Sub zero on the water

[Chesapeake]

I haven't been able to get out much to hang lately or check in here as much as I'd like, but it's -8° right now and still dropping I couldn't pass up a chance to really test my -10° HG quilts! I'm set up in my usual spot in the "front" yard looking out over an icy Chesapeake bay. I decided to go with my XLC w/ but net/winter cover mod, -10° HG quilts & ZQ UQP. It's breezy but it should die down after mid and I'm under crystal clear skys so I held off on pitching the Old Man Winter even though it would definitely help create more of a micro climate. I'm wearing my usual heavy weight wool socks and base layers with a thin Columbia ¼ zip fleece ,down jacket, UA gloves, balaclava and TNF beanie.
This past weekend I got a chance to hang when we took my youngest daughters GS troop " camping". They all slept in a heated 2 story cabin with running water, full kitchen, 2 fire places and a full bath but I "smoothed it" outside wrapped in my downy goodness. They were all amazed that I was sleeping outside in 20° temps lol.

I did have a slight issue with my -10 Burrow though unfortunately. Due to the absolute INSANE volume of down and the fact that it's the older model with horizontal baffles, I had a problem with it " bridging". By bridging I mean it was ridged and wouldn't lay across my body , which created a gap between me and the inner layer of the quilt. This in turn created a larger volume of air to heat and the down wasn't in direct contact with my upper body ,so I got cold. YES, I got cold in a -10° Burrow at 20°. I was warm all night but just before dawn I started to feel a chill. I touched the inside layer of A67 taffeta and it was almost cold due to the 6" + gap between it and my chest. SO, tonight I'm gonna try tucking it under me more and if that doesn't work then I've got my CDT TQ or Snugpak Thermalon TQ liner that I can add in to fill the gap if needed.

Pics and a full report to follow in the am! Anyone else heading out tonight to enjoy the rare sub zero temps here in the mid-Atlantic ????

[TrailSlug]

Is the -8 the windchill or did you move? Good luck as you are more willing than I to go to the back yard to hang when it's that cold.

[Smckinney0031]

Well on one hand, there shouldn't be any creepy crawlies out tonight!!!

[Tigglet]

Well on one hand, there shouldn't be any creepy crawlies out tonight!!!

Very good point!

[BananaHammock]

Good luck! I can’t wait to hear the results!

[Chesapeake]

Is the -8 the windchill or did you move? Good luck as you are more willing than I to go to the back yard to hang when it's that cold.

The actual temp is 7° , " real feel" is -11° right now. Should be at or below zero° by morning and the feels like / wind chill temp somewhere around - 20°. I've added my Snugpak TQ liner inside the Burrow and tucked it all the way under my butt to get it as close to my chest as possible. I wish Dutch sold a Breathalyzer for non-Chameleon hammocks. Over the weekend I had major frost on my TQ when I woke up and that was without a tarp, sock or winter cover. I might experiment with one made out of fleece , "a la Shug" next time I think. 0031, hope no bugs! But that doesn't mean there isn't 200 Canadians and Mallards having a " who can be the loudest contest " right in front of my house! Ugh! And the **** stallion duck that keeps chiming in louder than all the geese is gonna end up in my dinner table and as overstuff if he keeps it up much longer . Man is that little bigger loud! I can hear him" QUACK, QUAck , QUack ,Quack , every time the geese start honking real loud when the wind picks up and they get spooked by the screen door in my boat house slamming lol. But nope, no bugs! YAY!

[Smckinney0031]

The actual temp is 7° , " real feel" is -11° right now. Should be at or below zero° by morning and the feels like / wind chill temp somewhere around - 20°. I've added my Snugpak TQ liner inside the Burrow and tucked it all the way under my butt to get it as close to my chest as possible. I wish Dutch sold a Breathalyzer for non-Chameleon hammocks. Over the weekend I had major frost on my TQ when I woke up and that was without a tarp, sock or winter cover. I might experiment with one made out of fleece , "a la Shug" next time I think. 0031, hope no bugs! But that doesn't mean there isn't 200 Canadians and Mallards having a " who can be the loudest contest " right in front of my house! Ugh! And the **** stallion duck that keeps chiming in louder than all the geese is gonna end up in my dinner table and as overstuff if he keeps it up much longer . Man is that little bigger loud! I can hear him" QUACK, QUAck , QUack ,Quack , every time the geese start honking real loud when the wind picks up and they get spooked by the screen door in my boat house slamming lol. But nope, no bugs! YAY!

Ugh, the only thing I could imagine worse than bugs would be to be waking up to that noise....and covered in duck poo

[Tigglet]

I thought about going out but I find it really difficult hanging in my back yard due to the street lights in the alley and the Walmart distribution center noise.
I really want to try out some colder temps tho. Maybe Friday night - except I still need to seam seal my tarp and I kind of have to work again part of the weekend.

I managed to sleep out one night on a screened porch in Vermont over the Christmas holiday - low that night was about 14* with a slight breeze. Getting better with dialing in the 0* Incubator so was mostly comfortable that night with a fleece bottom and light wool top base layer, ragg wool socks, balaclava (my face got cold), fleece beanie, glove liners for my cold fingers, and 20* Ghost Pepper.

I definitely need to get out somewhere soon tho...It’s just killing me how bad I want to just get out there to kind of relax. I want to take one of the grandsons out with me sometime soon too —- he’s been asking me ever since my first fall MAHHA...

[cmoulder]

Good example of why overstuff is not necessarily a good idea... messes up the drape.

[RazorSharp]

Last night I hung on the back porch. Negative 27 with slight wind . . . so let's just call it 30 below. Had to crawl out at 5am to get ready for work. Feet got cold around 4am but I had extra socks which took care of that. Beat my personal best by 16 degrees! Now I gotta crack -40 if mother nature can muster it. Whoooo Buddy!!!

Loco Libre quilts kept me warm. -40 underquilt. 50 top quilt inside a zero top quilt. I did wear a light fleece jacket but only because I knew I'd need it when I got out. Otherwise just light socks, good long John's on top and bottom and two hats that have a bottom strap for the neck/chin. Had to pull that over my nose a few times.