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  1. #1
    Member Pimms's Avatar
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    Question Help Very Cold Sleeper - HG Phoenix Underquilt

    Posted on behalf of Butterfly:
    "First of all I am discovering that since being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I am a very cold sleeper and unable to tolerate colder temperatures. I recently returned from a 2 week trip in Michigan. I slept in my Blackbird hammock with superfly tarp set up. My sleep system was Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 degree bag and a 20 degree Hammock Gear Phoenix under quilt. The coldest temps were low 40's at night. I also slept in long pants, heavy wool socks, 2 long sleeve shirts, tank top, and hooded sweatshirt. I was totally zipped in my sleeping bag with hood on and wool hat. My core was still cold, my legs and feet were ok even with the under quilt not being long enough to cover my feet. I'm 5'4" so it almost is a full under quilt for me.

    My questions are:
    1. Should I be this cold or am I setting up my under quilt wrong some how. I had a friend assess it when I was in my hammock and she thought it looked correct. (my friend was warm in minimal clothes, and 40 degree bag and under quilt)
    2. Should I go ahead and sell my 40 degree under quilt and get a 0 degree for protection in same or lower temps, I plan on trips this fall in Georgia and Florida.
    3. Any other suggestions, adding a pad, mylar blanket, light weight options etc.

    Any suggestions and advice would be appreciated. I'm trying to plan a AT through hike staring March and I am terrified of being too cold and miserable (I don't want to quit and fail due to being too cold). I could keep the 20 and get a 0 and use the 20 for warmer weather.

  2. #2
    Senior Member swankfly's Avatar
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    More down and probably a sock to keep it all in, maybe?

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    FWIW...The water bottle trick may help.

  4. #4
    Member Pimms's Avatar
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    Blackbird

    I am still also wondering if I had the quilt on correctly with the Blackbird Hammock. I had the side pull outs staked out (would not staking them out help the quilt cradle my core better?). With the way the foot box is built into the hammock I felt like the quilt couldn't wrap around my shoulders well. I ended up trying to adjust it several times a night when in it. Should I look into triangle thingies etc or just chalk it up to not enough down and go with the 0 degree for safety.

  5. #5
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Sounds like you were wearing too many clothes on the torso. Start to condense with all that on and that can chill you as you sweat through the night. Try sleeping with way less on....add if needed. Also check to make sure the UQ is up tight against your back and buttocks.
    Carry forth.
    Shug

    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  6. #6
    Senior Member sunshower's Avatar
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    Pimms, i feel your pain. I am from Florida- Sarasota-Bradenton area in fact-- and now i live North of Boston so i feel your pain. I have to deduct 20 degrees off my bags to make the rating work. So, at 40 degrees, your 20 degree bag is just cutting it. You need to go lower, and use the 20's when it's warmer. I use my 0 degree bag in the 40's and am toasty but not anywhere near sweating. I was slightly cold with my 40deg UQ and 32deg bag in 50 deg night temps.
    Also try cinching your underquilt way tighter than you think, that helped me a lot.
    Get some good long underwear to sleep in and ditch the cotton and so many layers, which blocks the insulating effect of the down.
    hope this helps
    Megan
    In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer. [Albert Camus]

  7. #7
    Herder of Cats OutandBack's Avatar
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    Get someone, who knows what they are looking for, to check the fit of your UQ when you are in the hammock.
    There needs to be no gaps between you in the hammock and the quilt.

  8. #8
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    I wore similar layers with the same UQ in 12 degree weather last winter.Sounds like with MS maybe you should go with a Zero.Make sure it has a sew foot box for less heat loss. A couple extra oz of down would not hurt.You need to forget about actual temps and get what works for you. Talk to Storm crow at HG before you buy anything .Maybe they can
    zero in a quilt to work for you as the weather turns.Don't sell your 20d.It may work as a summer quilt(50s-60s)for you.

  9. #9
    Member Pimms's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the help so far! I'm going to list my 40 degree phoenix and get a 0 degree and keep my 20 degree for warmer weather. I'm going to a group hang later this year and will have someone with more experience check my UQ for proper fit. I will try wearing less layers and invest in some good heavy weight underwear top and bottoms, ditch the cotton (when backpacking I would definitely not wear cotton but I was car camping and had cotton on). Hope with all this it will keep me warm. I'll try the water bottle technique too if I get in a really cold situation. Thanks for all the advice!!

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