Super Shelter moisture problem please help!!

[adkpiper]

Or sleep in silnylon pajamas...

Now that sounds really comfortable!

[Just Jeff]

Brawny makes some, and you can buy them at BPL. It's actually rain pants and a jacket, but a VB is a VB.

[TeeDee]

..........
What would be really awesome is if you could get a HH SS clone made out of the 1st generation JRB weathershield fabric that was fully breathable.

Turk - easily possible for someone with your skill. And minimal cost - about $12.00

Just buy a Dri Ducks poncho and adapt. Closing off the poncho hood is easy, replace the 2 cord locks with one, fold the hood over the draw cord and clamp shut with the cord lock. It is long enough and wide enough and the material is, I believe, what JRB made their first version from.

[Mrprez]

I was finally able to get around to setting up my HH Explorer Ultralight with the new #2 zipper mod (thanks to 2Questions and Zipperqueen). The modifications adding the zippers is top notch and well worth the small amount of cash to get it done. I also had her sew up the underside entry point. I now have a full zipper on the left side and half zipper on the right side.

I then installed the HH Supershelter. Getting this installed right is a bit of a PITA, and is a whole lot more work than setting up my Speer/PeaPod setup. But, I don't ever plan to take it back apart again, so I should have to spend too much time during setup fussing with it. I still have to make some minor adjustments to the u/c to make sure it is centered properly. One nice thing about having the zipper mods, is I can now simply unzip a side and tug on the u/c if is isn't centered right.

I tried it out with just the u/c and u/p and was comfortable. Temps today are low 50s with a pretty good breeze blowing. I don't have a tarp setup. Wearing Smartwool socks, long john poly pro bottoms, jeans, t-shirt and sweatshirt, I laid down for awhile and was pretty comfortable. Slightly cool on top due to the cool breeze, but no coolness from underneath. Satsified with that, I went in and got the heat sheet and installed that. This was a bit of a chore as the 2 layers of OCF really like each other and will not slide against one another. It too a bit of fussing with it to get it centered right. I was disappointed that the heat sheet wasn't as long as the u/p, but was at least wider. After I got it situated, I climbed in and settled down. In a few minutes, I could feel my body warmth being reflected back to my backsides. I was noticeably warmer with the heat sheet than without. This is definitely a keeper although I may try to figure a way to make it longer so that it completely covers the u/p and then some.

Here's a pic showing the heat sheet between the hammock and u/p.



Another note. I had tried a regular space blanket in a Clark Deluxe back in 2002. It was noisy and very hard to deal with. Once you unfold one of those things it is next to impossible to refold it in any kind of space saving way. The heat sheet has no noise and is easy to fold.

[kwpapke]

...snip...Getting this installed right is a bit of a PITA, and is a whole lot more work than setting up my Speer/PeaPod setup. But, I don't ever plan to take it back apart again, so I should have to spend too much time during setup fussing with it. I still have to make some minor adjustments to the u/c to make sure it is centered properly.

...I went in and got the heat sheet and installed that....In a few minutes, I could feel my body warmth being reflected back to my backsides. I was noticeably warmer with the heat sheet than without. This is definitely a keeper although I may try to figure a way to make it longer so that it completely covers the u/p and then some.

That's good news! What size did you order? It looks like they are charging practically the same price for queen to twin ($4.99). Does it seem like it would be easy to cut? I'm thinking about ordering a larger size and cutting to fit.

SS install = PITA: I haven't had mine off in 9 months. I've gotten pretty good at installing the UP -- doesn't take long. I dunno why you're having so much trouble centering the UC. I *never* adjust mine, it just falls into place.

Keep us apprised about how low in temps you can take the UP + heat sheet combo. This could be a winner.

-Kurt

[Mrprez]

I have the twin size. If the queen is longer, I may order another in that size. Can't imagine it would be hard to cut although I haven't tried. It is very thin material.

Probably me. I don't think I have the uc centered properly along the ridgeline. Plus using the HH as a side entry may be causing the uc to not be in the right place when I zip up.

[Hugger]

K guys....I'm finally back after a long winter!!! I got my Nest back before Christmas but the nighttime temps were going to be far too cold for trying it out (0-15f).So tonight is the night i try it to see if the nest solves my moisture problem or just creates something new.If this doesn't work my last resort is to try something you are all hinting at.
In the beginning my problem was with the ss undercover holding in moisture and cold air rushing underneth turning the warm air into a soggy sleeping bag for me.With some help from others in the group i tried the space blanket sandwich but that didn't work either.It kind of just dawned on me the other day......what if i went to bed wearing just my under armour long sleeve shirt,long johns and my touque.Put myself into an adventure medical heatsheet emergency bivy sac then into my sleeping bag then hang the nest on the outside for extra warmth.In theory this is what should happen,the exteme moisture my body creates should be trapped in the bivy with me and soaked up by the under armour.The bivy will be insulated around the outside by the sleeping bag therefore the cold air cannot get to it to make it cold water.It might be a little uncomfortable but it won't be making me cold....until i have to get out of bed in the morning.In that case i will have to get up throw on the days clothes quickly pull out the bivy and turn it inside out to "drain" it then hang my u.a. up to dry.
Let me know what you all think of this trick.I'll fill you in on my experience tonight but there are calling for clearing skys and 33deg.Wish me luck!!!

[Peter_pan]

K guys....I'm finally back after a long winter!!! I got my Nest back before Christmas but the nighttime temps were going to be far too cold for trying it out (0-15f).So tonight is the night i try it to see if the nest solves my moisture problem or just creates something new.If this doesn't work my last resort is to try something you are all hinting at.
In the beginning my problem was with the ss undercover holding in moisture and cold air rushing underneth turning the warm air into a soggy sleeping bag for me.With some help from others in the group i tried the space blanket sandwich but that didn't work either.It kind of just dawned on me the other day......what if i went to bed wearing just my under armour long sleeve shirt,long johns and my touque.Put myself into an adventure medical heatsheet emergency bivy sac then into my sleeping bag then hang the nest on the outside for extra warmth.In theory this is what should happen,the exteme moisture my body creates should be trapped in the bivy with me and soaked up by the under armour.The bivy will be insulated around the outside by the sleeping bag therefore the cold air cannot get to it to make it cold water.It might be a little uncomfortable but it won't be making me cold....until i have to get out of bed in the morning.In that case i will have to get up throw on the days clothes quickly pull out the bivy and turn it inside out to "drain" it then hang my u.a. up to dry.
Let me know what you all think of this trick.I'll fill you in on my experience tonight but there are calling for clearing skys and 33deg.Wish me luck!!!

Hugger,

So if I understand your post, to deal with the trapped moisture, which you still had problems with when the SB slipped, you are going to move the non permiable sweat holding layer closer to you, ie in the hammock....All the while recognizing that you will have to rapidly change out of wet sleep clothes the the cold AM and wipe out the bivi moisture (BTW, you'll have to dry the sleep clothes or pack them damp and carry the weight of wet sleep clothes)....On multiple night trips, you'll have to re-don the damp sleep clothes on sequential nights).

This seems like a lot of unfun tasks to work around a problem of trapped moisture....

Why not eliminate the moisture trap problem? Seems like a far easier and more pleasant approach.

Vapor Barriers have there place and it is mostly below zero weather.... Alternatively, above that breathable insulation systems are a better approach IMHO.

But hey.... try your idea, you may like it.

Pan

[Hugger]

Thanks for the post Peter Pan, but the "Last Resort" approach with the space blanket won't be necessary.I tried out the Nest i bought from you and it worked like a charm!! I had temps down to 32deg and i still had the sweat thing going on.I regulated it as best i could taking off my cover and layering when i got cold but i woke up at 8:00am and checked both my sleeping bag and my quilt and both were bone dry!! The quilt breathes just as you said...worked like a charm like i said before.
Now i'm not a professional when it comes to sleeping in the hammock just yet (only slept in it 4 times so far) but i cannot seem to sleep in the middle of the thing.I always end up at the foot end of my ulbp,the ridge line is level but somehow halfway thru the night i endup at the end and my feet are cold (because im higher up than the nest)Any suggestions anyone?
I'll look at some other threads and see if i can find a fix here.
Thanks all for your moisture solutions but i can say, problem solved!

[Peter_pan]

Thanks for the post Peter Pan, but the "Last Resort" approach with the space blanket won't be necessary.I tried out the Nest i bought from you and it worked like a charm!! I had temps down to 32deg and i still had the sweat thing going on.I regulated it as best i could taking off my cover and layering when i got cold but i woke up at 8:00am and checked both my sleeping bag and my quilt and both were bone dry!! The quilt breathes just as you said...worked like a charm like i said before.
Now i'm not a professional when it comes to sleeping in the hammock just yet (only slept in it 4 times so far) but i cannot seem to sleep in the middle of the thing.I always end up at the foot end of my ulbp,the ridge line is level but somehow halfway thru the night i endup at the end and my feet are cold (because im higher up than the nest)Any suggestions anyone?
I'll look at some other threads and see if i can find a fix here.
Thanks all for your moisture solutions but i can say, problem solved!

Hugger,

Congratulations.... nothing like a warm, dry nights sleep...

Now, to that slideing problem... From the waist down you are a long light narrow triangle with a low coefficient of friction....From the Shoulders up you are a heavy short triangle with a higher coefficient of frriction....From the waist to the shoulders is the bulk of your mass.... On a Typical gathered end hammock your mass starts on the head end up-slope... Then it slides to the low point/center and your feet are puhed to the end and often beyound your insulation....

Solution is to hang your foot end higher.... Many resist this, as it raises their feet and legs.... but in the long run you will move less and geta better uninterupted nights sleep.

Alternatively, if the raising of the foot end is too uncomfortsable for you.... Consider a bridge style hammock.... You will lay much flatter.... Thus sliding will no lnger be an issue.

pan