Heading out Saturday for -10, looking for opinions

**michiganhike** · 02-09-2016, 20:45

As stated heading out Saturday for a predicted -10, my bottom insulation options include an Incubator 10, Phoenix 40, and a Z-lite. I don't mind sleeping on the z lite with an underquilt, but have been playing around with doubling the quilts(Incubator being the first layer). I'd prefer not to bring all three, what would you go with? Thanks!

**SilvrSurfr** · 02-09-2016, 20:56

Dump the pad. It won't be necessary. I'd hang the Phoenix 40 inside the Incubator so that you don't get any compression on the Incubator, your primary source of bottom insulation.

**goobie** · 02-09-2016, 21:17

Hit -16ish at The Frozen Butt Hang this year using my Incubator 10 with a Greylock 3 over it and an UQP.

I'd experiment with which quilt is where. I had the best luck previously using the Incubator against the hammock with an AHE Jarbidge over that. Haven't had the Greylock long enough to decide which way works best.

From my experience the pad will do more harm than good when used with UQ's.

**michiganhike** · 02-09-2016, 21:19

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

Dump the pad. It won't be necessary. I'd hang the Phoenix 40 inside the Incubator so that you don't get any compression on the Incubator, your primary source of bottom insulation.

My concern with the Phoenix on the inside is creating a gap at the intersection, have you tried this setup?

**goobie** · 02-09-2016, 21:23

That's exactly why I've used the shorter quilt over the full length. My thought is, get as much down as close to me as possible. With the full length against the hammock, I hang the stacked quilt loosely over that.

**SilvrSurfr** · 02-09-2016, 21:37

Originally Posted by michiganhike

My concern with the Phoenix on the inside is creating a gap at the intersection, have you tried this setup?

What intersection? My main concern is that I don't want to compress my best piece of insulation.

Originally Posted by goobie

That's exactly why I've used the shorter quilt over the full length. My thought is, get as much down as close to me as possible. With the full length against the hammock, I hang the stacked quilt loosely over that.

I'm still worried about compression in this scenario.

**goobie** · 02-09-2016, 21:45

Get someone to help you setup, as I did, and compression is minimal, if at all. We made sure the second quilt was suspended against the primary, without any noticeable compressing of it. The stacked quilt is hung much looser then it normally would be, and both quilts loft fully.

**dingbat** · 02-09-2016, 22:11

I've done -8* in my Inc. 10 wearing a sweaty base layer that I had on all day and a high hung tarp with gaps in the doors on the windward side of a hill. (Intentionally poor conditions for cold weather testing.) If it were me, I'd go Phoenix over Incubator, but be mostly concerned with getting the Incubator set up properly, having adequate top insulation, and site selection/tarp set up to minimize the effects of wind.

**OneClick** · 02-10-2016, 09:17

Hmm, you could almost just take a chance on the Incubator alone. But pushing the limit can be bad if it doesn't work out!

I'm thinking about heading up north to Michigan to get in on this "last chance winter" as well...it's gonna be over soon! Haven't made up my mind yet.

**michiganhike** · 02-10-2016, 17:25

[QUOTE=SilvrSurfr;1584816]What intersection?

The intersection between the end of the Phoenix and where the Incubator meet. There would be an air gap,not sure what it would do but that was my concern. I do have concern about compressing the primary as well.