Noticed a bunch of people going overnight in their hammocks in the winter storm. Some maybe did a testing today. Just wondering what items you tested be it hammock or clothing related and your assessment in the test.
I'll go first:
No hammock testing per se but did test some clothing in the Long Island Blizzard - - Integral designs eVent rain jacket and pants, OR meteor mitts, MLD eVent snow gaitors, NeoFleece face mask, First Ascent windstopper fleece jacket, Atlas 1230 series snow shoes.
Integral designs Rain Jacket - Sizing is for active use so I am normally a medium ended up getting the large so I can layer clothing. Did some sprints in the snow to generate some heat to see how the jacket would allow the moisture to escape. Initial testing seems promising. I cooled down a bit and walked around and noticed the wicking layer drying out in 29*F temp and wasn't too cool. There are no pit zips. I also used this jacket recently after I did a gym workout and I was sweating a lot. I was almost dry when I got home from driving as the moisture escaped and my body heat dried my shirt.
Integral designs Rain Pants - initial impressions were they are much rugged than I thought they would be. To tighten the pants are two velcro patches attached to some elastic bands. Weird but they do the job for me. There is also some belt loops so you can use a belt if you wish. Sizing it slim for medium but if I got a large I would be swimming in them. One issue is that I used these with midweight smartwool baselayers and I have to say my legs were cold and so was were my buttocks. I will need heavyweight layers underneath these pants. Under the sprints the venting seemed fine. There are also some side vents you can unzip to release more heat.
OR Meteor Mitts - Using mitts as opposed to gloves is different. big difference in keeping my hands warmer. Used a polyurethane gloves, OR meteor mitt removable liner, and the OR Meteor mitt thick shell. When you're hiking its fine. When you need to do anything that requires fine motor skill forget it... but thats where this system does OK... remove the shell and the mitt liner actually has slits in the mitt to allow your fingers and thumb to be exposed to do finer tasks. Worked really well but getting the liner back on is a PITA. I can see the benefits of this system when hiking and using the mitt slits to vent if my hands get too clammy.
MLD eVent snow gaitors - really nice. I like the slip on design much better than the velcro design of the OR or similar gaitors. No snow gets in the velcro and it's easier to get on and off. Also, cinching the gaiter to the upper calf is so easy.
Neofleece face mask - So much easier to breathe, moisture build up is much less than having the balaclava over the face and nose. performed beautifully with the hour out in the snow.
First Ascent windstopper fleece jacket - Really nice jacket, form fitting and soft and it doesn't feel constricting when it is zipped up all the way to my neck. Testing in the eVent rain shell is good so far. Testing still inconclusive as I need to test this thing without the shell to see how much better it stops the wind from biting through.
Atlas 1230 series snow shoes - Testing initially with about 1 hour of play time is good. The Atlas suspension system is really cool which allows your foot to float and allows articulation of your foot on uneven terrain. The laces on the shoe really allow for quick cinching and quick release. Testing was done in about 8" of snow with snow drifts of 10". I can see the advantage of using snow shoes now as my strides were better and I could hike faster as opposed to walking in the same snow without them. I would have liked to try them in 12-18" but it was getting dark and I wanted to go in and take care of my girl who is suffering from a sinus infection.
Got video but waiting for my new laptop to come in on wednesday and play with the iMovie feature.
So what were your results?????
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