Training Logs 10/13-14-15 Hammock3-4-5

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Hammock Camping Practice, Day 3

Morning Trip Report 10/13/2019. It was a balmy 39 °F this morning and I forgot my winter sleep wear. The Hang Tight quilts did great, but until I wrapped a blanket-blanket around me inside the quilts I did feel the cold. Fair is fair, I was only wearing tights and a very thin hoodie. If I’d had my fleece, wool and down clothes, I don’t think I’d have felt it as much.

Setup

  • Gold Gear hammock, whoopie slings, with climbing beeners
    • ADDED hammock ridgeline to support hammock sock and to get enough sway for a diagonal lie.
  • Hang Tight top & bottom quilts with shock cord & S-beeners included
  • Dutchware hammock sock
    • REPLACED plastic clips with tiny metal beeners
  • Tree straps
    • REPLACED nylon with orange poly
  • Gold Amour 12′ tarp, set under dog run, not on top, but hanging from dog run, and hooked to tree at one side and van top carrier to the other. This put me far enough away from Gypsy that Stella came and slept with me… Stella snores.

Sleep clothes

  • Thin wool hiking socks
  • Loose tights
  • Long-tailed light-weight hoodie over tank
  • Oversized, long-tailed down vest

Had those. Should have also had these.

  • thick, loose wool socks
  • Buff or balaclava for my neck/head
  • Down Ghost Whisperer hoodie for my arms & head
  • Down or fleece pants over tights

Trip Summary To Date

Day1. 10/10/19, 81/57°F.The first night I was warm at 55 because without a ridgeline or tarp, the down wrapped around me with a little shoulder squeeze. I felt the dew damp between my shoulders but could move away from it. But I was comfortable wearing a scrub top and yoga pants in the Skyin footbox and homemade top/bottom quilts, even though I’m generally a side-sleeper.

Day2. 10/11/2019, 81/58°F. The second night I was warm at 48 in tights and a lightweight long-tailed hoodie with a tarp set low and the hammock sock draped over the Gold Armor hammock and Hang Tight Black Diamond top/bottom quilts — there was a very small area to keep warm.

Day3. 10/12/19, 70/44°F. Last night I woke up cold at 39 with a tarp set high, the Gold Armor hammock with a new ridgeline set high, which lifted the Dutchware hammock sock far away from my face a lot, but allowed my first true diagonal lie. I added a real blanket, wrapped like a burrito and tucked it under me, then tucked the Hang Tight top quilt around that. Which elevated sleeping cold to sleeping cool. Not sure if it was the temps, the bigger microclimate, or a combination that did me in. But I can do better.

Day4. 10/13/2019, 73/37. Changes.

Except when I twisted and sagged the hammock in the middle — I’m a restless side sleeper — and compressed the down in the bottom quilt, I was toasty warm. I think this is an issue with not having the ridgeline perfected. But I’m still having trouble figuring out the ridgeline. Towards dawn I pulled the Aegismax over me, instead of bunched at my feet, and actually it had flipped over the side of the hammock a little bit, and that made me toasty again. No gloves, no mountaineering or down socks, and no balaclava. Might have made the difference.

Day5. 10/14/2019, 75/41°F. I think the key is the sleeping bag inside the quilts. Toasty warm also without the hammock sock (I haven’t figured out how to lower the hammock ridgeline so it doesn’t pull the sock so tight it compresses the underquilt underneath me when I lie on a diagonal. So I just didn’t use it. And didn’t need it.) I was toasty and slept well.

The only issue I had was after I got up in the morning, I’m still getting a little knee pressure, even in a diagonal lie. So I”m going back to the Skyin footbox hammock. Otherwise, I think I’ve got it set for 35-55 degrees.

Conclusion, Southern Winter Setup (35-55°F)

After 5 nights sleeping out, this is what works.

Happy Trails.
–SHS, 2019

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