[pct-l] Tent Warmth

[The Mountain Goat]

Well Said Slow, 

There are a number of different layering methods.
In many cases the tents we take, give some, but not a lot of
warmth. Although my tent of choice weighed in at 3LB (I 
know, GASP). It added easily an extra 5 degrees. Which may 
not always seem like a lot, but hey 5 degrees is 5 degrees.

Other things that I found while on the trail, was that my 
feet would get cold, because my pad was 4 feet long, and I 
was, well... longer than 4 feet, but hey for 9 oz, it 
worked well... until the ground got really cold. The fix 
for my feet was to use some of my clothing to put just under my feet.

One of the problems with a 15 oz bag that I used, was that 
it wasn't really a mummy. It wasn't really a Daddy either, 
but back on subject, The 15 oz, 45 Degree bag, was 
basically a blanket, with Nylon bottom. This was OK, since 
your body would mostly compress the down on your back side
anyway. But there was nothing around my head.
On marginal nights, I found that I had to wrap my long sleeve
shirt, and any other warm clothing around my head to keep 
the heat in. It worked, and perhaps the ultra light crowd 
might give me a gracious nod, for actual using items for 
dual uses, (ie day time clothing for night time sleeping 
warmth when the minimal bag I took had no head protection.
Of course on warmer nights, which was over half the trip, 
none of this extra warmth was really necessary. Anyway, I 
think I am rambling, and Reinhold may make me do the whole
PCT again. NO, not that, don't make 
me do it again!!!! Muhahhaaaaaaa. 
(ok, so I want to go again. Once bitten by the thru hiking bug....)

-Mountain Goat-



 Slow Comfort      
     Wed Jan 10 20:42:00 CST 2007          
---------------------------------
    
I like a warm tent.

Old Slow has tented winters in Colorado Mts, Texas Panhandle, Florida
swamps, Idaho, Montana, California Mts. etc., etc., etc. - the simplest,
most rewarding system that's worked for me on those extremely cold nights,
in addition to silk long johns is a bag liner inside and another covering my
bag.  (In fact if by some odd chance there is anything around the camp you
can cover your tent with, like an extra bag,  that will greatly help to
inhibit colder temperatures in a tent) The involved silk weight of two
liners is miniscule and the temperature rating of your sleep system can go
up as much as 20 degrees. Then when morning comes, I fire up my little
smokless candle in my reflective candle holder, extremely light weight combo
that I've had for 30 yrs.  I just hang the system from the center of my
tent, and in about 20 min. the difference in temperature will astound you if
you've never tried it. I know..I know...fire in the tent!  Well, I'm not
recommending anything, just letting you know that on a cold 10 degree night
in a light 30 degree bag I can get out of my tent for breakfast like a nice
piece of toast.

But then, I've never hiked 2600 miles and know there's extra weight involved
here, but I'll be practicing my same juju on this trail.

Slow


 
---------------------------------
Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster.