Topic

POOR WINTER CAMPER’S SLEEP SYSTEM

Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
PostedJul 18, 2026 at 9:26 pm

I do have a -20 F down mummy and size L Thermarest X-Therm for winter so yeah, I ain’t “poor”.

But if you have a true 20 F. mummy or really good, non-drafty 20 F. quilt you can extend its range with the following:

1.)  light to medium insulated jacket  2.) down or synthetic insulated pants.  3.)  stand alone down hood or really warm balaclava. 4. fleece gloves (Yes, ‘sleeping gloves” are part of a winter sleep system).

Plus the “foundation”-> 5.) double layer Z-Rest or RidgeRest OR a foam filled mattress with one of the above closed cell foam mats beneath. And maybe an R 3.5 insulated air mattress on a closed cell mat.

With these add-ons, most of which can do daytime duty as well, you can very likely take that 20 F. sleep system to at least 0 F. In many areas of the US that should do for a winter sleep system.

Roger Caffin BPL Member
PostedJul 19, 2026 at 1:44 am

1.) light to medium insulated jacket 2.) down or synthetic insulated pants.
I am not that keen on wearing down gear inside a bag or quilt: the down absorbs a lot of moisture from my body overnight and any down under me is squashed very flat. Instead I find good thermals work better – for me at least. Polyester thermals, not Merino: they dry infinitely faster.

Some head covering: certainly. Almost essential, even with a good hood on the wuilt. There is an old saying: ‘if your feet are cold, put on a hat’. Very true, for physiological reasons.

Gloves? Never used them, but my hands are always inside my quilt!
So are my ski boots and socks, in a sealed plastic bag, my water bottle and my gas canister. Fluffy socks on my feet – socks which have never been inside a shoe.

One of the biggest boosts to a warm night is having my wife next to me, snuggled up. Don’t laugh: instead of losing heat out from one side to the cold air, I have a warm ‘wall’ next to me on that side. Doesn’t help if you go solo of course.

Cheers

Terran BPL Member
PostedJul 19, 2026 at 9:42 am

On the other hand using a -20*f mummy in 20*f weather can be a bit more challenging.

Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
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