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  1. #21
    Senior Member dejoha's Avatar
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    The coldest I remember was 15°F in the George Washington National Forest in Virginia. I was miserable. I also had a 20°F down bag, so I was probably pushing it anyway. There was a slight breeze and I even had a Nalgene with hot water in with me. Soon my head was hurting from the cold and I knew I was in bad shape. Luckily I was car camping with the scouts (all snug in their tents) and I ran to my car and ran the engine to get warmed up. Probably my most miserable night in a hammock ever.

    From what I know now, I could probably make a closed-cell foam pad work at that temperature, but I think there would need to be some serious reward money involved.

  2. #22
    Senior Member Festus Hagen's Avatar
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    Dejoha, you did all right. To me it seems like sleeping bag ratings are more "you won't die at this temp" than "comfort ratings". I have a 15 bag I like a lot but I really don't care to sleep in it much below 32F. I tested it at 20F sleeping on a cot with a thick foam pad... slept ok for 4 hours and woke up cold. I definitely wouldn't last too long at 15F with that bag and just a CCF pad...


    Quote Originally Posted by dejoha View Post
    The coldest I remember was 15°F in the George Washington National Forest in Virginia. I was miserable. I also had a 20°F down bag, so I was probably pushing it anyway. There was a slight breeze and I even had a Nalgene with hot water in with me. Soon my head was hurting from the cold and I knew I was in bad shape. Luckily I was car camping with the scouts (all snug in their tents) and I ran to my car and ran the engine to get warmed up. Probably my most miserable night in a hammock ever.

    From what I know now, I could probably make a closed-cell foam pad work at that temperature, but I think there would need to be some serious reward money involved.

  3. #23
    Senior Member dejoha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Festus Hagen View Post
    Dejoha, you did all right. To me it seems like sleeping bag ratings are more "you won't die at this temp" than "comfort ratings". I have a 15 bag I like a lot but I really don't care to sleep in it much below 32F. I tested it at 20F sleeping on a cot with a thick foam pad... slept ok for 4 hours and woke up cold. I definitely wouldn't last too long at 15F with that bag and just a CCF pad...
    Thanks Festus!

    I think you're right -- the bag wasn't much help. In fact, I think it was a synthetic bag, not down. Man, my memory is fading! Yes, it was a 20°F Coleman Klickitat x20. That was early on in my backpacking days and I've learned a hard lesson that inexpensive, synthetic bags are best used for living room sleepovers. I think that 20°F bag should have been rated at 60°F.

    My 20°F down bag is cozy at 15°F.

  4. #24
    Senior Member wisenber's Avatar
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    It's sort of amazing how soon lessons learner drop off the radar once a product has been discontinued. Ed Speer sold his Segmented Pad Extenders (SPE) up until the merger this Spring. If you use one of those, you can stack pads and have wings on the side good down to as low as you dare. I used my DIY SPE many times in the teens with no issues. I stacker a Big Agnes insulated air core on top of a blue foam pad using blue foam wings and slept pretty darned toasty at 15° with a 15° synthetic bag. It tends to stay put even in a single layer hammock, but the volume will raise you higher in the hammock.

    There are many ways to overcome low temperatures and a small budget. I prefer my UQ's, but I'll take a pad set up with me every now and then just for a change. Pads also withstand wet conditions more than UQ's.

  5. #25
    Senior Member rigidpsycho's Avatar
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    I made it down to 23* with a military poncho/liner UQ and Walmart blue pad.
    Last edited by rigidpsycho; 10-16-2010 at 09:01.
    Chris

  6. #26
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    My lowest is -2 degrees at the Colorado WInter Hang last Febuary, up at 9,500 ft. I used a Warbonnet Blackbird with a Walmart pad with wings and space blanket, Big Agnes pad, and an old down bag of unknown rating (it's a good one!). I was toasty warm.

    ....A Nalgene bottle of hot water tucked in there against the femoral artery, and having my feet tucked in the liners of my Sorrel boots helped out, too.

    Here's the thread for how to make the DIY pad - space blanket combo:

    http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=14196
    "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything."
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  7. #27
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wisenber View Post
    It's sort of amazing how soon lessons learner drop off the radar once a product has been discontinued. Ed Speer sold his Segmented Pad Extenders (SPE) up until the merger this Spring. If you use one of those, you can stack pads and have wings on the side good down to as low as you dare. I used my DIY SPE many times in the teens with no issues. I stacker a Big Agnes insulated air core on top of a blue foam pad using blue foam wings and slept pretty darned toasty at 15° with a 15° synthetic bag. It tends to stay put even in a single layer hammock, but the volume will raise you higher in the hammock.

    There are many ways to overcome low temperatures and a small budget. I prefer my UQ's, but I'll take a pad set up with me every now and then just for a change. Pads also withstand wet conditions more than UQ's.
    What Wisenber said exactly! Been there and done that, my 1st ever "toasty" hammock night below 20. Good old Speer SPE and a couple of stacked pads.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Festus Hagen View Post
    The answer to that question is already in the thread, either add wings or criss-cross with a cut-down pad.

    You can also buy larger (and better) foam and shape it to your needs... check out options at http://www.foambymail.com/closedcell.html (I'd get the minicell) but of course we're talking more $$ now.
    I just went to the site. I am wondering which thickness is sufficient for 30 deg and above. I have a 30 deg colman sleeping bag as it was the widest I could find.

  9. #29
    Senior Member Festus Hagen's Avatar
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    I can't say what will work for everyone, but I've used 3/8" wally-world pads below 30F, although I was using a backpacking 15F-rated mummy bag which I zip into.


    Quote Originally Posted by Sunny's_Trike View Post
    I just went to the site. I am wondering which thickness is sufficient for 30 deg and above. I have a 30 deg colman sleeping bag as it was the widest I could find.

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Festus Hagen View Post
    I can't say what will work for everyone, but I've used 3/8" wally-world pads below 30F, although I was using a backpacking 15F-rated mummy bag which I zip into.
    Thanks for the input. I just checked and a piece 48"x72" is $42 with shipping. It will roll to approximately 10" in diameter. My plan was leaning towards cutting it in a mummy configuration, but wide enough to keep me on it at all times. But I think I can spend that much or a little more and get something not so bulky. I just have to make sure it is wide enough as I have that old age arthritis and getting cold would kick my butt.

    Any suggestions, please dont hesitate

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