New low 3.6 degrees F

[jaiden]

Sleep system:
HH, oware pad laid flat, another oware pad folded in half under torso, mummy shaped SL-basic insulmat (.39"), (a total of .9525" in pads) JRB ORM as a top quilt, inflatable U shaped travel pillow, golite poncho tarp poorly hung as a windblock underneath

clothing worn:
top - Icebreaker Tshirt, Ibex hooded shak, 100 weight fleece shirt, montbell thermawrap jacket
bottom - wool/poly blend long underwear bottoms, 100 weight fleece pants, themawrap pants, wind pants
feet - 2 pairs of heavy smartwool socks, neoprene toe socks
head - shak hood, 200 weight (?) fleece balaclava

secret weapon:
thin acrylic scarf I took from my wife. see below.

experiences:
I was pretty warm when it was 15, but it dropped another 10 degrees before daybreak. I'm not sure of the exact temps, but a nearby weather station showed a low of 3.6 degrees.

I started with a hot water bottle tucked in my jacket, partly to warm me up and partly to keep some water from freezing. I woke up a few times during the night but was able to eat something and get back to sleep. At 5 degrees, my feet were COLD, but I didn't get frostbite. I wished I had some down tent booties. I probably should have reheated the water bottle at around 3 AM. I also should have used the chemical toe warmers I brought.

I had the idea of using the scarf to warm my breath. I wasn't comfortable with it on my face, so I hung it in an upside down V from the ridgeline. At times it was pretty close to my face, and at other times it closed town to be a small tunnel. It did get damp/icy, but not too badly since it is very thin. It helped a lot with my overall comfort. Even though it had lots of (intentional) gaps around it, it made my face MUCH warmer.

I wouldn't choose to sleep in 5 degrees again without an underquilt. I could use my RMS there, but I only have a 30 degree bag to use otherwise and I thought I'd be cold on top. Maybe another oware pad would work, but this is pushing the limit of what I can carry. Without buying another RMS or something, I don't think I'd be comfortable.

I could have done a better job doing something creative with the poncho tarp. Maybe as a half overcover it would have helped more, or just hung better underneath.

I was actually surprised how cold I was around camp with my clothing setup. I thought about using the RMS in poncho mode, but I wasn't comfortable with it near the fire. Instead I used my backup 100 weight fleece top/bottom, which I'd prefer not to have to carry. I definitely needed everything for sleeping as it was, so I'm not sure I could leave anything behind if it were going to be below 20F. This was by far the coldest I've ever slept, and I don't expect to go out again if it will be below 20F. But, it's nice to know I can survive reasonably comfortably and get 8 hours sleep in a pinch.

[GrizzlyAdams]

jaiden-
congratulations on surviving the night!

The hardest thing for me sleeping in cold (in the air or on the ground) is breathing cold air. It is so different than usual, that tends to keep me from sleeping soundly. A side effect of the coldness (for me anyway) is that my sinuses drain. If I try sleeping on my side, per usual, the drainage goes on my face rather than down my throat. That'll keep me awake too. So I stay on my back, which is another "not usual thing" sleep wise. All fine though if I can stay warm.

As I was reading through your list of stuff, if there's one thing you might have had that would I think made a big difference, it's a hammock sock. Cuts the moving air, kinda sorta helps heat the air inside, gives you another 10 degree margin, easily. They are easy to make also.

Grizz

[Coffee]

Man that's cold.

One thing that helps me on the cold nights is to drink more water during the course of the night. I wake up a lot anyways. That helps keep my body hydrated. It also keeps my mouth moist in the cold dry air. The only downside maybe an extra watering the snow trip or two.

One thing that migt also help depending on whether or not you want the food bag pillow, is to eat if you wake up in the middle of the night. I notice a big difference in my body temp when I wake up and start eating. It gets the furance going. A snack before bed and in the middle of the night might do the same thing.

[HappyCamper]

3 degrees! Without an underquilt. Wow and YIKES!!! Congratulations! Were you cold from underneath at all?

I had the same problem with my feet at 18 degrees. I also had the chemical heat pack but used them! They made all the difference in the world for my comfort level. Plus I ate a Snickers bar at around 2 pm.

I'm not an expert but I think I'd try it next time using the JRB OMR underneath and using the 30 degree bag on top with your pads. Just as a comparison. Your clothes seem warm enough to make up for the 30 degree bag. I'm wondering what others think who have more experience.

[FanaticFringer]

I've used just pads down to about 10°
I used a Speer SPE and that helped keep the upper sides warm.
I agree that an underquilt plus pads would be even better.
Another new option out there is to take an underquilt such as one made by JRB and fold it in half and you have a half underquilt. Grizz gave me that idea. Gives you some serious loft in the upper body area. You could then either use a shorter pad(s) on the lower half. I would just use full length pad(s) but then again my JRB bridge hammock feels just as good with or without pads. Gotta love those pad pockets. Especially in a true flat hammock. I'm sure there are a number of ways you could rig the half underquilt to your hammock. I just sewed a couple of pull tabs on each side of the folded over underquilt and attached it to the end with the JRB suspension shock cords and biners. I used a total of 4 shockcord/biners.
It cant be adjusted at the head end the way I have done it but it fits perfectly the way it is.

[Tobit]

If you are just camping or taking a leisurely trip through the woods, just take a couple naps during the day when it's warmer and then relax by a campfire through the night. Wouldn't quite work if you were on a backpacking trip and had a shed-ule to follow I s'pose.

- JT

[jaiden]

I'll respond to everything at once if I can...

Grizz: yeah the scarf worked well to keep the air warm. recent threads on this subject caused me to stuff the scarf in my pocket as I went out the door. it was a great idea.

HE: yep, I had a cereal bar when I woke up one of the times. I also had a drink at around 11 (after a couple hours sleep) though I only had COLD water handy. I wasn't too cold at this point and I still had my hot water bottle in my jacket. I know, I could have had some of that, but I liked the idea of saving it for later. By 5 am though, when I really needed it, it was body temp. Drinking it may have helped some. Reheating it would have been ideal, and I probably would have done so if I woke up again. The cold toes kept me in the hammock though.

HC: Was I cold from underneath? Probably, but not that noticeably. In other words, I think my feet were cold because my whole body was cold. The temps were dropping all night and went WAY down around 5 AM. I was pretty much OK before then.

Use the ORM underneath and 30 degree bag as a top quilt?
yeah this is a good idea and I thought about it. I didn't for a few reasons:
1) I wanted to see how I'd do with just the gear I can fit in my pack. The 3 pads are tough but I was able to do it. The 30F bag was on a pulk with a bunch of other gear carried by my buddy. I actually had the insulmat on there too, but was able to fit all 3 the first time I packed. Once I knew I had the pulk I didn't bother.
2) As I said it didn't get REALLY cold till late. I was already cold at that point and I didn't think fumbling with hanging an UQ (for the first time ever) at that hour, in the dark, would be a good idea. The 30F bag was 3 degrees and would have taken a while to warm up, whereas my existing gear was Ok. Since I don't PLAN to go out at 3 degrees again, I will NOT carry the 30F bag due to space/weight constraints. If I do take the pulk for a near-zero trip, I might start off that way as you've advised. But I didn't want to risk switching at 5 am for fear of hypothermia and frostbite.

FF: half underquilt? I've considered butchering my 30F bag to make one. I like it too much though. Feel free to send me some cash to buy one good idea though, and light. I had considered a short insulated pad or something, but UQ may be more comfortable. Probably useful for warmer temps too in place of the pads.

Tobit: Yeah on this trip we hiked in a mile or so, had a couple hours of daylight to gather firewood and set up camp, and then we went to bed early. I was close to getting up at 5 am and restarting the fire and just getting going for the day. I already had 8 hours sleep by then anyway.

Thanks for the comments all.

[BIG-E]

Single digits is impressive I have to say that adding a hammock sock or pea pod really does add at least 10 degrees to the setup. I generally use a windshield reflector, 4" homemade underquilt, 2 30 deg. bags (one over me, one under with the foot boxes overlapped) and a homemade hammock sock to go with my speer type hammock. I camp all winter ( going out this w/e with scouts ) and have found this to be good down to approx. zero.

yis,
Erin

[Coffee]

If it helps at times I put my down jacket over my feet or whatever other part of me is cold.

[Dingus Khan]

bit of a late post but I couldn't post from work and wanted to slap a figurative high-five:

"Good Job Jaiden!!

Thats c-c-cold!

Speaking of central ma - I just spent the night outside on my porch last night (wife was away - cold - I think it was about 10-12 degrees though. Couldn't hang unfortunately...
I have had some interesting experiences with vapor barriers - I tested them out and seemed to work out ok, not a huge difference in T but warmer nonetheless.
The feet are always the problem with me as well - I usually end up stuffing my down vest down under them at around 3am and use my folded arm as a pillow.

My cold setup includes: walmart ccf pad (20x46) + GG 1/4" pad (32x46)
EMS Mountain Light 20 Down Bag
MEC fleece bag liner (makes a HUGE difference)
300wgt fleece balaclava
Walmart poly+merino top and bottom,
thick "fake" smartwool socks, usually have 2 depending on packing.

Throwing a hot water bottle helps, and I have noticed that drinking and eating before going to bed has really turned up the heat as well."

Ditto what HE said, cover the feet and eat lots, seems to work best.