Coldest hang, what was your setup?

[DuctTape]

-11*F Winds 15-20max Allegany Natn't Forest.

Gear:
8x10 siltarp (setup as bakerhut to block wind off the reservoir)
Claytor Mosquito Hammock
-20F North Face Solar Flare bag
torso length 3/8inch ccf
full length "wmart eggshell ccf"
sunshade reflector
poncho (as weathershield)

Very warm setup even at this temp.

[Darby]

We hit single digits at Mt Rogers, wind chill unknown. I was in my diy double bottom hammock, Exped 9 DAM, Thermarest Ridgerest CCF w/SPE. -20 degree down bag, which I had to vent. I covered this with SG camo tarp (the "Neo Tarp"). I slept wearing syn. base layer, Smartwool socks, hiking pants & shirt, mid weight fleece and a wool beanie.

[Peg-Leg]

Ist night ever in a hammock, Hennessy(HH) with Super Shelter(SS), 22*F. But I didn't know what I was doing and froze, abandoned hammock about 0200 for ground. Then the rest of the week in the 30s- low 40s, with high wind, slept warm and snug. 20*F Cat's Meow bag.

Later, many high 20s to low 30s with basic SS plusCat's Meow 20*F bag, from barely warm enough to plenty warm.

Later, high teens in SS augmented with extra insulation(jackets or down vests) or Garlington Insulators in Undercover, 0*F bag---- warm enough. ( wind calm). Also, same insulation at 27*F but very high winds. Had a MacCat deluxe tarp, as opposed to the diamond HH tarp I ahd been using. Adequately warm.

18-20*F with Speer hammock and SPE with a full length Ridgerest pad plus a torso length Thermarest Ultra light and zero degree bag-- toasty warm.

11*F-- 5 mph wind- Speer hammock- Speer PeaPod, warm clothing, plus 40* bag as top quilt and space blanket in down PeaPod. Warm.

One week at 9000-10500 feet in the Rockies, 27*F-mid 30s, lots of wind and rain, sleet, snow. JRB 10x11 tarp over Claytor No Net hammock surrounded by Speer PeaPod plus space blanket and warm clothing( down vest, 14 oz Polargard hooded jacket, but no top quilt) Warm.

18*F- very high winds- War Bonnet Black Bird, JRB Mt, Washington Under Quilt, usual warm clothing(not sure exactly what), 0*F bag--- hot water bottle at start- plenty warm.


11-12*F JRB Bridge hammock with JRB Mt. Wash. Underquilt., usual warm clothing, Golite 20*F top quilt, started with hot water bottle. Warm until about 0300, top layer of quilt was quite wet from condensation, woke up to pee realizing I was not quite warm enough on top. Swithched to 0*F bag with HOOD,(but no new hot water bottle) quickly toasty warm and back to sleep until time to get up. PLenty warm.

Same set up as above with Golite quilt, NO hot water bottle. App. 27*F with snow( Feb Sipsey Widerness trip). Woke up about 0200 feeling slightly chilled on top, added Marmot down hood, then slept toasty all night.

That's all I can think of right now.

You should write a book on cold weather set ups. Noticed you're in Tupelo. I grew up just across the MS/AL line in small town, Carbon Hill. Now live in Bham.

[Peg-Leg]

Good query .... here is a video of me and kwpapke hanging in -26º temps. Shows gear and such ....... -26 Minnesota Hang
Also here is a thread I started on my -7º using only pads in the hammock: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=3185
Non-Shiverin' Shug

Great video. When's the 3D version coming out?

[Peg-Leg]

You guys have provided more info than I ever expected. You've proven hammocks are viable alternatives to tents even in extremely cold temps. I slept so well last weekend on my first hammock weekend hike, I was hoping I wouldn't have to go back to a tent for colder weather. Now I know I won't have too with the right gear.

I hope this thread keeps goings. It's very interesting to see the combinations of gear everyone has used.

[Cannibal]

Coldest recorded temp was -14F. Pretty sure I've been a bit colder (weather station reported -17F, but I couldn't verify) and I have no way of measuring wind speed.

The -14F was in:
Warbonnet Eldorado
Early model Warbonnet Superfly
Synthetic Yeti
Using a Catalyst pack under my legs
1/8" GG pad under my torso
Rocky Mtn. Sniveler on top.
I was wearing wool socks, heavy weight base layer, fleece pullover, balaclava, a watch cap, and convertible mittens.

The nights at the rumored colder temps were using a Warbonnet Blackbird, v2 Warbonnet Superfly, and a down Winter Yeti. Clothing, top quilt, and pad were basically the same.

[BillyBob58]

You should write a book on cold weather set ups. Noticed you're in Tupelo. I grew up just across the MS/AL line in small town, Carbon Hill. Now live in Bham.

I used to drive through Carbon Hill all the time on my way to GA via Bham. Now it's bypassed.

I appreciate the comment, but I'm probably not the one to write that book. Between manufacturers like JRB(Mt.Wash.UQ etc) and Speer(PeaPods and Snugfits) and Warbonnet (Yeti's and CS torso UQ), and users like Cannibal( below zero with WBUQ) and Kwpapke( -26 in a SS) and Shug(-26 in something or another) and several others, there is a lot of experience out there on staying warm in a hammock. More than I've got!

Plus, I have to travel for cold enough temps, or get lucky temp wise usually just a few days a year in north MS, at least when talking some well below 20F cold. These other guys live where the cold is, convenient for testing.

However, I concur with your idea in at least one way, it just occurred to me as I write this. Being a sick gear freak, especially when it comes to hammock gear, I probably have more experience with a greater variety of hammocks and their insulation( i.e., the different brands and approaches) than most other folks out there. At least certainly more than the average Joe or Jane.

You see, in total ignorance, I started with the HH SS, a total failure on my first attempt. It received much dog cussing. I'm not sure why I even stuck with it, I said I wasn't going to after that 1st miserable, shivering 22*F night, I planned to sleep on the ground the rest of the trip. But, I got that thing to work for me with some practice, and it wasn't long until I was doing mid teens with little problem, after a little augmenting. All the while I had pads and a Speer SPE in case I couldn't be warm enough in the SS. That never happened, but I did learn to use the pads/SPE by themselves with no problems. I really had no need for anything else at the temps I was going to see.

But then I did need a Christmas present from my wife, and that Speer PeaPod just looked intriguing. And so it begins............