PrimaLoft UQ Test Report

[ljcsov]

Hey all,

A while back I made a UQ out of 6oz weight primaloft. I finally got around to testing it today in the cold. The weather channel said it was 32 degrees out with a "feels like" temp of 27F.

Test was great! I had a TQ on made of the same weight primaloft and wore a OR down beanie. I was nice and comfy! I only wore a cotton undershrit (super lightweight), jeans, and athletic socks. Without a doubt, I'd be wearing stuff a bit warmer when I am truly out in the back country and not just testing things out.

So, I am thinking I can easily get 20 or below with the proper clothing on. I feel like I can stuff a down vest or jacket in the area between UQ and the hammock to get additional warmth. Also, a pad can easily be set inside the hammock. With all that insulation and maybe even some warmer clothing, I could easily see getting down to 0.

Oh, I used my 1.6oz weight sil tarp with one end closed off. It made for tight quarters with the doors shut but that really doesn't bother me. Unfortunately the wet snow stuck to the sides but after a good shake it shed the white fluff.

[thepikey]

Did you use the primaloft sheets or the loose fill stuff?

[ljcsov]

Did you use the primaloft sheets or the loose fill stuff?

I got the sheets off of therainshed.com. I combined two weights.

I think I actually used 7oz, 3 and 4

[nothermark]

Very nice!!

[Merganser]

Sounds cozie. Got pictures?

[ljcsov]

I guess the gallery is down right now.

But, I do have some pics of my UQ / TQ there....not the whole set up together though

[BillyBob58]

I got the sheets off of therainshed.com. I combined two weights.

I think I actually used 7oz, 3 and 4

Sounds nice, ljcsov! Do you know which PL that is? Sport, PL1, something else? Either way, if fit/draft/gaps etc you should be plenty warm with 7 oz either way.

With the slightly warmer PL1's CLO of .84/oz X 7 oz= 5.88

Theoretically, with some what "less warm" PL Sport, you have a CLO rating of .74 per oz/sq.yd. So 7 oz X .74 CLO/oz= CLO 5.18

A rule of thumb that some go by is: for a well sealed sleeping bag a CLO of 2=40F, 4=20F, 6= 0F. So your quilt ought to be somewhere between 20 and zero. Or right about 10, if all else is perfect.

Some folks will probably ridicule all of that mumbo jumbo, but I have found it to be about right for me testing at warmer temps. Where I found a calculated CLO of 2.05 to keep me warm enough to a tested temp of mid 40s, with cotton t-shirt and jeans. Might could have got a few degrees more and been barely OK.

And one warm sleeping famous person here took an UQ with a CLO of 8.2( with 10 oz of Climashield XP) to minus 11F and did at least OK. So the CLO rating seems to be at least in the ball park for some of us. Naturally, people vary greatly, and individuals vary day to day. Still, sounds like your DIY UQ will be nice and warm!

[ljcsov]

I bought the PL Sport. I didn't know where to get the PL1.

I think this set up will work well even through the winter. Of course, colder nights will require me to wear more clothing but I have plenty of long underwear, synthetic shirts, and fleece garments to pick and choose from.

Wow that calculation surprises me! I hope to be able to get that low. I put elastic in the ends along the width of the UQ and along the length I have a shock cord channel. This gives me a nice seal all the way around so cold air can't sneak in. I am thinking I might even be able to stuff my down vest or jacket in there to give me some extra loft.