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  1. #1
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    Dew on one side of UQ, and adjusting UQ for foot box

    Hi guys.

    Wet.jpg
    Dry.jpg


    Just wanted to throw this out there: Does anyone know why my UQ is completely soaked on one corner, but not the others? This was a cloudless night, with temps dropping down to about 3 °C. Daytime around 10 °C.
    I just can not understand why I had such a massive dew build-up on this one corner. This is the foot end and I have notoriously cold feet, but I don't know if this could have anything to do with it...
    It had not soaked through and I managed to keep the feet warm by using a heater in the bottom of my sleeping bag.

    Second questions is something I've struggled solving for a few months now: When I lay in the BB XLC, my feet sink into the foot box. The material where my calves are is slightly elevated and not in direct contact with the UQ, making it slightly colder. Not cold as in me freezing, but with my horrendous blood flow the feet seem to get cold even with wool socks on. Is there any way to solve this? Could my sag be too low, so that the UQ is not properly lifted in the ends? Do I just need to tighten the secondary suspension a little more? The main suspension is already wrapped around in the ends to reduce it's length.
    I also notice that where my feet "stick out" in the foot box, it pushes the UQ slightly away from the hammock, causing a draft in under my calves. Could this be the same issue as before? Would the best way to solve this be to sew on a hook so I can force it to stay in contact with the hammock?

    Really hope someone with more experience than me has some good advice to share. I really want to use my gear this winter, but I won't (my feet won't) survive unless I can sort these issues out. A bottle of warm water won't last a full night in -10 °C.

    Thanks a bundle in advance!

  2. #2
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Possibly condensation on your UQ. Not sure why.
    Maybe you need to play with the fit of your Incubator a bit more to solve your footbox issue.
    Watch the second video at 2:30 in as I talk about UQ on Warbonnet footbox.
    Good luck...
    Shug



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  3. #3
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Finally another person besides myself that experienced this after waking up...



    No tarp? While not the specific cause, that probably didn't help. Some thoughts:

    1. I think the UQ just creates such a warm and damp environment (insensible perspiration from you) which simply escapes the path of least resistance.
    2. In general, the foot end is always going to be the trouble spot with "leaks" (based on 8 years of experience and hundreds of comments in this forum). Even if you have a perfect setup, the calf ridge area (accordion-type bunching of fabric under knees) sort of siphons the heat out. Even a UQ draft collar won't block all those tiny gaps.
    3. With the foot end higher (agreed to be the "correct" way) I suppose the heat/moisture from your body will naturally move in that direction
    4. Could it be as simple as down shifting with less on this side making the warm/cold margin narrower?
    5. That 3° temp down to freezing is just a nasty area for causing this. If the dewpoint was approaching or hitting 3°, and no wind, it seems to be unavoidable.

  4. #4
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Also a UQ protector could help with gaps if you are struggling.
    Shug

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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shug View Post
    Possibly condensation on your UQ. Not sure why.
    Maybe you need to play with the fit of your Incubator a bit more to solve your footbox issue.
    Watch the second video at 2:30 in as I talk about UQ on Warbonnet footbox.
    Good luck...
    Shug
    Cheers Shug. I have to admit I did not differentiate the tightening on the secondary suspension, which I usually do. Got to camp late and didn't have time to set up camp until my fire was good, so it was already dark and I was stressing with a failing head lamp. Rookie mistake there. Never did it as tight as you did though, so I'll give that a crack next time. Looks like that should do the trick from your video.



    Quote Originally Posted by OneClick View Post
    Finally another person besides myself that experienced this after waking up...

    No tarp? While not the specific cause, that probably didn't help. Some thoughts:

    1. I think the UQ just creates such a warm and damp environment (insensible perspiration from you) which simply escapes the path of least resistance.
    2. In general, the foot end is always going to be the trouble spot with "leaks" (based on 8 years of experience and hundreds of comments in this forum). Even if you have a perfect setup, the calf ridge area (accordion-type bunching of fabric under knees) sort of siphons the heat out. Even a UQ draft collar won't block all those tiny gaps.
    3. With the foot end higher (agreed to be the "correct" way) I suppose the heat/moisture from your body will naturally move in that direction
    4. Could it be as simple as down shifting with less on this side making the warm/cold margin narrower?
    5. That 3° temp down to freezing is just a nasty area for causing this. If the dewpoint was approaching or hitting 3°, and no wind, it seems to be unavoidable.
    You're right, no tarp as I wanted to see the stars as I faded away. Your theory on heat rising to the highest point makes absolute sense when the UQ is nice and tight everywhere else than where the dew formed. If it all escaped there, it would make sense. There was zero wind as well, so I think you're on the money here.

    So what would be the solution then? I'm thinking that tightening the secondary suspension on the foot side, closing that gap created by my feet, and allowing a small gap on the end for moisture to escape could solve the dew issue and at least mitigate the slight cold feeling under the accordion. What do you think?


    Appreciate the replies guys!

  6. #6
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    I'm not sure about a solution. I think the weather just decides. Some suggested a cover or UQ protector, but that would just trap the moisture inside. During the winter I get a big frosting of ice all over my hammock. But I think I would rather have it frost on the outside that I just knock off instead of trapping water inside between layers.

    Regarding the suspensions, the primary that you said your wrapped to shorten is more important to get right. The secondary just fine tunes the fit a little by pulling, which I think Shug mentions in one of those videos above.

  7. #7
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    Sounds as if there was some pathway for moisture to migrate from the feet to the outside.

    Conditions (relative humidity, airflow, etc) were such that the migrating moisture condensed on the shell. Try the same thing in similar conditions while wearing vapor barrier socks (or plastic grocery bags) and it likely won't happen. Also, feet will remain much warmer.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OneClick View Post
    Finally another person besides myself that experienced this after waking up...



    No tarp? While not the specific cause, that probably didn't help. Some thoughts:

    1. I think the UQ just creates such a warm and damp environment (insensible perspiration from you) which simply escapes the path of least resistance.
    2. In general, the foot end is always going to be the trouble spot with "leaks" (based on 8 years of experience and hundreds of comments in this forum). Even if you have a perfect setup, the calf ridge area (accordion-type bunching of fabric under knees) sort of siphons the heat out. Even a UQ draft collar won't block all those tiny gaps.
    3. With the foot end higher (agreed to be the "correct" way) I suppose the heat/moisture from your body will naturally move in that direction
    4. Could it be as simple as down shifting with less on this side making the warm/cold margin narrower?
    5. That 3° temp down to freezing is just a nasty area for causing this. If the dewpoint was approaching or hitting 3°, and no wind, it seems to be unavoidable.
    Good points from a man who knows about condensation problems.

    Telefonkatalogen, where were your feet relative to the corner with all the condensation? A ton of vapor can come off of the feet, where after doing it's job of evaporative cooling, it loves to condense back into liquid inside the insulation and near the outer shell. I solve problems like this with vapor barrier socks and/or clothing, but for most that is not a popular approach.

  9. #9

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    Looks like grass is below your hammock, and grass will continue to transpirate moisture into the air overnight. On a clear night with no wind and high humidity, any moisture evaporated or transpirated by plants will condense on the nearest cool surface. I would wager the moisture was coming from the vegetation and the foot end of your UQ was not as warm as the UQ near the rest of your body, so the foot got cool enough for moisture to condense. Putting a vapor barrier on the ground under your hammock will help with this especially on those nights with higher humidity and calm winds.

  10. #10
    Senior Member piscator's Avatar
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    Not sure myself but looks like condensation of some kind the droplets look to have fallen onto it. Was the inside of the tarp wet? Could condensation under the tarp have migrated to a low spot and tripped onto that area I wonder.
    I sympathise regarding cold feet it’s a big issue for me too.
    I invested in some down booties and Now always take Shugs advice on making sure my feet are warm before I get into the hammock.

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