Winter Backpacking w/h Hammock

“I'm feeling antsy to get outside before the semster starts and am thinking of doing an overnighter in Harriman.

I want and need to go light so I'm considering - with the rather warm temps we've been getting - of using my hammock - with my foam pad for insulation....

as I would have to go by train - I don't want to make the mistake of freezing my booty off...

any tips? advice? should I consider the tent?”

“Now I'm not sure if this is true, but you know those roadsigns that say Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface...I've heard it's the same principle regarding sleeping in a hammock during cold weather.”

“Me thinks this would be a misteak.”

“"Me thinks this would be a misteak."
the-naviguesser

And a frozen Miss Steak at that!

I wouldn't make the leap this time of year, esp. with just the foam pad. Even the best sleeping bags won't insulate underneath nearly as well as on top - and a foam pad in a hammock won't cover that differential.”

“Don't go for the frostbitten butt in addition to frostbitten toes!!! OHHHHHH NOOOOOOO!!”

“Tent all the way. And guy your lines.

You might consider double insulation. 1 Ensolite Pad and 1 Thermarest. Plus, one Ensolite sit pad for your door step.”

“Hiya, Twinks. I will be at Savage Gulf in a couple of weeks and plan on using my hammock. I suspend what is basically a heavy-duty space blanket around my hammock to reflect my body heat back to me and eliminate the 'breeze under the bridge' effect. I have tested this setup in temps in the mid twenties and it has worked fine. I expect the temps at Savage Gulf will be in the low to mid teens in a couple of weeks. I'll let you know how it works out.”

“Please describe the set-up of the space blanket...(inquiring mind wants to know)”

“It's very simple. I tie the blanket by two thin cords at each end of the hammock, leaving about a 6" gap between the blanket and the hammock at the head end, then I close the fold at the head end with a binder clip to keep any wind out. You need room at the foot end of the hammock so that you can get in (I'm talking about a Hennessy hammock here), so the gap between the blanket and hammock at the foot is greater in order to facilitate access. In very windy conditions. I would also use a siltarp as a windbreak on the windward side of the hammock. I must stress that I have not tried this setup in extreme conditions but I am betting that it will work in 0 degree-plus conditions in mild (20 mph) wind. Oh yeah, one other thing. I plan to use a full-length closed-cell foam pad under my ThermARest.”

“Twinks,
I asked BBinkley about the Hennessy hammock I bought from him and getting cold in lower temps...
He said he uses a car winshield sun reflector under his bag inside the hammock...
So the sun reflector acts like a pad and insulation...
He said the plain foil ones work best....
He also said "they don't weigh much", typical Binkster, always thinking about the ounces...lol”

“I've used my HH in the mid-20's and can verify that those things are coooold. I've used a windshield reflector under a thermarest AND ridgerest (yep, three layers), zero degree bag, and barely slept. You can feel the frigid temps on your back and your feet turn into blocks of aching ice. One night I got up and just put my sleeping pad & bag on the ground under the HH and was warm after that. I've been cold in mine in 40 degree temps. Another problem for me is that in cool weather I wind up taking so much stuff to stay warm in my HH (pads and extra pads, thicker heavier sleeping bag than expected temps would dictate) that it winds up being a fairly heavy sleep-shelter combo. With that said, I'm a reletively cold sleeper. You may have better results. BBinkly was in his on one trip that I froze on and he slept fine. Mine's strictly a summer item now, though.”

“I winter in hammocks with an under-quilt. a single foam pad is ok down to freezing but below that you generally need more. If you have the cash and dont want to do an under quilt then a DAM or down filled mattress works wonders and is highly reccomended for use above and on the ground as well.”

“How long before somebody cooks up a silnylon shelter designed specifically to protect a Hennessey from the wind in the winter? Something that attaches to the guy lines of the hammock just like the standard fly does, but goes all the way to the ground, completely surrounds the hammock, and gets staked down?”

“note if going with pads - go full length; if going with multiple pads duck tape or strap them together; a DAM works well but try it out in the hammock before going camping to make sure you can get out of the hammock easily once you are on the DAM - this varies with hammock type obviously - top loaders are easy but HH may or may not depending on model - I was going to try a DAM plus a foam pad over Christmas but decided to keep the mice company instead and slept in the shelter.”

“"How long before somebody cooks up a silnylon shelter designed specifically to protect a Hennessey from the wind in the winter? Something that attaches to the guy lines of the hammock just like the standard fly does, but goes all the way to the ground, completely surrounds the hammock, and gets staked down?"
bitpusher
09:56:47 AM
12/29/03

Yup bit, that's pretty much how I rig it. Gotta hang the hammock low enough to the ground.

Like I said, Twinks, I'll let ya know how it works out, or someone will. There'll be enough peeps on this trip to laugh their asses off if I freeze.”

“A hammock in winter?”

“"A hammock in winter?"

Wasn't that the name of a movie starring Omar Sharrif and Candace Bergen???”

“nonono - it was Katherine Hepburn”

“Right HOI, I stand erected...”

“Ummm Twinks remeber freezing your tushie off in the White Mountains? It was like 40* that night. Your a cold sleeper! Go for the tent.”

“I agree w/Lt. If you can't hack 40 degrees, save your hammock for summer. At that temp, all I sleep with over me is a military poncho liner. I do sleep warmer than the average bear.”

“A twinkcycle?”

“Thanks for the advice.

As it turns out, I will be going skiing the next two weekends and doggie sitting...(crap - forgot that date??)

anyhoo....I think I will only have one to do any backpacking/hiking at this point before school starts - and if I have my way - it will be spent doing more skiing....

but, will be sure to let anyone who might give a damn know what the experience is like if I instead decide to do another crazy twinks solo winter backpacking :)”

“Twinks did you check out the catskills trip?”

“An early method of cooling foods, or even making ice, was to put the foods or water on a pole high in the air. The principle was that by having it up in the air, the usual amount of energy would radiate away from the warm mass, but there would be no radiant heat being received from reflection or from other warm bodies, and also more heat loss by convection. The same principle applies with a hammock: more surface to radiate heat away, and more surface area exposed to convention, and no reflected heat. It could be done, but you have to overcome those factors by pretty good foam and sleeping bag loft.”

“LT - I had expressed interest when you first posted - but alas - when I said I was stuck as far as a ride goes - no one responded :(

I would love to do the Catskills again (as long as its not like the crazy Pennsy-danggling-off-a-cliff trip that the fellas had last year)”

“Who dangled Pennsy off the cliff?”

“Oh don't you know? Pennsy was doing his imitation of a bear bag!”

“Oh, Pennsy, were you dropped on the head when you were a child?”

“or perhaps that was his imitation of an icicle?”

“Twinks I can't help you with a ride for out of the city but there might be some others who can now.”