Cheers, you've saved me hours of staring at the map.Might well see you up there one of these days.
Planning a Wild Camp in Dartmoor - Sleeping Gear Questions!
- Thread starter Ethan Hodge
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Yes, I also agree with the combination of thermal underwear and sleeping bag. Because I bought a sleeping pad before and the effect was not good, I don't consider bringing it to increase my weight burden.
Blimey, you've got a point there. It's getting harder to tell these days, isn't it? I promise I'm just a bloke who probably talks about his camping gear a bit too much. No AI or upselling here[/QUOTE]
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Right? It's a bit of a minefield now. What a time to be alive. Anyway, I've had another go at editing the post. Fingers crossed it doesn't trigger some other random algorithm. Onwards!
Now that’s some bloody good advice. Cheers!
The water bottle in a sock is a proper genius tip – will definitely be trying that. And you’re dead right about the bladder. Nothing ruins a good kip like that 3am panic.
Hahahaha~
I shouldn't consider bringing a sleeping pad. Thanks for your advice.
Finally had a minute to catch up on all the messages – proper chuffed, thanks for all the advice, everyone! Might not make it to Dartmoor 'til the end of the month, mind. Thinking of a quick overnighter soon as I'm through this mountain of work. The brain's already on the trail, to be honest!
I really urge you to reconsider not taking a sleeping pad. The sleeping bag will not keep you warm from underneath, as it will be compressed against the ground due to you being in it, rendering its insulation there useless.
Camping without a sleeping mat (whether inflatable or closed cell) is a quick way to get yourself hypothermic.
I have to agree with Chris; a simple closed cell foam mat weighs next to nothing but will make a huge difference. The damp ground just sucks heat out of your body.
When I was teaching g “Outdoor First Aid” we taught a ratio, 3:1, whatever you put on a casualty to keep them warm, you need three under to maintain body heat and prevent hypothermia. Same applies.
Tonight. At very latest this weekend, set out your sleeping gear in your garden or in the garden of a friend. Don’t worry about a tent unless you know it’s going to rain. (No rain here in Midlands for the next three days.)
Sleep in it for a night but be sure that the back door to the house is open and there is a couch or bed available.
As you can probably interpret for yourself, everyone here is very concerned that you are going to be very cold and a long way from home.
As in my post - the cold won’t kill you at this time of year but it may force you home at two in the morning feeling very miserable.
The ground is still quite warm but it is cooling. It will be much colder later in the year. Probably the most useful thing you could take with you is an experienced buddy!
If it isn’t fun then it’s not worth doing.
Sleep in it for a night but be sure that the back door to the house is open and there is a couch or bed available.
As you can probably interpret for yourself, everyone here is very concerned that you are going to be very cold and a long way from home.
As in my post - the cold won’t kill you at this time of year but it may force you home at two in the morning feeling very miserable.
The ground is still quite warm but it is cooling. It will be much colder later in the year. Probably the most useful thing you could take with you is an experienced buddy!
If it isn’t fun then it’s not worth doing.
@Ethan Hodge
I know Dartmoor is the go to place for wild camping in England, but you say you are based in Scotland, which has the right to wild camp almost everywhere. Dartmoor is a heck of a long way for a first time trip. Not suggesting not to come! Just suggesting that if the opportunity presents, take some kit out closer to home one night in the coming week or two and have a single night shake down.
I have used a fleece bag liner to boost a bags rating, but it wasn’t great. A silk bag liner is good for a little warmth and keeping the bag cleaner, but an additional “warm” liner didn’t do much.
I found that weight for weight it was far better to wear a long sleeve wool base layer, at least the top, a woolly beanie hat and most of all, a Buff or scarf to keep my nose warm. Burying nose in sleeping bag makes the bag damp, so having a warm cover that lets you breath outside the bag is well worth it.
Be sure to go to bed warm.
I know Dartmoor is the go to place for wild camping in England, but you say you are based in Scotland, which has the right to wild camp almost everywhere. Dartmoor is a heck of a long way for a first time trip. Not suggesting not to come! Just suggesting that if the opportunity presents, take some kit out closer to home one night in the coming week or two and have a single night shake down.
I have used a fleece bag liner to boost a bags rating, but it wasn’t great. A silk bag liner is good for a little warmth and keeping the bag cleaner, but an additional “warm” liner didn’t do much.
I found that weight for weight it was far better to wear a long sleeve wool base layer, at least the top, a woolly beanie hat and most of all, a Buff or scarf to keep my nose warm. Burying nose in sleeping bag makes the bag damp, so having a warm cover that lets you breath outside the bag is well worth it.
Be sure to go to bed warm.
Locating the tent is also important, hollows might shelter from wind but tend to collect cool air when the wind isn’t blowing. Cold air tends to flow like water off the high ground at night.
I'd suggest finding a local ex military supplier or go online and order an army foam mat at the very least. If it's good enough for the military, it will be good enough for you. They are not expensive, and after a good tent , a good mat is the next most important investment.
I've spent many nights in cheap tents, with cheap bags, but the worst nights we're those without decent ground insulation.
Can't stress that enough!!!
You will be far from home by the sound of it. Don't become a statistic for dartmoor rescue.
Hypothermia is real, and especially if you are solo without a mate to keep an eye out for tell tale signs, you can easily start making stupid decisions without realising, leading to a serious situation.
you won't even be aware of it untill it's become a real problem.
Also remember to give an itinerary and check in times to someone at home so if you don't contact within specified times help can be organised and they will know where to begin looking.
Something that a lot of people don't do, as they think they will be fine. All it takes is a trip or bad fall and things can go bad quickly.
Safety first my lad!
Absolutely spot on about the foam mat. I had a naff one once that was about as much use as a chocolate teapot - total waste of money and a proper lesson learned. Cheers for the tip about an ex-military supplier, that's a bloody good idea. You really know your stuff.
Don't worry, I'm not keen on becoming a statistic for Dartmoor Rescue! I'll make sure someone has my itinerary and check-in times. Safety first, for sure.
Really appreciate you looking out for me. Top advice.
Yep, those cheap mats are too thin to provide much insulation and are too narrow, only any good for drunk idiots at festivals!
I still use a foam mat under my inflatable bed. Extra insulation and a back up if I get a leak.
I'm old and creaky, so need the inflatable bed aswell.
My preference is the zig zag mat from Robens, as it packs down smaller, and has a reasonable r value.
A car windscreen reflective cover weighs very little, packs small, and is usefull to add under your mat, reflective side up, to add extra insulation and reflection of body heat back to yourself.
I hope you have a great time. Used to be a volenteer on dartmoor and though I now live on exmoor I miss it a lot.
I worked on Dartmoor, and still live here, it is my passion, but I have a very soft spot for Exmoor also.
Good on you, I hope you have a good camp on Dartmoor. I walked out to Wistmans Wood and the surrounding Tors last week and it's a lovely place to spend time. The advice already given about checking the camping map and firing times on the ranges is well worth following. For your first time, I'd recommend that you visit the Tors in and around the Mereworth Range as it is very accessible (Great Mis Tor has already been mentioned), lots of parking and easy to navigate. That area does get busy at the weekends though so do bare that in mind.
Asking about sleep systems will invariably result in a series of very different responses. It's a personal choice for you based on how you sleep and your physiology. In a nutshell, the thing that you really need to deal with on Dartmoor is the exposure to wind and with that the cold damp air that you often get up on the Tors. For that reason, I'd suggest going up a season in your sleeping bag (compared to what you might ordinarily use in lowland conditions). Sleeping pads are important, but don't overthink it. Some folks advise against foam mats, I disagree and have used nothing other than a basic foam sleeping mat for several years. I'm not a particularly warm sleeper and have never felt them to be cold. Obviously not as comfortable as the inflatable pads, but they're cheap, reliable and your back soon adjusts to the harder sleeping surface.
Asking about sleep systems will invariably result in a series of very different responses. It's a personal choice for you based on how you sleep and your physiology. In a nutshell, the thing that you really need to deal with on Dartmoor is the exposure to wind and with that the cold damp air that you often get up on the Tors. For that reason, I'd suggest going up a season in your sleeping bag (compared to what you might ordinarily use in lowland conditions). Sleeping pads are important, but don't overthink it. Some folks advise against foam mats, I disagree and have used nothing other than a basic foam sleeping mat for several years. I'm not a particularly warm sleeper and have never felt them to be cold. Obviously not as comfortable as the inflatable pads, but they're cheap, reliable and your back soon adjusts to the harder sleeping surface.
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