Can I stay warm at 35 degrees

[litetrek]

I appreciate everyone's input. Whatever you post is certainly correct for you, so I don't mean to be argumentative. I'm just trying to avoid spending a lot of money only to find out I'm freezing at night unless I significantly increase the base weight of the gear I'm carrying. I am originally from PA and am well acquainted with staying warm in the winter in a tent on the ground. Georgia is a little different. There is a frost warning here tonight. Two days ago the low temp for the night was 50 degrees. My tent, sleeping bag and ground pad for those two temps would be the same sleeping on the ground. I might pull on a wool hat tonight if was up in the mountains sleeping on the ground. Temps here in the Spring and fall are unpredictable and I don't want to carry a lot of extra weight to be prepared for a 30 degree night when it might be 50 degrees. I'm just trying to learn and determine if hammock backpacking will work for me. It seemed from comments I've read that the enclosed space in the clark adds about 10 degrees to the outside temp .... don't know. I am not prepared to spent a lot all at once. I thought I'd start with the basics and add a little at a time.

[jbrianb]

A pad will work just fine, I am unsure of where you heard otherwise. Anyways if you would like to keep it minimal, look at reflectix or a thinner pad from gossamer gear.

From what I know, the Clark hammocks have the pockets and they are more or less windproof. That all fine and dandy, but it just means you don't lose convective heat as quickly. If you wanted to go super dooper crazy, you could just shove leaves in there and make a "natural" uq. I personally recommend a nice uq and forget those bags underneath your butt are there.

I have a Leighlo 30 degree UQ and it's divine.

[DemostiX]

Any largely wind-impermeaable - hammock will, with a well-suspended 20F UQ, take you to 20F, assuming you are wearing fleece, wool socks, a hat and/or balaclava, and maybe a thin sweater. Some here, including me, can use just a 30-40F quilt on top. Others would want a 20F rated TQe or equivalent bag.

Wind changes that, just as on the ground. So hang your tarp to block the wind.

Don't want to go integrated "weather shield' or equivalent, what with zippers and expense? Hand or machine sew some fabric snaps onto your hmmck side hems to match up to the other halves of those snaps on 2-3 yd^2 of wind-shield fabric. Nylon, poly, fleece, whatever you like. Cost? $10-$20 for a weather-shield

I have (too) many Clarks, and I'm not getting rid of any, most with weather-shields.

Q:10F of warmth added by ANY weather-shield MARGINAL to being well tucked in without one?
A: If it makes people happy to think so, let them think it. I deploy mine all the time because the marginal cost of doing so is trivial, and protection from BIG DRAFT is substantial, should gusts come through with a weather front, or should I un-tuck my TQ by accident.

But, I'll tell you that probably nobody here who has slept outside at 20F honestly thought on the FIRST experience that he / she would get used to breathing such cold air and sleeping, too. Turns out that just like exercising in heat, there is some adaptation to non-normal temps, and no real short-cut to it.

[litetrek]

I think a lot of folks are missing the intent of my original post. 1) I don't own a hammock 2) I would like to get one and my budget is limited 3) I am aware that an underquilt and top quilt are optimal and would solve my weight and warmth problem but I don't have the resources to spend on either item. I am stuck with the 20 degree rectangular bag I already have, a ccf and no more warm clothing that I currently carry to sleep on the ground. 4) If I have to carry a bunch more stuff to be warm then a hammock is not for me. So, can I possibly be warm at 35 degrees in a nx-250 with those constraints?

[UrsaMajor1887]

Another thought since you want to be warm and cheep in a hammock is to go with a double layer hammock and get a 1/4" pad from Gossamer Gear that can be slid in between the hammock layers and will be wide enough to keep your shoulders warm. They weight less than 14 oz so not much more than your current pad and are low cost when compared to other options at $37. http://gossamergear.com/sleeping/1-4-wide.html If it is not warm enough, try adding an emergency blanket or another pad between the hammock layers. I went with a single layer hammock to save weight and because I thought the under quilt would be the way to go. If it didn't work for me I could always sell it for almost what I paid for it here on the forums.

If I were on a budget, that is how I would try and do it.

[Hiker Philly]

So, can I possibly be warm at 35 degrees in a nx-250 with those constraints?

Yes, if I put my gear in the pockets, put a small CCF under my feed, close the weathersheld and close the tarp, I can. But it is just warm enough. I am close to having a cold sleep near 35F if the wind blows hard. But for 1-2 nights? It works for me.

In addition you can use the 1/4 pad solution under the shoulders as mentioned above. I use a Golite Jam (from spring to fall) and do the same as a kind of emergency solution near 3F.

[Sky kid]

I've used my dl Wbbb 1.1 with ccf down to 28 with no problem. Down booties, $19 at rei, were my luxury item for a restful night. This was with a 35 degree sleeping bag. And a mid weight fleece.

[DemostiX]

I appreciate everyone's input. Whatever you post is certainly correct for you, so I don't mean to be argumentative. I'm just trying to avoid spending a lot of money only to find out I'm freezing at night unless I significantly increase the base weight of the gear I'm carrying. I am originally from PA and am well acquainted with staying warm in the winter in a tent on the ground. Georgia is a little different. There is a frost warning here tonight. Two days ago the low temp for the night was 50 degrees. My tent, sleeping bag and ground pad for those two temps would be the same sleeping on the ground. I might pull on a wool hat tonight if was up in the mountains sleeping on the ground. Temps here in the Spring and fall are unpredictable and I don't want to carry a lot of extra weight to be prepared for a 30 degree night when it might be 50 degrees. I'm just trying to learn and determine if hammock backpacking will work for me. It seemed from comments I've read that the enclosed space in the clark adds about 10 degrees to the outside temp .... don't know. I am not prepared to spent a lot all at once. I thought I'd start with the basics and add a little at a time.

Clark hammocks are expensive, including bug netting with HD zippers, and tarp. So, if your $ resources are low, it is the last hammock you should be looking for, when you can buy a hammock and suspension (w/o bugnet) for < $50. Then use a pad as suggested here, or get a synthetic UQ for < $100, or DIY re-purpose a quilt or other gear for much less.

There's no point discussing a tarp / rain-fly; you need one outdoors, wherever you sleep.

Please know that the archives here are deeply, deeply searchable, that Just Jeff's pages are exhaustive, and that the Sticky's furnish extensive plenary advice. Including complete kits at different price points.

[Passinthru]

Using just the equipment you now have (pad, bag, clothes), my opinion is that you could make it through the night at 35* in a hammock (with a tarp). But, IMO, you will make it through much warmer in a Clark. The weathersheild will increase the inside temp measurably and, if needed, the pockets can be stuffed with clothes, leaves, etc.
You are right about the weight - there is not much, if anythiing, to be gained in weight savings by hanging vs. tenting so any equipment you have to add over what you already have tips the scales even more. With the Clark, when it is above 55* I don't carry any extra bottom insulation.

[Caveman]

If you are on a limited budget, why buy one of the most expensive hammocks? Just curious. Why not buy a more reasonably priced hammock and spend the extra cash on insulation?