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  1. #1
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    Question for Hammock Gear summer UQ owners regarding tempature ratings.

    The Hammock Gear website suggests that their summer-weight underquilts (both full-length, and ¾-length) will keep users warm to 40° with 800 fill down, and 35° with 900 fill down. How accurate is this?

    Now, to be unmistakably clear: in no way do I mean to imply that Mr. StormCrow would intentionally exaggerate these figures. However, sometimes gear manufactures can be a bit optimistic with their temp ratings, or sometimes the temp ratings they suggest are survival temperatures, not comfort temperatures. Of course we all know there are a slew of factors that affect actual performance; "warm sleeper" vs "cold sleeper," sleepwear, body composition, wind, humidity, et cetera, et cetera. But all things considered, the temp ratings should be generally accurate. So, with that said...

    Do you own a Hammock Gear summer UQ? If so:

    1) What are the coldest conditions in which you've used it?
    2) How did it perform?
    3) Were there any mitigating factors (e.g., you're a particularly warm/cold sleeper, you used a bag liner, et cetera)?


    Thank you very much!

    GFY
    Last edited by Gary from Yonkers; 09-26-2010 at 17:46.

  2. #2
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    I would say he is being right on the money.......
    I have seen his work firsthand.
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  3. #3
    Senior Member kayak karl's Avatar
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    i took a JRB nest to 32 degree frost and didn't even realize it till i awoke. id say they are rated good.
    edit...its rated at 40
    "Tenting is equivalent to a bum crawling into a cardboard box, hammocking is an art" KK

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by kayak karl View Post
    i took a JRB nest to 32 degree frost and didn't even realize it till i awoke. id say they are rated good.
    edit...its rated at 40
    Good to know. But...this is the Hammock Gear subforum!

  5. #5
    Senior Member kayak karl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gary from Yonkers View Post
    Good to know. But...this is the Hammock Gear subforum!
    not gear for hammocks , but hammock gear. Never mind
    "Tenting is equivalent to a bum crawling into a cardboard box, hammocking is an art" KK

  6. #6
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    I have not received my summer set from Adam yet (it will soon be in the mail) but I currently own a 3S Crowsnest and have taken it below freezing without a problem, it could have gone much, much lower! I do sleep very warm, but I would say that Adam's ratings are very realistic, and if needed he could always add a few oz extra of down (of course for a fee)!!! If you have a question you could alway's email him directly or call him, he is a talker though so be warned, but he is a great guy to talk too, very knowledgeable, and will help you get things worked out!
    "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift---thats why its called a present" - Master Oogway
    It's always best if your an early riser!

  7. #7
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    Temp Ratings

    I completely understand the desire to get some feedback for actual users on whether they are happy with their UQs.

    But TEMP RATING it is such a subjective measurement that, in the end, you will only know for sure by borrowing someone else's TQ/UQ or taking the plunge and buying a set yourself.

    FWIW I am in the market for an UQ and have done extensive searches on this forumn. So far, I haven't found any bad comments about any of the UQ vendor's listed here.

    I think the cottage industry HAS to be more conservtive than the big gear companies because word-of-mouth is so vital.

  8. #8
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    As a cold sleeper, I find that 2.5" of 800 fp down is good to about 20F (it was cold, I did not budge out of my top quilt to check a thermometer - I'm estimating based on how all the water in the vicinity froze or turned crunchy that I had a sustained low 20F night that got me right down to the edge of being warm with two 3 season quilts rated by the mfr to 20-25F. It was about 30F when we boiled water and bundled into bed... and it dropped a lot).

    The key is in the loft. If your baffles are adequately filled with the correct amount of 800 or 900 (it will take less down with 900 fp to get the desired results) you will have consistent results. Check the chart on JRB's website, I've seen those figures listed by several sources, and it appears to be accurate enough. If you look at down sleeping bags from Western Mountaineering (renowned for being conservatively rated), you will find that their 20F bag has 5 inches of loft - 2.5" for top, 2.5" for bottom. 30F bags from them have 4 inches - again, 2" on top, 2" on bottom. So a quilt with 2" of high quality 800+ down should have a similar 30F rating. Down is down is down, no matter who's stuffing the quilt. Given similar (and accurately advertised) quality of the down used, stuffed in adequate amounts, a quilt from any vendor baffled to 2.5" should give you a 20F quilt. Folks who make their own quilts calculate the volume (dependent on the dimensions of the baffles they plan to make) and weigh out the amount of down, then stuff the baffle.

    I would trust Stormcrow's quilts as advertised. If you look at his 3 season underquilt, he advertises 3" loft, 20F rating - conservative by my estimation. The Incubator (full length version) kicks it up a notch with 3.5" down - probably warmer than advertised if fitted snug to the hammock, especially since he makes them with differential baffles. I had the opportunity to try one out (briefly) - very nice workmanship and quite warm.

  9. #9
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    i think Stormcrows ratings are pretty much on ...
    his quilts are well made and he packs alot of down in them...

    if you plan on hanging in the spring and fall...i would spend the little extra and get his 3 season ....you can always vent the UQ if your too hot

    better to be too hot then to be cold
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

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