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  1. #1
    Senior Member Gra_factor's Avatar
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    Cold Butt Syndrome!

    I met up with some guys Saturday morning to hike up Phelps Mountain near the Adirondack Loj. I didn't fancy a 4 hour drive starting at 6 in the morning so I decided to take Friday off work and drive up to the Loj, camp for the night and have breakfast at the Loj, giving me plenty of time to look around before the others arrived at 10 am.

    I selected a nice sheltered site. I had my new Zeppelin 20 deg UQ, but to be safe I also hung my poncho liner under the UQ. There was no wind, I hung my tarp a little higher than in my backyard, but still pretty close and I closed off one end.







    Still I could not get warm underneath! I would have though the poncho liner would help a little but it didn't. Everything else was fine, I was warm above, my toes, face, everything very snug, but I just couldn't get warm underneath. It wasn't so bad that I was shivering but just a noticeable presence. I slept but woke up several times in the night. At one time I got up to add another layer to my top which helped a little, I also got inside my sleeping bag instead of just draping it over me, which didn't help at all.

    I checked the next day and it wasn't that cold, hit 20 in the middle of the night and may have got to 17 degrees F at around 7 which was about the time I got up. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I pretty sure my UQ is snug, I can feel the shock cord pulling up the sides and I don't feel a gap when I shove my hand down inbetween the outside of the hammock and UQ. I never thought of myself as a cold sleeper either.
    "Dyslexic knot unravellers of the world, UNITE!"

  2. #2
    Senior Member Gra_factor's Avatar
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    Where did that go?
    "Dyslexic knot unravellers of the world, UNITE!"

  3. #3
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    Hard to say why you were cold underneath. Were the ends of the quilt snug so no cold air could get in from either end? Were you cold in one spot or along the whole length of the quiLt? Was the poncho Liner compressing your quilt? Maybe you were pushing the limit of your quilt going down to 17 degrees? I am not familiar with Zeplin quilts, but for me in those temps you were in I would take my hammock gear incubator 20* that has 3 oz overstuff. I alway bring a quilt that will go 10 degrees lower than expected temps.

    One thing to bring next time is a space blanket to put between the hammock and quilt or a small CCF pad or reflectix to put under you to help with cold spots. Also, for me I have to start warm or else the rest of the night I get chilled. A hot drink before bed or eating befor bed will help. I sometimes wear my down pants, booties and even my jacket to bed. As I heat up I strip down and I'm warm for the night. If I get cold I could alway add another layer. You didn't mention what you were wearing. But a good wool base layer does wonders. Throw in a hot water bottle and that'll add heat too. Last cold hang I did I stuck a chemical heat pack to the fleece vest of my dog and he loved it. No reason why this wouldn't work in a hammock for you.

    Keep tweaking your set up. You'll find out what works for you. One more thing, look into a hammock sock, it'll give you another 10* of warmth.

    Good luck,

    S

  4. #4
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    i would say there is an air leak ... it might not be big but it doesn't need to be when the temps drop
    i don't think it's the UQ from what i hear there very nice and well made
    i would have someone lay in it and look at the ends... i found that to be the problem area with my full length UQ's
    also it could have some sag... might not seem like it but that might be the problem
    another thing to thing of is what others have said the PLUQ might be squashing the down when you lay in it but even with 50% decrease in loft down should still insulate or so some say but still might look into it you might be better off with a weather shield
    my deep winter setup i use a JRB stealth and my winter 2/3 UQ over that... i say flip it around and put the PLUQ first and then they Down UQ just something to try
    but thats all i can think of off the top of my head let us know what you find
    Last edited by G.L.P.; 02-12-2012 at 18:49.
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

  5. #5
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    I'd venture a guess that your PLUQ was compressing your down loft, limiting it's ability to insulate. Next time I would maybe put the PLUQ closest to the hammock and the UQ cinched nice and tight underneath. Just my hypothesis, explains why you didn't feel any gaps but wouldn't get warm.
    Last edited by Red Wing; 02-12-2012 at 19:49.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Gra_factor's Avatar
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    "Dyslexic knot unravellers of the world, UNITE!"

  7. #7
    Senior Member Dos's Avatar
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    I had the same issue this past weekend at Mt Monadnock where it got down to 21.
    I had my DIY cuben pitched within 3 inches of the ground, had leaves piled against the windward side, doors closed. I only had my UQ (no poncho) but I am wondering the same thing.
    Maybe an undercover? a sock? an undercover, the UQ then a space blanket?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AT '12. AT '14. FT '15. CA '15.

  8. #8
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    There's a definite learning curve to UQ's and the colder it gets, the more noticeable what the little tweaks that are needed are. Also, the colder it is, the longer it takes for your body to warm up your UQ. We had this issue at the hang thing past weekend. USMCStang had 10* around 9am, who knows how cold it was that night. I knew I had my quilt squared away but still had a cold butt, but gradually faded until it felt like it went from cool to warm in a second.

    Again, there's a process, just have to learn what it is for your rig

  9. #9
    Senior Member RootCause's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo View Post
    I'd venture a guess that your PLUQ was compressing your down loft, limiting it's ability to insulate. Next time I would maybe put the PLUQ closest to the hammock and the UQ cinched nice and tight underneath. Just my hypothesis, explains why you didn't feel any gaps but wouldn't get warm.
    +1 on Slo's assessment. Try hammock=>PLUQ=>UQ.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Gra_factor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sidewinder View Post
    Hard to say why you were cold underneath. Were the ends of the quilt snug so no cold air could get in from either end? Were you cold in one spot or along the whole length of the quiLt?
    Lying on my side I was cold on my shoulder and hip. The bits that hung the lowest. I am pretty sure the ends were snug. I reached around to feel and it seemed to be. Not sure of my feet end but the shock cord was pulled the same length as the head end.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sidewinder View Post
    Was the poncho Liner compressing your quilt? Maybe you were pushing the limit of your quilt going down to 17 degrees? I am not familiar with Zeplin quilts, but for me in those temps you were in I would take my hammock gear incubator 20* that has 3 oz overstuff. I alway bring a quilt that will go 10 degrees lower than expected temps.
    The poncho liner was not touching my UQ, it was acting more like the bottom half of a hammock sock. There was probably a few inches between them.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sidewinder View Post
    One thing to bring next time is a space blanket to put between the hammock and quilt or a small CCF pad or reflectix to put under you to help with cold spots. Also, for me I have to start warm or else the rest of the night I get chilled. A hot drink before bed or eating befor bed will help. I sometimes wear my down pants, booties and even my jacket to bed. As I heat up I strip down and I'm warm for the night. If I get cold I could alway add another layer. You didn't mention what you were wearing. But a good wool base layer does wonders. Throw in a hot water bottle and that'll add heat too. Last cold hang I did I stuck a chemical heat pack to the fleece vest of my dog and he loved it. No reason why this wouldn't work in a hammock for you.
    I had long johns, fleece pants, 2 pairs of socks, long sleeve Tshirt and two fleece sweaters over that. I had a fleece balaclava over my head. I don't know what my sleeping bag was rated, but it has baffles and is down. Everywhere else I was toasty and warm, just the low spots of my body that felt cold. As for hot drink, does bourbon count?
    Quote Originally Posted by Sidewinder View Post
    Keep tweaking your set up. You'll find out what works for you. One more thing, look into a hammock sock, it'll give you another 10* of warmth.

    Good luck,

    S
    "Dyslexic knot unravellers of the world, UNITE!"

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