Bad freezing from breath condensation!

**Rug** · 12-08-2009, 15:30

It got a little cold last night. (-6C/~23F) I woke up to a thick frost all around me on the ground. But there was a small problem; The entire inside (top and sides) of my hammock (especially the bug-netting) was frozen and/or wet.

I woke a couple of times throughout the night because my goatee was frozen to my pillow. (that hurts by the way!) I can only assume that the condensation from my breath was what caused the excessive amount of moisture inside my hammock. I was dry underneath me and quite warm (JrB Quilts FTW!) but I did have to don my goretex balaclava midway.

**Hawk-eye** · 12-08-2009, 15:38

Wow ... now that's cold. Had frost on my whiskers but never had them freeze to me!

**BillyBob58** · 12-08-2009, 15:38

Originally Posted by Rug

It got a little cold last night. (-6C/~23F) I woke up to a thick frost all around me on the ground. But there was a small problem; The entire inside (top and sides) of my hammock (especially the bug-netting) was frozen and/or wet.

I woke a couple of times throughout the night because my goatee was frozen to my pillow. (that hurts by the way!) I can only assume that the condensation from my breath was what caused the excessive amount of moisture inside my hammock. I was dry underneath me and quite warm (JrB Quilts FTW!) but I did have to don my goretex balaclava midway.

Maybe Pan will chime in here. He has used some type of face mask/balaclava that really did great at preventing that breath condensation. It can really be a bear. I have had my breath go up and out the breathing hole on my Pea Pod, freeze and snow right back down on my face, waking me up! I have also had really heavy breath condensation form on the top quilt layer nearest my face.

**Oh-No** · 12-08-2009, 22:56

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

Maybe Pan will chime in here. He has used some type of face mask/balaclava that really did great at preventing that breath condensation.

I believe Pan uses one of these:

http://www.exmask.com/psolarbx.php

**BillyBob58** · 12-08-2009, 23:17

Originally Posted by Oh-No

I believe Pan uses one of these:

http://www.exmask.com/psolarbx.php

Yes, I think that is it.

**BreckDown** · 12-09-2009, 20:53

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

Maybe Pan will chime in here. He has used some type of face mask/balaclava that really did great at preventing that breath condensation.

Is this it? http://www.psolar.com/index.html I don't know where I came across this link but it was in my favorites. I may have found it on this site.

**BillyBob58** · 12-09-2009, 20:58

Originally Posted by SBreckenridge

Is this it? http://www.psolar.com/index.html I don't know where I came across this link but it was in my favorites. I may have found it on this site.

Yes, I think that is it.

**canoeski** · 12-08-2009, 15:55

You are right about the exhaled moisture! (more than a quart per night IIRC)

That's the exact reason I'm skeptical about using an over cover.
I even had concerns about my HH and its non-removable bug net being a condensation point. (That's why I got a BMBH). Sounds like you experienced this. How much ice was there actually on the net, and was it only over your head?

When it's really cold I wear a Thermax balaclava that covers my face and nose during the night. Sure, it gets damp. but that's better than your insulation getting wet. At 20 below (F) I have resorted to covering my eyes with a bandanna to keep my lids from freezing shut.

Whenever you're under a fabric shelter there is going to be condensation on the inner walls which freezes and falls back on you in the form of snow if you bump it. Another reason I hate fully enclosed tents; but even an open tarp will do this. All of my down sleeping bags (Marmots) have Goretex covers for this reason (and dew in the summer). I usually try to shake this down before fully unzipping my bag. If possible, I prefer to sleep under the open sky at extreme cold temps, but sometime you really need a shelter due to wind and falling snow. I have several of the original Chounard (now Black Diamond) Pyramid tarp/shelters. I installed a fabric chimney in one for ventilation.

The BEST winter shelter, better I dare say than a hammock, is a snow cave or quincey! (?sp)

**BillyBob58** · 12-08-2009, 16:24

Originally Posted by canoeski

You are right about the exhaled moisture! (more than a quart per night IIRC)

That's the exact reason I'm skeptical about using an over cover.
I even had concerns about my HH and its non-removable bug net being a condensation point. (That's why I got a BMBH). Sounds like you experienced this. How much ice was there actually on the net, and was it only over your head?

When it's really cold I wear a Thermax balaclava that covers my face and nose during the night. Sure, it gets damp. but that's better than your insulation getting wet. At 20 below (F) I have resorted to covering my eyes with a bandanna to keep my lids from freezing shut.

Whenever you're under a fabric shelter there is going to be condensation on the inner walls which freezes and falls back on you in the form of snow if you bump it. Another reason I hate fully enclosed tents; but even an open tarp will do this. All of my down sleeping bags (Marmots) have Goretex covers for this reason (and dew in the summer). I usually try to shake this down before fully unzipping my bag. If possible, I prefer to sleep under the open sky at extreme cold temps, but sometime you really need a shelter due to wind and falling snow. I have several of the original Chounard (now Black Diamond) Pyramid tarp/shelters. I installed a fabric chimney in one for ventilation.

The BEST winter shelter, better I dare say than a hammock, is a snow cave or quincey! (?sp)

Absolutely! With a snow cave, what's going on outside matters naught. I speak from personal experience, with tents and tarps in heavy snow and wind for comparison. There is a vast dif in the effect of winter wind shaking a tent of pushing a tarp against you- and being unaware of the wind inside a cave. Plus the insulation of a snow cave keeping the temps from going below freezing no matter what the outside temp is!

But most of us don't have the luxury of a snow cave most of the time, especially if we are using hammocks.

But I guess if it is time for a snow cave, we won't be thinking about a hammock anyway.

**Gailainne** · 12-08-2009, 16:40

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

Absolutely! With a snow cave, what's going on outside matters naught. I speak from personal experience, with tents and tarps in heavy snow and wind for comparison. There is a vast dif in the effect of winter wind shaking a tent of pushing a tarp against you- and being unaware of the wind inside a cave. Plus the insulation of a snow cave keeping the temps from going below freezing no matter what the outside temp is!

But most of us don't have the luxury of a snow cave most of the time, especially if we are using hammocks.

But I guess if it is time for a snow cave, we won't be thinking about a hammock anyway.

Indeed, while we camped out in an emergency snow shelter, (on a survival course, avatar picture), not only did the ceiling drip on us, it got that warm inside, there was a raging storm outside that we didn't even hear, one of the quietest places I've ever slept.

Now making it deep and long enough to accommodate a hammock, sheer bliss