Phoenix 40 & Burrow 40 - first camping test - didn't meet temperature expectations

[Kroma]

I received my Phoenix 40 with 2oz overstuff in the mail this week and looked forward to testing it out in the field. Last night was my first opportunity...drove out to the local Texas state park (glen rose, tx), hiked in to a primitive campsite and set up my rig. WBBB XLC 1.7, Phoenix 40 UQ (+2oz) and Burrow 40 (also with 2 oz overstuff) TQ.

This was actually the first time I'd taken any of this gear out camping. With adding 2 oz overstuff to a 40 degree quilts I expected to get roughly 30 degrees of temperature rating. The overnight low was expected to be about 37 so I thought this would be a perfect night for testing the ratings.

After getting set up and settled in after dark I must say I was quite pleased. The Phoenix was fairly simple to set up and adjust. I had a sit pad in the footbox of my topquilt and was feeling toasty all over. I was wearing a cotton t-shirt base layer with an REI midweight long sleeve pullover, denim jeans, and cotton socks.

Unfortunately around midnight I woke up cold. The temp was 33 degrees. I had another layer plus down jacket with me that I could have put on but I just wasn't in the mood to try and warm back up and go to sleep so I packed up and drove home.

So my takeaway is that the 2 oz of overstuff didn't quite allow the quilts to push 30 degrees. I'm going to keep this as a strictly 40+ degree set and consider getting a 20 degree set for winter.

[BackpackerGuy]

Before you buy the 20 degree set, try a UQP and a top cover. That should get you to 30*F.

[Kaerous]

My first reaction would be to go out again in similar temps (this time maybe with a backup plan) and play around with your setup. Also, more importantly, take some pictures - the folks on these forums can tell a lot from a few photos. Your kit should have easily taken you down to 30°F in my opinion, and even further with additional sleep layers, etc.

For instance, last weekend I took my HG Incubator 20 and Burrow 20, each w/ +2 oz., down to -8°F. Granted, I was using the winter cover on my XLC, hand warmers in my socks, thermals, and a down jacket, but it was still quite impressive.

I would wager you're making a critical error somewhere along your set up process. This is the best place to come to diagnose it.

[cataraftgirl]

You may need to tweak you UQ, but it may not be the only problem. Try it again without wearing all that cotton the bed. Try a mid weight synthetic top & bottom and some loose fitting wool socks. Cotton isn't a good insulator and if you were warm at bedtime and got even a tiny bit damp/sweaty, then cotton will make you even colder.

[michigandave]

Lowest I've have my Phoenix 40 UQ down to is 32. With a foot pad and UQP, you should be fine, especially with the 2oz overstuff. Mine is just the standard version.

[dkurfiss]

Along with all the other suggestions, you may want to 86 the cotton. I know when I wear cotton for cold weather sleeping, I end up cold I don't care if I am using my 0F stuff in 30F weather. My assumption, and we all know about assumptions, is I sweat when I sleep even in cold weather and the sweat is trapped in the cotton next to my skin which in turn makes me cold. I do know that if I sleep in silk, wool, or fleece I can take my quilts down at least 10F colder than when I am in cotton.

[Kroma]

I normally don't wear cotton when I backpack. I wear Merino wool socks and synthetic base layers. Yesterday was different because I just threw some things together last minute when the opportunity came up to get out and set up my new gear. I didn't take the time to change into my normal hiking clothes. I didn't realize a cotton t shirt and socks would make that much of a difference.

[Scoutmaster1056]

You mentioned jeans which are cotton as well. You also said that you hiked in to the campsite so you probably perspired in your cotton clothes which when cooled will make you cold. I always instruct my scouts to change into dry (non cotton) clothing before going to sleep. It is amazing how damp clothing, even though you might think that it is not damp, will make you cold later during the night as the temperature starts to go down.

[Kroma]

haha yeah I didn't think about denim being cotton. I usually wear a pair of Columbia nylon hiking pants, but since this particular campsite was only 1/2 mile away from the parking lot I didn't take care to change into my regular hiking clothes which are completely synthetic.

[Kroma]

Another weird thing was I kept having to get up every hour to pee which was getting very annoying. That combined with the cold and I just said screw it...I'll go home and sleep. Of course if I'd been on a real trip I would have toughed it out but this was just a last minute gear test hang...nothing I had to travel out to or anything.

Not sure why I kept urinating all night. Normally I only have to get up once in the night. I only had 1 or 2 swallows of water before bed too. But all that in an out of the hammock made for a lot of fiddling around to get comfortable again each time time I settled back in...