Sleep System Advice

I’m in the southeast as well and lived in middle TN last year, so familiar w/ the Smokies and Big South Fork.  I dialed into a two bag quiver for that area.  My 40 degree Revelation does great for those late spring, summer, early fall trips.  I have a Western Mountaineering Apache (15 degree) for the colder trips.  I went with the Apache since it’s a little roomier, so I can add some additional layers if I anticipate it being near or below 15 degrees.  I’ve loaned out my Revelation to friends on winter trips so they can supplement their sleep system.  I feel like those two bags did a very good job of handling the conditions I was in last year (I went on a trip most every month, and again, was in your area in TN).

With that said, I just bought a 20 degree quilt since I’m planning on a trip in the southwest were I’ll be going from low desert (warmer nights) to higher elevation (probably near or below freezing some nights).  My 15 degree bag would simply be too warm for a lot of the trip, and, while I thought about supplementing my 40 degree quilt with some layers to get through cold nights, I don’t think I would get very good sleep.  So, unfortunately I had to expand that quiver to three.  But for the southeast, especially if you’re just taking shorter trips where the temperature will be pretty consistent, I think you would be well served by a lighter summer quilt and warmer winter bag.

I appreciate the advice! Is your EE quilt the Apex version?

No, it’s Downtek.  I’ve used it on some pretty wet trips (e.g. Allegheny Trail in West Virginia) and haven’t had any problems.  But Apex is certainly worth considering.

I’ve been considering ordering a regular length and width Apex 40 that EE has in stock currently all weekend, so I think your advice has sold me on it at about a $70 savings and only ~3 oz penalty. Plus the flexibility to use to supplement a mummy for winter. Any sizing advice?

I’m just under 6’1″, about 175-180 lbs and have found the regular width and length have worked well for me.  If the conditions are something that I’m really going to have to burrow down, then I’d just take my warmer bag.  When I first got the quilt, I tested it out at home in about 45 degrees.  With my (rather worn out) bag liner and some light layers on, I slept pretty well, so I’d say the temp rating was pretty accurate (I think 40 degrees is the “lower limit”- comfort rating is above that).

Awesome! I’m about an inch shorter and same weight so that should work fine for me as well. 45 is perfect for May-October in these parts, and I could always supplement with my Nano Puff or Rab Proton if it was unseasonably cold suddenly. Going to order now.

What pad do you use? I’m between going for an Xlite or a Tensor currently. Typically sleep on my back or my side, not a very active sleeper.

I’ve been using an Xtherm for several years and really like it.  I did find when I switched to the Neoair series that I had to “train” myself a bit to be comfortable with the width, but after the first few nights I’ve been sleeping great on it.  Every once in a while, I find the Xtherm to be a little too hot for summer camping (typically lower elevation stuff, such as Big South Fork).  I tried out the Uberlite, and while it worked out well, I wasn’t comfortable with how many people reported pad failures.  If they ever redesign it to be a bit more durable but still crazy light, that and an Xtherm make for a good two pad quiver.  In the meantime, a lot of people seem to find the Xlite plus a closed cell foam pad to supplement in winter to be a good combination.  To me, the Xlite isn’t light enough relative to the Xtherm to justify having both, so for now I’m just sticking with the Xtherm.  The Xlite is probably the more versatile of the two, although there are some trade-offs in durability.  I think the Xtherm is 70d fabric, Xlite 30d, and Uberlite 15d.  If you search around you still might be able to get a deal on the old valve style which they changed this year.

Yeah, I was actually thinking of going with the new regular length wide Xlite and supplementing with an old RidgeRest pad I used to use back in college in subfreezing conditions. 3 oz seems a small price to pay for a good night’s sleep and unfortunately no regular/wide Xtherm yet…