I'm very new to hammock camping. Just bought the chameleon set with dyneema door tarp and EE quilts 0% down. (very expensive system) BUT I LOVE IT!
I'm just wondering with February and March coming will I be warm with the top and bottom quilts or do I need to buy a 40% down for extra warmth when at camp? Experts please advise
What is the temp rating on the quiltsOriginally Posted by Cityboycamper
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I think OP meant "O*" not 0%
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That makes sense, at 0° I would think that as long as you are camping above 0, you will be fine. May want to pitch the tarp low to prevent wind as much as possible, and if needed throw on an UQ protector!
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Have you picked a destination yet? I assume Central Park is not an option to test your system. If you plan a trip north I recommend checking mountain-forecast.com first. They show temperatures at different elevation levels and you can plan around that. Be safe and have fun.
If you think you are too small or too unimportant to make a change try
sleeping in a room with a mosquito.
Dalai Lama.
You should be fine.
However, backpacking/hanging/camping in the winter involves a lot more than just buying the gear and heading out, and hanging adds another layer of complexity that can be daunting, especially for a new hammocker trying to rig up hammock and tarp at 15°F in a 20mph breeze.
But maybe you already have a lot of experience camping on the ground/snow in the winter. I'm not "judging the book by the cover" here because I lived in Manhattan for many years and was into mountaineering and did many extended trips in very cold (-20 to -30°F) and nasty weather, and maybe you are the same or similar.
There's a good number of folks in the NY/LI/Westchester area who do winter backpacking/hanging. If you come up this way some time, there are quite a few easy in/out venues in Harriman State Park that are excellent for learning the black arts of the white world. I'm there quite a bit, and will be today and tonight, probably ending up at Brien Memorial Shelter which is an easy 1.4 mile walk from the Silvermine Lake parking area. My typical "overnight quickie" format is to do a long-ish day hike and end up someplace like Brien or Stockbridge (and there are many others!) that offers a nice camping spot and a short walk out the following morning. Let me know if you're interested in something like this.
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“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
Many people find a 10 degree cushion to be about right (sleep in gear rated 10 degrees above expected temperatures. But here's the deal. unlike making a cake that requires a table spoon of "X" and knowing when you supply "X" in that amount you are all set - with camping you need your own experience it because people are different and all those rating numbers should be considered more as suggestions.
That means just trying out what you have now - preferably in a situation where you can find a better shelter if there's a problem - like camping in your back yard or not far from a bailout point.
After one night you will know more about your gear than any spec rating. If you were cold, was it on top or from the bottom; each has its solutions. If you weren't cold, then you know you are good at whatever temperature it was that night and can go forward from there.
Looks like you are from NY - that's a long way from Oregon so I don't know anything about Feb/March there. But even if I were familiar with the east coast, climate seems to be changing enough that each season is a new learning experience.
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I know what you meant, but to clarify since the OP has proclaimed himself to be new to hammock camping, what you meant to say is sleep in gear rated 10° BELOW the expected temperatures.
Example: with the OP's 0° quilts, the 10° safety factor means he should be fine for forecasts with a low of 10°. This takes into account some variability and unpredictability in the weather forecast, not to mention a host of other variables. Many people are fine when they sleep in temps at or even below their quilts' ratings, but if you head out for an evening with a forecast low of 0°, how warm will you be if the actual temp dips to -8°? Or what if you don't get your underquilt hung just right? Those are a couple of examples where the 10° buffer can be your friend.
I agree with Cmoulder about Harriman. I go there often with friends and recently some new sites called “Downtomeet”. Check out the hammock backpacking group. I’m on there and many have helped me as a newbi hanger. This past weekend I went with friends to Hunter mtn John Rob lean to. It was 0f Friday night. I was ground sleeping in lean to with friend. Others were hanging. Saturday came the winds really bad. Friends dynenna tarp exploded! Other guy had a ground stake snap! Crap happens 2 bailed for safety and 3 of us stayed in bivy’s and sleeping bags for about 14 hours! Can’t duplicate that in my backyard, but previous experience had taught me many lessons. My 10 essentials have doubled! Check out some of those Downtomeet camping survival and hammocking groups. Knish
To the OP... I'll second and third the suggestion to make a trip out to Harriman. We are there often (though January has been a hard month for me as far as getting out).. Easy hike out in the morning gives you a bail out plan should things go sideways. Going with someone else also give you a back-up.
cmoulder was out in Harriman last evening and he reported temps in the teens with a stiff breeze. Your 0F quilts *should* be fine, but we all sleep different.. some hotter sleepers than others.
Knish.. who lost their tarp?? (Just spoke to joe... got ask the details)
Last edited by MikekiM; 01-21-2020 at 09:58.
Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
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