First time trip, how cold will I be?

**jaiden** · 09-14-2007, 11:42

I'm going on a my first trip with a hammock: a 3 day car camping trip in a couple weeks where the average nighttime temp goes down to 35F. I'm not sure of the long range forecast yet.

I have a HH, a 30 degree synthetic bag (which I believe is more like 35 and which i would probably use as a quilt), an oware pad and a mummy shaped Insulmat SL-basic (R 2.9).

I do like to sleep in cooler temperatures generally, so I'd say I sleep warmer than average, but I'm not sure by how much. I don't have enough experience in the backcountry to analyze this intelligently.

Am I going to freeze my rear off? I have a second 30F synth bag that I will probably bring with me as a backup plan. I also will have a bunch of good clothes, fleece balaclava, etc.

**sk8rs_dad** · 09-14-2007, 11:47

My $.02.

I'd guess you will be fine. The trick with a hammock is to get incompressible insulation underneath you, and the pad ought to do that. Take care with where you hang to minimize the airflow in and around the hammock.

**Otter1** · 09-14-2007, 12:06

Good choice on the balaclava! And welcome to the Forums.

I use a JRB Nest underneath, so I have very limited experience w/pads. Some users have great success, others hate dealing w/ the issues they bring, so YMMV. My gut tells me you may get chilly due to insufficient thickness, but I could be wrong since you're a warm sleeper. Watch out for sweating! Using a wide pad underneath (if it's wide enough) will keep your shoulders warmer when you move around.

Have a great trip.

**Rapt** · 09-14-2007, 12:11

A warm head gear choice like the balaclava will help a lot...

But 30-35 degree sleeping isn't that cold. I don't even close the windows at home until it gets colder at night than that. So I'd say you'll likely be ok with the set up you list.

And if your bags will zip together you can probably make a cocoon around the whole hammock in a pinch (losing the side tie outs) ....

**BillyBob58** · 09-14-2007, 12:11

Yeah, it's the underneath part you mainly need to be concerned with. Hammocks really do have an amazing ability to freeze your back, especially if it's windy and you are damp from sweat or whatever reason. Your main challenge will be to keep those pads ( how thick are they? You probably want at least 3/8" total) under you, which should be adequate if you can. If you don't have an SPE, you might want to get some of that stuff you place on shelves that keeps things from sliding around. Or put a few "lines" of seam sealer on your pads ( if you don't mind marking them up a bit). Anything to help them grip the bottom of your hammock so they don't slide out from under you. Good luck and have fun!
Bill

**jaiden** · 09-14-2007, 12:12

Originally Posted by Funny Money

Good choice on the balaclava! And welcome to the Forums.

I use a JRB Nest underneath, so I have very limited experience w/pads. But, I think your setup should be ok based on others using inflatables. My initial thought would be to put the ccf pad underneath the inflatable to prevent cold air from robbing heat. Also if it's wide enough it will keep your shoulders warmer when you move around.

I believe Slowhike uses an inflatable w/great success, so maybe he'll chime in.

Have a great trip.

Thanks for the feedback. The insulmat is CCF too, harder, thicker and much narrower than the oware. Would you still put it under the thinner one? I had conceived of putting the thicker one inside, but I'm not sure why.. maybe just to make it easier to position.

**jaiden** · 09-14-2007, 12:16

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

Yeah, it's the underneath part you mainly need to be concerned with. Hammocks really do have an amazing ability to freeze your back, especially if it's windy and you are damp from sweat or whatever reason. Your main challenge will be to keep those pads ( how thick are they? You probably want at least 3/8" total) under you, which should be adequate if you can. If you don't have an SPE, you might want to get some of that stuff you place on shelves that keeps things from sliding around. Or put a few "lines" of seam sealer on your pads ( if you don't mind marking them up a bit). Anything to help them grip the bottom of your hammock so they don't slide out from under you. Good luck and have fun!
Bill

The oware is 40 x 60 x 3/16" weighing 6 oz. The Insulmat 20 x 72 x 0.39 (over 3/8) but mummy shaped (narrow)

**BillyBob58** · 09-14-2007, 12:49

Originally Posted by jaiden

The oware is 40 x 60 x 3/16" weighing 6 oz. The Insulmat 20 x 72 x 0.39 (over 3/8) but mummy shaped (narrow)

I would think the insulmat will be thick enough by itself for those temps, but you will need the wider pad for your shoulders.. People vary, I have a friend who, last year, slept ok in the 40's with no pad, though he froze in the 20's. But I think that is very rare, most need something below 65!

Some people take a section of CCF pad and put under the other pad to make a "T", wide only at the shoulders. But if you sleep on your side, you will probably need knee protection also, when your knees press against the side of the hammock.

The main thing is to find a way to keep the pads from slipping around against the hammock bottom and slipping on each other.

Also, are you going to use your bag as a quilt? If not, that can be a whole new learning curve. I can get in a mummy bag easy now, but it was a killer at first. I like to stretch the bag out in the position I plan to lie, and open it up. Then I SIT down on the bag as I get in the hammock, slip my feet in the bag, and all while still sitting, pull the bag up over my shoulders and hood over my head. I zip up partially and only then do I lie down, after I feel positioned correctly in the bag. I can usually be in the hammock and bag with hood/collar cimched down, in a couple of minutes this way. But trying to get zipped up in a mummy bag inside a hammock, after you lay down, can lead to a whole lot of exercise, but at least it will warm you up!

Bill

**Otter1** · 09-14-2007, 14:29

Originally Posted by jaiden

Thanks for the feedback. The insulmat is CCF too, harder, thicker and much narrower than the oware. Would you still put it under the thinner one? I had conceived of putting the thicker one inside, but I'm not sure why.. maybe just to make it easier to position.

I would put the Oware underneath the insulmat.

**FanaticFringer** · 09-14-2007, 17:54

Originally Posted by Funny Money

I would put the Oware underneath the insulmat.

That's what I would do also. Bring a third pad at 3/8 or 1/4 and use it if the 3/16 is not cutting the mustard. Your car camping. No excuse freezing your bum. When using pad(s), I highly recommend also the Speer SPE. It works extremely well.www.speerhammocks.com/Products/SPE.htm
Your pads would have to be 20" wide for use with one.