View Full Version : Will I be warm enough?
flatfeet
03-28-2013, 00:37
I want to use the Gollite Z30 quilt. As the name suggests it is rated to 30 degrees. I would be
using it for an April section hike-Springer to just after SMNP.
I sleep warm and I sleep in my thermals.
Will my shelter play a role here? I will either use a tarp or the lightheart solo.
Cheers.
daddytwosticks
03-28-2013, 07:21
What sort of sleeping pad? Have you actually used this quilt at the rated temperature yet? Important questions. :)
Also WHEN in April? I am leavign the 10th, and I am bringing a 10 degree, but that is mostly because I hate the cold and like to sleep hot. Look at it this way, the weather is really strange this year. Heck it was 38 here in South Florida this AM!
Right now, at 9:07am it is 29 in a nearby town by Springer Mountain and the low tonight is going to be 27. And I am sure it will be colder than that in the actual mountains. So will it warm up much more in the next week or two (only 3 days till April)? I hope, but I am planning for the worst.
You should be ok. I would go with it. A small tent will be 10 degrees warmer than the tarp or an AT shelter.
HeartWalker
03-28-2013, 09:37
I am leaving on Apeil 10 in Damascus and I am using a 10 degree Western Mtn bag. I sleep cold. 30 degrees is pushing it in my opinion. Good luck.
Lone Wolf
03-28-2013, 09:40
no. not warm enough
coach lou
03-28-2013, 09:43
no. not warm enough
Haven't you said many times, 15 April was early enough!
garlic08
03-28-2013, 09:44
Based on my April experience on the AT, be ready for blowing snow and temps in the teens.
Wise Old Owl
03-28-2013, 09:44
I am with LW on this one... How about sleeping out back tonight in east lansing mi? nothing like a few backyard tests....
max patch
03-28-2013, 10:12
Speaking as someone who lives in the shadow of Springer Mountain I say hell no.
Try the 30* with a LINER in freezing weather. I use 35* bag, bivy, liner, and fleece thermals. So I wake up at the break of dawn when it's coldest, but I get the earliest start on the day.
:o
MuddyWaters
03-28-2013, 20:51
Generally, you will be OK
You could be quite cold a few nights
You wont die, regardless
I have pushed my 40F quilt to 28 on minimal pad, in open light shelter, wearing only baselayer and light fleece, no puffy, and was cold, but was OK. I was glad to get up though. Mostly my feet were cold, I put my rainjacket around them and that helped, probably added 1-2F to them.
An occasional cold night, no big deal.
Many of them, bring more insulation.
Expect a tent to add 4F or so in my experience. (had a remote thermometer and did a test with temps inside tent, and outside once.) That was one person in a 2P double wall tent.
A good pad, helps a lot as well.
BTW, when pushing a quilt to its limits, I find I am considerably warmer on my side, than on my back. Less area on top for heat to directly escape my body I guess. Ive done it a few times, and each time the same.
Wise Old Owl
03-28-2013, 20:53
MW he needs to find out the hard way,. on a backyard test.
swjohnsey
03-28-2013, 20:57
What MuddyWaters said.
flatfeet
03-29-2013, 01:01
Looks like I might be in luck and could pick up a 20 quilt from zpacks.
2 years ago, on my AT section hike I used a VERY warm 15 degree mummy bag and I hated it. Woke up damp and clammy every morning.
Thanks for the replies. This weather seems crazy and on the cold side. 2 years ago it was hot.
Oh yeah Looks like mid April for a departure date.
-C
What MW said.
April is an iffy weather month in the Appalachians. Heck, in Atlanta just two days ago we had some light flurries. Like Coosa said can't be that detrimental to grab a silk liner too. Possibly a thin CCF pad for extra insulation under you. The tent will almost for sure provide greater warmth then the tarp with nothing else considered. Like MW said, MAYBE uncomfortable a bit, but you aren't going to die at least I don't think so.
Ahh, mid April start sounding better all the time for a 30* 3 season GoLite quilt. Taking into consideration I'm a relatively new quilt user so still ironing out some things, I've used this set up: a newish GoLite 20* 850 down quilt down to about 12-14* with a silk mummy liner and woman's neo air xlite(20'x67") under a tarp set up in the A-frame config in a non storm nasty weather mode. Did it on the CT this Oct 2012. No shelters to speak of on the CT either. Did it on the Foothills Trail in northwestern SC this mid Jan 2013. Just did it again on the Pinhoti Trail in AL and GA in late Feb. Couple of cold nights but hey I'm here alive with all my toes and fingers. What's acceptable and right for me isn't acceptable and right for every one
I would rather err toward the warm side as opposed to under packing and being miserable. What about a light weight liner? If you start and are plenty warm, you can ship it out at Neel's Gap. Same with an extra pad.
I use a zpad and a thermorest with a 40 degree bag, but I am usually out later in the season (June July).
hiking southern AT in April with a bag rated to 30F? What are you going to do when morning low temperature gets down to the low 20's or even the teens? Yes that WILL happen!
MuddyWaters
03-29-2013, 12:39
hiking southern AT in April with a bag rated to 30F? What are you going to do when morning low temperature gets down to the low 20's or even the teens? Yes that WILL happen!
With your clothing, in an open shelter, lower 20s would be OK. In a tent too, mid-upper teens would be OK. Id expect to start being really cold, below 15F with that setup personally. Thats an occassional cold night.
If sustained freezing nights in a row, and no chance to dry out sleeping gear, would be less effective.
But you should have warm days, and just occassional cold nights.
fleece and puffy, keep upper body very warm. My legs and feet are what start getting colder first and really limit me. Could bring down socks and heavy long john bottoms, but that would outweigh just bringing a quilt thats a few oz more down.
I agree with the others here.... a 30 deg quilt on the southern AT in April won't be warm enough. Likely will still see nite temps in the single digit to the teens ... by the last week of April it will start warming up a bit, but you'll still see that last blueberry-winter cold front in late April/early May that will retest the lows
Agree with Praha4. NE Florida is still seeing the 30's at night. Not sure what is going on in N Ga, but cooler I suppose.
staehpj1
03-29-2013, 16:14
It is a bad idea to rely on anyone else's experience on this topic. People vary too widely in this regard. I sleep really warm and am fine with my Mountain Hardware Phantom 45 down into the teens with one warmish layer of clothing and thick socks. That said I have often camped with folks who using a 20F bag in the same conditions were I was using the bag zipped open as a quilt. I was comfy; they said they were freezing. Bottom line... You really need to figure out what works for you, it may be very different than what works for someone else.
cave man
03-30-2013, 16:44
Agreed; Trail and Error method is best.
I just found out about the hot water bottle trick and cant believe i've never used it before. I tested it out this weekend when the nightly lows were in the upper 20s low 30s and wow, what a luxury! The added heat makes up for the awkardness of sleeping with a nalgene. It would last a few hours hot, then a few more warm. It definetly made my winter trip much more managle able with my summer gear. I use a ENO hammock with a thermarest pad and 30* bag. also had to use a top quilt this trip and slept in all my clothes. But i will definetly be doing the hot water bottle untill it is to hot to do so..
Goodluck!