Warbonnet Blackbird hammock
Warbonnet Superfly tarp
CCF sleeping pad
Reflectix pad (for additional warmth)
Wiggy's FTRSS sleeping bag system, rated to -20.
I also sleep with a medium weight long underwear system, for heat management.
So, first, lets discuss the comfort range of the sleeping system. Was I warm? Well, thats kind of debateable. I wasnt uncomfortably cold. BUT, here's the deal. The FTRSS system consists of 2 sleeping bags: a +20 bag, which is the inner bag, and a +35 bag, which comprises the outer bag, when they are zipped together. Each bag has 2 sets of zippers: and inner one, that closes that bag, and an outer one, that mates with the other bag. Now, here is where the issue arises. When the bags are on their own, the oversized draft tubes work fantastic. They block the air coming through the zipper, and dont allow you to inadvertently come into contact with the (cold) zipper. However, when the bags are mated, the draft tube is JUST big enough to cover the zipper, with minimal overlap. Now, here is something that isnt taken into account: Sleeping in a traditional tent, one can reasonably assume that you are flat. In a hammock, you arent. You will, even in the BEST hammocks, lie in a somewhat U shaped position. Combine that with a lack of leverage when moving (in a hammock, when you move, you more slide to a new position, sometimes contorting yourself, rather than just move), and you can compromise this tenuous defense against the outside temps. In short-you end up byassing the draft tube, and touch the zipper. Which is COLD. So, even though the bags are rated to -20, when combined-this takes into account that you are a ground dweller. And, as such, dont resort to contortions and poor adjustments. My ratings for this bag? It got down to -7 one night, and I was comfortable, except for that issue. So, I would say that I would rate this ideally at a -10 system.
Its important to note that I was NOT cold anywhere else, except along the zipper line. My bottom insulation was fine. But, on to the trip.
So, the first day, I arrived about 2, and set up my gear. I wasnt the first, by any means, but I did want to get there before dark. I got set up (I took my time), and then proceeded to hang out with friends, new and old, by the fire. Coincidentally, the fire is kept going pretty much all weekend, as its our only source of heat for the weekend. We spent the afternoon catching up, welcoming new members, and shooting the breeze. Before long, it was dinner time!
About food: we have pretty much come to a perfect solution. As our camp is a drive in, and no need to walk any real distance, we do pot luck for meals. We generally do dinner, and breakfasts, and leave lunch and snacks up to the individuals. You will NEVER leave hungry. The first night, we had soup, a crockpot chicken stew, and some hot sausage with onions. All done over either the fire, or camp stoves. We ate like vikings!
Then, later that night, we had a special treat. My friend Joe is an amateur astronomer. He brought his telescope for all of us to look through. So, we spent some time looking at stars, galaxies, and planets. Where we are, there is no light pollution, and the sky was clear, so we had a great view. After that, we all pretty much went to bed.
Waking up in -2 weather, is rough. I had a rough night, as I did, what came to be called, the "zipper dance", which I alluded to earlier. So, I was up, and cold. I quickly got dressed, then sat by the fire. Once warmed, I was fine. Then, the breakfast feed was on. Again, a communal feeding, with enough food to feed twice as many people as were there-but, we ate it all!
After breakfast, we pretty much were on our own. I went for a nice hike around the pond. The frozen pond was a nice, WARM contrast compared to the relative cool woods. The sun reflecting off the snow was nice. When the wind blew though, that disappeared instantly-the wind chill was in the -20s. I had on an anorak, with a fur ruff, which was a godsend. With a wind chill like that, your sinuses freeze up, causing pain. The ruff creates a nice little micro environment right in front of your face-essentially a warm air cushion.
So, that evening, we had some venison stew that was AWESOME. We also had some cowboy stew, that was venison and boar meat, that was ALSO awesome. Basically, we ate like kings, again. We also tried to make a Swedish Torch (by "we", I mean Tim), but, it failed. I think that this was due to wood selection more than lack of trying. We used hemlock, which is a fantastic hardwood-but doesnt make a good fire log, as it smoulders, not burns. We also had a raffle, which has become traditional for our hangs. We had plenty of awesome donations from local vendors, and all proceeds went to the local Boy Scouts. We raised over $500 that night for them! We then went back to camp (we used a building for the raffle) where we ate, told stories, and went to bed.
Night 2, I had my sleeping system largely worked out. It was a better night, even though the night lows were colder, at -7. I heard coyotes calling across the pond, and, at one point, was woken up by a barred owl screeching. Normally, I detest being woken up. But, theres something about being outside, and hearing nature do its thing, that has NEVER bothered me!
Next morning, got up. Had another amazing breakfast, then began to break camp. I said my goodbyes, and drove home. Most people at work think I am crazy for opting to sleep out in negative temps. I dont even try to explain it anymore. If your heart is in the woods, its simply a calling. You learn to dress, you adapt, and deal. Its really that simple. I had a weekend of cameraderie, good food, plenty of laughs-and even tried out a new hammock, that I then ordered as soon as I got home. Yes, I'm selling my WBBB, which I have had since 2008. But, I tried a bridge style hammock ,and feel that, with this type, I can alleviate the zipper issue, due to the way the lie is in the hammock. So, I will be doing a test night within the next month, with a new hammock, to try it out! Look for a blog post regarding the Warbonnet RidgeRunner coming soon!
Last, as usual, I will leave you with some pics from the weekend!
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