Trying to figure out if this is typical or not and if anyone has any recommendations. I have a 40 degree Hammock Gear Top and Bottom down quilt set. (I live in Central Texas so below freezing nights are pretty unusual.) I was out a few weeks ago and the temperature got down to the mid-40s and I was freezing. Now, I just finished a 11 mile hike and was very tired and it was very windy but I was hypothermia cold, not just uncomfortable. It felt like I was wearing a cable knit sweater in a heavy wind - every time it gusted I could feel the breeze through the quilt. I ended up taking a piece of Tyvek ground sheet that I carry (about 6'x3') and sliding that underneath me and that (with the quilt underneath and thermal underwear and my sweater) kept me mostly warm enough but it was still an uncomfortable night. The quilt felt like it was tight up against the bottom of the hammock and I didn't feel any gaps at the end I could reach, but it's hard to be sure when you're actually in the hammock
My thoughts are:
- I'm probably a cold sleeper after a big (for me) hiking day - I just burned too many calories hiking and my body was having trouble heating itself. A quilt with a lower rating may be necessary.
- Maybe 15D nylon just isn't very good in windy conditions?
- Am I just delusional and the problem is operator error? If so, I'm not sure what to do to evaluate that.
- I used a Thermarest pad the last couple of trips and that seemed to work better for me but the conditions weren't identical.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
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