BillyBob weight is not that big a concern as it once was as my hiking buddies are now my paddling buddies! I was looking at using the climashield in 6 oz since the climashield UQ would be an easy build and cheaper.
Does anyone have a 6oz climashield UQ that can tell me how it rates?
Just my 2 cents.
As long as you aren't going in or out, too far, or for too long, Down is the choice. Most thru hikers zero every 7-10 days, and spend some time drying their insulation, whether it gets soaked or not. It collects moisture and weight from your body.
Once you commit to not being able to bail for mistakes or adverse conditions, the discussion can swing the other way some, but not for all. Some contend that you make your own luck, and truly believe they can keep their gear dry no matter what. Anything else is just packing for your fears.
Good for them. Experience indicates otherwise, and levels of expertise in this order certainly vary, form person to person. HYOH
That being said, usually cost not need, becomes the deciding factor on insulation, for most. If you can afford to go down, in the first place, I'd do so. If it won't fit your application, sell it and go Syn. You'll certainly have plenty of cash to do so!
If not, synthetics should serve you well, especially considering your location, temps, humidity, precip. Myself, I lean heavily to Synthetics for UQ's, but also believe, there are still weight and bulk savings, to be had, with down, even when using an UQ protector.
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Like BS, I too have two UQ’s. One is light weight synthetic for fall and spring and a down for winter, both are DIY.
My ego said, SURE you can.
Half way in my body said OH NO YOU CAN'T
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I have an ahe new river that's good to 30 and I think it's 5oz. Another option is resist down which has some sort of water repelent coating on it. Underground quilts has it as an option to their quilts
I do, in a way. I have the original War Bonnet Yeti style short (torso) UQ which uses removable layers of Climashield. Mine was supposed to be layers of 2.5 oz CS XP, but WB was out and gave me one perm layer of 2.5 oz plus 3 other layers of 3.8 oz Combat CS.
I have never had the opportunity to really push it. Using just one layer of 2.5 oz in the UQ and wearing just cotton T-shirt and jeans, I was adequately warm in the mid 40s and high humidity camped right next to a lake. I used one other layer ( 2.5 + 3.8= 6.3) to be toasty in the low 40s. Definitely could have gone much lower, but that is as low as it got. Using 3 layers ( 10.1 oz) was toasty in the 20s. Again, clearly could have gone much lower.
However, Cannibal has reported being warm enough with 10 oz ( 4 layers X 2.5 oz ) at something like minus 11F.
So based on that and my mid 40s with one 2.5 oz layer, I suspect I could do ~ 20F with 5 oz weight CS XP or Apex. But I have never put it to the test.
But, with any quilt and especially an UQ, every thing must be perfect. Perfect fit with no gaps or drafts at all.
Redneck, quite a bit farther south than you, retireed and on a somewhat fixed income and really enjoying DIY I made it thru my first hang with a PLUQ and a piece of insulfleece and midweight polypro UW down to 32F. First hang and only 2 months to get a rig togeather and survived. Last January at the 2nd Annual Florida Hang had progressed to a DIY polyester UQ/cover and the same insulfleece and polypro UW down to the mid 20's. Diffinately not the lightest but then at the 2nd FH didn't have to carry it but a few feet.
Most of us end up poorer here but richer for being here. Olddog, Fulltime hammocker, 365 nights a year.
Thanks everyone for the help and replies. I think I will make the climashield UQ this time around atleast. I saw another post somewhere on using multiple layers of climashield xp and removing the layers as needed which sounds like the ticket for customizing.
I have never needed or use an UQ in the late spring, summer and early fall here in Louisiana but now that I am traveling more and planning several trips in the winter it looks like its time to get one and besides all the moutain biking is taking my old insulation system away !
Billy Bob do you have a pic of what the warrbonnet with the removable sections looks like?
I injected a couple of these together for me and my brother. I used 4oz climashield and took it to the low 30's in may in the adirondacks here in NY. Wearing those nylon stretch running base layer pants and my old army poly pro top i was toasty. I use a big agnes 30- sleeping bag with the pad sleeve cut out as a top quilt. I sleep warm. I used breathable 1.1 ripstop for the hammock side and waterproof 1.1 for the outside. I havent put any quilting loops in them yet. I may not. Depends on how it holds up i guess. YMMV But thats what worked for me.
"It's better to keep your mouth shut and let people THINK your stupid than to open it and PROVE it" - SFC Kagawa, United States Army (my old platoon SGT)
*Originally -Abraham Lincoln 16th president of US (1809 -1865)
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