Dealing with cold wind

**Meandering Wanderer** · 09-05-2014, 23:03

I’m a new hanger with 3 trips under my belt. My last trip presented something I thought was going to be somewhat easy to deal with, wind. Nighttime temps were expected to be in the mid 40’s. My UQ is rated down to 40* and bag is rated to 20*. My first night, camping was in designated spots only, but I managed to find a spot where I was able to angle my tarp to block most of the wind and I hung the tarp as low as I could go. There wasn’t much choice in using terrain to block the wind which I’d guess was at about 20MPH. I woke up several times during the night to the wind howling and my back side on the chilly side. Problem was wind was still finding its way inside tarp from the occasional gust that came from the open ends of the tarp. Felt like a wind tunnel!
The 2nd night I had planned on an area that turned into a nightmare. Middle of the day and wind was at least 30MPH and downright cold. This area had very few trees and I never did find a spot that would allow me to angle the tarp to block the wind. I ended up just pushing through as the terrain was treeless past the area I intended to camp.
Aside from angling the tarp and hanging it low, how do you deal with a cold wind? Should I have an UQ rated lower? Any tips or tricks?

**Jpfam** · 09-06-2014, 00:04

I am a nube on this but it seems to me that a light pad of sorts under the tush would help.
Blocking the wind isn't always an option so bumping up the performance of the UQ with a pad or a weather shield might help.
You can also check out the Warbonnet Superfly that allows for closed ends on the tarp if that expense is an option.

**Shug** · 09-06-2014, 00:20

An Underquilt Protector helps immensely. I carry one when I know that winds will be strong and cold. Does the job.
Carry forth.
Shug

See it here at 5:50 in.....

**TallPaul** · 09-06-2014, 05:57

I've been in similar windy situations myself and that's the main reason I bought my second tarp with doors (SuperFly).
You can pull the doors closed & hang it close to the ground.

I've also picked up an UQP like Shug mentions and take this if I know I'm going to a windy/exposed area.

**GoatHanger** · 09-06-2014, 06:06

For this reason I have been considering the Warbonnet undercover poncho. I just got a Ridgerunner, so why not. Handy little piece of gear... though probably a bit hot in poncho mode.

**MAD777** · 09-06-2014, 14:07

I have a tarp with doors. It took me a long time to give up my open ended tarp, but those doors certainly do add a level of protection from wind.

**Meandering Wanderer** · 09-06-2014, 14:23

I just so happen to have an UQP but figured it was mostly for those rainy trips that the Pacific Northwest is famous for. I'll be adding it to my pack from here on out! Thank you all for the helpful info!

**2ply** · 09-06-2014, 14:41

Along with the UQP I added a grizz beak to my summer set up. I got a single and use it on the end that's most exposed. Works great and gets used with heavy wind or rain.

**grannypat** · 09-07-2014, 21:10

I have an UQP, a tarp with doors, a small piece of foam I can use as a foot pad or butt pad, and a Tadpole tarp with a door kit for one end and I can rig my rain poncho as a door on the other end. I always have my poncho and the small piece of foam with me and bring the others depending on what weather I anticipate.

**BillyBob58** · 09-07-2014, 21:47

I have found this, the HH Super Shelter, to pretty much defeat any winds I have yet encountered, even with very small or zero tarps. Though I would not know what the wind speeds were. Just real windy. But of course, it is pretty much for HHs only, though I got it to work OK on a WBBB.