What’s your Summer Sleep System?

[Max Dilthey]

Struggling to nail down my summer sleep system. What's yours?

Location (Desert? Northeast? Other?)

Temp Comfort

Sleeping Bag

Pad

Clothing

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I am trying to decide between the following for Northeast, temps 40-70º

Pad: Definitely Thermarest Prolite XSmall

Sleeping bag: ALPS Razor (1lb 10oz) OR just my Arcteryx Atom SV and some wool tights OR Thermarest Tech Blanket… not sure which to pick. Investing in a $100+ summer bag seems like a waste of $.

My shelter is a Snowyside eVent bivy bag from Borah Gear and maybe an MLD Dog Tarp for my head if I test the bivy in the rain and I get wet.

[Ian]

I'm taking an idea from the Gossamer Gear Blog and leaving my insulation at home when I predict temperatures will be above freezing, which will be for most of this summer. Historically I've found that I never wear it for three season hiking. In the unlikely event that I feel I need something more during breaks or at camp, I'll wrap my sleeping bag around me and under my shell.

Starting from the inside:

Extra olive oil added to dinner and hot chocolate for dessert;

Wool Kirkland socks (sleeping only), nylon pants, nylon t-shirt, nylon button-down shirt, hardshell and/or windshirt, buff, and Kat's Hat. This would be for an unusually cold night and often I'll just wear shorts and a t-shirt;

Pack liner over feet for added warmth;

Montbell ULSS#3;

Prolite Small;

Backpack under feet.

May not be the lightest but certainly not the heaviest. Most importantly, it works for me.

Edit to add: Conditions will vary from desert below 400' and above 60* at night to humid/drizzly Cascades above 6k' with temperatures down to 32*.

[Christian Denniston]

Location: Ohio

Temp Comfort: 40F and above

Sleeping Bag: Enlightened Equiptment RevX 40F w/overfill (I may upgrade to an EE Enigma this year)

Pad: Thermarest Zlite or Thermarest Prolite Small

Clothing: Patagonia Cap 1 LS Shirt & Starter Leggings (Similar to Cap1). If temps are below 50 I will wear a Montbell Thermawrap or Cap 4 Hoody to bed.

[Anonymous]

Max, i guess you weren't interested in that super simple Summer 2.5 oz apex quilt (more blanket) we had talked about awhile back? Well under a hundred, probably would weigh around 13-15 oz using the least expensive shell and liner materials (an ounce or two less if using nobul).

[Gordon Gray]

Mine is the same as spring and fall. I just wear less and unzip my bag if needed.
I am usually high up in the Rockies so even during the heat of summer, nightime temps range from 35-50.

I have Kelty Cosmic Down 20 L, Neoair Xlite, and double wall tent.

[Max Dilthey]

Yeah, my winter bag is sub-3lbs. I was thinking about just bringing that and just an 8oz fleece for body insulation instead of any coat. if it gets cold, get in the bag!

[Nathan Custer]

Southeast, summer night temps rarely drop below 60. Sometimes 70-75 is the low. MYOG 2.5 apex quilt, neoair xlite, running shorts and tshirt. I usually have a long sleeve base layer to supplement if needed.

[Randy Martin]

Location: Colorado
Temp Comfort: > 35
Sleeping Bag: Katabatic Gear Chisos 40 degree quilt
Pad: Neoair short (Original)
Clothing: Only insulation is a Patagonia Down Sweater Vest. That with a wind shirt over it if necessary is plenty.
Shelter: Tarp pitched if rain is coming, else just pitch my Yama Bug Shelter 1.0 which although is mostly mesh does provide some warmth.

[John S.]

I use the same as for 3 season but may go to sleep inside my bivy only with clothes on and bag lying on top of me. As my body temp goes down and I get chilled I slip into my bag.

[Owen McMurrey]

Southeast. Mostly AL and TN.

Temps depend. Could be as low as 40s to 50s early(summer starts early here, but we do get 40s, sometimes upper 30s into early May, even in AL), occasionally as high as ~80F later.

Bag/Pad:
-Underground Quilts 50F Flight Jacket with ProLite Small right now. ~26oz total.
-S2S Reactor sleeping bag liner and a Klymit Inertia XLite Recon when it gets hot. ~15oz total

Clothing:
-Usually Underarmour Boxerjocks and a synthetic t
-OR Filament down pullover for when temps are low enough to need much more than a t-shirt around camp. Supplements the quilt if it's not warm enough.

Shelter: TarpTent Notch

[Justin Baker]

I like the mil surp poncho liner.

[Nathan Wernette]

Exped ul7 LW
EE revelation 40 degree bag
Cap 1 tee
Under armor underwear
Or
Sometimes naked!!! Gotta let the boys breathe

I'm a hot sleeper

Location. Michigan

[Aaron D]

Location: High Sierra

Temps: as low as high 20s

Pad: Prolite XS + 1/8" ccf

Quilt: HG Burro 20 degree (snap footbox to ventilate)

Clothing: no leg baselayers, Pataonia UL down for torso if needed

[Richard Lyon]

Location: Northern Rockies (Montana/Wyoming)

Temp range: 25-45 F

Pad: Neoair or BA Q-Core

Bag: Nunatak Back Country Blanket. I have two, a standard and an extra-long overstuffed one. The former unless temp is expected to go below freezing, otherwise the warmer one. If it really warms up I simply drape it over me.

Clothing: Merino base layers; I usually bring long johns solely for sleeping. A down hoodie if it's expected to be below freezing.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

DESERT-> (ex. S. UTAH, 85 F. nights)
Pad – Prolite reg.
Bag – WM Megalite opened all the way as a quilt W/ pad inserted into foot (Sooo comfy)

MOUNTAINS-> (ex. 8,000 to 9,000 ft. in Sierra Nevada, 25 F. nights)
same pad and bag (overstuffed & good to 20 F.) ZIPPED UP W/light poly long john suit and light poly balaclava

P.S. Lower than 20 F. I add my Eddie Bauer light down jacket & hiking pants over long johns and am good to 15 F.

[Edward Jursek]

Location – North Cascades

Bag – 30 degree custom Zpacks cuben quilt (15 oz, Gear Swap pick-up.)

Pad – NeoAir X-Lite short (from REI, 8oz).

Back-up Pad – Gossamer Gear Nightlight Torso Pad (from GG, 3.2 oz). This is a multi-use sit pad, pack frame sheet, pad for my legs, and back-up for the inflatable (saved my back once when my old NeoAir failed halfway through a trip. Still had some rough sleep, but was better then nothing).

Down Worn – Goosefeet down balaclava and down booties (balaclava from Zpacks 1.3oz, booties from Gear Swap, 2.4oz).

Cloths Worn – Ibex Woolies Bottoms and Ibex Echo top (from 6pm.com and REI Gear Garage respectively).

Consumables – dark chocolate, cashews, and 2oz or so of hooch (whisky, rum, brandy, etc.). I know the hooch doesn't help with body temperature, but it does help with morale after a long day.

No other down clothing is brought during the summer. I like to hike until late and get going early, so if it is cold it just motivates me to get into my bag sooner or get going faster.

[Marc Kokosky]

Here's mine. This is for 50*+ and humid VA nights

Worn:
Synthetic quick-dry shorts
Acorn fleece socks
t-shirt
Mountain hardwear fleece beanie and smart wool liner gloves if I need them. They go with me every trip regardless of temps

Sleep system
GG Airbeam XL
Enlightened equipment revelation long/x-wide 40*
Exped UL Large pillow with goosefeet pillowcase

Shelter
Undecided…. Thinking SMD wild oasis or lunar solo depending on expected bugginess

[Ito Jakuchu]

" …Investing in a $100+ summer bag seems like a waste of $…"

I was just going through the same in my head. I am looking at a 50F Prodigy quilt. Would love to have one and I think they are a really great value for the money. Still, what you say is also true. I already have an Atom SV, I already have power stretch fleece tights. No need to buy anything. If I take my Cocoon silk mummy liner into my breathable bivy I could bring my clothing for any extra warmth I need. Not as light in the end perhaps, but would work nonetheless.

Still, the quilt is calling though.

[Ito Jakuchu]

"…Here's mine. This is for 50*+ and humid VA nights…
…Enlightened equipment revelation long/x-wide 40*…"

I will be in similar conditions. Any reason why you went with 40 and not a 50 quilt?

[Ken Bennett]

Southeast mountains, TN/NC/VA.

45F Jacks r Better Quilt. Either a Hennessy Hammock (hacked to reduce weight) and a 3/4 closed cell foam pad (solo), or a 3/4 Prolite Plus for sleeping in a tent with my partner. Add a short CCF pad for under my feet/sit pad.

[Jake D]

White Mountains NH

40-45F

M90/2.5 apex MYOG quilt 12oz under 100$

Neoair full length plus Exped air pillow

convertible nylon pants, thin sleeping socks, synthetic t shirt or icebreaker 150 LS. Optional- synthetic hat, Pat. nanopuff to get into the lower 40s.

Lightheart solo tent or 3 sided shelters

[Max Dilthey]

"I was just going through the same in my head. I am looking at a 50F Prodigy quilt. Would love to have one and I think they are a really great value for the money. Still, what you say is also true. I already have an Atom SV, I already have power stretch fleece tights. No need to buy anything. If I take my Cocoon silk mummy liner into my breathable bivy I could bring my clothing for any extra warmth I need. Not as light in the end perhaps, but would work nonetheless.

Still, the quilt is calling though."

Literally my exact idea. Silk liner, breathable bivy, warm clothes.

[todd]

Summer Sleep System?

Ha! AC inside w/a sheet. Florida's too hot.

I'm so jealous of everyone's hiking season I could scream. Our "season" is most everyone else's down time.

[Marc Kokosky]

Some nights can get unexpectedly chilly and I like the extra warmth. There's only about 1-1.5oz weight penalty between the 40 and 50 and it's all down

[Anonymous]

Hi Ito Jakucha, i tried to p.m. you but you apparently don't have p.m.'s set up. Anyways, if you ever change your mind on the quilt, i could make you a simple, no thrills Summer (50 degree) Apex quilt for very reasonable. If no bells and whistles, it would cost about half of what a Prodigy quilt would (not including the shipping). I have no idea what shipping from the U.S. to Japan is like though.

If interested you can email me at justin.whitson10 at gmail dot com

[Author]

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