View Full Version : Need advise please
We recently moved to colorado from the mid west. Our old sleeping sytm worked great on the AT as well as on other local trails(Buckeye). But now, I find that our wm 25d aspen seem to leave quite chilled here on 30d nights. I also tested my moonstone 10d pct bag on a 19d night, and could not get the bag warmed up. This is weird to me. These bags have been great in the past. I have noticed that the thin air here causes the temp to fall quickly, but not outside of the range of the bags. I am a tarp user, would this be a factor? I do not want to go back to a tent. perhaps a bivy bag would help? The pertex on the pct bag has not been affected by the winds before. I would like to make my own down quilt, maybe I should increase the loft to a warmer rating if I do.
Best Regards,
Cabana
trlhiker
03-04-2007, 20:52
I would say that either your bags are losing their loft or you are not putting enough fuel in your body before going to bed. Also the super dry air of the rockies could be affecting your body and depleting your system of fuel in the form of moisture loss.
Thanks for the thoughts! I did not realize that the hiking here would have such a big affect on my trusted gear:-?
Best Regards,
Cabana
hopefulhiker
03-04-2007, 20:59
I wonder what role the drier air has to play. The more humid the air the warmer you feel I think....
The drier air in the sky promotes more effective radiant cooling. The warm sleeping bag radiates to the night sky, which might be at absolute zero or very close to it. I suspect that clouds or trees or even thicker, wetter air, were above you previously. Maybe now you're radiating heat to a very cold mountain.
Loft in insulation only affects conductive heat exchange to the outside of the sleeping bag. The drier air in Colorado should improve the heat retention of the bag's insulation itself.
From the surface of the bag, the convective heat losses will probably be lower than at lower, wetter elevations, where the thicker, wetter air convects heat better.
The net result, though, is that you have higher heat loss than you did before.
Of course I could be wrong. But that's what it feels like to me, also in Colorado.
Is there any certain materials I should consider using if I make my own quilt to help combat this? I had on my wm flight jacket inside the 10d pct bag. My upper body was ok, but my legs and feet were cold(fleece pants sw socks). The reason I am thinking of making my own quilt is to get more loft and a lighter weight that having to sell/find another bag.
Best Regards,
Cabana