Winter campers - compare hanging to sleeping on snow.

[brambor]

I have winter camped many times...on the ground on top of packed snow and two Ridgerest foam pads...in a tent.

I have never winter camped in a hammock, although the closest to this was sleeping in January on a shelf in an abandoned drafty summer camp kitchen.

So I wonder whether with a winter underquilt setup one actually gets better warmth performance by hanging off the snowy ground versus dealing with heat drain on the snow?

[MedicineMan]

Even snow/ice covered ground is warmer than air
Bridges will always freeze before roads.
Even hard packed snow is better than rock and root.
BUT you have evolved into a higher being-stretched fabric ascension.
Why devolve when there is snow on the ground?

Years ago in a youthful presence I slept many a night on snowpack with
a 3/4 inch ccf. I'd reckon it was far lighter than the winter underquilts or
pods I'd carry now for the same ambient tempterature. But the ccf pad has
to go on the outside of the pack, so minus 1 for that. It's like cardboard compared
to the underquilt or pod, so another minus for the pad+snowpack. The pad attached
to the pack was wide enough to catch branches and bramble while going down the
trail-so another minus.
When I added it all up in my mind the underquilts won out.

[MAD777]

While snow is far more comfortable than rocks & roots, and with hard work, can be made level - I'll take my hammock any day at any temperature. Call me spoiled!

[Bannerstone]

Hammock camping has really drawn me back into winter camping in a big way. Yes, I tip toed my way into trusting my insulation systems but am so glad I made the effort. I can't say which is warmer but would agree with Medicineman's bridge example.


David

[Dblcorona]

It's more of a challenge to hammock in the winter, I think for a few of us, that is the appeal. What's the lowest we can go? Everytime we break a record, we are thrilled. Love winter camping.

[brambor]

I like the way you think. :-)

It's more of a challenge to hammock in the winter, I think for a few of us, that is the appeal. What's the lowest we can go? Everytime we break a record, we are thrilled. Love winter camping.

[Shug]

I like it cold.....!!!!!!
Shug

[brambor]

... a frost bib ... ;-) love it.

I like it cold.....!!!!!!
Shug

[SnrMoment]

How cold is it in Minnesota? I moved to Montana to get warm.

[Alamosa]

I would say hammocking in the winter has far fewer advantages over a tent than it does in the summer.

1) With a layer of snow, it is very easy to pack down a perfectly flat area for a tent so that having a perfect area to pitch a tent is not a problem.

2) The amount and size of gear goes up in the winter (coats, bags, extra pair of ...) so the difference in gear size for a thick pad is really not as noticeable. Very likely pulling a pulk anyway, so that is not a big deal.

3) Colder temps and wind push most people to larger tarps and doors that resemble tents to block out the weather, so the savings with smaller tarps is negated.

4) Having a layer of snow under you makes keeping things dry, clear of snow, and not buried (or lost) in the snow much harder than in the summer. Having the floor of a tent attached to the walls is very helpful in those circumstances.

5) Having more layers of clothes and insulation in a hammock can make it much harder to move around and get everything arranged. Much more difficult than in the summer.

6) Low profile of a tent plus loss of much of the wind blocking foliage can make protecting a hammock in a storm more of a problem than in a tent.

So, in my opinion, hammocking in the winter does not have the clear advantages it does in the summer. It is more of a push. However, it is much more convenient to me to have a more consistent outing and sleep system year around.

Plus, it is always fun to see the looks on people's faces when they find out you are sleeping in a hammock at -30*.