Question for campers

[r11rs94]

I use my Western Mountaineering bag on a Luxury Lite Cot and I'm using a Thermarest Neo Air mattress on top of the cot and the combination works great. I also have an inflatable pillow that packs down very small as well. You have to blow up the Neo Air mattress, but it packs down to the size of a nalgene bottle and weighs about a pound. I put a rug pad on the cot under the mattress to keep it from sliding around as well. Good system, works well for me, I sleep really well.

I am going to go with this. I checked out a few bags on line. I already have one of those self inflating mats that should fit into the slot on the bag.

[stanley83]

- Bag ratings assume that you are on an insulating pad of some sort and are in a tent or otherwise protected from the wind.

- With a mummy bag, it is assumed that you will have it fully zipped with your head inside and just your face exposed.

- Bag ratings can only be compared within one company's line, as there is no standard for rating bags.

- Some people are "warm" sleepers, some are "cold' sleepers, take this into account when choosing a bag.

- Synthetic fill bags will loose their insulating ability with use. This loss is greatly accelerated if they are stored compressed.

- If possible, air your bag out each morning. The body produces a lot of water vapor and this can collect in a bag, especially in cold weather.

- Wearing too much clothing to bed can compress the insulation.

- A hat will help keep you warm, one with a chin string is harder to dislodge.

- Draping extra clothing over your bag can also keep you warmer.

- Smoking and drinking make it harder for your body to keep warm.

- A bottle filled with hot water can also help.

[akthumper]

Sea to summit makes an excellent sleeping bag liner that increases most bags warmth by at least 15 degrees. Some are silk some are cotton, but both add warmth. On hot nights, sleep on top of you bag and use the liner as a light blanket. Works like a charm for me!

[sdpc2]

in VT this Spring. But as suggested, i used a Thermarest pad underneath. That is the first place that i would start.

And i wouldn't go anywhere camping without my cot...

[lionlady]

My last two camping trips this year have been cold. My bag which clames is good to -10 is a joke. and is very bulky to back. What are you using. I am looking for warmth and small when rolled up. does one exit? Thanks in advance.

What are you sleeping ON? If you use a standard air mattress or a cot, that is probaly the problem. Your bdy loses heat to that air cavity under you. A closed cell foam mattress (like Thermarest, etc.) won't draw your body heat away.

P

[beemeup]

Part of the reason I started sleeping on a cot was I felt that the coolness of the ground seemed to be coming right up through the air mattress to me. I started sleeping on a cot about 8 years ago and have found it makes a huge difference. The challenge was finding a cot that was comfortable as well as packing small/light and easy to assemble/disassemble. The Luxury Lite cot is the best so far, sure it seems expensive, but it really is comfortable and really works as advertised.

[Polarbear]

IF you carry a bike cover, its works swell too for extra warmth wrapped around your bag. Works. I use BA products too, all good. The thermal pads are the best, as air matresses are very cold magnets of chill! REI thumbs up. More pricey but get your dollars worth and complete customer support/satisfaction. Randy

[TED]

Totally agree on that. I originally bought the insulated Air Core mattress and that thing was like a heated blanket, too hot IMO for summer camping. The regular Air Core was perfect, insulated better than my (very) old Thermarest 1" pad, packs a lot smaller to boot. Plus, with the regular Air Core you can use one side down for hot weather, and the other (insulated) side down for cold.

[Voni]

Paul and I loved Hot Hands, chemical packets that add heat when we camped last night at the RA Rally in Copper Mountain, CO. 33 degrees is cold without them.

Voni
sMiling

[119240]

Roy - we should of talked at Pemi - Roy B & I have / uses down air mattresses by Exped. And I also uses their Waterbloc 600 down bag - I can uses in rain outside the tent as well http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKaM3zGqRsk
Everyone gets cold differently

[r11rs94]

Roy - we should of talked at Pemi - Roy B & I have / uses down air mattresses by Exped. And I also uses their Waterbloc 600 down bag - I can uses in rain outside the tent as well http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKaM3zGqRsk
Everyone gets cold differently

Very nice, but way to much overkill for the amount of camping that I do. I'm looking at the Big Angus Encampment 15 degree which looks to fill all of my camping needs. See you at Damm Yankee.

[tommcgee]

Paul and I loved Hot Hands, chemical packets that add heat when we camped last night at the RA Rally in Copper Mountain, CO. 33 degrees is cold without them.

Be careful of those things. Keep your face out out of the bag and in the fresh air. Some types can poison you.

[REBGEN]

Very nice, but way to much overkill for the amount of camping that I do. I'm looking at the Big Angus Encampment 15 degree which looks to fill all of my camping needs. See you at Damm Yankee.

I've had my BA Encampmet 15 for a couple years now and love it. I camp mostly in the midwest and the lowest temps I've used it were in the upper thirties. I've always been very comfortable.

I don't think keeping warm is going to be a major concern in Sedalia though. ;-)

[beemeup]

Roy,
I was at Pemi, I could have shown you my set up..........maybe next time.

[r11rs94]

Roy,
I was at Pemi, I could have shown you my set up..........maybe next time.

Thanks, Are you going to Damm Yankee?