Moving: thoughts on gear for a new climate? Oregon->Cambodia

[peripatew]

Moving from the cold and wet northwest, to the tropical climate in Cambodia.

Not sure how much hiking I'll be able to do once there, but I want to be prepared gear wise! Seems the weather stays in the 70-90's, with a wild wet season.

Locals use a variety of hammocks, with mosquitos being a problem at different times of the year. Obviously wouldn't need my underquilt too much, nor my 0 degree sleeping bag.

Quilt/blanket options?

Right now I have a WBBB double 1.1, with a few tarp options for dry/wet weather. Should I sub in something single layer? Or would a double layer be good for mosquitos?

Should I treat my hammock with a bug repellant?

Any other things I should think about? Summers are great here in Oregon, but even at night where I go it gets in the 50's, but I usually go in the September->April window and love it.

[Redoleary]

I would still treat your gear with permethrin and stick the the WBFF double, since you already have it, may as well keep it. I'm a cold sleeper so even at 70 I'd need an UQ but I would try to get away with a poncho liner UQ. Poncho liners are cheap, and being synthetic should stand up to the moisture quite well. Maybe a second poncho liner for a top quilt and fleece blanket. I like the feel of fleece, so I'd use that as primary and poncho liner on top of that as required. I haven't been to Cambodia but have been next door in Thailand and they get some serious frog strangler rains so I would go big with the tarp.

What will you be doing over there?

[Jmuzz]

I think anything with a non/low breathable plasticky base is just going to end up as a sweat flooded sauna. The temperatures and humidity are very high so it is nothing but sweat and condensation all year, bucketing rain while still steaming hot for half of it.

I would go as breathable as possible and use a bug net which encapsulates the whole hammock, so that way you keep the fever mozzies away while minimising sweat dampness.

It's a big climate change for you and it's going to be uncomfortable, a sheet hammock is probably the best to start with while you acclimatise.