The extensions were designed for the old style Travel Sock, which had large openings lined with velcro. Since the velcro damaged the hammock fabric, Warbonnet did away with it and shortened the openings to maybe 2". This means the extenders won't work unless you were to rip the seams and increase the opening.
yeah you'll always have the possibility of condensation, because condensation is caused by the conditions. Since you're warm, and the air is cold, condensation will form whenever you breath. If the humidity is high, then there's no place for the moisture to go, so it collects on things. I think aside from using a tent stove to heat the air under the tarp to above the dew-point, the next best solution is the frost bib to collect most of that moisture in a controlled spot.
The top cover DOES help it stay warmer, but mostly by slowing the air movement over your top-quilt, which while taking less of your heat away, also allows condensation to collect when that same air movement would have taken it away. With the Chameleon, you can unzip the part over your head and let the condensation from your breath collect on your tarp instead. It isn't always possible for the vent to be enough, though, unfortunately, but you don't usually realize until morning when it's too late. Sometimes there's nothing you can do if the humidity is really high anyway. in that case, everything will be foggy and damp, everywhere, including inside your top cover.
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Thanks to everyone who posted. I appreciate it a bunch.
All the important points have already been said by others.
Socks add to your temperature range but add surface area for condensation and also trap water vapor in your hammock setup.
Outdoor temperatures <40*F are always battle between condensation and surface area. Every breath you exhale is full of water vapor, moisture that has to go somewhere.... You are always leaking moisture from skin and breathing. At lower temps this becomes much more noticable.
I have found some sort of breath catcher, frost bib, absorbant cloth near my face blocking breath from spilling out on my top quilt does the best job of controlling condensation / wetness accumulating on my gear.
Moisture control vs Temperature control: You need both to survive lower temps. Really a balancing act. Moisture control for the longer term (you can last 1-2 nights) as the moisture builds up in the TQ. Temperature is subjective, but, the most important, you must be comfortable enough to sleep and feel rested in the morning. Too much moisture ruins the temperature and comfort factor in your quilts. A side note, hammock hot tenting changes the game with regards to drying out gear, TQ/UQ between sleep cycles. Again, weather conditions + gear + trip duration all combine into the moisture/temperature comfort in the hammock equation.
I find my under quilt protector adds about 10*F comfort. My Chameleon with Top Cover adds another 10*F. Especially in windy conditions. I sleep with a lite fleece lap blanket wrapped around me because I don't like the feel of synthetic when I sleep, this addes another 5-10*F to my comfort level tolerance. Base layer, wool sleep socks, beanie, are my usual sleep clothes. I'll add a fleece vest if forecast is extremely cold and or windy plus some fingerless fleece gloves as needed. Zero Degree Quilts (TQ/UQ) seem to work quite well for me, but I prefer Fall, Winter, Spring camping. My personal best is -8*F with my setup (20mph wind) and I was very warm and comfortable all night long. My frost bib lasts for days before I need to actually dry it out, but easy enough over a small fire or camp stove. I use a 24" x 24" orange super absorbant shammy cloth modified as frost bib.
Not sure if this really added to the discussion, good luck with your hanging!
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