My wife and friends think I’m crazy.
I purchased camping gear including a top quilt and underquilt rated for 20 degrees Fahrenheit last year from http://www.hammockgear.com. Since I paid hard earned money for the gear, I like to ensure that they will perform as designed in the safety of my backyard. By testing in the backyard, if something happens, I can “bail out” to the house. By doing this I will be confident with my gear when the conditions are less than ideal in the woods.
Last night the forecast was a low of around 20 degrees, so I set up my hammock, Superfly tarp, down quilts, and UQP at sunset. Approximately 9:30 pm, I headed outside and into the comfort of the hammock. To make a long story short, I woke up with my feet a bit chilly at 2 am. I discovered the topquilt had come off my feet, so I readjusted and threw some handwarmers down in the footbox. Quickly falling asleep warm and toasty, I actually oversept by a few minutes. After waking up, I quickly packed everything away and went inside to a warm shower and a cup of coffee.
The low? 20 degrees.
My wife still thinks I’m crazy.