View Full Version : Things learned and remembered
McSpartan
06-26-2011, 11:55
Arrived home yesterday from a week with 47 scouts at scout camp. Having brought my hammock, tarp and Phoenix, I still spent the first night on a cot having run out of time from a long day of travel and camp set-up. Sidebar - Temps were mid 90's during the day, high 60's at night. For the first night, Using just a sheet and a fleece bag I was cold, even after donning my fleece jacket and the wool blanket (walked back to the car to get).
I knew the problem and it was confirmed by setting up the hammock w/ UQ for night #2. Not wanting to take the risk, I threw in the wool blanket and fleece jacket and place on the shelf so that I could get to them if needed. Not needed, I was so comfortable with the Phoenix that using only the fleece bag (as TQ) was sufficient.
Having one last doubt thinking that the temps were higher on night 2, I pulled the UQ up the line to create a gap and immediately felt the rush of cool air under the hammock. I'm diggin' my HG Phoenix.
No longer needing the wool blanket, I gave it to a young scout who had a miserable night's sleep. His dad was also present and thought he might double up the blanket and put on top of him. "Nay, said I. Put it underneath him." Problem solved - one happy scout.
FYI, that first night in the hammock was the best night of sleep I've ever had at a scout camp. The Phoenix is a great piece of equipment.
BillyBob58
06-26-2011, 14:20
Thanks for posting what you learned! So were you cold the first night on a cot, and then warm the 2nd night in the hammock?
I guess a cot ( with no pad) could kind of have the same potential problem as a hammock........... cold air blowing under you?
Its amazing how much colder you are if it is coming from under.
stormcrow
06-27-2011, 03:17
That is a great story McSpartan! Not that fact that you were cold those other nights of course but that you found a way to get comfortable. It seems like those hard learned lessons are the ones that stick with us. My first underquilt story is VERY similar....:lol::lol: Thank you for sharing it with us!
~Stormcrow
McSpartan
06-27-2011, 08:41
Thanks for posting what you learned! So were you cold the first night on a cot, and then warm the 2nd night in the hammock?
I guess a cot ( with no pad) could kind of have the same potential problem as a hammock........... cold air blowing under you?
Yes to the cot and on the first night. You have the scenario right, the cot fabric performs similar to hammock fabric: you're up in the air with basically no insulation.
Its amazing how much colder you are if it is coming from under. Roger that!:eek:
That is a great story McSpartan! Not that fact that you were cold those other nights of course but that you found a way to get comfortable. It seems like those hard learned lessons are the ones that stick with us. My first underquilt story is VERY similar....:lol::lol: Thank you for sharing it with us!~Stormcrow To clarify, cold only the first night on the cot. Comfortably warm in slumber for the remaining 5 nights in hammock w/ Phoenix. Had several scouts and scout leaders try out the hammock during the trip.
The only bummer on the trip? The scouts from another camp that decided to play with sticks near the tarp. The result was a 3 inch gash in my tarp.:thumbdown:
during my first night in a hammock.
I had no idea how the roadsign "Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface" applied to hammocks! Even in the summer one can get chilled on a 60 degree night.
Jim
Hawk-eye
06-27-2011, 09:10
I hear ya on the Phoenix ... I have it's ancestor the "Crow's Nest" and I absolutely love it. Piece of sweet light weight compact downy delight that has kept me warm to the high 20's so far!
Will be suplimenting it with a HG top quilt very soon! :D
McSpartan
06-27-2011, 09:52
I hear ya on the Phoenix ... I have it's ancestor the "Crow's Nest" and I absolutely love it. Piece of sweet light weight compact downy delight that has kept me warm to the high 20's so far!
Will be suplimenting it with a HG top quilt very soon! :D
Thanks Hawk. Your comment about getting a new TQ has me thinking about a "minus" rating on the seasons given certain temp ranges. I read someone else here state something similar. Here's the concept of "minus" that I'm contemplating: For a 3S UQ, can you drop (subtract) a season on the TQ, in this case a summer TQ and what would generally be the effective temp range? Same thing for a 4S UQ used with a 3S TQ. Do any of you do this? Hey, I'm highjacking my own thread!
Once you go UQ....you'll never go back.
Too bad around the tarp.....but as a former scout I can attest to the rambunctious attitude brought on by a trip to the piney woods.
Shug
Hawk-eye
06-27-2011, 10:17
Thanks Hawk. Your comment about getting a new TQ has me thinking about a "minus" rating on the seasons given certain temp ranges. I read someone else here state something similar. Here's the concept of "minus" that I'm contemplating: For a 3S UQ, can you drop (subtract) a season on the TQ, in this case a summer TQ and what would generally be the effective temp range? Same thing for a 4S UQ used with a 3S TQ. Do any of you do this? Hey, I'm highjacking my own thread!
Not really ... for the minor ... and I mean minor weight penality I'd rather have the same top and bottom myself. But then that's just me.
Speaking of the TQ ... guess what just arrived in the mail here at my office?
MY HG 3S TQ!!!!! To quote my pal Shug-row
WHOOOOOOO BUDDY!
A thing of downy delight in green and black ... the ladies in the office had to come in and see what I was oooo'ing and ah'ing over.
They just shook their heads, gave me the look and walked off ... :woot:
... of course it still grosses them out that I poop in the woods! :D
Very sheltered ladies here in my office! :lol:
McSpartan
06-27-2011, 13:53
Nice! FYI, I've found out that the family cat get's first crack at anything down. I've spread out TQ's and UQ's on the floor to get a glimpse of size, then walked away. She loves them and immediately curls up to sleep. Thankfully, declawed before we got her.
Hawk-eye
06-27-2011, 13:59
Nice! FYI, I've found out that the family cat get's first crack at anything down. I've spread out TQ's and UQ's on the floor to get a glimpse of size, then walked away. She loves them and immediately curls up to sleep. Thankfully, declawed before we got her.
Oh man ... that would be bad (with claws!) ... I have to keep it away from our boys (dogs) ... they would lay on it shortly after "scratching" it out smooth! I can only imagine how long nylon would last to a Schnauzer front claws! :scared:
Kinda neat watching a Burrow fluff up ... makes you wonder how you're going to get it back in the stuff sack! Down still amazes me after all these years. :woot:
McSpartan
06-27-2011, 14:01
Once you go UQ....you'll never go back.
Too bad around the tarp.....but as a former scout I can attest to the rambunctious attitude brought on by a trip to the piney woods.
Shug
Partially my own fault for pitching too close to a path. My disappointment was more toward the lack of interest on "Trustworthy", but glad it was not one of our own scouts. Yes, on going UQ. I can't imagine any other way. Yeah Baby (Austin Power's style)!