Calling on HH Super Shelter (HHSS) folks to experiment with a differeent approach

[dirtwheels]

I would have rather been warmer, but the inattention to detail on the foot pad was on me, not sure the cause of the cold spot on my thigh though. I would have expected the SS OCF pad & SB to cover that area.

This is the 1st year of testing with the UGQ 40* TQ. Last year I used an REI 15* down bag. I did use a Sea to Summit Reactor the last 2 nights to supplement the TQ, it seemed to have significant impact.

I'm unsure the impact of the 1/8 CCF pad, will test without it the next cold night we have.

I dressed about the same as I did when testing it with 15* bag last year.

I'm pretty sure the condensation was mostly due to my breath, I think a piece of microfiber like a camp towel on top of the TQ would work. Just need to find a good way to attach and remove it quickly. Since the moisture was ontop of the TQ I would think that would be the best place for the piece to collect the moisture. And I think the bib to the ridgeline would likely get old.

I think the condensation of the SB was about equal between the UQ & OCF pad. I did not notice the ice buildup on the UC where the UC & OC meet when I used to UQ, that doesn't mean it wasn't there, I may have missed it or waited to long to go back outside and check it.

As far as dress I used thermal synthetic bottoms and a smart wool long sleeve top with a lightweight Nike Therma like a windshirt.

DW, were you warm last night at 23F, except for the cool spots you mentioned like your right thigh? Have you had the same cool spots using the HHSS without the added CCF pad? With just the HHSS with HH OCF pad/space blanket, how low have you previously been able to go and stay warm? ( for me, 30F is about it without adding kidney/torso pads and/or fleece jackets etc) Am I asking enough questions for you?

Any one know the R value of 1/8" CCF? Is it about 0.5? So you would expect about a 5F boost from that?

You mention "the top of the TQ was quite damp and the down in the top baffle seems to have lost loft from the consecutive nights use." I have had a similar problem when using my down UQs and no VB or space blankets. My breath contacts the top baffle of my UQ, the one nearest my face, and being ice cold huge condensation happens. That is why Shug came up with the fleece frost bib, which I am going to use one of these days. Do you think this is the source of the condensation you report, or do you blame it on the space blanket and/or CCF pad?

For some reason I have never yet had any significant condensation issues with the HHSS and space blanket no matter how I have configured it, except once when I used no space blanket. Other than condensation from my breath on my TQ, which I get with anything I use, including down UQs.

The other night, when you used the WL SSUQ underneath the space blanket in place of the HH OCF pad, did you have significant condensation issues?

Keep up the good work of testing!

[BillyBob58]

So, I failed to do my own suggested test! I had the pad handy fully planning to try it in the suggested method when I got cold as it approached 6 or 7F. But, instead I slipped the old standby HH kidney/torso pads in, and put the WM blue pad under my legs, which were slightly cool on the back. After that I was so toasty I did no further experiments. I guess my plan to add it under my back on top of the HH pad went awry when I decided I needed it under my legs to actually be warm rather than slightly cool. But, if I had been thinking, I could have put the WM blue pad UNDER the hammock leg area on top of the HH pad to see how that would work. But I didn't. But, I am now remembering that I wanted the pad to reduce slight calf pressure( it worked) and I doubt that would have worked underneath the hammock, but who knows?