Who Sleeps cold

I sleep about 10°F colder than "Norm".

Looking at my last trip's notes, I was cold at 38°F and at 41°F (measured with a Brunton ADC recording temps) in a quality gap-free 32° quilt, Montbell UL Down Inner with hood, a fleece hat long enough to cover my ears and nose, sleeping on a Mammut R-4 air matt.

I figure my low metabolic output adds about a pound to my pack weight.

Edit: Yes, I am well fed and hydrated, although exhausted.

Hi,

That's about the same for me, I end up packing a pound extra insulation.

Cheers,

I can sleep in my 5 F above bag down to about -10 to -12 F with everything on (except extra down clothing)and a VBL. Only when well feed and well hydrated or course. Anyone know why this happens? I am 5'-10" 155-160 lbs. So normal sized.

I am jealous ;-)

I guess so. I will just be happy about it.

My usual system is a WM Summerlite with R1 hoody, Cap4 pants and a MB UL Down parka on an R3 pad in a Tyvek bivy. I start to feel the cold around 32F. From what I've read most people would be good in just light base layers to that temp in the Summerlite. It's not so much that I am cold, but that I need to be WARM to stay asleep for longer than 1-2 hrs without waking up.

Andrew

If I know it's going to get down to 30F at night I will bring my 0 degree bag. Even with that I'll be wearing full Cap 3 thermo's, pants and down jacket. Oh…and a hat. I'll still be a little cold.
I went to Veitnam a while back and slept under the bed sheets wearing my Cap 1 thermo's. It was summer with no AC. My girlfriend slept on top of the sheets in her bra and panties. I'm 5'-9" and weigh 153 lbs.

You have friends Stephen? I find that hard to believe ;-)

I sleep cold these days and use a WM Lynx in the winter – nice, and a WM Ultralite the rest of the year (unless in hot climes).

Tent/wandering about wear are Montbell UL down troos and duvet; with a fine 'Ray-Way' hat a friend kindly made for me.

As a reference point for those reading, Stephen and I are in Northern Europe.

I was just was out in 13 degrees, part of my ultra 20 got frozen from condensation in the bivy and the tarp was covered in ice and frost all i had on was stretchy nylon pants and a n unzipped atom lt jacket. woke up to hot a couple of times

I am definitely a cold sleeper. I use a Summerlite and even with my insulated clothing, I get cold in the upper 30's low 40s. I know most people find the cut on this bag narrow but I am pretty small and I feel like I need an even tighter bag at times. The main problem I get is drafts coming in from the head area since there is no collar. For anything around freezing and below I will bring all of the warmest gear I own.

my wife!

she sleeps in a 20 degree underquilt, a 25 degree top quilt, wearing the Montbell alpinelight jacket and down pants, and goosefeet socks.

Robert…..that is not fair. I own the Golite Ultra 20 and I'm cold in that when it's 40, and thats with clothing. What is wrong with me?
I'm having Javen at Stateless Society make me a 3" thick top layer bag with 900 fill for summer hiking on the PCT.

You getting enough calories at night?

John,
As was suggested to me – get a "Resting Metabolic Rate" test. If, as in my case, it is Below the typical for your age etc., then those are the cards you have to play. If it Is typical, then other factors are coming into play.

I did my at a Carmichael Training Center. Cost was $65. Takes about 30 minutes total.
If you decide to do it, PM me. There are details that matter, that the "tester" might not pay attention to.

I sleep cold too. My summer bag is rated to 0C or thereabouts, but I always have to wear clothes as well.
On the other hand, I 'run' hot. Reasons for this wide range in metabolic output? My guess is that physique is a factor – I am 6'1" with a BMI of 22. Age may be another, I'm (ahem) 45+

Hi all,

It's good to know I am not On my own :-)

I also run hot when moving but cold sometimes when sleeping.

Hi Ed,

I hope my charming Irish wit won you ever at Blackmail :-)

I had mentioned it was mainly in the UK so folk know the horrendous weather we have to deal with at times :-)

Cheers,

Stephen

I sleep on the warm side. Correction I cook.

In Janurary went up to the Whites in NH and temps dropped to -15 F where we were. I was testing out my -20F EMS bag and cooked. But even in the cold nights that my bag in not rated too example ( 10F night, my 20 F rated bag is fine)

Only major concern I have is under preparing myself and having a night where my body just doesn't produce heat the way it normally does.

Ken….. I typically eat a dehydrated meal for 2. Those are around 600 calories before I hit the tent.

Greg….I will PM you. I know I have a high metabolism. I seem to be able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight. I'm 48 years old, 5'-9" and weighed 153 last night at the gym. 2 years ago my body fat was measured at the University of Washington using a machine similar to an MRI scan. They told me I was the lowest in the 12 years they'd been doing the study at 5.5%.

My WM Summerlite is good down to 45*F with a t-shirt and shorts, 32*F with long underwear and something like my Thermawrap jacket. Use a Neo-Air down to 40*F, combine that with a Ridgerest for temps down into the teens.

For below freezing, I take a 15*F WM Apache. It is good right around freezing with shorts and t-shirt, 25*F with long underwear, and can be pushed to 10-15*F with insulated pants and down parka. Even then, I am still cold sometimes.

For comparison, the room I sleep in is 75-80*F in the warmer months and I still have a heavy sheet and heavy top cover.

while en-ratings arent perfect i personally find them very spot on for myself …

note that generally ratings assume very good ground insulation, something like long underwear and a light fleece top, and that you are of a certain weight and build and age … however the en-rating is more conservative than the previous rating systems i believe

note that of the bags mentioned the summerlite is a 35F en rated, and the earlier go lite quilt was shown by richard to be around 30F or so i believe

if you find yourself sleeping cold, but not cold when around camp … then the "standard" BPL advice of getting a lighter bag and using more insulated clothese may not be the best for you …. a heavier bag or quilt is always more weight efficient than carrying a heavier insulated jacket for the same warmth at night

if you have all your other ducks lined up … it could be you are just a cold cold person ;)

Me! I know this is partly a function of sex (more women have this problem) and advanced age (the metabolism slows as you get older, I'm told).

My year-around bag is a 20*F WM Ultralite. Of course I generally do a trip a year to Wyoming's Wind Rivers where it can get that cold any time of year! However, even during a hot spell in the Cascades, it cools down a lot at night, usually to where I do up the zipper most of the way by 2-3 am.

Some years back I tried using a 30*F bag with warm clothing. Didn't work–once it got down close to freezing, I started shivering, even with everything on! With just a base layer and cap, I started getting cold at 40*.

I have definitely noticed that I take more layers than many of the obviously warm-blooded gentlemen who have posted gear lists on this site. However, the difference is maybe a pound. To me, it's well worth it to stay warm!

I live in northeastern Ohio and in the summer I have to sleep with socks on. Last night it got down to the mid 50's and I was sleeping indoors, under my 15 degree SD down bag with socks on!! In the winter I use the bag and my Sorel packboot liners!!

It's sad, just sad……………

mary …

add about 10F to the "ratings" of most bags if you are female …

so a 30F bag is ~40F for women … or look at the "comfort" en-rating

"..add about 10F to the "ratings" of most bags if you are female …
"…so a 30F bag is ~40F for women …"

Eric,
Is this reversed? e.g on a Marmot Hydrogen the EN Comfort rating is 30° for a man versus 40° for a woman.