Originally Posted by
FLRider
Location: Super Secret Test Site #1 (my front yard)
Met Conditions: Temperatures ranging from 42* F to 34* F, winds light and variable (zero windchill), RH ranging from 93% to 97%, zero precipitation.
Clothing: Patagonia Capilene 3 longsleeve top; mil surplus polypropolene "Drawers, Cold Weather" bottoms; wool watch cap; thin polyester running socks as liners; vapor barrier bags (Publix vegetable bags) over liners; thick, loose Wigwam wool socks as primary insulation socks.
Top Insulation: Mil surplus poncho liner used as top quilt.
Tarp: None (wanted to see the stars).
Underquilt: 20* DIY 7-chamber, differentially-cut down quilt. M50 shell, 4" nanoseeum baffles (before seam allowance; ~3.5" after sewing), 14 oz of 850 fp down.
Undercover: 30d sil poncho, vented at head hole and ends.
Test Subject Information: I had a fairly easy night at work last night; I was sober, well-fed (two slices ~2.5 hours before bed), and well-hydrated.
Results:
I slept very well and warm for the evening.
I was worried about my under insulation (my poncho liner is almost moisture-impervious to anything short of dunking or a full downpour) at first; it took an extra five minutes for it to loft up the whole way following its removal from my oversized snake skin. It appeared a bit "clumpy" as well, at first. There was no moisture in evidence on the quilt's shell, whereas there had been some even after a wipedown with a bandanna yesterday morning. This made me think that it had migrated into the quilt's down, causing it to not loft completely.
However, I gave it fifteen minutes (total) between pulling it out and trying to get into bed. I shook it a bit to aid in lofting and to recenter the down (a significant portion had shifted towards the head end, I think due to the direction of my skinning the hammock and insulation yesterday) at about five minutes into the process. I then hung my undercover underneath at fifteen minutes and crawled into bed.
I slept warm, though the temperatures were easing down into the range that I'll probably want a pad or pack under my legs in the future. I was okay on this one, but I could definitely feel the difference where the quilt ended. Throw in some wind, an exhausting day on trail, and...
I woke about thirty minutes ago, to virtually no condensation on the outside of my quilt (there was some on the inside of the undercover, down around where the head hole is, but a looser hang of it this time kept the condensation from being in contact with the quilt). It's fully-lofted and the down is in all of the right spots. Aside from my feet being a bit chilled when I pulled off the vapor barriers and thick socks this morning, I consider this a successful test.
I need to do more testing in the near-future, but I'm much more hopeful than I was yesterday morning. We'll see...
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