Loving my new Jacks R Better quilts!

[nartoff]

'Tis the season to splurge, and my relocation to NH made it seem like the right time to get a cold weather setup going. To that effect, I now have the long versions of the No Sniveller and The Rocky Mountain Sniveller to go with a TrekLight double.

Last night was my first full night's hang with them, and they were amazing. Technically, I was inside, but it was the solarium of my parents' home which was around 20 degrees when I went to bed. It's the perfect testing ground: almost as cold as outside, but protected from the wind and snow, all of which enables one to get things tweaked in comfort before heading out for real.

I used the 3.5 inch lofted Rocky Mountain Sniveller as the underquilt, which I connected to the ridgeline I had earlier connected to the descender rings. I found that by connecting the JRB suspension system more or less directly above the ends of the quilt I was able to get a better fit. (A picture, which will make more sense than that cumbersome description, will follow tomorrow.)

The classic No Sniveller went above me, and was so much easier to get comfy with than my sleeping bag. Any doubt I had about the joy of using quilts was dispelled in about 15 seconds.

As an ultralight hiker, I originally scorned the idea of adding the weight and bulk of an underquilt when a pad would also work. Last night's sound sleep made me change my mind about that. To be surrounded my a cocoon of down was pure bliss, and I didn't even need a supplemental pad under my butt to stay warm.

For those wondering about temperatures of sleeping: I was wearing microweight SmartWool bottoms, two pairs of SmartWool socks, a midweight SmartWool long-sleeve top, a fleece vest, and a cheapo hat. At 20 degrees, I was comfortable as can be and can imagine going lower than that without difficulty, YMMV.

I should note, also, that the Jacks were fantastic to deal with, extremely accommodating (especially given the amount of business they are doing right now), and helpful with lots of information. I'll be getting the summer quilt to complete the poncho trio, and I think my parents are now in love and will be getting one for television cuddling...

I'll take this setup outside tonight, and we'll see if I'm still this confident after dealing with blowing wind... and deer breathing on me.

[FanaticFringer]

Great report. I bet hanging in NH this time of year is like a hammock wonderland.

[slowhike]

nartoff... i recently got a RMS too!!! i'm excited about how thick it is!!!
looking forward to doing some testing of my own!

[headchange4u]

nartoff... i recently got a RMS too!!! i'm excited about how thick it is!!!
looking forward to doing some testing of my own!

Is that your first JRB quilt?

[slowhike]

Is that your first JRB quilt?

yes it is. i've been liking the head hole idea for a while but been spending funds else where.
i couldn't really afford to buy this one... but w/ winter being here... what's a guy to do

[nartoff]

Well, last night was a failure. As it turns out, there is a noticeable difference between 20 degrees and -2 degrees. Who'd have thunk?

Also, setting up a tarp for the first time in -2 degrees and 16 inches of snow at 2:00 a.m. is also not the easiest thing to do. Really, someone should have mentioned this in the instruction manual...

Perhaps I'm a masochist, but I actually think I'd have been alright if I had just brought a small square of CCF pad for my butt, as the Jacks suggested. The next time I try will also involve setting everything up BEFORE the temperature drops that low.

[Cannibal]

Those fingers don't work so good when it's that cold do they?

[nartoff]

It's like a juggling act, planning the moment to take the glove off to do something that requires real fingers, and then getting right back into the glove as soon as possible.

And then, even though I knew it was to be a doomed hang, the debate raged on: stay in the hammock, where my butt and left toe were cold but the rest of me was toasty, or face the outside for 1 minute, where everything was cold but a comfy bed with a down comforter awaited? It shouldn't have been such a difficult decision, really...

But you know all about that from those cool, Florida evenings, don't you.

[GrizzlyAdams]

It's like a juggling act, planning the moment to take the glove off to do something that requires real fingers, and then getting right back into the glove as soon as possible.

And then, even though I knew it was to be a doomed hang, the debate raged on: stay in the hammock, where my butt and left toe were cold but the rest of me was toasty, or face the outside for 1 minute, where everything was cold but a comfy bed with a down comforter awaited? It shouldn't have been such a difficult decision, really...

But you know all about that from those cool, Florida evenings, don't you.

But these are the experiences whose lessons are remembered.

The pad-for-butt suggestion is a really good one. I have a sit pad for around camp, I think I'll make a covering for it so it can come inside the hammock, Just In Case.

I spent 7 years in New Hampshire, B.H. (Before Hammocking). Had a house on acreage with hanging opportunities all over the place.

wondering now why I left. Hmm.

Grizz

[BillyBob58]

And then, even though I knew it was to be a doomed hang, the debate raged on: stay in the hammock, where my butt and left toe were cold but the rest of me was toasty, ........)

Now this could lead to a real learning process as you continue to experiment. I am testing a new PeaPod( working on a pre-lim review now), and that has been full of surprises. I saw in the set up instructions about giving the pod a "little more sag than the hammock, in order to avoid compressing the down but also not so much sag as to cause an air gap once inside. And add more sag once you start adding clothing etc for more insulation. Well, I figured I'd start with about 1" more, thinking as the hammock sagged lower the pod would come with it, sort of like it does with my SS, where it's not that critical if you are a little too close/tight to the hammock.

Fortunately, I called Ed as soon as I got it and told him my plan to start with about 1". Too which he said "NO! Start with at least 5" dif"! So I did, but I still found that even though when I felt around under the hammock, it felt like there was either no compression or a very slight gap between the hammock and pod down, when I felt around the outside to my butt, there was VERY little loft. Just a few inches to the right or left there was abundant loft, but very little under the lowest point.

So some experimenting ensued. I gave it a little more sag, and that seemed to help a little. But I finally figured out that the center baffle at the low point was a bit lacking in down. So I scooted some down from the head end ( which was way above my head anyway) and that seemed to take care of most of the problem. But if I was to scoot the end even one more inch towards the end knot, it would probably compress that low point loft by an inch or more. Fortunately, it's easy to reach out of the Speer hammock and check all of this once you are in the hammock.

So, I'm figuring the JRB UQ's would have similar adjustment requirements? And with both of these I am wondering: If you get a just loose enough hang to avoid down compression under the butt, will that cause an air gap somewhere else? Oh well, further experimentation follows. But maybe a sit pad is the simplest answer. In the meantime the low 20's night before last resulted in no cold spots anywhere. With no pads and no quilt, just my BMW's Cocoon Polargaurd pants(8 oz) and jacket( 14 or 15 oz) ( of course, that aint minus 2*!)

Keep us posted with your further adventures! Looking forward to reading your results.