First backpack trip with daughter

**Knotty** · 06-07-2009, 12:53

Next week my college age daughter and I will be doing 3 days on the AT in NJ. We've never done a true backpacking trip and are very excited (and slightly anxious about the bears...there are lots of them here).

I'll be in a HH Explorer Deluxe with SS. She has a HH Expedition and will use the Walmart blue CCF pad.

Temps in the night will only go down to mid 50's.

Question is, do I need to use the OCF for these temps or is SS undercover alone enough? My bag is a +20 Mountain Hardware Lamina bag.

Any pointers for my daughter with the CCF pad are also appreciated.

Thanks,

**Ramblinrev** · 06-07-2009, 13:04

Use the Heat Sheet with the OCF and you should be fine. (NB- BB58 ranks me with the cold braving northerners.. an honor I am not sure I deserve but hey....)

**Knotty** · 06-07-2009, 14:20

I probably wasn't clear enough. From experience I know that with the SS (undercover and OCF) + heatsheet I'm good down to mid 30's.

Question is for mid 50's can I eliminate the OCF and heatsheet?

**Ramblinrev** · 06-07-2009, 14:24

Originally Posted by Knotty

I probably wasn't clear enough. From experience I know that with the SS (undercover and OCF) + heatsheet I'm good down to mid 30's.

Question is for mid 50's can I eliminate the OCF and heatsheet?

You'll probably need something. Most people do. I actually haven't used my Super Shelter in that temp range yet so I don't know exactly. I would tend to use the ocf and heat sheet but to uncover more on top. But again I don't have a lot of experience in those temperatures with the SS

**sclittlefield** · 06-07-2009, 15:21

With advertised lows in the 50's, plan for lows in the 40's. Without having the SS myself, my guess is that you'd be comfortable with the pad and without the heat sheet, using the sleeping bag as a top quilt. I wouldn't trust just the silnylon bottom to do enough for you.

**MAD777** · 06-07-2009, 22:07

Knotty,

Enjoy the trip. I just did a 3 day snowshoe trip with my college daughter in the White Mtns of New Hampshire last March. It was a blast, except that was before I bought a hammock, so we were tenting.

Mike

**Bug-Bait** · 06-08-2009, 07:49

Have a great trip!!! If she enjoys herself, bring her to the fall MAHHA hang.

**Miguel** · 06-08-2009, 08:49

You might want to consider adding shoulder wings to your daughters wally pad. Do everything you possibly can to make this a great experience (read-warm) for her so she'll want more. I have a post college daughter that actually started this whole hammock hanging thing. We hang all the time and I love it.

**Knotty** · 06-08-2009, 11:56

Originally Posted by qpens

Have a great trip!!! If she enjoys herself, bring her to the fall MAHHA hang.

She goes to school not too far from the MAHHA hang; Messiah College, just south of Harrisburg. I kicked myself for not bringing her in April. Had actually stopped by there on my way to the hang.

Mike & Miguel - Glad to see dads bonding with their daughters.

Thanks everyone.