Advice on a slightly unconventional set up

[JoshForthteller]

I am looking to finally get a real UQ and TQ. Currently I have a Onetigris UQ (26oz) and am using a Mountain Hardwear phantom flame 15° mummy bag as a TQ (phenomenal down bag but weighs 36oz). I made my own diy underquilt from a SOL survival blanket that I place between my hammock and the Onetigris. Wearing just some $5 Russel base layer bottoms from Walmart and a cotton tank top, this setup had me needing to vent my TQ periodically throughout the night at 20° last week when I was in CO doing a backpacking trip with my brother. However, as I'm getting into backpacking more, I am trying to bring down my 16lb base weight. I have efficiently (and fairly inexpensively) lightened pretty much everything else I can/want to right now. Which leaves the insulation...

I live in FL and do most of my camping and hanging here but am struggling to decide between a 30° and 40° HG incubator/burrow set. It is hot almost all year round and only occasionally gets down to the low 30s at night in January/February timeframe. I have never had issues with warmth in my 40° "rated' Onetigris when it has gotten down to the low 50s. I will most likely be doing a week long section hike of the AT in the nearish future. That is all I can manage since I already take a good amount of time off work to tour with my band. I know with either UQ I will be fine down to the low teen in combination with my diy UQ but dealing with 2 suspensions gets annoying and tedious so I only want to have to do it when I am going somewhere colder than the sountheast (I'll suck it up and use my mummy bag then as well). I have read around and know that my UQ can always be vented so I'm not worried about being too warm due to the UQ, just really struggling because I can only scrape together the funds for one set for quite a while.

Any Fellow FL or southeast hangers have an opinion on whether 30° or 40° would be best? I just don't want the weight of 30° if it's not needed. I do sleep pretty warm, my wife calls me the human heater and has to keep a leg out of the covers due to me haha




https://photos.app.goo.gl/mQumKq5gHePBZra7A

Pic of my hammock rig. Looks sunny but was in the 20s




https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...t?usp=drivesdk

My gear lists minus a few clothing items (made the spreadsheet before I knew lighterpack existed so just added the graph to mimic it lol)

[sidneyhornblower]

I am looking to finally get a real UQ and TQ...I live in FL and do most of my camping and hanging here but am struggling to decide between a 30° and 40° HG incubator/burrow set...Any Fellow FL or southeast hangers have an opinion on whether 30° or 40° would be best?

I'm not in Florida, but I'm close in the Piedmont region of Georgia where it's also fairly warm most of the year. If it were me I'd get the 30 degree underquilt and the 40 degree top quilt. My reasoning is based on a couple of factors: cost and flexibility. If I can only get one set of gear (and that's the boat I'm in as well) then I want something to cover at least 90 percent of what I do. That is, don't buy for the exceptions.

With a 30 degree underquilt, I know I can hang from freezing to the mid-60s, using my top coverings to regulate temperature. In extreme conditions I can supplement on top for warmth, but those will be the exceptions. Most of the time I'd just have the same top quilt and under quilt knowing that I'll be comfortable. I wouldn't be unhappy with 30 and 30, bottom and top, but if you mostly hang in Florida and don't want the weight of the 30, then a 40 for a top quilt is a good compromise that should work the vast majority of the season.

I'd also suggest making or buying an underquilt protector. It'll help with windy conditions and get the most out of your underquilt.

[FLTurtle]

I'm over in Orlando. I use a 40F Econ Phoenix and Burrow set. Had no issues with low 40s. This past winter wasn't too chilly, so I didn't get a chance to see how far I could push the set. For some camping up north this fall, I plan on getting a 20F Premium Incubator/Burrow set. I think having these two setups will get me through almost all the camping I'll be doing for the forseeable future.

[JoshForthteller]

I'm not in Florida, but I'm close in the Piedmont region of Georgia where it's also fairly warm most of the year. If it were me I'd get the 30 degree underquilt and the 40 degree top quilt. My reasoning is based on a couple of factors: cost and flexibility. If I can only get one set of gear (and that's the boat I'm in as well) then I want something to cover at least 90 percent of what I do. That is, don't buy for the exceptions.

With a 30 degree underquilt, I know I can hang from freezing to the mid-60s, using my top coverings to regulate temperature. In extreme conditions I can supplement on top for warmth, but those will be the exceptions. Most of the time I'd just have the same top quilt and under quilt knowing that I'll be comfortable. I wouldn't be unhappy with 30 and 30, bottom and top, but if you mostly hang in Florida and don't want the weight of the 30, then a 40 for a top quilt is a good compromise that should work the vast majority of the season.

I'd also suggest making or buying an underquilt protector. It'll help with windy conditions and get the most out of your underquilt.

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't thought about a protector at all. I will definitely look into some diy options. I'm not overly concerned about weight but after doing that trip with my brother in CO I really realized how much pack weight adds up and can impact a trip. I was dealing with some more difficult trails while being over 10,000ft higher than I'm used to as well though...

[JoshForthteller]

I'm over in Orlando. I use a 40F Econ Phoenix and Burrow set. Had no issues with low 40s. This past winter wasn't too chilly, so I didn't get a chance to see how far I could push the set. For some camping up north this fall, I plan on getting a 20F Premium Incubator/Burrow set. I think having these two setups will get me through almost all the camping I'll be doing for the forseeable future.

Awesome, good to hear the 40 set has worked well. It seems the general consensus from researching is that I will have to eventually get 2 sets. I love mountains so I know I'll end up needing to, but I have to make one set work for a while financially. I live in Brandon and have been going to ocala national Forest for most all of my camping. What are some of your favorite places to hang in Florida?

Also you might try a space blanket underquilt system like I did. I was honestly blown away by the results. For $25 and 4-6oz I was able to bring a $60 40F into the low 20s, high teens without even feeling a little cool. It is a vapor barrier and I was using it in CO which is fairly arid so a more humid climate may bring other factors to play.