30 EE / SO 6man / SO Lrg Stove Test

[TheJuice]

Gonna test out my sleep system tomorrow night. Have always hunted CO archery and thinking about a future rifle hunt possibly.
Tomorrow we are suppose to get 7" of snow with a low of 4*. Gonna see if I could take my 30 EE dowm that low with all my hunting cloths on.
I'll post up the results on Thursday.

 

[n2horns]

interested in results.

 

[TheJuice]

Update on last nights test.

SO 6-man, SO Lrg Stove, Long Extherm, 30 EE Quilt 750 Duck Down/wide/long. I like to keep my head under the quilt. I can't stand breathing the freezing air.

I wore what I would typically have on hunting in 20*-45* weather:

Darn tough socks
UA 3.0 Bottoms
Kryptek Valhalla pants(These are my archery season pants. Would go heaver on rifle hunt)
Kuiu 145 top
Firstlite Charma
Kryptek Kratos puffy jacket
Nit stocking cap

So I fire up the stove at 10:30pm get it going good and crawl into bed. 13* outside. winds 10-15mph

Fire usually stops giving off measurable heat in 20-30 minutes. I sleep really good until 12:40 am. Wake up from the wind mostly, tipi pole sunk into ground 1.5 inches and loosened up the pitch quite a bit and the wind had picked up. Making it quit loud at times. Not cold but chilled. Outside temp 10*.

Knowing I'm a little cold. I grab my wife's 35* Kelty Cosmic down bag and slide into to it under the quilt. Started another fire to warm up a bit as that bag was buck-ass-cold!

Slept like a rock until 4:00 am, outside temp 7*, when I was waken by the wind again as it was gusting to 25 now. Not high winds for a TP, but loud with a less than optimal pitch. At this point I found the answers I was looking for and headed in. Having to work in the morning and knowing my wife's warm back side was only 70' away, made the decision, an easy one.


In conclusion, I think, I personally, could take the 30 Quilt down to 20* relatively comfortable. With a fair amount of insulated clothes on. Below that I would have to tend the fire every 1-1.5 hrs.

Or...........Buy a warmer quilt. Anyone got a 10* EE they wanna sell?

 

[bounds]

Thanks for the review Jon. I'm considering an EE quilt soon. Do you like the wide version? I'm 5'11", 165lbs. I'm like you and like to have my bag over my face, so I'm definitely going with the long length, but was considering the regular width. I'm pretty slim so I figured the Long/Regular would be the ticket.

 

[TheJuice]

For reference. I'm 6 foot 175 pounds and I think I could get by with a long regular also. Also I forgot to mention in my review. But I'm naturally a pretty warm sleeper. Hope this helps.

 

[colonel00]

Sounds to me like all of your gear is faulty. I will come by and take it off your hands

 

[Where's Bruce?]

EE quilts live up to their rating, I have 0, 10 & 20 degree models, because you can vent them I take a quilt 20 degrees warmer than what I need and in wet freezing weather pack the Wiggys bag. Painful until bedtime but you cannot put a price on a good night's sleep.

 

[TheJuice]

Colonel:

Lucky for me there is not a key stroke for the 'Jedi Mind Trick Wave'.....You'd have had me!


I think your right. These quilts definitely live up to their rating for me. I think if I would have one quilt it would be a 10*

 

[jb79]

Just used my 10 EE this weekend in dry cold weather around 30-35 and was hot with nothing but my boxers on..... Will be getting a 30 quilt before bow season this year! I'd sell you my 10 but the wife claimed it already

 

[muleman]

I like to keep my head under the quilt. I can't stand breathing the freezing air.

Food for thought. Breathing into your quilt / bag collects moisture and reduces the insulating capabilities. Even with super dooper water resistant down and synthetics. Your body already puts off moisture when you sleep, breathing into the bag adds a lot more unnecessary moisture to deal with. You would be better off using a balaclava or cold weather mask than breathing into the quilt. The moisture issue is a compounding issue, unless you can get the bag / quilt 100% dry before the next nights use.

 

[TheJuice]

Really? I'll have to think about it then. Because I thought about selling the 30* and buying a 10*............

 

[muleman]

Really? I'll have to think about it then. Because I thought about selling the 30* and buying a 10*............

I personally run a 20* quilt most of the fall, but am looking to pickup a 0* too.

 

[TheJuice]

Food for thought. Breathing into your quilt / bag collects moisture and reduces the insulating capabilities. Even with super dooper water resistant down and synthetics. Your body already puts off moisture when you sleep, breathing into the bag adds a lot more unnecessary moisture to deal with. You would be better off using a balaclava or cold weather mask than breathing into the quilt. The moisture issue is a compounding issue, unless you can get the bag / quilt 100% dry before the next nights use.

That makes sense, and I understand the science behind that. But to date, moisture has been a non issue. I've found the quilt to breath really well, even when I've run up against the wall of my Mountainsmith LT and got the foot box wet from the condensation it has always been completely dry before the next night.
I even went to bed wearing soaking wet socks one night, having read somewhere that the warmth of the bag/quilt would dry them. It worked perfectly!
I'm sure if it were to rain all week or be in a humid summer environment it would cause a greater problem.
I will say that when I do keep my head under the quilt, I don't pull the draw string to constrict the top at all. That must allow most of by breath moisture to vent out the top?

 

[Kevin_t]

I think pushing a 30 degree rated bag, to near 0 is a big push. There are a lot of dependencies, but I would choose a 20 or 15 for most fall endeavors.

 

[TheJuice]

I completely agree Kevin.
The idea behind the experiment was to see if it was doable, as in, "if the weather goes to crap for a night or two on an archery hunt, will it drive me off the mountain, or can I make it work if need be."
I have yet to hunt out West later than September. If I do, I will have a 10* for sure.
I was thinking I could get with a 10* for early September, but after hearing jb79 say he was too hot in one, I may have to have them both.
I think between those 2, I would have what I need.

 

[go4thegusto]

I am told the compacted hardwood bricks like the EcoBrick burn very long with morning embers. I have seen a similar product at Menards and Mills Fleet Farm. Anyone else try them? I have one good report on the EcoBrick. Might be a great option for a vehicle or horse based trip.

http://www.ecobrick.net/

 

[Kevin_t]

I know some folks that have used them when pulking in and they say they work really well. I've burned gambel oak a couple times with real good results when the opportunity has been present. Probably no where like the Eco

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Regardless whether you sleep in a quilt or bag, always ALWAYS lay it out in the sunlight for a while on dry days to air out. I lay mine over my tent for about 30-60 minutes (depending on temp) on each side to eliminate any moisture it may have collected in the evening, i also wear a merino base layer that is designated for sleeping only and air those as well.

 

[rayporter]

bruce and the muleman have points you should not forget. file them away for future reference. in 40 years they may come in handy.

your experience taught you a lot!