19* Tonight....I'm Heading Out

[waredbear]

Well it snowed 4" last night and tonight it is supposed to get down to 19*. Add to that a winter weather alert for the morning with another 5-10" possible and that makes a perfect night to hang. I'm using my same set-up I've used down to 28* but tonight I'm going to test two things. One is I have a mummy bag with no label so I'm guessing it is a 20* bag. I will find out tonight. The second is I usually dress in layers to stay warm. Well after reading some posts here about going....lighter, I'm only going to wear a thin set of long johns. I'll give an update in the morning. Here is a look at my set-up. (I don't know why some of my pictures tilt 90*...sorry)

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I shoveled the snow off.

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Hammock went up first.

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Then my P.L.U.Q. I also put a blue mat between the PLUQ and the hammock. This is a test as well.

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My ridgeline.

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My fleece blanket cocoon that forms my bear cave. I clip the ends to keep the heat in. This has added 20* in all of my trials here on the deck.

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My Kelty Noah 12 tarp.

[Ratdog]

loose socks, if you wear socks at all

Enjoy !!!

[waredbear]

I do because my feet usually freeze. Just climbed in and it is already 15* outside and only 50* inside my cave. I expect that to slowly go down to about 25*. Only problem so far is CBS. Never had that before. I'm hoping it will warm up.

[CeeVee]

Where are you, roughly?

[waredbear]

Where are you, roughly?

Spokane, WA.

Well I'm sad to say that I didn't make it. The Cold Butt Syndrome was to much to take. I would place my hands under my cheeks to warm them up but the hammock was freezing when I removed them. I also had to get up a 6:30 for work so I bailed at 2:45. I did make it 2 hours. The lowest temp was 15* and the temp inside my bear cave was 35*. So getting a 20* increase from the outside temp with the fleece blanket held even at this low temp. I was comfortable on the top but the bottom....brrrr. I used my PLUQ with a windshield screen as usual but I added a large blue closed cell (?) foam pad between the PLUQ and the hammock. It is wide enough that it came up to the edges of the hammock. My head stayed warm under an insulated Do Rag, a fleece beanie and a fleece balaclava. On my feet I wore a pair of "HEAT" socks covered with a pair of wool. I opted out of wearing my fleece pants and shirt for just a thin pair of long johns. That might have added to my CBS at this temp. I know when I went down to 28* I was fine. I bought my mummy bag from a Thrift Store and the product label was cut off so I don't know it's rating. I was hoping for 20*. I placed my thermometer between the blue mat and the hammock for a time and it read 34* which was good but not good enough. Next time I will use my Kelty Ridgeway 0* mummy bag. So what do I do? Make an UQ? Wear warmer cloths? What are the suggestions from people who have survived this low of a temperature?

[Caminante]

Sounds fun! I'm hoping for some chilly nights here in NC to find the limits of my gear and myself. I'm not quite ready to hike into the mountains in the middle of the winter and be assured of being comfortable.

[CeeVee]

Lowest I've ever been was 22 (cold enough, thanks) on a fairly accurate thermometer hung above my sleeping bag.
So maybe I'm not the best to comment but I always rely on the sleeping bag first and wear lite clothing if needed. I toss and turn alot.
Sounds like your UQ wasn't positioned optimally, possibly it rode up to far? Also it doesn't take more than the slightest breeze to make CBS occur when I'm in a hammmock. I have a 1/4" ccf pad, full length, that I'd use in a double layer hammock for really cold/windy conditions. YCBSMV of course.

[Captain Paul]

Well it sounds like you were warm on top so the warmer mummy bag probably won't help. Appears that it's your under insulation that needs improvement. I have a lot of experience on the ground in single digit above and below 0* with just base layer long underwear, liner socks, a -5* North Face bag and a thermarest pad. No tent mostly and sometimes a fleece bag liner. I can't understand why a hammock sucks so much more convective heat than the frozen ground. Unless maybe it's really windy. So I'm betting you should try an UQ rated for the conditions and maybe a tarp hung to keep the wind off.

[Speedogomer]

I'd try the CCF pad directly underneath you. Being between the PLUQ and Hammock may have made a gap, allowing air in.

I'll be out tomorrow night, temps only expected to reach 28 though.

[PreciousPixie]

I have been out in 22* and had CFS but I got up and got my Thermarest sit pad and placed in under my hinny and was snug as a bug the rest of the night. I think the advice of putting the blue pad directly under you would help and stick with the fleece that always works for me.