The setup is a MYOG double layer hammock.
A full length CCF pad.
2 - 1/2 lengths sideways.
Extended campmor poncho/tarp as a garlington under shell, no top.
2 garbage bags filled with emer blankets.
Ultra 20 quilt.
Johns
Thick Socks.

This was a test run last night, 22dF when I went to sleep, 14dF this morning.

I had a 10x12 foot tarp pretty much closed up like in storm mode. Slight opening in the ends and there was some air circulation inside.

I expected some condensation. Condensation on the tarp was very very light and onlyatthe very top.
Condensation in my quilt was heavy and it delofted about 1". I understand the condensation side slepin bag theory, IE it forms on the warm side inside the bag.

Went to sleep at about 10:30. I was very warm until about 5am. Very cozy and I expect that the delofting lessened the warmth a little. I was still comfortable, just a few cold spots and slept until 8 am.

Its a good setup but I need to make some adjustments.

I tend to sleep on my side and skrunch up and pull the quilt over my head and makea breathng hole so I know some exhaled breath makes it into the inside of the quilt.

One answer is a vapor barrier liner ba or clothes and I do have a med emer bivy (the heavy one) that I carry just in case (7oz) that I can use inside my quilt but I just dont like the clammy feeling.

Another option would be a breathable quilt bottom insulation, but I intend to carry CCF pads anyway in case I end up on the ground.

Third option would be to buy or build a 15-20dF climasheild quilt and just not worry about it which I may do
anyway.

Any sugestions welcomed.

I don't follow the two garbage bags filled with emergency blankets part.

I think he was using that as under insulation on his hammock.

go over to hammockforums and ask. You will get lots of answers over there

For starters, I doubt if your GoLite Ultra 20 is warm below 30 in a hammock, they are known to be overated.

I recommend just biting the bullet and making or getting an underquilt that breathes, although all on the market are made out of 1.1 ripstop nylon and could breathe too much.

"For starters, I doubt if your GoLite Ultra 20 is warm below 30 in a hammock, they are known to be overated"

not from the comments I have seen on HF

I use vb clothing when its cold enoungh. To protect my ultra 20 from breath condensation: I lay my rain jacket over the top of the quilt & tuck the hood under so its btw my chest & the quilt. If its cold enough I sleep with something covering my mouth (balaclava, bandana).

What you have left out is where you set up. The only times I have had any condensation whatsoever were when I used a vapor barrier on the bottom (PU poncho as windbreak over quilt) and when I set up in a river valley where the ground was saturated. With the poncho, i had ice droplets on the DWR of the underquilt, no loss of loft with either quilt. With the second scenario, I was using a thin evazote and NeoAir layered in a double bottom hammock. The tarp was wet top and bottom - soaked, in fact - the hammock was damp but the quilt was okay, just a little wet on the DWR. All were dried on the granite in the sun.

"For starters, I doubt if your GoLite Ultra 20 is warm below 30 in a hammock, they are known to be overated"

Interesting considering I slept in one last night for 9.5 hours in temps ranging from 22dF - 14dF.

I read the same thing you did, but maybe I got one of the newer models, or just got a good one.

With the addition of a BPL pro 90 parka and a insul pants and down booties and more bottom insul I probably could have taken it down to 0-5dF no problem.

I am a warm sleeper though.

I will build a quilt later, but just more testing this alington type setup.

Edited by tammons on 01/06/2010 11:42:24 MST.

"I don't follow the two garbage bags filled with emergency blankets part"



The garlington taco is what I was trying sort of.
Its cheap and I was trying to use my poncho for double duty.

A real garlington taco is a full wrap top and bottom and has a couple of large garbage bags filled with crumpled emer blankets for bot insul uder the hammock. Do a search and it will come up.

If not I can link you.

You can fill the bags with leaves or mostly anything.

I was just using a bottom half of a garlington as an extender to the CCF pads because I knew they would not be warm enough alone.

During the night the garbage bags shifted off to the side, and I got a few cold spots on the bottom with just the pads. What is nice is you can reach under the hammock and shift the G bags around. When I did that the cold spot went away almost immediately.

All that said. CCF pads in a hammock is a PIA but its cheap and it insulates well down to about 40-45dF.
I am going to mod my hammock so I can insert them between the double layers.

My garbage bags were too small but still worked.

My hammock is very long and if you wanted it really warm you really need contractor size bags and add some leaves.
Also 3 bags would provide much better coverage. I was close to the low bottom rating without more insul in the bags or thicker/more dense CCF pads.

Edited by tammons on 01/06/2010 11:54:04 MST.

"What you have left out is where you set up."

Mid Georgia, 500' elevation, not close to water, not in a bottom, probably about 30-50% humidity.

Clear skies.