the link of Shug and kwpapke's trip where it was used at minus 27F with plenty of warmth? Yes, of course, it is no good by itself at minus 20F, I would be amazed if it is OK at at minus 5 ( unless you are talking celsius? are we both talking Fahrenheit?) For me, it is only good to abut +30F by itself.

But you already have the HHSS? Have you tried putting a summer weight bag or quilt under the HH pad? Or at least whatever clothing you don't need to sleep in? And everything under the space blanket? ( this system just will not work, in my experience, without that space blanket right under the hammock)

Also, with high fill power down, there is a tendency for the elastics in the HH under cover to compress the down, especially in certain spots like right undr the butt. That is where I think kwpapke's pad came in. That pad weighed about 11 oz, and probably over came some of the tension in the undercover. Whuich caused a gap. Which his summer bag was able to easily fill, and the gap helped prevent too much compression of the down.

Since you already have this system, you might want to experiment with some of the above, especially if it is already OK for you to minus 5, even if that is celcius. (minus 5 celcius is actually quite good with this basic system without augmentation, what is that about low 20sF?) There is almost no limit to how much this system can be boosted by adding extra insulation below the space blanket and pad. It has worked for more than a couple of folks. And again, don't forget an extra HH pad for $35, which would basically double whatever you are able to get right now with that system.

It is an easy experiment - assuming you have a summer weight bad or quilt- to just place that(zipped up if a bag for double thickness) under your HH pad and see what happens. But as always, HYOH.

Or, you can spend a 2 or 3 hundred $ on a full length zero F UQ, but if you are shooting for minus 30F, you are obviously still going to have to boost that up with something. You could also boost the HHSS with one of these UQs under it, even adding a 20F UQ would take you a long ways. There are a lot of ways to go.

**Phantom Grappler** · 12-29-2018, 13:34

Originally Posted by SnrMoment

I made an insulated hammock with 3.5 climashield insert that's 3' x5'. Under that is a 0* Hammock Gear UQ. Under that set up is another Climashield quilt of the same weight, but it's a full 11' long. This is then covered with a UQP. On top I use a 0* TQ from Hammock Gear with an extra ounce of down in it. Draped over that is a fleece top with a separate head piece. The bottom part of the fleece top is suspended under the ridge line with a couple of prussik loops. Over that is another Climashield quilt which is draped over the top. All this hangs inside an outfitter sized winter tarp with long pole mods. You may notice that I'm a cold sleeper, but I'm 73 have slept outside full time for the past 4 years.
The two climashiled quilts are used in the summer. It will take me a while to find pix since Photobucket has them held hostage.

SnrMoment, your cold weather rig is the most complete I’ve heard of...the proof is in the pudding—you’ve been field testing with success

**Shug** · 12-29-2018, 13:44

It ain't the hammock...it's the insulation for the temps you want to get to.
Here is my Winter Tips playlist......https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...o-W6qquKQdK35e
May give some insight.

Shug