I've finally had a chance to field test my new gear, so here's my report on my new setup.
My hammock is the Hennessey Deep Jungle XL. I use the original diamond tarp, which saves weight and has always kept me dry.
First up is my new HammockGear 0* Incubator UQ. I thought that I slept well in my hammock with a pad in the double layer bottom. However, in the first night with the Incubator, I realized what a full night's sleep was really all about! I didn't shift or turn and didn't wake up at all during the night. The temp was only about 50, so it wasn't a real test of the insulation, but the comfort level was clearly improved (a bonus I didn't realize was possible!) with a nice underquilt.
Next up was the addition of an UnderGroundQuilts 0* Renegade TQ. This is their new model with radial baffles around the foot box and vertical baffles on the body section, and IT IS WONDERFUL. I have always had trouble with cold feet, so I chose the sewn footbox had the footbox overstuffed with an extra ounce of down. The first weekend out provided temps down to about 30* and I was toasty warm. I was using a North Face 0* sleeping bag and always had to wear wool socks and put my jacket around the footbox. With the Renegade TQ, I slept BAREFOOT and my toes were completely warm all night!
That first weekend, I did feel a slight (temporary) cooling in my UQ when the wind blew through, so I added an UQP from 2QZQ to my rig. The next weekend (snowmageddon) I got shut out of the Mt. Rogers Hang, so went out locally to get my fix. Temp went down to about 15* with intermittent wind. With the UQP, I never felt any cooling when the wind blew. With the Incubator & Renegade, I was again toasty warm while wearing only boxers & a t-shirt (again, NO SOCKS NEEDED).
I also forgot to mention that I got a down beanie from UGQ to cover my head since I'm not using a mummy bag anymore - comfy & warm!
I am now COMPLETELY SATISFIED that I have a winter setup that will handle anything I may face. With the addition of a base layer and/or SB liner, I'm sure I could be comfortable well below zero. And because it's all lightweight and compressible down, I can put it all in my pack and head down the trail all winter long! Life just keeps getting better!
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