Wet top quilt, again!

[BillyBob58]

I agree. My favorite quote:



I'm starting to wonder if my TQ dampness is due to using a quilt that is right at, or even higher-rated than the actual temp. That is the only common thing among all these wet TQ trips. 20° TQ at 19°, 0° TQ at -16°, 20° TQ at 23°. Maybe my warm air is just hitting that outer shell to easily?

I was looking forward to testing this VB liner this week, but the cold snap will be over and lows will be 25°+...totally bummed!!! I missed the 3-day window of single digit lows. Could even get rain Saturday. Come on winter!!

I have some old threads on here testing a wet Polarguard jacket with a minimally WPB shell, and my conclusion was that it was most definitely a lot warmer than nothing even when quite wet, while hiking in cold, light rain. But the best thing was that it seemed about bone dry(except for the very ends of the sleeves which were still soaked) by the time I finished the fast walk, probably about 30 minutes worth. I remember also noting that I was using the ends of those soaked sleeves as gloves in the windy, wet cold air, and it was much warmer inside the wet sleeves than out. But, part of that was probably wind block. Also, in the field under normal use, I have never had any trouble with a synthetic bag vs moisture. Not saying you can't, just saying I haven't, on trips where my friends had noticeably decreased loft in their untreated down. And one of those trips I soaked the foot end of my bag with condensation on the first night, still no problems, and completly dry by the following camp. But, I have no doubt that dry synthetic is warmer than damp, plus the risk of moisture freezing inside of the insulation is about the same. That can't be the warmest, having ice as part of your insulation.

Have you had such wet quilts when using your VB liner? I.E., moisture that you are sure didn't come from your breath or an outside source? "Maybe my warm air is just hitting that outer shell to easily?". Well, it does seem it would have an easier time making it to the cold shell and the dew point, as well as making it to the outside of the shell and condensing.

CM, very interesting about the 1.5 oz weight increase after 1 night and 35 minutes air drying. A few nights like that could definitely influence the warmth of the quilts. And I can only guess that might be worse at colder temps and if zero drying time is available?

[E_Logic]

It sounds like since most of your moisture build-up issue is centered around your torso you are more than likely too warm in that area. I might be wrong, but the heat we generate that goes through our quilts will continue to find it's way out transferring from object to the next. However, because some areas run warmer than others this has the potential to produce more condensation in specific areas due to the extreme temperature differences. I'm not quite sure what your solution would be for this problem, but it sounds like you're running warm in the middle.

Also, the bib will only really help prevent moisture build-up from happening on the upper part of your top quilt near your face. If you're really curious you could always try and get thermal footage of yourself sleeping at night to see what's going on but that could be pricey.

[infrastellar]

I had wet topquilt on last trip too. Not so wet, but apparently condensation issue from the body heat. I was not very hot inside, not sweating, comfortable sleep. The temperature was 26.6 as lowest, but high humidity as we slept right in the middle of the cloud:

[ShroominDave]

quoting BillyBob "Also, in the field under normal use, I have never had any trouble with a synthetic bag vs moisture. Not saying you can't, just saying I haven't, on trips where my friends had noticeably decreased loft in their untreated down. And one of those trips I soaked the foot end of my bag with condensation on the first night, still no problems, and completly dry by the following camp."

I have had similar experiences with synthetic insulation. One night everything got wet while putting up the tent (before I found hammocks) this includes my synthetic sleeping bag. By morning not only was I dry but the bag was as well. Same situation happened to me with a down sleeping bag and I was a popcicle by morning, which is what got me to try a synthetic bag in the first place. YES they are heavier and YES they do not compress as well as down BUT I have never been cold or wet (or even moist) in the synthetic. I have had a couple more very bad experiences with down which is why, for me, I will not use down any more in cold or wet weather. Above 50 and dry I still use my down comforter very successfully.
Synthetic by nature is hydrophobic while down is hydrophilic and I perspire a lot so I have always "felt" drier in synthetic (especially in temps below 50F)

[MikekiM]

Dang, I'm bummed. We had a nice little base of snow across the river in Harriman and now the warm temps and heavy rain are completely obliterating it!

Crap.. I missed it. All that winter gear I splurged on and the snow and ice are gone?

Wow.. that's beautiful!! How can you not love that??

[OneClick]

Crap.. I missed it. All that winter gear I splurged on and the snow and ice are gone?

That's how it goes. This weekends forecast: 36° rain and snow. BUMMER!!

[BillyBob58]

That's how it goes. This weekends forecast: 36° rain and snow. BUMMER!!

Would you believe it is in the high 30s with temp dropping all day(had a high of low 40s about sun up), along with rain/sleet/snow, way down here? Nothing is going to stick though, ground's too warm.

[OneClick]

Would you believe it is in the high 30s with temp dropping all day(had a high of low 40s about sun up), along with rain/sleet/snow, way down here? Nothing is going to stick though, ground's too warm.

Can't change the weather, but the thing that kills me is that I'll be out on the two warm days...surrounded by 5+ days of nice winter temps on both sides. Will be colder in KS/MO than northern MI. Oh well, it's only early December I keep telling myself.

Good thing is, It's a solid 20° quilt set this trip. So I will throw the VB liner back in and test some more to see if I can keep that TQ dry...er.

[MikekiM]

I swear I am going to read that VB thread at some point...

[Shug]

Just back from Minnesota Northwoods. 2 nights, very windy and average temp 3ºF.
Not a bit of moisture in my JRB High Sierra Sniveler, Loco Libre -10ºF Mucho Habanaro UQ. Thermarest sit pad inside the footbox of TQ.
Warbonnet Eldorado hammock and Superfly tarp with pole mod.

Slept with the new Warbonnet Bad Weather Bonnet down hood. By the way the Bad Weather Bonnet was worn by me a lot as it was so windy at camp. Forgot how 10 to 15 mph winds coming through can really make it feel so much colder in those low temps. Wore the WB Bonnet a lot around camp. New favorite piece of Winter gear!

Used my frost bib and had little or no moisture on TQ.
Glove maintenance was paramount to keep them dry in the deep snow. Getting good at that. Having a backpacking shovel really helps with that.
All in all...a very dry success.
Shug the Arid