[pct-l] Staying Warm...

[Bill Batchelor]

I had an interesting experience one night up on the PCT at Apple Valley
Saddle, just past Apache on the ridge leading into San Jacinto.  It was
cold, about 17 degrees.  When it comes to "light weight packing", I have
taken most of my knowledge from Ray Jardine and then made adjustments
through experience to suite me.   As such, I had a quilt I had bought from
GoLite and I was wearing all of my warm clothes beneath the quilt.  Now
there are some sleeping bag manufacturers that will tell you to sleep in the
buff or close to it in order to "warm up the inside of the bag".  This by
most peoples standards is just pure bunk.  More insulation is more
insulation it does not matter if it is sewn in the shape of a tube or in the
shape of a hat and jacket, layers are good.   So, I had on my wicking
underwear, a light shirt, my light down jacket, my hat, mittens, etc.  In
the middle of the night I was toasty in my trunk and legs, but my arms and
hands were cold enough to be a nuisance.  I could not find a position to
warm them up.  I kept thinking that there must be an opening in the side of
the quilt, but I could not find it.   I thought I could sleep on top of my
arms (face down), but could not get comfortable doing so.  At some point, as
an experiment, I unzipped my parka about 10 inches and within minutes my
arms were warm.   I could not believe it, I was so insulated by my clothes
that very little body heat was in the air gap under the quilt.  So by
releasing some heat from my trunk, I was able to increase the temperature
within the quilt just enough that my extremities warmed up.  I was truly
amazed.  And since my trunk was more than warm enough, this release did not
cool off my body enough to notice.   

So, while I am still a believer of sleeping in my warm clothes in addition
to the bag when needed, I must also say that there is something to be said
for a system that allows he warmth generated from the large trunk to help
out at the extremities.  Of course, more insulation just around my arms and
hands may have worked too, but I did not have any flash-dance leggings with
me to put over my arms.  Bottom line is that some creative experimenting can
often lead to interesting results.

BillB