Month 12 done. I’ll have to say a few of these nights I would have skipped if it wasn’t for this challenge.
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Month 12 done. I’ll have to say a few of these nights I would have skipped if it wasn’t for this challenge.
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Kerr Lake Jan 2021.jpg
I recently stumbled on this long-running thread and really liked the idea. I started my own personal "12 nights" challenge on the banks of Lake Kerr (on the VA/NC border) last weekend. I thought it would be a great first opportunity to test out the 20* Incubator UQ I'd just bought. Temps got down to 21* overnight (lower than I had anticipated) but I was toasty warm. Win-win! What a great way to start the new year!
You can't read it very well, but I thought I would document each monthly outing this year with a pre-printed sign that shows the date and location. I guess I need to get a better camera or a bigger piece of paper!
And please forgive the sullen expression. I really AM having a good time. It's just that I was trying to take a selfie and I couldn't get the angle/sun/frame/timing/etc. all just right and this was like the 10th attempt. I was a bit frustrated by this point and forgot to smile.
~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?
Welcome to the challenge, Popcornfool! I love the scowl and understand the struggle! I think you're gonna have fun with this!
I've been dealing with a load of family health issues...including a serious messed up back for myself, but I'm gonna do a simple yard hang tonight...supposed to get into single digits by some forecasts. Should be a nice cold weather hang!
Hobo Off The Ground All Year Round: 8 7
consecutive months since the start, 9/2015 through 11/2022
Got out for a nice hang last night. Only dropped below 18F, so my zero degree quilts served me well. A bit of a wind, but the worst part of the night was that full moon! I don't use a tarp unless it's really needed, so it was like napping in the afternoon!
Dammit. Again, I can't post pics. Am I the only one on this thread having issues with this?
Hobo Off The Ground All Year Round: 8 7
consecutive months since the start, 9/2015 through 11/2022
Got one pic through. I've had trouble loading any through Tapatalk, but haven't tried on this thread.
I've been happily hanging in my back yard at least once a month for over a year now. With the recent cold snap, I tried out some winter gear on a couple of back-to-back nights with mixed results.
Night 1: Ridgerunner plus Spindrift under my 12' Winterdream tarp / 0* top and bottom quilts, temp 15*F for the low with a bit of a breeze. Result = fail
My back, butt, feet, shoulders all cold underneath me; the 0* topquilt felt adequate on top. I was wearing 250 Smartwool base layer, some unknown Outdoor Research fleece shirt, down puffy with hood, down socks. Came inside about 0300.
Watched some Shug videos.
Night 2: Ridgerunner plus Spindrift under my 12' Winterdream tarp / stacked underquilts 0* + 30* / stacked top insulation 20* Burrow with 4 oz overfill inside a 10* Western Mountaineering sleeping bag, temp 1*F (-17*C) calm winds. Same sleep clothes except I ditched the puffy and wore a TNF Summit L2 Proprius Fleece plus down beanie instead. Result = success, feeling pretty warm all over and slept until 0645, my usual time to wake up.
Takeaway is that my quilts need to be at least 20 degrees rating lower than what I'm going to experience. Thanks Shug for the ideas about stacking quilts.
The 1*F (-17*C) is my personal best for sleeping in a hammock.
And you're sure that it that the Shut videos didn't just warm your soul enough to carry you through the night?
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In one of them, he was juggling some flaming mini tiki torches, which was heart-warming in itself.
Canadark - welcome to the forum. You didn’t mention what kind of underquilt you were using. I know they are not cheap, but I think you will find bliss with a full length WarBonnet Lynx - if you weren’t using one. The Lynx is made specifically for the RidgeRunner and fits like a glove. I still use a spindrift with it in the winter for four reasons: It is a de facto “single wall tent” that helps retain heat, it protects against blowing wind, It provides privacy from a neighbor’s nearby window, it blocks the shine from a street light across the street.
The last time I looked - years ago - the Lynx had a 0° and 20° option. I’m pretty good a 10 degree cushion in rating.
In the summer I just use a bottom UQP by 2QZQ because I’m a UQP kind of guy. Some people love them, some think they are unnecessary.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
Cougarmeat, thanks for chiming in. The 0* underquilt / topquilt combo from Night 1 were both Loco Libre quilts, the underquilt being a Ridge Reaper. I have tried the WB Lynx in the past but it didn't perform well for me. You might say bailing out during 15* weather with a 0* quilt set from George Carr is 'not performing well' either but I chalk it up to being a cold sleeper.
I second your thoughts on the Spindrift...it's a great addition to the Ridgerunner. The second night I had a good deal of condensation, even with both doors open at the top about 8-12" each, but I understand that phenomenon is pretty much unavoidable once you get into the single digit temps.
My next foray will probably be with my Blackbird, trying stacked 0* and 30* Wookies, all inside a Dutch winter sock.
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