Losing my virginity!

[Peter_pan]

OK....I'll concede to the Stud Muffin title but perhaps I've at least earned the right to sit around the fire of my more experienced Brethren....or perhaps not.

I thought about trying it as a quilt but frankly didn't think I'd be as warm. I have a huge rectangular bag which I once actually tried as a quilt. It actually fit fairly well. I'll have to try it out some again afternoon now that the temps have dropped. I don't really plan on doing much cold weather camping so I'm a little reluctant to invest in all the custom cold weather gear.

Miguel

Miguel,

Come sit at the fire...we are a happy lot...

Pan

[Porkbutter]

have a huge rectangular bag which I once actually tried as a quilt.

A huge bag could possibly be used as a pseudo-peapod. Check out the keeping warm page from Jeff's site; scroll down until you see the "pull-up bag" part.

http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingWarm.html

[Certain]

So I'm curious about Miguel's question...can you be as warm using your bag as a quilt as opposed to zipping yourself up in it?

[Coffee]

I have a similar question. Can you be warmer with the sleeping bag used as a quilt?

I was looking at this last time I as in my hammock with my bag over me. My bag is probibly around 3-4 feet wide at the head and about 2 feet at the foot. My hammock is only as wide as I am (insert fat joke here). I only put a couple inches underneath me. The rest is overtop of me. So I end up with extra sleeping bag on top on me that would not be there if I was in it. I think this adds extra loft and extra warmth.

Any thoughts?

[Peter_pan]

Assuming and adequate bottom insulation... quilt or bag used as a quilt is as warm as a bag and less hassle....

ok...there may be some heat retention advantage to the bag used as a bag but never enough to compensate for an in adequate bottom insulation plan....

So... fix the bottom issue then take the lightest, most comfortable, easiest to use approach for the top.

Pan

[Just Jeff]

The reason a bag may be warmer is that you don't get draft issues when you roll over...but that can be solved with practice with a quilt.

Also, you can wear the bag's hood, keeping all of your body heat inside one compartment, whereas with a quilt the hood or hat is separate.

But all in all, I don't think there's much difference after you get used to rolling over "in" the quilt instead of "with" the bag - and you're likely carrying a separate warm hat anyway so the bag's hood is like extra weight.

[Grinder]

Recently, during my ongoing adventure on the back porch, I switched between fully zipped into the bag, to using bag as a blanket with a foot box (zipped a foot or so)

This was done after the mandatory (for me) trip to the head. It was just too much trouble to fight the zipper battle in my sleepy state.

The next night I started with the bag unzipped most of the way.

I am sleeping in a Zhammock with a 24 inch pad between the layers. I was just as warm without the bag under me. It is AMAZING how much insullation that 1/2 (?) of ccf gives. Temps in the mid 40's.

Also, the extra layer of hammock material seems to have some insulation value. The cold spots, when you get off the pad, are not as acute.

I didn't notice any gains from the bag piling up on top. It seems to "clump up on the sides, which may reduce cold spots.

Tom

[Jonas4321]

Miguel-

Though I believe that most of the regular posters on this and other Hammock forums use quilts or use their bags as quilts, I know that there are many among us who prefer to be zipped up in our bags, perhaps because that is how we camped for so many years. Whether or not I am warmer inside my bag, I think I will be, and that's good enough for me. I also tuck a small pillow in the hood of my bag, which keeps it nicely in place. If I was not inside my bag, the hood would not be in the correct position for this.

Allen Leigh's article http://www.shire.net/mormon/hammock.html, which is the only thing I had read when I lost my hammock 'virginity' (no beer involved), describes the method I use. His instructions assume a top-entry (non-Hennessey) hammock without an attached bugnet.

Basically, your zipper ends up being more on top of you than along your side, because you have draped the bag open over the two sides before you got in. Mine ends up at the two o'clock position, if 12 is straight up. I also leave the foot end partially zipped so I can easily reach the zipper pull while still lying flat. As soon as I am flat on my back, I pull my knees up and tuck my feet into the zipped-up end. I find that if I sit up, the bag comes with me and it's tough to get it flat again underneath my back.

It takes a few times to become proficient at it, but that is so true with anything to do with hammock camping. I have taught several people this maneuver when they borrowed my hammocks, and they all were quickly successful.

Sounds like you are well on your way! Keep experimenting and posting your results.

Jonas