If you used the gore-tex bivy, the green bag and a light uq how low would you go without wearing layers to sleep in?
I've been down to -13* in my system on a deployment. In my moded hammock version 8*. Now you have to wear the right layers still with this system per the training. Before I moded my system I would be way to hot, sweat a lot in the bivy and either bag and not as comftortable as I am now. Now i used 2 MSS sets. Basically I seam ripped open each bag, 1 black and 1 green. Made a flat rectangle, it's not perfect but. Now I cut it down to the shape I wanted just like any other UQ. Sewed the edges shut, sewed gros gain on all sides. Add shock cord and cord locks. It's a little work but a perfect water proof UQ. Now all I did for the TQ is cut off the zipper, sewed up the edges. Now the Gortex bivy I just cut it open made a rectangle of it. Rolled the edges so I could run shock cord through it. It's just a weather break. Now I have 2 sets of UQ's and TQ's, black for under 30*s and the green for anything hotter.
I use the patrol bag as a top quilt; after I removed the shock cord, velcro and clips from the head end. I wish I could take out the snaps and zipper, but it would likely destroy the whole thing. I am not to keen on how the interior is holding up either, it seems that any little thing, like my toes, tends to snag the nylon, and create a gnarled up mess down at the foot end.
What I like about it, is that it is relatively light, and I can pack it up in the "fanny pack" attachment to the ACU Assault pack, with a little room to spare. (Adding in a fleece bag liner with it)
I have the giant, 5 lb old school bag, filled with feathers. I used that recently on a 22* overnighter, and stayed pretty warm, with just some toe coldness.
I use a PLUQ all the time, with a wool blanket next to the hammock. That keeps me pretty warm. My PLUQ is single layer, so my whole hammock is covered.
I would like to see someone with the goretex piece make a pea pod modification; I think that would probably work...although I turned my other pieces in at the end of my deployment. (Kicking myself now, I coulda used all that stuff)
Take it easy,
gmcpcs
Semper Veritas.
I take either the green or the black MSS sleeping bag and use that in my hammock as a top quilt, depending on the expected temps. I have a down underquilt I use for bottom insulation. I tend to leave the sleeping bag unzipped and upside down open like a top quilt would be used. If it gets really cold then I'll actually climb completely into the bag and zip it up because that helps me not loose my heat.
I used the MSS black bag on my first Hammock trip. I used it like a standard bag. Temp dipped to 19*. I had a down UQ and a polar flece blanket drapped over the ridge line. The olny thing that got cold on me was my feet around 5am. I needed a pad but all I had was my poncho liner and it slipped b/c of the way I used the bag.
Last edited by 1Arm Bandit; 02-13-2013 at 18:22.
I use two patrol bags snapped together as a tq or a bag right now. i want to mod one of them as an uq. seen it done once but cant find it again. the insulation in the patrol bags is climasheild, i dont know about the black bag.
The insulation is the same for both bags, the black is just thicker and heavier. I'll send you pics of my system. We have had snow and temps in the 20's every weekend our BSA Troop has gone out. I've been perfectly worm everytime in just fresh wool socks, and undearmor type base layer, stocking hat. Easy cheep trick is to put 1 or 2 of those heat hand Warmers in the footend of your TQ bag.
I just modded my intermediate bag to death to make an UQ. I took off the hood, split it down the foot box & opened it up to form a blanket. I put some binding around the edges to dress it out. I don't worry about suspension for it in the Magna hammock since it just sandwiches between the layers without compressing. It bundles up pretty small & will likely go to lower temps than my PLUQ setup. I think I'll like this. I normally don't like to mod gear that much but I only paid $10 for the bag. Think I'm gonna be happy with it.
I have the gortex bivy I have used it with a sleeping bag before I got my topquilt
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