When cold and windy I've put a froggtoggs poncho over hammock ridgeline. No added weight for me, as I already carry a poncho. And or you can rig up a poncho under your hammock as a makeshift UQP--maybe too fiddly--for some, fiddling is half the fun. It ain't no fun to be cold.
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After my past two trips, I am a sock believer! It will easily add 10-15 degrees inside the sock. As for cutting out wind, it does an awesome job! My last trip we have 30+ mph winds and it made a huge difference. I like it becaue it can extend the span of both your top quilt and underquilt; and it protects both. I haven't had any condensation issues yet. I will most likely pick up his winter sock as well. I only have a DIY 3/4 length underquilt rated to go into the mid 30s so having this could help push me into the mid-20s.
Hope that insight helps.
I have used socks, top covers and UQPs, although I don't camp in winter (I just sleep very cold). I don't like top covers, because they are more stuffy and mine didn't allow me to vent but still keep bug protection. I use the UQP most of the time, because I feel even a breeze stealing warmth from my underquilt. The sock is for colder nights. I like how it holds the warm air and can be vented easily. For winter camping, I would probably go double wall: a winter tarp (with doors) plus sock.
I've got a UQP and would question the temperature change you mentioned above. I use it to keep dew from saturating my UQ. I suppose it cuts down on wind but I've noticed minimal change in temps between 30-40. I also use a 4-season tarp. Neither have really added much warmth In my opinion.
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I have a WBRR and a Spindrift sock but I've never used the sock in really cold weather, like below 20*F. I do, however, use an UQP that doubles as a poncho. That seems to reduce condensation issues and prevent snow sticking to my UQ when there's snow blowing under the tarp. I have experienced significant condensation issues on my TQ from my breath that prompted me to fix it Shug-style - fleece breath bib hooked to the ridgeline. That has mostly been a problem in temps below freezing but it has made me reluctant to use the sock.
From what you wrote, I think you have a really good understanding of the tradeoffs. I realized at some point that the sock was a bit too much hassle unless I happened to go into the 0*F range or lower. Otherwise, I'd just go with my 0*F UQ/TQ/UQP and tarp arrangement.
Having said that, if you don't have UQ/TQ's warm enough for the temps you want to camp in, a sock is about 6 times (or more) cheaper than an UQ/TQ. My experience with the Spindrift is that it probably added 15-20*F of warmth. But, like you mentioned, then you have to figure out a solution for the condensation issues. I sleep light so every 2 hours or so, I turn over and push out on the side of the sock to suck in a little dry air.
“I held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dropped it carelessly, Ah! I didn't know, I held opportunity.” -Hazel Lee
I've used my DIY 15* UQ and TQ down to 18*F with no UQP, sock or top cover. If I moved significantly, I'd feel a breeze enter the UQ probably from temporary gaps, but I was toasty warm. There was a good bit of condensation on the outer shell of the UQ that morning. I've considered picking up a UQP to combat both the condensation and the occasional cold air shot. I think if I were going VERY cold (<=10*F), I'd just take a pad + another light TQ or even an old sleeping bag. Yeah, that's a bit more to carry, but I can't justify ANOTHER set of quilts for additional hundreds. Then again, I'm not up in Shug country - I doubt I'll ever see those temps in the mountains down south...
I am constantly testing various configurations in my backyard to find out what the minimum-weight setup is that I can use and still be completely comfortable throughout the long, cold winter nights. So far I have only slept out there when no precipitation was forecast, so that variable has not yet been added to the mix. Although I own a superfly which always accompanies me on trips to the backcountry, I have gone completely tarpless in these backyard experiments thus far. My basic rig is a dutch netless single layer sandwiched between a zero degree top quilt and zero degree underquilt. I also have a dutch winter sock which I only deploy if wind or dew might be an issue on any particular night. The coldest overnight temp we've gotten so far this season here in the Ozarks is 4 degrees F and the above setup worked perfectly. When I got up to pee during the night, some frozen condensation did flake off the sock, but it was no big deal. We had another night that got down to 9F and I did not deploy the sock at all. Again, I slept warm and dry. There is usually some condensation on the top quilt around my face by morning, but nothing extreme. I like the idea of a frost bib ala Shug, so I'll probably make and try one of those in the next few weeks. The nice thing about the dutch sock is it's always at the ready. You can fall asleep with an unobstructed view of the sky and if the wind kicks up during the night, you can just reach down a pull it around you without even getting out of the hammock. The most wind we've had on any of these overnights has been around 10mph so it remains to be seen how this setup will work when it's really howling.
The coldest I've been down to is mid 20s, even got snowed on once. I've found a few things that seem to help. I pitch the tarp lower to the ground, so the sides are almost touching the ground. I put my Grizz Beak on the end where the wind is blowing from. It helps cut the breeze. I wear a kilt with velcro, so once in the hammock I have a long piece of fabric doing nothing (I think its about 40 inches long by 24 inches wide). I throw it over the ridge line so it hangs off both sides. I also have a down jacket that I throw over the ridge line, and my hammock chair. By creatively arranging these three items (chair, jacket and kilt) I create sort of a tent around my head/upper torso area. There are enough leaks behind me that condensation isnt a problem, but it holds in a little warmth and keeps the breeze down. I've yet to wake up warm with this setup, but in the interest of saving weight and making it easier, I built a hammock with a top for winter use. I'm testing it in a few weeks.
It is really funny how there are so many different opinions on this matter. Each of us have had different experiences. That being said, I've tried a sock and a hammock with a top cover. Both had issues with condensation. I found the bug net holds in a significant amount of temperature. Easily proven by opening it up and seeing the difference. I find a breathable UQP helps quite a bit to reduce the wind from robbing heat on the backside. Block the wind with the tarp, use good top and bottom quilts and you will most likely be fine. Condensation is what will make you the coldest, especially if out for a few days. My theory is, everything needs to breath.
Originally Posted by Oms
Best advice hands down when dealing with cold temps...and the colder it gets the more important it is from clothing to sleep system.
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