Test: Superior Gear 30F insulated hammock and SMR Inferno 30F TQ at 25F

[BillyBob58]

Re: "In this case, I was really pushing "safety", since I had my faux VBs over these cotton layers, so if my body vapor condensed or I sweated much at all, it could not wick or otherwise escape and I would be stuck with that well known terror: wet cotton in cold conditions."

Actually, if I had soaked my cotton under my faux VBs, I don't think I could have increased my risk of hypothermia or even a cold night(unless my faux VBs failed to actually work as VBs, which they might).

The only increased risk would have been if I was on a back country trip where I had to wear the damp cotton clothing on the following days. Just my opinion of course, and based on my experience, but:
1: Damp or even wet cotton, under a VB, would not be able to evaporate and cool me down with an additional 23ºF worth of evaporative cooling (same way a swamp cooler or AC works)
2: The moisture in the cotton would not be able to get past the VB ad wick or evaporate into my insulation. So, wet cotton underneath a VB would be no where near the concern of wet cotton used in the normal fashion. IMO.

[Shug]

Hey there, Skippy! See my response to CrawlDaddy re: the Pea Pod. I think you will LOVE it. In addition to being a VERY efficient under quilt, I also find it to be an exceptionally comfy gathered end hammock. I lean towards bridge and 90º hammocks for overall comfort, but I find this GE at least as comfy as any other GE I have used, and maybe the best of them. Close enough that I might be willing to do away with my other hammocks. I know that the TQ can clip under the hammock to greatly boost it's range, but I'm not sure how that works for the TQ function. Shug? Any experience with that?

It is a good TQ as well as a UQ. I have a lot of TQs so mine goes for UQ duty.

[BillyBob58]

It is a good TQ as well as a UQ. I have a lot of TQs so mine goes for UQ duty.

Does it snap in in TQ mode?

[Shug]

Does it snap in in TQ mode?

It does. I can snap it to my Starlite or my 30º Superior Hammock original. But I can double my UQs on the original.

[BillyBob58]

It does. I can snap it to my Starlite or my 30º Superior Hammock original. But I can double my UQs on the original.

Thanks! I have meant to get one of their comforters and check that out, but did not yet get er done. I have an original 30F. They really make some quality and interesting products, seems to me.

[filster27]

It does. I can snap it to my Starlite or my 30º Superior Hammock original. But I can double my UQs on the original.

I saw a post by Danny about the starlite and adding a second comfortor and/or wind protector using alternating snaps. I tried it with my comforter using half the
snaps and hung my wind protector on the remainung snaps and it seemed fine.

[cmoulder]

Thanks all for the interesting comments!




Yes, for sure, anyone who knows anything about me knows that I am a layer kind of guy. Like you, many is the time that I have pushed gear well past their rated limits by adding layers. This SG hammock looks so darn lofty that- as confirmed by Shug's experience- I probably would not have needed any layers at that nights mid 20F lows or maybe a good bit lower. But, like I said, since I had very little experience with this brand, and the forecast temps were well below it's rating, plus some slight wind chill(no tarp or UQP), like I said: I was paranoid! Plus, though the SG hammock-to me anyway- looks warmer than 30F- I could not exactly say that about the SMR TQ. Sure, it looks at least as lofty as other 30F TQs, but not more so. So, layers it was! And boy did that work! Too well!

Yes, when it comes to new gear in the winter it cannot be trusted until it is tested in actual conditions. Gotta sneak up on it or be prepared for a rude surprise. Some years back—when sleeping on the ground—I carried 3 full-length CCF mats to test in combo with my air mat.... a 1/8" Gossamer gear, a 3/8" EVA and the big ol' Ridge Rest with the shiny coating on one side. Rotated them approx every hour in single-digit temps to find out which would keep me warm with the least bulk. Once again Goldilocks struck and it was the 3/8". I was only about 1.4 miles from the trailhead at my favorite test venue in Harriman State Park.

[Dvankirk]

Had my 30º SG to 14º.....was warm and good.

Had my 40 degree down to 32 with just a Loco Libre 20 degree topquilt and only wearing a baselayer and was plenty warm. I would say that their ratings are spot on if not a little conservative.

[rweb82]

Had my 30º SG to 14º.....was warm and good.

Is their insulated hammock just more lofty than other 30° UQs? Or do you think it's more due to the fact that there are zero gaps?

[BillyBob58]

Is their insulated hammock just more lofty than other 30° UQs? Or do you think it's more due to the fact that there are zero gaps?

Well, to me, mine looks more lofty than I would expect for a 30F UQ. But, that is not always easy to determine on these quilts because it is hard to flatten them out and the down can be moved around making them more lofty in one area and less lofty in another. But, it seems more lofty to me. I am going to try and do a side by side comparison with some other 30F quilts and see if it is my imagination.