Holy Condensation Batman

**beep** · 11-19-2009, 15:37

Originally Posted by greenlespaul

ok looks like friday night it is for my 2nd try with the SS temps will be in the mid 30's alittle colder than last time with no rain....and i'm going to use a cheap $2 EB for the VB and see if that helps...
if this doesn't work i think it's time to try a different setup

Yay for experimentation!

That's really the best way to figure out what works for you!!

**G.L.P.** · 11-19-2009, 16:37

Originally Posted by beep

Yay for experimentation!

That's really the best way to figure out what works for you!!

i agree 110%
but it's also nice to find something that works the first time lol
that means more time out on the trail
if this doesn't work i think i'm going to get a WB traveler and try that
that and i'm now looking for a DIY bridge hammock if anyone has one they would trade or sell cheap let me know

**Randy** · 11-19-2009, 18:27

I don't wanna speak to soon, cuz I'm am not done yet, but I have been working on a dri ducks bottom patterned after the SS. I slept in it last night, with the dri ducks poncho on top, and wow,,,,,,, warm, no condensation, and only a walmart pad and sleeping bag,,,,, the tarp was soaked from the dew....... I have alittle trim ribbon to put on and I'll post some picks.

**G.L.P.** · 11-20-2009, 13:32

OK ....tonight is the night...test night 2
i will take pics of my setup so everyone can see what i did and how i did it so if this doesn't work...again maybe someone can see what i did wrong
so i ask now...any tips anyone has to give i would love to hear them...it's 1:30 now i'm going to set it all up about 4ish..
setup will be my HH expedition asym and the super shelter a $2 emergency blanket as my VB and my JRB 11x10 cat tarp
for my quilt i will use my JRB hudson river (long)
i will wear underarmor cold gear 2.0 as my base layer and windpants and a long sleeve tee for top layer
wish me luck lol

**G.L.P.** · 11-20-2009, 18:50

OK here are the pics of my setup for the night everything looks good and we are all set to go ....tonights temp will be 35
i will take my thermometer out with me to get a good reading...and put it inside with me to get a reading of my temp under the quilt
if all goes well i should have a good nights rest...if not...i'll be climbing into bed with the wife lol
thanks for everyone who posted any tips to help me out...
Also wanted to add a thank you to Shug...for his video on how to tie up a tarp with the ridge line over the tarp ..i realy like this setup better ,works really nice for quick adjustments

**G.L.P.** · 11-21-2009, 04:22

OK....update time...it's 4 in the morning and as we all can see..i'm awake...
ok bed time temp was 30 degree i'm wearing underarmor coldgear 2.0 light wind pants
long sleeve tee and a light fleece top..
my quilt for the night was the JRB hudson river
ok going to sleep was hard had a little chill under me....now the setup is like i said befor Super Shelter and $2 Emergency Blanket i never really got to sleep
my underside was always cool..not cold..but cool so finally passed out...
just woke up 15 min ago and my quilt was damp on top...not the underside...but on top around the edges and my bottom side is damp as well

..
i got out and put my hand under the pad..and it's wet check the temp..it dropped it's now 28 degree out and everything is frosted over

now good thing was i was not super cold when i got up...i could have stayed out there and dealed with it but i didn't want to risk getting my quilt soaked
it's damp and feels like it lost some loft so i came in the house and hung my quilt to dry my hammock should be an ice pop come morning

So i don't think the Super Shelter is for me...just not working like i hoped...that and again i couldn't get out of the hammock in my half asleep and damp state...i think i'm going to dump the HH and the super shelter i have a speer and a bridge coming to me so i think i'm going to sell the hh and ss and get a yeti or a JRB under quilt and go from there

**Randy** · 11-21-2009, 08:55

I have not been impressed with the ss either,, but after the zipper mod, i like the HH much much better,,,

The hummidity has been bad as usual here,,,, everthing gets wet shortly after dark when set up. The dri duck under cover patterned after my HH SS, is working out just fine this week,,,,
The out side gets wet, but the hammock , and everthing inside stays dry......

I have a bit more sewing to do,,,, I am fixing it so I can put it on and off with out having to un-tie and thread the suspension ropes thru the ends.....

( for the bottom, I took 2 dri duck ponchos, and sewed them together end to end, then worked from there to get the right length,,, so far it looks good)

**mtncmpr** · 11-21-2009, 09:23

I’m new to the hammock scene, so I don’t have “experience” to pass on. I do have a HH and SS, and though I haven’t been down to freezing temps yet, it’s been suitable for me the few times it’s been used so far (mid 40’s) with just the pad and no space blanket (sb). I admit it is more awkward than I would like using the bottom entry/exit with the SS and pad set up, but that will be solved when I get it back from ZQ with the #2 mod (maybe today).

I have yet to get an opportunity to experiment with different pads, insulation and sb, but will do so soon. I am curious though, about how is the best way to use a sb (maybe this is discussed in another thread so I’ll look around). If anyone has any tips/ideas/links, it would be appreciated.

I’m not meaning to hijack this thread if it appears so. It seems this thread is a discussion on the merits of the SS and the use of it, and I thought I’d chime in. If needed, I’ll be glad to start a new thread or move to another existing thread, if there is a more appropriate one.

**Randy** · 11-21-2009, 09:34

The zipper mod will make a world of differnce on your HH, At first the novelty of bottom entry was cool, but grew old the first few times I slept in it,,,,,, Now I like the HH very much, infact I have 2 more up there getting zippers.

The SS, I think is over rated,,,,,some folks have very good experience with it.
I did not,,,, I went to hammocks for simplicity, and never thought of all the other extra stuff to add to stay dry and warm....But I reckon that is part of the fun, is experimenting..just like Greenlespaul is doing.....

**BillyBob58** · 11-21-2009, 09:44

Originally Posted by greenlespaul

OK....update time...it's 4 in the morning and as we all can see..i'm awake...
ok bed time temp was 30 degree i'm wearing underarmor coldgear 2.0 light wind pants
long sleeve tee and a light fleece top..
my quilt for the night was the JRB hudson river
ok going to sleep was hard had a little chill under me....now the setup is like i said befor Super Shelter and $2 Emergency Blanket i never really got to sleep
my underside was always cool..not cold..but cool so finally passed out...
just woke up 15 min ago and my quilt was damp on top...not the underside...but on top around the edges and my bottom side is damp as well

..
i got out and put my hand under the pad..and it's wet check the temp..it dropped it's now 28 degree out and everything is frosted over

now good thing was i was not super cold when i got up...i could have stayed out there and dealed with it but i didn't want to risk getting my quilt soaked
it's damp and feels like it lost some loft so i came in the house and hung my quilt to dry my hammock should be an ice pop come morning

So i don't think the Super Shelter is for me...just not working like i hoped...that and again i couldn't get out of the hammock in my half asleep and damp state...i think i'm going to dump the HH and the super shelter i have a speer and a bridge coming to me so i think i'm going to sell the hh and ss and get a yeti or a JRB under quilt and go from there

I think that is the right choice for you. As far as I can tell, you are doing everything right and I can't think of any suggestions. It is still beyond me how all of this moisture is getting past your waterproof VBs and UCs, but clearly it is. For that matter, I don't know why your top quilt is getting so damp on top.

Could it be that some sort od condensation of air humidity is taking place between those WP layers? If so, why does this not happen with me and others who have good luck with the SS? I don't know. I did notice on my last rainy trip that all of my dry bags were damp on the inside the next morning. I did not notice any damp gear the night before when I unpacked. This after hiking a couple of hours in the rain WITHOUT a pack cover, just using gear stuffed in dry bags strapped to the Molly Mac Pack. But I was surprised to see that all of these sacks were quite damp on the inside the next morning, and I wondered if this could have been condensation as the empty sacks were out in the cold all night. Don't know.

With the one exception when I did not use an SB, every experience I have had in my SS has been a dry one. But you are not the only one who has had this moisture problem. Which is why I always try to remember to warn of this possibility. Plus, you have had no luck ever being warm underneath. So, there are probably better choices for you. I see you have a bridge coming. I love the BMBH, which works like a custom design with the JRB MWUQ. That BMBH also works great with a pad, but that might turn into a moisture fest for you, so I hesitate to suggest that!

Good luck and keep us posted on your trials.