Gear list for 1st time thru-hiker.. please review!

[GreenThumb]

Yes, that is a big weight reduction, jp_over

[GreenThumb]

You will absolutely freeze if you only use that. It's true those do reflect back some body heat, but they work TONS better when there is also air trapped between you and the emergency blanket – the blanket then starts to really work because of that trapped and warmed air keeps you a little warmer. When you're laying directly on the blanket there's no air at all between you and the blanket thus little warming is going on. I repeat, you will freeze, even at mild temperatures like 60º (hell, I've had a cold back-side in my hammock when it's 80º out and the front of my body is sweating!) if all you use is an emergency blanket.

If you're set on using something like that (and not the pad you're already bringing with you), please do yourself a favor and at least get some Reflectix from Home Depot or Lowes. That's a similar material to the system Clark hammocks use for mild temperatures I believe. That material at least is built with tons of little air pockets which will heat-up via your body heat and insulate you a bit (you might also have to deal with condensation/water build-up with all these options).



No. Please watch the videos, and go visit and read a ton of info on HammockForums.

You don't think I'm bringing just an emergency blanket to sleep with, right? I layed the rain poncho down on the hammock, then the reflective emergency blanket over that, then the mummy bag over top. It seemed like a pretty warm setup. I imagine adding the ridgerest will also help on a particularly cold night?

Also, checked out whoopie sling video, seems pretty handy.

[Dochartaigh]

You don't think I'm bringing just an emergency blanket to sleep with, right? I layed the rain poncho down on the hammock, then the reflective emergency blanket over that, then the mummy bag over top. It seemed like a pretty warm setup. I imagine adding the ridgerest will also help on a particularly cold night?

GreenThumb, I hope I don't sound harsh, but you're not grasping the basic physical properties of how most insulation works. It doesn't matter how many layers you pile underneath you in the hammock, as soon as you lay in the hammock and squeeze out all the air from that insulation it's insulation properties drop to practically zero and you'll freeze.

That's why you're going to find you HAVE to use your Ridge-Rest most every single night. You'll also probably want to supplement that 3/4 length CCF pad with some more Closed Cell Foam (which still insulates because the air bubbles in the foam are sealed/closed and don't leak out air when you lay on it) on your sides and your feet to stay warm.

[GreenThumb]

GreenThumb, I hope I don't sound harsh, but you're not grasping the basic physical properties of how most insulation works. It doesn't matter how many layers you pile underneath you in the hammock, as soon as you lay in the hammock and squeeze out all the air from that insulation it's insulation properties drop to practically zero and you'll freeze.

That's why you're going to find you HAVE to use your Ridge-Rest most every single night. You'll also probably want to supplement that 3/4 length CCF pad with some more Closed Cell Foam (which still insulates because the air bubbles in the foam are sealed/closed and don't leak out air when you lay on it) on your sides and your feet to stay warm.

Not sounding harsh, I appreciate all the serious feedback. I slept last night in my hammock with the poncho down on the hammock, then the emergency blanket, then the ridgerest on top, then the 50 degree bag over that, zip up the mummy bag, wrap the emergency blanket around top (which is sandwiching me and the ridgerest), it's surprisingly toasty! Yes, the temperatures were only in the low 50s last night, with hardly any wind, (just a lot of fog),

so I'm looking into the Arrowhead Kick-Ass-Quilts suggested by folks on hammockforums.com ... my only issue is picking a kind --- the 3/4 3-season Jarbidge River underquilt, at only 20 oz? Or go up to the 3-season full length New River underquilt, for 30oz??? I also e-mailed Arrowhead asking what their weights were for the 4-season bags. Just going to have to cut some weight here and there to at least attempt making up for the extra (though prudent) 20-30 ounces!

[Latitude918]

At 86oz that pack is pretty heavy. If you're basing out at 15lbs, you could definitely downsize your pack.

[GreenThumb]

ended up replacing my 50 degree bag with a 20 degree bag mid-trip. the 20-degree bag and ridgerest in my hammock were more than enough, thank you everyone!

[bigcranky]

So how was your LT end to end?

Edit - nevermind, found your other thread.

[msupple]

Listen to this man.

GreenThumb, I hope I don't sound harsh, but you're not grasping the basic physical properties of how most insulation works. It doesn't matter how many layers you pile underneath you in the hammock, as soon as you lay in the hammock and squeeze out all the air from that insulation it's insulation properties drop to practically zero and you'll freeze.

That's why you're going to find you HAVE to use your Ridge-Rest most every single night. You'll also probably want to supplement that 3/4 length CCF pad with some more Closed Cell Foam (which still insulates because the air bubbles in the foam are sealed/closed and don't leak out air when you lay on it) on your sides and your feet to stay warm.