Peapod still a winner

Hi all,
just returned from a 3 dayer with Hitchhiking in the Kanangra National park (feathred recently in Pazza's video).
Beautiful scenery and best yet, -1C and -4C nights :)

Not surprisingly, -1C with high winds feels a lot colder than a -4C still night.
Both nights the peapod with a JRB stealth inside kept me toasty warm. So warm I had to strip off the thermals and vent the peapod!

I think next time I'll have to go with less clothing and a light throw blanket inside instead of the JRB. Was overkill.

Conclusion: the peapod is superb at what it does! So simple, yet effective.

You had me worried until I realized you're less than a fortnight away from winter down there.

Question about the PeaPod -- It looks to function well as bottom and side insulation, but as an topquilt most of it appears to be suspended above the hammocker. I would think that might make it cold, as one has a lot more air to warm up with one's body heat. Your experience, that a topquilt inside the PeaPod at those temps is too much, seems to indicate the large void isn't much of an issue?

I've used the peapod alone below zero a few times and been fine. I took the top quilt along just incase. I don't think it's necessary most of the time. Might even be psychological- it's nice to have something to drape over you while you sleep.

I don't sleep on an extreme diagonalwhen using the pod, which allows it to fall against my body. I also pull the extra material from the pod into the hammock ontop of me, if that makes sense.

Who knows, maybe I could have got by with a silk inner sheet and the pod. Might have to test it. The fact that Ed rates the peapod to 50F alone means that he must be an incredibly cold sleeper!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wentworth

I think next time I'll have to go with less clothing and a light throw blanket inside instead of the JRB.

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YAY for good times! YAY for less clothing... what? Did I say that? :confused:

~ (Goofy) Leif

After 30+ days in my Peapod last winter experimenting with different hammocks and additional insulation, my conclusion was that my Peapod was best for me just as it is (no extra insulation except for my fur hat). My temps were cold but never went below 20º. For the initial warm up laying in-line was was the best way to warm up. Even then I'd always wake up diagonal. If it ever over heated, a little knee action upward cooled me off quite nicely.
Bottom line . . . . . . I LOVE MY PEAPOD ! ! ! Now that it's summertime here I'm back in my BB with a te-wa UQ, and I love 'em both.

If the hammock is narrower than 150cm, and the sides are low, it will drape over you as opposed to be suspended above you. That makes it work better in terms of staying warm.
If your hammock is wider than 150cm, you can hang it with more sag and get the same effect in a pinch. It may not be as comfortable, but it will be warmer.
Plugging the air gaps in the ends with any loose items will also reduce the amount of volume that your body is heating, which in term keeps you warmer.
The peapod has all kinds of ways to be used for extra warmth than the stated rating.

I used my semi inflated dry bags to block the ends in the way you described. made a noticeable difference.
It seems to me that some sort of insultex peapod is in order. Since it seems to rely on dead air to insulate (my understanding from 5 mins of reading on the subject), the design should be perfect!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wentworth

I used my semi inflated dry bags to block the ends in the way you described. made a noticeable difference.
It seems to me that some sort of insultex peapod is in order. Since it seems to rely on dead air to insulate (my understanding from 5 mins of reading on the subject), the design should be perfect!

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An IX Peapod might make for some problems with breathing. A down one will allow air to pass through it and breathe. I'm thinking that being surrounded by IX might make for a clammy night. I think Mac made something like that, but it has a breathing hole or panel in it.