Gear report and Help me with Contrail set-up (Seattle)?

[Elizabeth Rothman]

I just came back from my shake-down overnight with my ultra-light kit- I know, it's late in the summer, my excuse is a 400 sq foot vegetable garden. Beautiful hike in to a spectacular spot in Mt. Rainier NP. Loved my Pinnacle pack,perfectly comfortable at 25 lbs. Loved my Mini-Bull Designs Blackfly stove and Heinelen pot. Eating out of freezer bags was dandy. Wearing merino wool top and long pants was OK even in the heat. The skinny little foam pad and torso-light combo was doable if not "ahhhh!" comfortable. My only problems with my kit? I was pretty darn chilly under my ultralight 180 quilt, even though I had a hat, 2 wool shirts, montbell warm jacket, windshirt on top and wool long johns and hiking pants on bottom, and even though my companions say it was only 50, MAYBE 45 degrees out overnight. I'm leaving for a 5-day trip in the Canadian Rockies on Friday, and I think I'll spend the extra pound-plus and bring my down bag until I figure out how all o'y'all are staying warm- maybe I wasn't tired enough! Other problem is I could not COULD NOT get my contrail tent set up nice and taut as shown in videos etc. no matter what I tried. The side mesh panels laid on the ground and the whole thing was sad and saggy. No problem in the nice weather but I worry about what happens in rain, and worry about my bragging rights as the new UL convert hiking with the old heavy-weighters.
Any chance someone lurking here is a Contrail or other Tarp Tent owner in Seattle and could meet me at a park or someplace this week for a tutorial, show me what I'm doing wrong? I'd appreciate it!

Thanks for all of your help getting to this point- after ankle surgery it was lighten up or stay home and I was completely grinned out being up in the high country again.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Liz,

I have a Contrail and can pitch it very tightly. I use every tie-out available, including the middle side tie-outs AND often the front peak tie-out, for which you must put your own TripTease line thru the provided plastic peak tensioner.

Also i find stakes that hold well are more critical with the Contrail so I use MSR's "Groundhog" aluminum, Y cross-sectioned stakes. They REALLY hold and are very tough.

Howsomever… I find that on windy nights the Contrail still flaps a bit. So I'm putting a 4" X 4" X 4" triangle of doubled ripstop nylon (W/a loop of narrow nylon web at the points)at each ridgline just above the side tie-outs so I can use the side stakes.

These triangles will attatch right on the two ridglines and I'll mix up a small batch of silicone caulk & odorless mineral spirits to waterproof the stitching.

I'm doing it this week so I'll try posting a picture of this "heretical" modification by the weekend.

Eric

P.S. I just remembered – often 30 minutes after pitching the silnylon will stretch & sag a bit. Normally all that is needed is to re-adjust the height of your walking stick an inch or two upwards to tighten everything. When inside at night and there's a storm this really helps B/C water can make the tent fabric stretch some more.

[Roger Caffin]

> often 30 minutes after pitching the silnylon will stretch & sag a bit.
The nylon fabric will stretch as it cools. This may seem contrary to expectations, but nylon fabric has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion. Even worse when it rains of course!

Cheers

[Franco Darioli]

Elizabeth
Hard to tell without seeing some pics, but I will try with some general comments
First have a look at this video, see if it gives you any ideas…
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/1430969/4921727
note that it is done on almost ideal conditions (light breeze) but the sequence might help.
Make sure that the pole is set at the recommended height , 45" (it can be set several inches higher or lower but this is the easiest ).
Next remember to set the guylines at about a 45 degree angle to the corner ,(if you imagine a straight line from the apex through the corner, that is pretty much right)
Make sure that the two rear poles are as far apart as they can be (note how I spread them out) and also that the same is true for the front so that the "door" (front flap) is nice and taut.
If any of this does not make sense, please ask…
Franco

[David Ure]

nm

[Don Selesky]

"I was pretty darn chilly under my ultralight 180 quilt, even though I had a hat, 2 wool shirts, montbell warm jacket, windshirt on top and wool long johns and hiking pants on bottom, and even though my companions say it was only 50, MAYBE 45 degrees out overnight."

Question: what part of you was cold? Were you cold from underneath, or on top? While the padding may be enough to let you sleep, it may not be enough to insulate you from the ground. If that's the case try using a larger closed cell foam pad like the RidgeRest. Is the air coming through the Contrail enough to cool the quilt or get under the quilt? Do you think the quilt itself is too light for your purposes?

I have the 180 quilt myself, but I haven't pushed it below 60F in a hammock so far. Other than that, I use it as an additional layer inside another bag in the winter, so I don't really know its lower limit.

[Kathleen B]

PM sent re help setting up Contrail.

[Linsey Budden]

When using a coat with a sleeping system, I find it keeps me warmer if I drape it over me, rather than wearing it. Also, an insulated hat like the Ray-Way Bomber Hat is a godsend and weighs something like an ounce. (rayjardine.com for MYOG kits). Good thing you were able to shake down before your trip.

[Kathleen B]

Fixed…

[Elizabeth Rothman]

Thanks for your posts and PMs, I will take all the hints, conflicting and otherwise, and continue tinkering with my Contrail setup. Don, thanks for your questions about sleeping cold, they helped me analyze my problem. I think it might be my pads, a GG 1/8 inch and a Torso-light. I'll either change the GG for my RidgeRest or skip a few meals and take my Therma-rest. (Anyone who knows me would know that skipping a meal is clearly a joke.)
Linsey, thanks for your advice about draping the warm jacket rather than wearing it, I'll try that.
What I can't figure out, though, is how this UL 180 could POSSIBLY keep anyone warm in the Arctic, as advertised, unless the garments worn beneath were full-on full-loft Arctic down parkas.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Yep, if cold, drape the down jacket over your torso, on top. For whatever reason if I wear the jacket I will be still cold. I sleep quilt style most trips so if cold, the jacket on top of me, under the bag is like having a second bag on :-) Instant warmth!

[Franco Darioli]

When you wear the jacket, part of it will be compressed . However if you toss and turn, the jacket will end up on one side or under you losing a lot more loft .
Franco

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