Real World Experience - How Does Your IX UQ Work?

[BillyBob58]

......... My butt and legs never got cold though... they stayed quite toasty. My problem was my upper arms and flank, particularly when sleeping on my side. .....

Good info in this entire post. Most of these reports seem to fairly similar to my limited experiences so far, though a few are doing about 10*F better than me and getting down near freezing. But on this one quoted point, sound familiar? That has been exactly my reported experience several times. And the other thing that goes with that is that, when the quilt is pulled tight enough for a good seal ( not really hard for me), the same quilt is much more snug under my back than it is from butt to foot.

Four people have reported teens and one 20s! Please post with more details so we can learn from you!

[TiredFeet]

Been down to about 11° F - could probably go lower.

UQ designed and made by TeeDee. Triple layer IX, differential cut. Designed and made exclusively for his Bridge Hammocks. Prefect fit, easy to put on, no adjustment needed.

Merino wool long johns used exclusively for sleeping. Merino wool socks. Triple layer IX TQ. TeeDee's over cover on Bridge Hammock.

[WLMiller54]

Just returned from a weekend trip with my new UQ IX. 37 - 39 night temps on Lake Allatoona in Ga.

I am 5'11, 200 lbs - Back, Stomach, Side Sleeper
I use a WBBB, Synthetic Top Quilts (Brought two just in case)
Ordered from TTT Gear, has "In\Out" marked on the fabric with differential cuts

Expectation:
I was hoping for a good light weight UQ that would get me into the low 30's, and would marry well with my WBBB. I was willing to add additional IX layers if it worked well.

The Good

• Light weight
• Easy to setup
• Mac is a gear genius
• I like the thought of it
• Mac is sending a draft stopper for me to test

The Not so Good

• Can't get this to seal around my legs at all
• Have a difficult time maintaining a seal on my shoulders
• If you move, it instantly gets cold
• Constantly had to re-adjust it around shoulders
• Lots of adjusting fit
• In the WBBB, it does not fit around the foot box, and my feet and legs end up over the UQ

Next Steps:

• Mac is sending a draft stopper to test
• I have sewn in channels at the Top and bottom for elastic to help get a seal
• Add a tab onto the end of the WBBB foot-box to attach the quilt to
• Ordering some Climashield for an alternative quilt. Pondering using the IX as an additional layer to it.

Bottom Line:
I really want this to work, but this weekend I froze. My sons used my synthetic under quilts (DIY Franken-Quilt and DIY KAQ) and said they stayed very warm. the second night I pulled in both of my Top Quilts to try to stay warm, but didn't help much. (Warm on top, cold on the bottom) I also wore thermals, wool socks, and a fleece hat.

I am hopeful that with the right configurations and modifications this could be a good light spring \ fall quilt.

[Rat]

Texas Hang this weekend.

I used Mac's unmodified MMG IX Universal unmodified that he sent me. I was able to get this to seal better than the previous IX Universals from Tree-To-Tree Trail Gear, but I don't think it is because they are built different; in fact, I couldn't find any difference at all. However, I played with a little more aggressive angle of lay and I was able to really get the feet and head end to seal much better. My draft tubes didn't work very well partly because I didn't have them installed correctly but also because I just didn't need them.

Friday night was very windy, slightly rainy and proly about 40°. Roz and Gage had the modified IX UQ and I had the unmodified IX UQ. They reported staying very warm; and even with the wind blowing right into my feet I stayed warm but needed to get inside my sleeping bag to totally eliminate cold spots. All I wore was my cargo pants and a cotton Tee shirt.

Saturday night was going to be colder and was, in fact, at a verified 33°. I added the poncho liners to the IX UQ and Roz reported staying nice and toasty. She was wearing longjohns (lightweight) and her rain gear with a hoodie. Gage and I slept together in my ENO double and I had on the same type of clothes and we stayed nice and toasty all night; but just a little cramped.

So 40° easy with no added insulation and 33° with an added poncho liner in both the modified and unmodified MMG IX Universal underquilts was not just survivable, but downright comfortable.

[BillyBob58]

Been down to about 11° F - could probably go lower.

UQ designed and made by TeeDee. Triple layer IX, differential cut. Designed and made exclusively for his Bridge Hammocks. Prefect fit, easy to put on, no adjustment needed.

Merino wool long johns used exclusively for sleeping. Merino wool socks. Triple layer IX TQ. TeeDee's over cover on Bridge Hammock.

OK, at least this response explains one of the "teens". TeeDee also went to 11 so far, I believe. So if mem serves, this "3 layer" quilt also consists of an inner shell, which is smaller than the 3 layers of IX and a final outer shell. Hence, the inner shell can be pulled tight without any compression of or maybe even contact with the IX. Obviously allows maximizing the capabilities of the IX. You appear to be getting 21*F worth of protection from each layer of IX, so far anyway.

I suspect that( other than appearance and providing protection of the IX,) the inner shell is contributing much more to the outcome than the outer shell. You do pick up the weight of shells, but looks like it really gets the job done.

[Throkda]

I had good luck with it at a previous camping trip, but not at the one I had just this last weekend, where it got down to 39. I have the MMG Universal IXUQ, on a HH Explorer. I did have the Supershelter, but currently am only using the outer shell as a cover, so as to give the IX a good test.

So far, I'm convinced I'm just not adjusting it correctly to get that seal, because I did have one good night in which I was not only warm, but sweating -- and that was in just boxers and a t-shirt at about 47 degrees -- so I must have gotten the seal right that night.

I'm seriously considering getting a set of the "Triangle Thingies" by Arrowhead Equipment, so it pulls the quilt up from the sides instead of at a long point at the end, as well as having a cord lock to adjust the tension -- I'm thinking that should solve my problem.

[BillyBob58]

I had good luck with it at a previous camping trip, but not at the one I had just this last weekend, where it got down to 39. I have the MMG Universal IXUQ, on a HH Explorer. I did have the Supershelter, but currently am only using the outer shell as a cover, so as to give the IX a good test.

So far, I'm convinced I'm just not adjusting it correctly to get that seal, because I did have one good night in which I was not only warm, but sweating -- and that was in just boxers and a t-shirt at about 47 degrees -- so I must have gotten the seal right that night.

I'm seriously considering getting a set of the "Triangle Thingies" by Arrowhead Equipment, so it pulls the quilt up from the sides instead of at a long point at the end, as well as having a cord lock to adjust the tension -- I'm thinking that should solve my problem.

That approach has alawys improved performance in the past with the WB CS "Yeti". It was a tip Brandon gave me early on, to run the shock cords up to some sort of connection above the hammock, at a point somewhere between the end edges of the quilt and the end knots of the hammock. This really helped. I have also run the IX quilt cords up to mitten hooks on my HH Explorer and I think that might help also, but not enough experience yet to say for sure.

[sclittlefield]

30* F.

IX UQ 42x60 16oz.jpgIMG00071-20100804-2313.jpg

Three Layer, differentially cut Insulte Underquilt as seen here.

[scum]

I can confirm 30*F using a modified version sclittlefield's design. I hit 30 comfortably but feel very strongly that I could do at least 20's. I deviated from his design by adding thick draft tubes at head/foot and using a poncho liner as outer shell. Overall, the weight is pushing 30oz, but I'm hopeful to push the temps into the teens. If it can hit teens, then I can feel justified in the added weight of using a poncho liner. I just haven't had a chance to do anything lower than 30* yet. Once I do, I'll update.

For details on the 30* test, I wore cheap thermals, sweat pant/shirt, wool socks and cheap beanie cap. Tarp was hung high and open. This test was also before adding the draft tubes.

I also struggled with sealing the gaps. I switch between back and side sleeping. When I would switch to side, the gaps would open up and I'd freeze. This is why I added the draft tubes. Again, I haven't had a chance to test it w/ the tubes yet.

[dejoha]

Wow! You guys have really been helpful! These recent posts with elaborate details have really helped. More detail the better!

I did a quick test the other day in my backyard. Temps were in the 20s (about 25°F I believe. I tried shortening my quilt a little using large butterfly clips. I was in a GT silk hammock with a good diagonal lay. The head sealed nicely and the foot looked like it was sealed much better. I had a lot of the foot material off the hammock. I think I'll have to post a photo to show what I did, but it seemed to work.

The clips didn't last so neither did the warmth so I only stayed out for about 30 minutes. The quilt was prety snug, so I lost some loft around my torso and that area cooled first. I am buoyed up by this test. I'll post photos later showing the foot section.