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  1. #1
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    Need Advice--Newbie First Trip In The COLD

    I'm fairly new to backpacking and a FL boy. Most of my trips have been in FL where we can get by with a 50 to 40 degree setup most of the time and minimal sleeping clothing.

    My current set up is a Chameleon with HG 20deg Burrow and Incubator quilts, and a Dutchware Xenon tarp.

    I'm planning a trip up to Pisgah next week and the lows are trending towards the 30's at elevation. Will I freeze my cojones off with this set up....?

    Also, can you guys provide some advice on what type of sleeping clothing I should pack for these temps?

    Any other advice is much appreciated.....

    Thanks!
    Last edited by benjid; 11-10-2021 at 18:19.

  2. #2
    Senior Member oldbiker's Avatar
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    I don't hike but motorcycle travel. In mid 20° weather I double my UQ s. Sleep in long John's, wool socks, my clothes & a down jacket with gloves & a boggin. I use a 0° rectangular down bag. If I get a little warm, I vent but that rarely happens.

  3. #3

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    20F quilts should keep you fairly warm at those temperatures, but if you are a “cold sleeper” then you might want to augment with some fleece pants, loose fleece or wool socks, and a fleece top. Have your puffball jacket handy - I use mine to help with any cold spots if they creep in.

  4. #4
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
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    Are you backpacking solo, or with friends?
    If possible, get a friend to lay in your hammock, while you check for air gaps in underquilt, and adjust as needed.

    After adjusting underquilt, you should lay in your hammock and check for even warmth versus cold spots. Easier to remedy in afternoon, than at 200am.

    Have you called ahead to forest rangers to check on trail conditions?
    Take us some pictures, while you’re way up there!

  5. #5
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by benjid View Post
    I'm fairly new to backpacking and a FL boy. Most of my trips have been in FL where we can get by with a 50 to 40 degree setup most of the time and minimal sleeping clothing.

    My current set up is a Chameleon with HG 20deg Burrow and Phoenix quilts, and a Dutchware Xenon tarp.

    I'm planning a trip up to Pisgah next week and the lows are trending towards the 30's at elevation. Will I freeze my cojones off with this set up....?

    Also, can you guys provide some advice on what type of sleeping clothing I should pack for these temps?

    Any other advice is much appreciated.....

    Thanks!
    Well, based on my experience with various highly rated HF vendors, I doubt I would freeze my cojones off even at 20F, much less 30F, with a 20F rated HG quilt. I have never tested a HG quilt, but based on many reviews I have seen here, it should be at least equal to the JRB, WB and several other brands I have tested. I have been able to get all of those at least to their rated temps and remain comfy.

    But, I can not say for sure about you. People vary greatly! And not only that, getting the temp rating out of quilts- more so than with a sleeping bag on a pad on the ground- depends on an almost perfect adjustment that is free of all gaps and drafts. Mind you now- I am not saying that can not be done, in fact, I do it all the time. But, particularly with some quilts on some hammocks- I did struggle some the first few times before I got it right, and maybe even trained myself to sleep in such a fashion so as to avoid any drafts with my TQ. Remember, you are not zipped up inside a bag, so there is always opportunity to lift an edge in your sleep, and if you do that you will wake up cold. And the UQ MUST be snug enough against your back and butt so that there are no gaps head end to foot end. You have a differential cut, but if you didn't you would also have to be careful not to go TOO tight, and compress loft. It needs to be just right. That can be tricky, so there are a lot of threads around here started by people who were nowhere near as warm as they were expecting to be, even when they are experienced at sleeping on a ground pad at way colder temps.

    So, you need to be practicing in your backyard or nearby parks to make sure you know how to adjust things correctly.

    Some here will tell you you should be sleeping near naked and no socks, and I don't know, maybe they are right. Me, I layer up just like I do when sitting around camp. Of course, you can always add clothing if you find you are too cold.

    A fleece jacket(and maybe pants) and long john layer should probably be the minimum you have with you, and these might add a bit of back warmth if the UQ is not enough, since fleece does not compress much. Are you backpacking, or car camping? If car camping, take lots of warm stuff with you. If backpacking, you will have to be more weight efficient.

    Either way, take a torso sized piece of CCF pad with you. This can serve as a sit pad, and a fan for the fire, and give you a big emergency boost if you are not warm enough on your UQ. You might also consider a cheap, super light reflective/vapor barrier space blanket(the super light weight ones, just cost a few $). If despite everything you have tried regarding adjustments(start with the UQ lifting the empty hammock a fe inches to 1 ft or so, check and make sure you still have some slack in your UQ suspension), if despite everything your back is still cold, place that space blanket- with shiny side up- between your hammock and UQ. DO NOT PLACE IT AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE UQ. That will cause too much condensation. You want to keep the space blanket or VB WARM. As we all know, condensation happens on cold surfaces, so keep it warm, or expect condensation! But in my experiece, this trick can add 15-23ºF to any quilt, and has the added advantage of keeping your body vapor from condensing into liquid when it contacts cold air in the outer layers of your insulation, at or below the dew point. Any condensation inside your quilts = a less warm quilt.

    Good luck, have fun!

  6. #6
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    PS: I forgot! Don't forget your head insulation! Remember that a part of mummy bag temp ratings includes at least equally thick insulation from the hood and neck collars! This is critical! For the best assurance of being warm enough at your quilts rating, put some thick insulation around your head! Your best bet is if you have a separate thick hood, or at least a jacket you can sleep in that has a thick hood. Lacking that, find the thickest hats that you can, or layer more than one hat if necessary.
    Last edited by BillyBob58; 11-10-2021 at 19:26.

  7. #7
    FLTurtle's Avatar
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    Don't go to bed cold. Made that mistake once.

  8. #8
    ObdewlaX's Avatar
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    I think your setup will work for you. Add a some layering & a warm beanie for your head & you should be good to go.

    I have the same hammock & quilt setup except the UQ is a Phoenix & wouldn't hesitate getting out in the 30's.

  9. #9
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    Plan and be prepared for colder weather. I have discovered that the back country can be colder by 10* or more than the weather forecast on popular weather apps/sites for a particular area. The difference can be even greater at altitude. Toss in a breeze (almost a certainty at altitude) and you could be exceeding the limits of your gear. That's one of several reasons why you'll see experienced hangers recommend using gear rated at least 10* warmer than you think you'll need.

    Everything everyone has already said above is sound advice and can help ensure you're prepared even if the needle drops lower than you expect. But I'll toss in a couple of more peals of wisdom:

    1) I can't stress my concern about the wind enough. Even a mild breeze can steal heat quickly. Choose your site carefully to minimize the wind and hang your tarp as low as possible to mitigate the impacts of whatever breeze remains. An UQP can help.
    2) Don't wear or take anything cotton. Leave it all at home. A little web research will explain why.
    3) Eat something right before you go to bed. The extra energy your body creates to digest the food will help warm you.
    4) Some folks suggest filling a Nalgene or other heat-tolerant leakproof container with hot water and taking that in the hammock with you. Personally, I try to keep liquids and my down quilts as far apart as possible. But there are those that swear by it.
    5) I find that covering your extremities (feet, hands, head) does wonders to help regulate your whole body temperature. I'm a big proponent of wool. Wool socks (sometimes multiple pairs), wool gloves, wool beanie, and often a neck gaiter. Other folks prefer down. Since my head is usually the only thing sticking out of the TQ, I'll often pull the gaiter up over the top of my beanie to add a bit more warmth at the top of my hairless head. I cover the extremities to help stay warm. When I get too warm, it's an relatively simple matter to take off the gloves/socks/gaiter or slide the beanie up on my head a bit to "vent" my body, and it's just as simple pull them back on when I chill off.
    ~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?

  10. #10
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    I'll second the neck gaiter along with the beanie on your head. The beanie can take care of the top of your head, and the gaiter can help warm your neck and face. I have a pair of thick smartwool socks I sleep in on cold nights.
    You should be fine though. As long as you adjust the UQ correctly, I doubt you'll have any trouble. You could keep an extra layer of clothes or a warm jacket available to add an extra layer if you need it. You could also grab one of the hothands hand warmers to crack open if you get cold in the middle of the night.

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