Gotta get a new mat ...

[luckykitty]

Most dumpsters are locked around here, and if people see you picking the lock of one, they freak out ...
A friend has offered me her mat for the weekend, so I can try and find something or at least wait for special offers ...

Though I really like the idea of dumpster diving ...

 

[crowdog]

Most dumpsters are locked around here, and if people see you picking the lock of one, they freak out ...
A friend has offered me her mat for the weekend, so I can try and find something or at least wait for special offers ...

Though I really like the idea of dumpster diving ...

It is pretty amazing the amount of useable waste that is discarded daily. Ether by households or more commonly businesses, one of my favorite places to go was in a near by city. It was a group of plastic molding and graphic design companies, one of which I was working for. I would head out on Friday and come home with my vehicle sitting precariously low on its shocks.
I was able to collect over forty rolls of transparent and solid sticker sheets measuring 7-8ft wide x 10-30ft long. That is a lot of possible 3inx3in stickers. I was also able to collect over 60gallons of screen printing inks and nearly all of the supplies necessary to have my own garage shop. The missing items cost me about 50 dollars and I was able to easily make up the up front costs with my bands first tour. Due to the fact that we did not go in debt obtaining merchandise it was nearly all free, aside from a lot of fun long nights printing and drinking.
The point is don’t be afraid to approach businesses in regards to their waste, a lot of times they pay people to take the stuff away.
Another big find is used oil from restaurants; you can use this as an alternative within bio diesel engines.
My next adventure is to collect foam from witch I will build a large foam pit for the rock wall I plan to construct in my garage.

 

[rmc85]

The cold is the one thing I miss MOST about living in the northeast. Here in Georgia people freak out if we get a quarter inch of snow.

Snow??? Whats that??? I think the last time I was in that stuff was 1990 when it snowed a 1/4 inch here in FL and I was 5.

 

[sleevefullofaces]

You don't know crazy until you've slept in a hammock in sub-zero weather with 40 mph winds. That's some fun stuff. You REALLY gotta have your insulation system dialed in when you've got wind whipping around you from every direction, including underneath

Sub zero!?! I went camping with a hammock in early May and it got down to freezing. I thought I was going to shake myself out of the hammock!

 

[MustardMan]

Sub zero!?! I went camping with a hammock in early May and it got down to freezing. I thought I was going to shake myself out of the hammock!

I usually sleep in boxers and a t-shirt down to about 20-25 F, and any below that I start to keep layers on while I go to bed. If I'm hiking in the snow, you can guarantee I'll have on some merino wool layers.

It's all about having a good insulation system - most important is to have lots and lots of insulation underneath you, because that's where you're going to compress the insulation in your sleeping bag and need something else to keep you warm.

I usually go with an exped downmat underneath me, or an underquilt, which is basically like a sleeping bag rigged to the OUTSIDE of the hammock, so the insulation can keep its loft. In extremely cold weather, I supplement that with some scraps of cheap blue foam sleeping pads from walmart to add some insulation in the typical cold spots.

 

[crowdog]

I usually sleep in boxers and a t-shirt down to about 20-25 F, and any below that I start to keep layers on while I go to bed. If I'm hiking in the snow, you can guarantee I'll have on some merino wool layers.

It's all about having a good insulation system - most important is to have lots and lots of insulation underneath you, because that's where you're going to compress the insulation in your sleeping bag and need something else to keep you warm.

I usually go with an exped downmat underneath me, or an underquilt, which is basically like a sleeping bag rigged to the OUTSIDE of the hammock, so the insulation can keep its loft. In extremely cold weather, I supplement that with some scraps of cheap blue foam sleeping pads from walmart to add some insulation in the typical cold spots.

:thumbup:informative post.

 

[sleevefullofaces]

I usually sleep in boxers and a t-shirt down to about 20-25 F, and any below that I start to keep layers on while I go to bed. If I'm hiking in the snow, you can guarantee I'll have on some merino wool layers.

It's all about having a good insulation system - most important is to have lots and lots of insulation underneath you, because that's where you're going to compress the insulation in your sleeping bag and need something else to keep you warm.

I usually go with an exped downmat underneath me, or an underquilt, which is basically like a sleeping bag rigged to the OUTSIDE of the hammock, so the insulation can keep its loft. In extremely cold weather, I supplement that with some scraps of cheap blue foam sleeping pads from walmart to add some insulation in the typical cold spots.

I need an underquilt before fall time. Right now I just use my bag (Montbell UL SSDH 4) and some blue foam in the hammock. I can tell you from experience it's not enough to go under 40F comfortably.

It's no fun building a fire reflector at 0300!

 

[luckykitty]

I got a thermarest for testing over the weekend, which is very nice of my friend ...

wow, I also got a Light my Fire spork for testing ... and I can keep that if I like it.

 

[luckykitty]

As my thin aluminum covered foam mat arrived today, I thought I'd give you an update.
Yes I went for one again. This time I took a double width, so it can serve as a windshield / heat reflector the same timy I'm on it.
I will get an additional short Thermarest in the long run, for those occasions where I can't just heap hay or leaves under the mat. Meanwhile I can use my short foam mat when I need extra comfort.

And I do like the LmF spork. I like it so much, I'll give one to my dad - he is allergic to the plastic forks you get in all types of open air meetings (even quite formal ones), so from now on he'll have a titanium spork.

 

[milani74]

It's all about having a good insulation system - most important is to have lots and lots of insulation underneath you, because that's where you're going to compress the insulation in your sleeping bag and need something else to keep you warm.

Put something like this under you would work.
"Edited hot picture of two half naked women"

 

[PayetteRucker]

Rafting pacopads are nice Thermarest makes a quality product. I'm one of those guys that has to sleep on the ground or he pinches nerves in his neck and back-ever since I was 15 years old I've slept on the ground, so as long as I am warm I don't bother with any form of cushioning.