Cold Sleeper Help

[bgraybackpacker]

Please Help.

I am searching for the best TQ and UQ setup for my wife who is a cold sleeper. Even in the middle of summer in the Northwest she is wearing several layers of fleece pants, pad and has the hood of her 20 Degree Euro Rated bag cinched down. Temperatures get to about 40 at night here in the Summer. I would be sweating bullets wearing what she does.

My current idea is 0 degree Hammock Gear top and bottom quilts with draft collars. Will also be getting down pants and jacket to replace the heavy fleece.

Also trying to get her ultra light due to a recent diagnosis of MS.

Thoughts, IM's and ridicule all welcome.

[BillyBob58]

Well as you know, people vary greatly. It is hard to know in advance what will be able to overcome some huge amount of cold nature.

But your 1st idea sounds like a good start. A zero rating used in 40F temps surely would get it done for 99% of the population. But I will say, having dealt with some cold natured women in my life, you never know.

Another thing you have to watch out for with hammock quilts is learning curve. Some people nail it right out of the box, and are warm at temps colder than rated. Others struggle at least for a while getting anywhere near rated temps. Just search and see how many threads there are dedicated to that subject: a lot.

With TQs, if you have adequate head protection = to a mummy bag hood, then you should do just as well or better than a sleeping bag IF you do not have any drafts, around the neck/shoulders or anywhere, even when you move in your sleep. Some have more trouble than others. I had a lot of trouble at 1st, but some how I learned and don't seem to have draft problems anymore.

With UQs, fit must be perfect. It must be snug up against your back and well sealed at the shoulders and butt end. If even a tiny amount of heavy cold air manages to sink down underneath you, you are going to be cold no matter the rating of the quilt. And the quilt must stay positined exactly right relative to your body if you move through the night. Not that you can not do it, I do all the time, just be aware: it must be set up right!

Remember that when all else fails, having a thick enough ccf pad under you - despite all of the other downsides of a pad in most hammocks- can really get the job done, and there are no adjustments to worry about. It is good to have that at least for backup, used with or without an UQ.

Also, though a quilt is WAY more pleasant to use in a hammock and easier to get into, zipping up inside a zero rated sleeping bag and cinching the hood down can also be a life saver, solving all draft problems.

What kind of hammock? With the right hammock, a PeaPod with a summer wt sleeping bag used as quilt inside the pod can be a bomb proof, draft free approach. And you can not move off of the warm spot in the middle of the night. And by adding UQs and TQs and Parkas, you can pretty well get to any likely temp.

And on the outside chance that you have a JRB Bridge hammock(BMBH), there are 2 advantages to that approach:
1: A JRB MW4 UQ ( and maybe other brands also, I don't know) used on a BMBH is essentially devoid of any adjustment problems. It is always exactly snug enough, and there are no gaps on the ends or elsewhere to worry about if you connect it per manufacturers directions. No "pleats" or "accordion" - if you know what I mean- or gaps for cold air to sneak under.

Also, if you have an HH, an HH super Shelter(HHSS) - IF you are one of the ones it works at all for - is also devoid of adjustments. These do not work at all for many people, but for many others they work great, so that is a crap shoot. But if it does work for you, the optional top cover will get you about another 15F worth of warmth and wind protection on top, and then it is just a matter of adding enogh extra insulation under the HH pad to get where you need to be. One person here has taken an augmented HHSS to minus 27. For me, the plain jain HHSS is good to about 30, but maybe only 60 for your wife!

You have a lot of options. Good luck!

[BrianWillan]

Remember colder temperatures and damp conditions make a big difference in comfort level.

If you have a 20F rated underquilt, I would get her to try that first, with and without the pad and see if that will work with her. Among the other items for keeping warm is proper hydration, eating something with protein/fat content before going to bed (gets the digestion and metabolism going). The hot water bottle trick in a sock for keeping feet warm.

Also for most people, they tend to sleep warmer in as little clothes as possible. Your body heat needs to move into your top and bottom insulation in order for it to do its job properly.

Hope this helps. If not, going the 0F quilt route may work. But that is overkill for 40F nights.

Cheers

Brian

[Sidewinder]

Much like your wife mine is a very cold sleeper as well. Sometimes it not the amount of insulation that makes her feel cold or warm enough. The 0 TQ/UQ would be enough if she can generate enough heat. I notice this myself in winter. It can be 20 degrees out and I'm using a 0 UQ and I feel cold for some time. If I wear my other down layers ( jacket, pants, booties) I eventually start to generate heat. So much so that I strip down. Once I get heat going, I'm good for the night.

So here are some ideas. Use a hot water brottle. Bring chemical heat pads, the larger kinds that last for 12 hours and have a sticky backing. Eat just before going to bed. Put a space blanket between the under quilt and hammock. Get a breathable hammock sock (watch for condensation). Pitch the tarp low to the ground and use doors or beaks to enclose the hammock.

Good luck,

S