toasty hang in 20 deg on New Year's Eve

[MacEntyre]

I spent New Year's Eve in the Birkhead Wilderness, Uwharrie Natl Forest, to catch the last two days of deer season. Just happened to be the coldest night yet... and I've never tried my SuperShelter in conditions colder than a light frost!

I was toasty! I hung with the foot to the north, into the wind, which was howling. I used the stock Hennessy asym fly, and found that the the undercover, sans pad, works with snakeskins.

I put a Gossamer Gear 1/4" pad under the SS pad. I also used my poncho as an OverCover, draped right over the net, closed at at the foot and secured at the foot so that it left an opening at the head. I think the fly could have done the job just as well as the poncho, unless it were raining.

When I turned in, I was fully clothed in wool socks, poly pants, long underwear, poly long sleeve undershirt, a heavy shirt and a wool vest. I put a lightweight balaclava on my head, which was on a small camping pillow.

I used two quilts: a Speer Frog Sac and a Guide Gear poncho liner. I closed the foot of the Frog Sac and zipped it up to my knees to make a foot well. When I lay down under the Frog Sac, I put one corner of the poncho liner under my feet, the opposite corner over my head, and the other two corners tucked so the quilt overlapped the foam pad underneath, sealing off any drafts.

There was a little condensation, which froze in the pads, but not as much as I feared. The underside of the pillow cover was soaked. There were no cold spots at any time!

I don't know how cold you can take this rig, but I'm certain it can work below 20 degrees.

PS - Before I went to sleep, I noticed that my Platypus filter says "Do Not Freeze", so I slept with it. My sipping tube froze, so I couldn't drink while hiking until it thawed at 1100 today.

[kwpapke]

I put a Gossamer Gear 1/4" pad under the SS pad. I also used my poncho as an OverCover, draped right over the net, closed at at the foot and secured at the foot so that it left an opening at the head. I think the fly could have done the job just as well as the poncho, unless it were raining.

Nice job! One thing to try that I've had some success with is stashing any unused clothing between the two pads, e.g. any jackets or the like go between the SS pad and in your case the GG pad. I've found this works really well.

Could you explain what you meant that the fly could have done the job as well? Do you mean slacking the ridgeline tension so the fly drapes over the netting?

--Kurt

[MacEntyre]

Regarding clothes in the UC, don't you have to be careful about UC tension, so you don't compress the foam?

Do you mean slacking the ridgeline tension so the fly drapes over the netting?

Yes, at least get it closer to the netting and stake it down close, or tie the ends together under the hammock. I think that is recommended for high wind, but I've never tried it.

BTW, I tried an idea I heard here about how to rig the fly. One end is fixed, as designed by Hennessy, and to the other I tied a length of small stuff, so that I can bring it real tight. (I think the fellow who recommended it tied his to the tree hugger, but I lashed mine to the hammock line.) That way, when I get in the hammock, the fly only slacks off a little bit, and doesn't rattle in the wind.

Man, am I gald I didn't spend one more night... 36 deg and raining this morning!

[kwpapke]

Regarding clothes in the UC, don't you have to be careful about UC tension, so you don't compress the foam?

Hasn't been a problem so far for me.

--Kurt

[BillyBob58]

Mac,
I'm glad to hear you were able to handle 20*F in the SS with minimal add ons. Apparently, just that 1/4" pad in the UC, under the pad, right? Pretty impressive results, really. Did you have a space blanket over the HH OCF pad? Did you ever try the 1/4" pad on top of the HH pad? I've heard that works good, but I have never tried it.

I don't have much trouble with clothing being compressed down in the UC, though my PG jacket is less compressible than my down vest. But I think both do OK, any compression of the down vest is minimal. This really works great, but the only possible trouble is that whatever you put into the bottom obviously can't be part of your top insulation. And some folks plan on sleeping in a jacket as part of their top insulation. But if that is the case, and you don't still have some left over clothes to put down there, that's when a Garlington insulator comes in handy. Just a garbage bag and space blanket- a few oz and a couple of $.

[MacEntyre]

Mac,
I'm glad to hear you were able to handle 20*F in the SS with minimal add ons.

That was my goal, being a Scot. I don't like the price of Goose feathers.

...just that 1/4" pad in the UC, under the pad, right?

Yes it was under the pad. There was nothing in the UC but the two pads.

Did you have a space blanket over the HH OCF pad?

No sir. You suggested that to me in another post last year, and I tried it. Got a lot of condensation, though.

Did you ever try the 1/4" pad on top of the HH pad?

No, simply because the SS pad is fitted, making me think that I should be on top of it. If the SS pad works as well as it can when fitted right up against me, then the flat supplemental foam might work best as the outside layer. It probably doesn't matter, if the UC is not too tight. I used to think I had my UC rigged too tight, but after this test, I think not.

[BillyBob58]

That was my goal, being a Scot. I don't like the price of Goose feathers.

Aha! Now I understand!

No sir. You suggested that to me in another post last year, and I tried it. Got a lot of condensation, though.

I hate to hear that, sorry my recommendation led you to condensation! It is funny how things work different for different folks. The one and only time I got noticeable condensation was the ONE time I DIDN'T use my SB. And it remains so to this day. Go figure. I guess each individual has to learn what works for him, and it looks like you have.

No, simply because the SS pad is fitted, making me think that I should be on top of it. If the SS pad works as well as it can when fitted right up against me, then the flat supplemental foam might work best as the outside layer. It probably doesn't matter, if the UC is not too tight. I used to think I had my UC rigged too tight, but after this test, I think not.

Same here. I think too loose is a more likely scenario. Keep us posted on future test results!

[MacEntyre]

Keep us posted on future test results!

I shall! The only reason I feel like I know what I'm doing with my hammock is because I read a lot of threads on this forum!