16 degrees is cold...

[Sailor]

First off, I just want to say "thanks" to all of you already posting about a cold night and heading out into the back yard. You see, for some time--even before hammocks--I felt alone in the wilderness, that wilderness being the back yard. Couldn't understand why there only seemed to be little kids camping out in the back yards (besides me). So...each of you, knowing or unknowing, supports me when you head out to the back yard. Your spouses might enjoy a cuppa with my wife on this subject...

Secondly, I too suffer, and have always, from cold feet, and sometimes from hot feet. Namely, its very easy for my feet to get cold, they've done it a million times in the middle of the night outdoors, and they're hard to warm up. On the other hand, once my feet get just a little too hot, I can't sleep. I can sleep with slightly cold feet, but not hot feet. What's already been written is what I so--air vents hot nights, otherwise wool socks, and a hot water bottle.

Thirdly, I really believe the first step to night warmth is lots of under insulation. Its normal to have plenty of insulation under us, and regulate warmth by changing what's on top of us. I'll take some extra weight in the UQ for warmth, and I'm always fooling with my SnugFit working out that little odd air pocket.

Lastly, being a native son of the golden west, born and bred within sight of the Pacific O., I and my fellow denizens are not as "temperature" liberal as our northern, midwestern and eastern friends. It is already down to 34F tonight, and will freeze. This is the lead news story locally, because we don't do cold. People have been warned to check on neighbors. Likewise, in the summer, we got nuts at 90F. Again lead news item, warning, etc. This means that me snow camping is twice the adventure it is for our friend Shug or anyone east of me. It means my Alaskan sister is amazing to me. And it means when I can sleep outside on a night like this, I rock!!! Thank you Speer, JRB, WBG, and 3 fingers of Jamie. We work well together as a team.

[OldMan]

Anyway, glad things worked out better for you. I wonder if by dressing warmer and adding clothes/pillow you were able to conserve heat better on top, thereby improving circulation and keeping your legs warmer during the night. It does sound like the pad may not have been needed if you woke up warm but not on the pad.... Sounds like you need to test again!

Last night was a couple of degrees colder (17) than the previous night. I swapped out the BA pad wrapped in an emergency bivy for a space blanket between the hammock and the UQ. That didn't work for long. I eventually crawled into the emergency bivy, zipped up the bag all the way and finally threw in a chemical heater into the foot of the bag (although it barely got warm). Finally came in a little after 1am. It seems to me that the BA pad was much more effective that any combination of space blanket/bivy. While I never plan on actually sleeping out in woods when it's this cold, it is good to know my limits and what works and doesn't work for me.

Need to try again when the night time temps get back up in the low to mid 30's, which is about my lower desired night time temp.

[bonsaihiker]

The one thing that no has seemed to catch up on or i just missed it was your lack of a sock over you. It is amazing how much the temp can change when you use one. . . . Hope to see you at Mt rogers. . . .

Thanks for the post! Yeah, I thought a sock/cover might help. Just got some ripstop to try to make something like that, at least a topcover. I have the HH SS--just don't like the condensation it makes--but at least it would block the wind. Hope I can get to Mt Rogers also...

First off, I just want to say "thanks" to all of you already posting about a cold night and heading out into the back yard.

Thank you for posting here...and thanks for the advice. Glad I'm not the only one who feels goofy camping in the backyard. My wife worries that the neighbors will think we are fighting, and I've been banished to the backyard. She says we need to make a flag that says "I'm not in the doghouse, I'm testing."

Last night was a couple of degrees colder (17) than the previous night. . . . It seems to me that the BA pad was much more effective that any combination of space blanket/bivy. While I never plan on actually sleeping out in woods when it's this cold, it is good to know my limits and what works and doesn't work for me.

Good to find that out. It's amazing how different each change we make can be....

Just figured out how to multi-quote. Much nicer than separate replies...

[bonsaihiker]

Hehehe...I think Stormcrow meant to post this on another thread...methinks he's been up too many nights sewing quilts....

Thanks to everyone who has posted here. This is all great info, and I can't wait to get back out and try again...

[FreeTheWeasel]

When I lived in Minnesota, I used to take advantage of the cold and my backyard to test my hammock system. My very nice neighbor was from Sri lanka and she approache me one day as I was packing up, looked me dead in the eye and said "What's wrong with you? You have a perfectly good house!" I just smiled confident that had just secured the title of neighborhood nutcase. This is a useful and often coveted title as it tends to cut down on the amount of Halloween candy you need to buy.

FreeTheWeasel

[stormcrow]

For a second I thought I WAS going nuts..LOL.

I was just responding to the post made by soundmanob.

Yes! late nights around here!

I cant wait until Mt Rogers again! There are going to be so many neat setups to check out. I wonder if this year will be bigger than last!

Stormcrow

Hehehe...I think Stormcrow meant to post this on another thread...methinks he's been up too many nights sewing quilts....

Thanks to everyone who has posted here. This is all great info, and I can't wait to get back out and try again...

[bonsaihiker]

Oops......I thought that was from another thread, but I see now it came from earlier...guess I'm the one who needs more sleep.

Sorry!

I can't wait for Mt. Rogers, either, just hope I can go...

[bonsaihiker]

This is a useful and often coveted title as it tends to cut down on the amount of Halloween candy you need to buy.

My wife is laughing. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm nuts, too.