Under Insulation For The Warm Months

[affreeman]

I am currently thru-hiking the AT with my Hennessy. I'ver used the Hennessy undercover and underpad right from the beginning and it hads kept me comfortable right down to freezing. Now, of course, the weather is getting quite warm, and I am starting to think about whether or not I need to use the undercover and/or the underpad, or if I might be able to send them home.

I suppose I will start experimenting with sleeping without the underpad first, and ultimately make up my mind that way, but I am also wondering what other folks do during the warmer months.

Just to be clear, I do not carry a thermarest or any other traditional pad, and do not use anything inside the hammock except for my sleeping bag.

[Take-a-knee]

Affreeman, first welcome to HF. I've no supershelter experience, but several here do, hopefully they'll chime in soon. I'd guess the sil outer shell by itself should be good down to 60 degrees or so. Do you use a space blanket between the hammock and the outer shell? Also, tell us how your hike is going so far?

[TinaLouise]

I suppose I will start experimenting with sleeping without the underpad first, and ultimately make up my mind that way, but I am also wondering what other folks do during the warmer months.
.

experimenting w/your sleep system sounds like the best thing to try. Do not send anything home until you know for sure that you don't need it.
What I've found is that I need more under me than on top of me. Meaning that if my backside is warm, I can usually do w/less on top. So try experimenting first. You said you've got a sleeping bag, does it open up like a quilt? If it's a heavyer type bag, you might look into something lighter.
I use top quilts(1pound down/silnylon). And when really warm, I have a piece of wicking material that I use as a top sheet. I also have an under quilt (climashield/silnylon) summer weight. So far, I'm finding that I still need that under quilt and if I do get to hot, I just unhook one side and slip the under quilt off to the other side. That way if I get chilled during the night, I can just slip it right back under me.
on another note, how's your thru-hike going? Specificly, how is it going as far as hanging is concerned? Are you setting up camp away from the shelters? Have you had to stay in any of the shelters? Any problems with bears? How have you had any problems keeping your stuff(hammock, bedding) dry? How long have you been on the trail?
Lordy, is that a slew of questions, or what Bet you thought you posted on here to get questions answered, not to answer more

[Cannibal]

Affreeman, first welcome to HF. I've no supershelter experience, but several here do, hopefully they'll chime in soon. I'd guess the sil outer shell by itself should be good down to 60 degrees or so. Do you use a space blanket between the hammock and the outer shell? Also, tell us how your hike is going so far?

Well, I don't have much experience with my SuperShelter, but I put a little money on TAK's idea. Not really much different from a Neat Sheet uq and I've used those into the low 60s with zero problems. Certainly worth a try!

Specifically, how is it going as far as hanging is concerned? Are you setting up camp away from the shelters? Have you had to stay in any of the shelters? Any problems with bears? How have you had any problems keeping your stuff(hammock, bedding) dry? How long have you been on the trail?

Cracks me up how the questions never change.
But, I agree; inquiring minds want to know.

[kwpapke]

I am currently thru-hiking the AT with my Hennessy. I'ver used the Hennessy undercover and underpad right from the beginning and it hads kept me comfortable right down to freezing. Now, of course, the weather is getting quite warm, and I am starting to think about whether or not I need to use the undercover and/or the underpad, or if I might be able to send them home.

In temps above 65 or so at night you should be able to get by with just a space blanket in the UC and leave out the OCF pad. This will lighten your load significantly, and allow the whole shootin' match to be rolled up in your snakeskins. [somewhat amusing Freudian slip: when I typed this in I left the "k" out of snakeskins, which the spelling checker pointed out. Somehow I like the word "snakesins" though, sounds very Genesis, garden of eden-like...]

YMMV when it comes to temps of course, especially since you are using a sleeping bag so you have some insulation beneath you when you are not using it mummy-style. If you are using a synth bag, it will provide quite a bit of bottom-warmth contrary to common wisdom.

Let us know how your experiments go.

--Kurt

[BillyBob58]

YMMV when it comes to temps of course, especially since you are using a sleeping bag so you have some insulation beneath you when you are not using it mummy-style. If you are using a synth bag, it will provide quite a bit of bottom-warmth contrary to common wisdom.

Let us know how your experiments go.

--Kurt

I tried to make that point- or at least discuss that theory- in a thread I started-quite a few months back. There was a fair amount of vigorous disagreement with my observation that there was quite a bit of warmth to be had from a synthetic bag under your back. Maybe enough to mean you could use a lighter pad or under quilt at any given temp, or that at temps not very cold or almost warm temps you might not need any pad or quilt at all. Glad to hear another experienced hanger has made the same observation.

I was hanging in my JRB BMBH during a wet stormy high 60s a few weeks back. I had a summer synthetic, 30 years old, I think Quallofil and either rated at 40 or 50*F. When the wind would blow pretty hard ( I had a pretty wide tarp pitch), my back would be too cool for comfort. Just laying on top of the bottom layer of the summer synthetic bag was all that was needed. I was more than warm enough.

My point in that thread was that this was an unsung benefit of a synthetic bag, though I really had no idea how many degrees it might be good for, and that would also vary with the weight of the bag. Not at all reason enough alone to swing me from a down bag or quilt of syn or down. But for some body already using or considering a synthetic bag, I just felt it was one more factor to consider.

[vitamaltz]

One more vote for a synthetic bag in the warm months. For years I've hung with nighttime lows in the low 60s with nothing but an REI Travel Sack with a 55 degree rating. This bag has no loft and is worthless in colder weather. It's also heaver than some people's subfreezing setups, but it's really comfortable with no pad or underquilt above about 60 degrees. With just a bag, hammock, and tarp, I'm ready to go. By the end of June, it'so warm that just a silk liner suffices. Summer is awesome!

[whitefoot_hp]

a synthetic bag under your back will keep you warm in very warm weather. (plus 50 nights) however i hate being in a bag in a hammock. I have only laid on synthetic insulation when i had two sleeping bags, at a stationary camp close to my car. it was AOK.

[furtigan]

What I've found is that I need more under me than on top of me. Meaning that if my backside is warm, I can usually do w/less on top. .... So far, I'm finding that I still need that under quilt and if I do get to hot, I just unhook one side and slip the under quilt off to the other side. That way if I get chilled during the night, I can just slip it right back under me.

Ditto. I did the whole AT with JRB down quilts top and bottom. (Did switch to lighter quilt in summer)