Winter Camping question

[Haganaga]

Hey folks,

I have a question regarding winter camping. I have a Dutchware Argon and for 3 season camping, I'll be using an Incubator 20 under me and a 15* Marmot Helium sleeping bag on top. Do you think I could take that winter camping if I coupled it with one of my 2 pads (Exped Downmat 7 DLX or Prolite 4) and used a Sea to Summit sleeping bag liner with my Helium inside the hammock? I would layer more clothes/heavy socks if it were to get down to 0 but most likely it would be in the 10-20* range.

So I guess my question is, would you do that? Since I'm already investing a lot of money into gear this year, I'd really rather not buy both a 20* UQ and a 0* UQ in the same year. Worst case, I could simply go back to the ground as I've done in the past for my overnight winter camp next year.

Thanks!

[Nighthauk]

I can't speak directly to what you have and how low you can take it, but I can advise you to test it out in a safe location where you can bail out incase it doesn't work for you. I test all my gear in my backyard before I try anything on the trail. That way I have confidence in what I have.

[Home Run]

+1 on testing in the backyard. You have gear that will probably do just fine, especially if you use the Downmat. However, I'd try it without when you test though; a lot more comfortable. One suggestion to add some warmth (and really inexpensive at $35 from 2Q) is an underquilt protector. It'll add about 5-10 degrees and cut the wind. Get the breathable fabric. Remember, half the fun is testing it all! Good luck.

[cougarmeat]

+1 on the under quilt protector or go full Sock. The sock will extend the range of your UQ a lot - but you will have condensation challenges in the winter - sock or not. The best suggestion is to try this stuff out at home or near home before you decide to hike out miles and camp. Each person is different. No one can - or should - tell YOU if a 20 degree quilt will keep YOU comfortable at 20 degrees. Keep in mind that you have options besides a warmer quilt - like warmer bedtime clothes.

Also, there are other aspects to winter camping, besides just keeping warm, that you will discover along the way. You can do yourself a favor by learning these things in small bites as you extend your distance from a person made shelter. I do understand there is a school that suggests you toss everything in a pack, hike out 5 miles in snowshoes and see how it all works.

What I'm referring to are things like .... let's say you like whoopie sling suspension; it has worked for you all summer. So now you need to see how much you like it when it is freezing out and the lines are wet. Maybe it will work great for you. Or maybe you'll want to carry some alternatives.

[OneClick]

I took the (almost) same gear down to 3°F last winter. No pads though. My bag was the Marmot Pinnacle 15° which i think is the model under yours. I was really surprised the 20 Incubator did so well. I ended up buying a 0° anyway just to be safe. But if you're only pushing the 20° UQ down to about 10°, I wouldn't worry at all.

[Hawk i]

+1 on trying at home 1st....New to hanging myself I went on 2 hiking trips both times out in 27* temps. I have an ENO DN (just purchased SLD DL coming in mail any day) and I have used Reflectix cut to the size of my Xtherm pad under my 0* Zenith REI sleeping bag. I was super warm and toasty to the point I had to open the zipper of the bag and flap out some heat. I just got back Monday last week from an overnight cold 8" snow hang and about 5am I woke to a slightly damp bag on top. It was my breath traveling across my bag and misting the dampness onto it. I didn't use my Eno pro fly because I wanted more coverage for my dog that was laying on ground but my brother had his up and no condensation from his breathe so I wondering if the old tent fly I used had anything to do with it or that the breeze stopped early morning. Other than that absolutely warm under my current gear. I have just upgraded to 2 Simply Light Design Tree Runner DL 11' Hammocks and also Warbonnet SuperFly and a Kelty Noah 12 for awesome winter coverage. I will be giving my wife the ENO setup and have bought an Jambridge 3 UQ for her knowing she won't like moving around getting comfy on a pad in a hammock.
Enjoy the life of a Hanger and learn as you go, this site and the people on it are awesome.

[Ashe]

i'll add that eating a proper dinner will go a long ways towards helping your body regulate temperature. also, a fresh change of clothes helps --especially the base layer.

I don't know if you're talking about backcountry camping or not, but backpacking burns calories like a champ. a lot of times I'm tempted to get lazy about dinner after a long day on the trail --you can notice a difference, especially when bumping against the limits of your insulation.

[GoodOlJeff]

I've been testing a very similar setup in my backyard all week. Low has been between 15F and 20F. I used a 15f bag and a 20f Incubator. No pads. Did pretty well. Stayed warm for the most part. Definetly had to eat right though. My wife was looking in our snack stash in the pantry a few days into my tests and found it empty. The shelf in the Blackbird is pretty loaded with wrappers right now. Best recommendation is to test it out at home and see what happens.

[bkrgi]

I have taken a 20* Zeppelin and 15* Helium to 15* with the hot water bottle trick and have been totally comfy all night with minimal clothing on given the temps....Be no problem going to 10* with some winter wear on and a liter of hot water. IMO the hot water bottle trick is what makes it work effectively.
A 0* quilt set though is a much safer option in them temps out in the field away from bail outs or plan B

Beyond that test test test