Insulated Air Mattress in Clark

[Three]

I second the layers thing. On a mid-May trip in Shenandoah last year, the wind suddenly whipped up on a cloudless night and dipped below freezing. I was in a Clark NA (totally battened down) with an ancient 40* down bag, an old thermarest ridge rest and wearing every bit of clothing I had. The layers made it work. Couldn't move all that well, but I slept warm enough (and I've had far colder nights in a tent).

[_jstevens2010_]

I also used my big Agnes q-core air mattress until I could afford an under quilt. Listen, it works but it's not fun. Mattress slides around in the Clark nx-250. It's not as fun or comfortable sleeping in them like u would w only an UQ. Take my advice find a way to buy the under quilt. It does not matter which one. I used to be a diehard have to be top of the line goose down guy, but I now know that a cheeper in price UQ from arrowhead equipment made from synthetic is just as good for those on a budget, as my 850 high end underground quilts UQ.

[Latt]

A few week ago I went out testing my home made isolations system in about 5C (41F) degrees. I brought with me a thermarest insulated air mattress just in case, which turned out to be a really good idea.

My home made insulation system for my NX-250 consisted of 5cm foam mattresses cut into six 40x60cm pieces for the NX pockets. I made these last summer and they were TOO warm then, so I figured they'd work great in the spring too (winter never arrived in Sweden/Denmark this year). Unfortunately I had kept them in the stuff sack I bought for them, since summer. So they never really got to fully reinflate again that day. It actually took almost a week in the apartment later on. My other bit of attempted insulation, for the footed part consisted of a CCF mat cut to fit the velcro with a safety-aluminium-blanket glued to it and then velcro. That was a disaster and didn't work at all and I've now thrown it out completely.

But here I was, in 5C degrees with just my thermarest insulated air mattress left. I had my doubts but tossed it in and inflated it. Hopped into my sleeping clothes and then I took and old down blanket I had laying around. During my time of frustration with the other failed insulation I had gotten quite cold. Both my hands and feet were freezing. But after about 5-10 minutes on the air mattress under my down blanket and with the weather shield closed up, I could start to feel how I got warmer and warmer.

After about 45 minutes testing I got up and packed it all up, very surprised and satisfied with the air mattress in the NX-250. I had, from among other place this thread, read that the air mattress would slide around but it didn't at all. I did my best to simulate a terrible night of turning and twisting but the mattress stayed in place no problem at all.

Although this is not the lightest nor nimblest of insulation solutions available, I could very well see myself taking it along in the future just as a extra insurance.

Gear list for the successful test at 5C (41F) degrees:
NX-250 Clark hammock
Thermarest insulated air mattress
Down blanket
Insulated inflatable pillow
GoreTex socks (1st layer)
Wool socks (2nd layer)
Sweat pants
T-Shirt
Warmpeace Sneaker jacket
Warmpeace beanie

Tomorrow I'll go out and do a similar test with the Snugpak Underblanket I have since acquired. They're promising 5C and storm, so it'll do nicely as a test. I'll definitely bring the air mattress as an extra insurance again.