Please describe your winter sleep system

[Chris Jones]

What does your winter sleep system (clothes + sleeping bag + bivy or bag cover–if applicable) look like, and what conditions (with respect to temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, length of trip, etc.) is it optimized for?

Do you wear just a base layer to bed (thus removing your mid, insulation, and outer layers, swapping them for your sleeping bag), or do you put on all of your layers before getting in your sleeping bag?

Just curious as to how others handle this.

Thanks…

[Jerry Adams]

I wear everything in my sleeping bag.

My vest is maybe equivalent to 4 oz Climashield and my sleeping bag is like 2 oz – I get cold starting at about 35 F.

If I had 4 oz Climashield vest and 5 oz sleeping bag I'de be good down to 20 F which is my target low temperature.

[Andy F]

I use a tent, sometimes double wall, sometimes fly-only. The only factor affecting my sleep system is temperature.

I'm considering making a silnylon jacket and pants to use as vapor barrier clothing instead of using the emergency bivy for this. This would allow me to wear clothing as extra insulation, but would add 5-10 oz and also remove the minimal heat reflection of the emergency bivy.

Sort-of winter (0 to 30 F)
Tested in backyard down to 9F
Exped Downmat 7 (full-length)
19" x 19" 1/4" CCF sit pad under hip area (might as well use it for something)
Marmot Angel Fire bag (15F down, women's bag which is wife's 25F summer bag)
Heatsheets Emergency bivy as vapor barrier liner (VBL) (sometimes)
medium to light baselayer (whatever I'm wearing during the day)
acrylic balaclava (covers mouth and nose too)
down jacket as a foot bag, inside sleeping bag/outside VBL

Winter (-10 to 0 F)
Tested on 1 trip without VBL down to 15F
Exped Downmat 7 (full-length)
19" x 19" 1/4" CCF sit pad under hip area (might as well use it for something)
Thermarest Ridgerest 3/4 length (maybe… extra insurance due to risk of inflatable)
Marmot Never Summer bag (0F down, 4lbs!)
Heatsheets Emergency bivy as vapor barrier liner
medium to light baselayer (whatever I'm wearing during the day)
acrylic balaclava (covers mouth and nose too)
down jacket as a foot bag, inside sleepingbag/outside VBL

WINTER! (-30 to -10 F)
Experimental, not tested
Exped Downmat 7 (full-length)
19" x 19" 1/4" CCF sit pad under hip area (might as well use it for something)
Thermarest Ridgerest 3/4 length (definitely!)
Marmot Never Summer bag (0F down, 4lbs!)
MontBell #3 (30F down, 21 oz) used as quilt over 0F bag
Heatsheets Emergency bivy as vapor barrier liner
medium to light baselayer (whatever I'm wearing during the day)
acrylic balaclava (covers mouth and nose too)
down jacket as a foot bag, inside sleeping bag/outside VBL

[David Chenault]

I've used this down to neg 20 F with no problems. Typical trip is a weekend overnight or two nighter, typical conditions in NW Montana are quite dry when it's cold. It can be very windy, but I make a point to camp in sheltered areas.

WM Antelope MF bag
MEC Reflex parka
Patagonia Micropuff pants
Down booties
3/4 length regular ridgerest
Full length Thermarest Prolite 4
Tarp covering a snow trench

Typical clothing worn in addition to the above would be powerstretch tights and hoody, light wool t shirt, and wool socks.

[Paul Hope]

Location: Colorado
Elevation: 11K+
Temps: 0degF to -30degF

This gear is used in conjunction with either my single or double walled four-season tent.

-WM Kodiak (0degF) or FF Peregrine (-25degF)
-Exped 7
-Full length CCF pad
-R1 baselayer
-Capilene 3 pant
-FA Down Sweater
-FA Hooded Mountain Guide down Jacket
-FF Volant Pant
-Down Pants
-Wool socks

With just my zero degree bag, then I have been comfortable with all of this down to -20DegF, I imagine I could take it a little lower if need be. With the Peregrine bag then I could go well beyond -30deg but never had the need to test it out just yet.

I also have my softshell pant and jacket which I have never worn inside my bags, but are there if I really need them!

[j lan]

Loc: Minnesota
Temps: Around 8 degrees

This was pushing it, but I used
Golite Ultra 20 Quilt
REI Travel bag inside
Patagonia Hooded Down Sweater
REI Booties
Merino Base layer bottoms
Cap Top
Fleece Hat
Sleeping pad was a POE Ether thermo 2/3rd length
Wrapped up in an Exped Multimat sandwhich

Drafts bothered me more than anything else.

[Evan McCarthy]

Down to single digits/4,000 feet:

-Jacks R Better High Sierra Sniveller Quilt
-Exped Downmat 9
-Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka
-Montbell UL Down Inner Pants
-FF Down Booties
-OR Alpine mittens

-RBH VBL shirt
-Icebreaker heavy weight mountaineering socks
-Icebreaker 320 hoodie
-Icebreaker 260 leggings

In either MLD Duomid or MLD Alpine bivy.

[Matt D.]

Happy down to 5 or 10 below in my tent with VBL liner inside TNF Tundra (-20F) synthetic bag, 3/4" thermarest over 1/2" closed cell foam pad, wearing base layer, socks, liner gloves, and a beanie. I think I'd be fine to -20 with my primaloft pants and jacket or down equivalent. I usually toss one or two hot water bottles in with the feet, but this hasn't been essential with this arrangement.

[Marc Eldridge]

Marmot helium-
MLD Litesoul Bivy-
base layers-
light wool sox-
goosefeet booties-
plastic bags for feet-
goosefeet down pants-
goosefeet down parka-
thinlight insulation pad 3/8”-
neoair-
montbell alpine jacket for pillow-
cuben duomid-

This gets me into the low teens maybe even high 0's.

[Evan McCarthy]

@Matt Dickstein:

Do you wear your primaloft layer under your VBL liner? How does this work out?

[Matt D.]

@Evan —

a little clammy, but OK

[Eric Blumensaadt]

BAG> Mountain Hardware Polarguard Delta -20 F. bag. HAs a full length zippered expanding gore and I can add my WM Megalite inside if I wish but it would need to be -30 F. for that! A heavy bag but very warm.

PAD> Thermarest Trail Pro. regular (Plus Ridgerest regular under if below zero temps.)

CLOTHES> expedition weight long johns, heavy wool-acrylic socks, balaclava, light gloves.

[David Adair]

WM Versalite 10F (20 oz down)
Exped 9
Ridgerest- short

With what I am wearing:

Medium merino base bottoms
24 oz wool pants

Medium merino 1/4 zip base top
Light wool shirt
Down vest (4 oz down)
Medium fleece

Light XXL camp parka (6oz down)

wool socks
GF down booties

Watch cap- four layer acrylic for face

In a 3lb single wall dome. This is comfortable for expected temps down to little below zero and passable for -15 or so if need be (and I wear all of it). If temps are expected to be colder I might throw in another light bag like a MB #3 or just allow time for a partial snow shelter. 'Cause that 32 degrees starts sounding real nice.

Not listed are the top and bottom wind layer and such.

[Chad Miller]

Winter, down to -10F

Montbell UL SS Down Hugger 0
Montbell UL Alpine parka
FF down booties
Down Pants (1.5" loft each side)
Downmat 7 XL
Closed cell foam torso length pad 1/2"
Fleece cap
Fleec baliclava

Winter, down to -40F

Montbell UL SS Down Hugger 0
Montbell UL Alpine parka
FF down booties
Down Pants (1.5" loft each side)
Downmat 7 XL
Closed cell foam torso length pad 1/2"
Fleece cap
Fleec baliclava
Quinzie snow shelter

[David Goodyear]

Chad,

I'm looking at adding the downmat to my system. What is your opinion and experience? I use two foam pads 1/2" (25 x 77) and 1/4" (20 x 70). I see that you live in MN, and we are going on a 9 day trip in Canada in Feb. Temps may get down to -40.

Thanks,

Dave

P.S. I am a side sleeper and flip flopper.

[Chad Miller]

I like the downmat's becaus I flip flop when sleeping so trying to get multiple pads together is a PAIN for me at least. The downmat's are heavy by UL standards but I've tried using ligher pad systems and where cold from the ground. Combine that with my need for a 24 wide pad in cold conditions (I have wide shoulders) and the Downmat is my choice. Also I find that it's easier to pack the Downmat than a wide closed cell foam pads.

Ridgerest Large + Regular: R-Value 5.6, 2 pounds 1 ounce

Downmat 7 Long: R-Value 5.9, 2 pounds 8 ounces

[Tim Zen]

~

[Tim Zen]

x

[Chad Miller]

Whoops! Double post!

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