TR- Cold Head - Cold Keister

“I was back at a State Forest campsite over the weekend trying to tune my hammock system. I discovered a couple of things. I should not be using my inflatable sleep pad in the hammock. It is a full length pad and is jus too lng to stay put with the bottom entry. Other people might be able to get away with it. But I can't. I thrash around too much. So so stuck some friction pads on the bottom of it to try and solve the problem. Nope... didn't make any difference. I got a ccf pad and it helped some. At least I was able to keep it semi in place. But it is still too long, so I will be cutting it down and trying some other arrangements. Can't do that wiht an inflatable.

Last night I really got cold. I had been chilly the night before but I was not dressed for the cold. I got some long skivvies from home and some other things I left without. But I did not get a hat! I will be taking care of that. I know the basic truth about hats and keeping warm. But I don't have a hat that would stay on while I sleep. It's balaclava time!! Temps were mid 30's I guessing because my glucose meter was too cold to operate. But the water had not frozen.

I did get up and put on a hoodie sweatshirt which helped, but then my torso was a little too hot. So....

All in all it was a good weekend. Got some things set up nicely. This system should be pretty good once the hat issue is solved.”

“I never solved that problem either. For me a tent works much better. BTW, if you froze your head AND your butt, what's that say about where your head was? j/k”

“The system I have is all cheap-a$$ DIY. except for the hammock itself. I can make some adjustments to the sleeping bag I am using for an over quilt which will help a lot. The underquilt is serviceable but that's about all I can say for it. The next major purchase I make for this setup will be a good commercial underquilt. Other than that I really like it much better than a tent. I don't feel like I am going fall down getting out. I'm catching up to the learning curve particularly in terms of how high on the tree to hang and how mich sag to put into the system from the beginning.
All in all... I think it will work out well

Nimble... there are those who would say we all suffer from cranial rectal inversion just for liking to sleep out in the woods.”

“I had a Hennessey (he should have stuck with cognac) and I roll around enough that the mattress pad often found it's way on top of me or up by my head (which was also frighteningly close to my butt). Also, contrary to most testimony, I have hiked places where I couldn't hang a hammock, but so far have never had to camp where I couldn't pitch a tent. I'm guessing I just lacked some hammock skills.”

“I'm not trying to convert anybody. But for me and my mobility issues it makes a lot of sense to go this way. Getting up from the ground is difficult or dangerous depending on what is going on. I have already fallen on my tent and bent a tent pole. I was completely sober at the time. With the hammock I just pull myself up and out. It has given me a whole sense of security particualrly about being out alone. That makes it worth it for me. But I do find it more difficult to get into and out of a sleeping bag.
The over quilt I have is a down bag. Normally I would just tuck my head under the quilt, or draw up the mummy hood but I end up breathing my steamy moisture laden breath into the bag. For a synth bag that works great. Not so hot for a down bag. YMMV”

“inflatable sleep pad = what? an air mattress or a self-inflating pad? an air mattress is cheap and light -but- basically has zero insulation value.

also, often people that wind up sleeping cold do so as a result of putting on TOO MUCH clothing. they sweat and then it's all over for keeping warm. you should be chilly but comfortable on a cold night.

eat a big meal before you go to bed and put down a hot beverage. give your bodies metabolism something to run with. your body will need more water as it metabolizes the food to maintain your temprature so you will have to pee more. dehyrdating yourself before going to bed so you won't have to pee is counter-productive. your body uses lots of water to burn calories to make heat, especially fatty foods.

take a pee bottle with you to bed. that way you don't have to lose any stored heat to go out and take a piss.

boil some h2o into a bottle and take it to bed with you. wrap it up and put it next to a major arterie. wrap a stone from next to the fire pit (choose one that is not too hot) and wrap it up in a bandanna. they put out heat for a long time.

just some obvious things... i know you prolly know all this already but you never know who reads these threads.”

“self-inflating.....

and the balaclava will take care of the rest. I would have been fine except for that.”

“I've been having difficulty with simultaneously tensioning and lashing but got a couple of tips from the folks on whiteblaze. Glad to see you getting out 'rev. Soon we'll be calling you well hung.”

“Ki0eh... check out www.hammockforums.net Those guys specialize in it. Even with the Hennessey they say to add some slack to the lines when hanging and you will stop the droop over night. It seems to work. You gonna be out this coming weekend? I need to get out again. Since the slowpoke trip was canceled I can do something else.

I didn't sag as much Friday as I have before and I didn't string as tight. After that I didn't sink at all last night. Hnaging too tightly has been linked with some ridgeline failures which have dropped the bug net on the person's face but didn't drop them on their butt.”

“Get a pair of biners. It makes the tension and lash issue not a problem. Use climbing grade biners, not the cheap ones for clipping water bottles. Bent gate biners work best.”

“hammockforums makes my head spin - that's why I got a translation on whiteblaze. :)”