Winter socks, underquilt protectors, and winter covers

[BillC523]

I usually wear a medium weight wool underwear, Minus 33 or Ice breaker when night temps warrant, however my feet usually get cold anyway, even when using a 20 degree 7/8 length underquilt (UGQ) and Thermarest foot pad like Shug uses. I have tried using a space blanket in between the double layer of my BB extra long hammock. This works, except it slips down the side of the layers leaving the right side of the footbox uncovered. Is there a good way to fix some sort of fastening on the inside of the hammock wall to provide an attachment point for the space blanket without damaging the hammock? I have a new sock from Warbonnet, have not hung yet to use it, but think the cold air convection will still come through the hammock wall. My top quilt is a Leighlo w/ footbox which keeps everything very comfortable except feet when coldness is a problem.

[P-Dub]

Binder clips? Kam-snaps?

[Grumpy Squatch]

I personally prefer proper insulation and a 4-season tarp over winter socks, underquilt protectors, and winter covers. However, when it's really cold (10* F or lower), a sock or winter cover helps in keeping my face from freezing. I just don't think I'd use any of the above in place of proper insulation, when it is clearly not insulation.

As usual, SilvrSurfr speaks the truth here. At least IMHO.

After my past two trips, I am a sock believer! It will easily add 10-15 degrees inside the sock. As for cutting out wind, it does an awesome job! My last trip we have 30+ mph winds and it made a huge difference. I like it becaue it can extend the span of both your top quilt and underquilt; and it protects both. I haven't had any condensation issues yet. I will most likely pick up his winter sock as well. I only have a DIY 3/4 length underquilt rated to go into the mid 30s so having this could help push me into the mid-20s.

Hope that insight helps.

I'll vouch for this with evidence. Last year at -15° F I showed that an overcover traps about 10° - 15° of additional temp inside the cover compared to outside. See this thread: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...-Overcover-Add. I repeated the experiment a few weeks ago during another cold snap with temps down to 3°-4° in the back yard. The results were similar: a consitant 15° - 20° warmer inside the cover.

OvercoverGraph.jpg

So if, like me, you'd prefer not to have face masks and frost bibs interfering with your sleep on all but the coldest nights, then a sock/overcover might keep your face from freezing. And I agree that in a sub-optimal location/tarp setup a sock/UQP can help fight some wind-induced chilling. But none of that is a substitute for a good UQ/TQ setup. On the second night I stacked my 0° HammockGear and my 40° AHE underquilts and used just my 0° UGQ Renegade topquilt under my UGQ Winter Dream tarp and was toasty warm even with a steady breeze all night long. Only midweight thermals and wool socks as well.

Good luck.

[Al Icks]

I think the people that poo poo top covers and underquilt protectors have been lucky so far in that they haven't experienced conditions that require them. Nothing wrong with car camping or hanging in your backyard but when you're backpacking and 10 miles out and a few thousand feet of elevation difference from the nearest road, a little extra protection in sub 0 temps goes a long way when the weather changes overnight. YMMV, HYOY, etc.

I used to think of my XLC topcover as kind of unnecessary until about 3 weeks ago. I probably have 50+ backcountry nights in my hammock but it was the first time we ran into new, dry snow somewhat early in the season, combined with high winds and spindrift. The lack of consolidated snow along with the frozen ground and 6" of dry snow meant stakes weren't working. Deadmen just pulled out, no matter how long you left them to freeze in place before tensioning lines. I always carry longer lines than I need so I can tie off to trees because of this reason. Even with the abundance of trees in the dense spruce forest we set up in, I couldn't get the perfect, doors-sealed pitch one gets when putting stakes into dirt. Because of this, there were gaps in the tarp, which allowed the sideways-blowing snow to come right in under my tarp and hit both my underquilt and top cover. A bug net would have probably done almost the same thing as the top cover but the added temp difference (10-20 degrees maybe) was a plus.

Regarding condensation with the top cover, I've seen it both ways. I've woken up to ice crystals covering the inside as well as it being completely dry. I try to keep it unzipped a few feet but staked out. This way it's mostly closed but allows airflow. I find condensation and wind don't go together. If it's windy, you're probably ok to keep it closed more than if it was a calm night.

So yes, while a top cover and underquilt protector aren't a substitution for an adequately sized tarp and proper insulation, they can make a huge difference for ounces.

[Nighthauk]

I think the people that poo poo top covers and underquilt protectors have been lucky so far in that they haven't experienced conditions that require them. Nothing wrong with car camping or hanging in your backyard but when you're backpacking and 10 miles out and a few thousand feet of elevation difference from the nearest road, a little extra protection in sub 0 temps goes a long way when the weather changes overnight. YMMV, HYOY, etc.

I know we all learn from our own experience and that is what we live by. Having said that there are a lot of people of the forum including myself that find different experiences from what you mentioned above.

Shug, for example, posted a video of doing -40* in a gathered end hammock without a sock while backpacking.

Last year I did the same with sustained winds of 30mph and gusts up to 50mph down to -20*. I have tried the spin drift and the top cover on my xlc all around -10*. I personally hated the condensation on the top cover of the xlc. Especially when you either have to get out for a midnight stroll or in the morning. I personally had to vent the spindrift because all the condensation collected on the zipper of the spindrift and every time I unzipped it I got snowed on with condensation. I much prefer the open aired gathered end then the micro climated hammocks. While they are warmer I prefer the open air feel more.

A good tarp and good site location when hanging will be more beneficial then a top cover or sock. Knowing how to avoid the low spots or the wind tunnels is vital regardless of whether you have a sock or top cover.

Again we all make choices by our own experiences. That doesn't mean however that we negate those of others. Just my .02.

HYOH.


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[Oms]

Yep, what he said ^

[cougarmeat]

You can set your hammock/tarp up according to "best practices", and then the wind shifts. Or it wasn't there when you set up camp but came as a surprise at night. I was just using a tarp. So I migrated to a sock. But this summer (and maybe this winter) I'll move to a tarp with doors (4-season) and go back to my original UQP. So you see, it goes round and round. At home, I have to use a sock because of where I hang, it give me privacy from my neighbor's windows and help block the FreeWay style street light that shines like the sun at night (I can't guy out a tarp in this situation).

[Nighthauk]

You can set your hammock/tarp up according to "best practices", and then the wind shifts. Or it wasn't there when you set up camp but came as a surprise at night. I was just using a tarp. So I migrated to a sock. But this summer (and maybe this winter) I'll move to a tarp with doors (4-season) and go back to my original UQP. So you see, it goes round and round. At home, I have to use a sock because of where I hang, it give me privacy from my neighbor's windows and help block the FreeWay style street light that shines like the sun at night (I can't guy out a tarp in this situation).

Ahh I can see where your coming from. See I always carry a WB Superfly, so I always have the doors though not always deployed. In the winter time I always have that tarp and a UQP with me. I know winter is always windy.


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[BugHunter]

I've had a MollyMac Gear insulated hammock sock for several years and use it anytime the temps get below 30. It does a great job of blocking the wind, protecting my UQ and adding a bit of warmth. The temps inside the sock are always 10 plus degrees warmer than ambient. And since you don't get hit with any wind, you don't have to wear a balaclava or other to protect your face.

In the absence of rain or wet snowfall, I often hang with just the sock (sans tarp) and have never had a problem. At 10 ounces, it's a small price to pay for added insulation and wind protection.

[Muraaby]

Maybe a different approach.

I have found bringing a down jacket, down hat, and some down socks. (Goosefeet gear makes some and zpacks sells some) substantially adds warmth in my experience. Would love to try out some down pants as well. The jacket and hat are pieces of gear I use everyday at home/around town so they play multiple rolls for me.

I have both a winter tarp and overcover. I dont normally use the winter tarp due to the added weight and fiddling around with the doors. I usually dont use the overcover because I really do not like the pitch black cocoon experience. I like being able to pear out of my hammock with my cuban tarp and see the outline of the trees, the moon, and the stars.

I have also found that on a windy night the overcover doesnt really work that well when you are venting it.