Isle Royale Forums

Cannot decide if I should save a pound and carry my Marmot Hydrogen (30deg) or go with the Helium (15deg)

The hydrogen also packs much smaller.....which is nice since I am carrying food for 8 days

I used the hydrogen and was fine last year but this trip is much later...Sept 19-26th

26 views and NO advice/opinions

Should I have said please

Take the Hydrogen. All your clothes plus the bag ought to get you to freezing.

It's all a crap shoot. Also take a emergency blanket, as a supplement, should you need to.

You decide, you have to live with the decision. I'm betting next week will be warm enough.

No polar vortex on the horizon yet.

...Yeah, but pull a strong wind out of the NE and boy can the temp drop.
On one hand, your body is acclimated to summer temps, and so the fall always seems cooler, compared to the same temp in Spring.
On the other, there is plenty of latent heat tied up in the water around you, both inland and Superior itself. It's not going to drop too cold...

I'll say you don't mess around with bags... Two 850+ fill bags, 15 degrees apart...

While you could get by with the lighter one, my preference (personal) would be comfort with the warmer one if it gets colder...

I figure my 35 deg Mt Hardware is good for anything above freezing with a 4 oz silk liner and wearing my baselayer and socks. But you need good insulation under you--I carry a little more weight in a 1.5lb self-inflating mattress with an R value in the 4-5 range. It's noticeably warmer than my previous 1lb air mattress.

Thanks...I am usually good down to freezing with the Hydrogen. I think I may upgrade my long underwear which will still keep me under the weight of the helium

That does double duty for staying warm in camp

Thanks for the advice

I would think at least mid weight long jons are needed. A rain jacket draped over the outside of your bag, will help with heat loss.

I always set tent in a shelter when needed; at least use the tent as a tarp on the screen/front inside wall of the shelter.

Took the Hydrogen and I was just fine. I probably could have stuck with my lighter weight underwear but it was nice to have for the morning/evening. Only zipped my bag up all the way one night and never tightened the hood. Great trip...will post a TR soon. thanks to everyone for their advice....I listened to all of it before I made my decision