Well that so rare cold weather is blowing into the deep south, and I have a few days to do some testing at temps that are cold enough to be even a challenge for my gear. Before it gets a lot colder, I decided to start with old faithful, the HH Super Shelter, the one I started with in 2006. It appears that, for me, my rating of a limit low 30s is about right. But with the slightest modification, I can go lower.
First, I have often said that there is not much to be done as far as adjusting this system, you just clip it on per instructions, and you are either warm enough or not. Unless of course I start adding insulation like parkas, or vests and such, down below, that might require some trickery. But normally I say little or no adjustment.
But, there is a little bit of adjustment that can be done, resulting in a somewhat noticeable difference. There is a tendency - like more than 1 full length UQ I have used - for the pad to fall away from the left leg when my feet are to the right. If I place some clothing under that area, it will help lift that area up closer to the hammock and my left leg. But, I can also tighten the foot end of the UC a 2 or 3 inches closer to the tree/past the rope cover, and it also solves that problem. And since warmth only seems to increase, it must not be so tight as to compress the pad too much.
At about 31F("feels like" 19F), I was adequately warm under my back(wearing a cotton T shirt with my thinnest polyester pull over, very thin, more like a light LJ top), just barely warm enough at my butt, and a bit marginal in the legs with cotton PJs. (but feet, barefoot, totally warm) When I tightened it up a bit, the legs improved a bit, still a bit marginal.
But in these pictures, I have added my lightest fleece jacket, zipped up and sleeves pulled into the jacket, between the under pad and under quilt. I have also wrapped my 12 oz Polarguard jacket around the foot end Shug style. This also serves to pull that pad up snugly on the left side. Temps are about the same, 30F with a "feels like" of 19F. A surprisingly "biting" cold. I am absolutely toast head to toe, top and bottom.
A word on the SMR 30F TQ with built in hood. With the hammock zipper closed, ad using the hood(no hats), I was if anything beginning to over heat on top, in the torso! My legs, however, at first were much less warm, though still adequate(feet toasty). This may have been due to the barely adequate warmth of the HHSS in the legs, with the left part of the pad falling away lightly? In the pictures, where I have added the fleece jacket under back and butt and the PG jacket zipped around the foot and lifting up on the UC/pad, even with the hood down and no hat, I am very toast top and bottom, even in the legs. This TQ weighs almost nothing, ans is excellent. The way the neck opening with hood up or down works, I never have any raft issues with this TQ. My heavier JRB I think is a bit warmer/thicker, and works just as well when used with the separate hood. But for the weight, this TQ is hard to beat, and easily makes it's temp rating of 30F for me. My wife snapped these pics, and has declared me officially insane. But, I am warm as can be.
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