Solo trip

[inthewids]

Ahhh.. just back from a solo camp last night, went out last week and set up a hut with some friends, a few tarps, and a frame, a good stock pile of wood, sorted!! Got a lift up then walked the rest of the way in. It was 1 degree when i left in the afternoon and the weather said it would be down to minus 7 in the early hours!!

It was a wonderful night, got a fire going, set up a bench, ate some venison stew and read one man's wilderness (what a great book) I turned in for the night into my 2-3 season sleeping bag with silk liner, feet in rucksack, I had a few hours sleep but was woken around 6am by Jack Frost, how rude, was rather cold so had to get the fire going again. dozed till 8 then got up.

I ate some porridge, packed up and set about the 6 mile walk home, was absolutely amazing as the sun rose over the Scots Pine, everything crisp and glistening with frost, birch the most beautiful. I met a few people on the walk who gave me the "what the" eyes, i really enjoyed the night but i need to invest in a much better sleeping bag, i am 6' 3 and dont quite fit into them well, anyway, thanks for reading.

 

[SimonM]

Sounds like a good, if not a little chilly, night out.

Any pictures?

Simon

 

[inthewids]

Only on my camera phone, i will try and upload them later.

 

[Mooseman1]

sounds good mate, i have the same problem mate, iam 6ft 2 and 17 half stone, trying to fit into civi bags are a nightmare. I use a Canadian Forces duck down they are massive. Also take a wool blanket mate saves on the sweaty n$ts problem. LOL

 

[alpha_centaur]

Have either of you tried the alpkit long sleeping bags. They should fit you long way's anyway

 

[Barney]

cool

made me want to go out tomorrow reading that.

 

[Shewie]

If you were in a hammock I`d say buy an underblanket, since I got mine I only use a one season bag now. If you`re on the deck or in a natural shelter though maybe have a look at the arctic issue bag, they pack down to the size of a small bungalow but they`re nice and toasty.

 

[inthewids]

I will have a look at the alpkit bags, i was in a hut on the ground, had fur down then a tarp to lie on, 3 season sleeping mat and bag and a picnic rug was mostly my knees that were cold, what do most people wear in a sleeping bag? I was told the less the better?

 

[h2o]

I will have a look at the alpkit bags, i was in a hut on the ground, had fur down then a tarp to lie on, 3 season sleeping mat and bag and a picnic rug was mostly my knees that were cold, what do most people wear in a sleeping bag? I was told the less the better?

less is better if you want to cool down.

 

[h2o]

did you go solo or with freinds?

 

[HillBill]

less is better if you want to cool down.

The more clothes worn, the less effective the sleeping bag.

 

[Shewie]

The more clothes worn, the less effective the sleeping bag.

How does that work then HillBill ?

In winter I always sleep in base layers and wouldn`t dream of stripping off.

 

[Mistwalker]

How does that work then HillBill ?

In winter I always sleep in base layers and wouldn`t dream of stripping off.

When I went through Basic Training for the Infantry we had to strip down to shorts and t-shirt (most of us wore our thermals in the winter) before bedding down for the night, but the main thing I remember being told about why was so that in the morning we got the psychological effect of warming up as we dressed where as if we were dressed in our bags we started out as warm as we were going to get and got the psychological effect of just getting colder.

 

[HillBill]

Sleeping bags are designed to trap heat inside, not generate it. The heat it traps is what comes off your body, it warms the bag. Wearing clothes reduces the heat the bag collects making the bag colder. I wear underwear in a bag and i'm rarely troubled. The sleeping bag is in general more efficient at keeping heat locked inside than the majority of clothing because it is one item that cocoons the whole body. If you wore a couple of layers the base layer you had on would be the main insulator for your body heat the next layer would be cooler and the bag cooler still. I'm not saying you can't be warm by wearing clothes in a bag, you can. Only that its your clothes keeping you warm and not the bag,

The main reason people wear clothes in a bag is they're cold before they get in it or they think they will be cold during the night as it may be frosty etc.

Just remember the people who designed and made your bag have already thought of that, tested that and supplied you with a product that will counter that.

A hot drink and a little movement before tucking down is all is needed.

 

[Shewie]

Interesting, I`ve never really thought about it like that.

I love this place, there`s always something new to be learned everyday.

 

[h2o]

sorry hill bill but thats nonsense mate.

 

[novembeRain]

sorry hill bill but thats nonsense mate.

I love it when people speak their mind.

What's it matter? Just do what you find works best for you.

 

[HillBill]

sorry hill bill but thats nonsense mate.

Lol If you insist mate. I only speak through 16 years of experience in various climates, 8 of those in the military. I suppose it depends on the quality of the bag. I mean i've never plucked, duck, goose or pigeon and found them wearing merino underneath their feathers. But maybe i just had the ones who were cold on a night.

http://www.psychovertical.com/?maximisingwarmth

 

[Glen]

My thinking on it...

I think a lot of it depends on what makes the individual feel cold, if your wearing thermals with no foot or hand covering those parts will probably feel colder, as you've trapped the warmth generated more around your toro and legs/arms. Whearas without them the heat generated by you is spread more evenly around the air trappedin the sleeping bag.

Think of it as a temperature gradient between your skin and the outer skin of the sleeping bag, If your bag is near it's lower limit where your exposed skin ( hands feet ) touches the inner surface will feel colder while wearing clothing than not, however your torso will probably feel warmer.

There are further factors in this model ( that are probably also person and situation specific ) in that as if you keep your torso warmer your body will be less inclined to do things to produce internal heat to keep you warm, therefore semi exposed parts will be/feel colder. Aso I guess how well your bag fits you will make a differnce, a loose fitting bag will even more air to heat up, eg mummy bags verses square bags. With a lose bag I suspect clothes on will make more differnce than with a well fitting bag

My guess is that if your likely to be a little chilly then clothes off will seem warmer, after a certain amount of time, but if your risking hypethermia then ( dry) clothes on is more likely to keep you alive.

[updated thoughts]
The tightness of the clothing would also be a factcor, if it it anyway restricts circulation it's probably going to make you extremities feel colder rather than warmer.

If you want warm feet all night try thermos flask filled with hot water at the bottom of the bag, it will keep it a couple of degrees warmer all night as opposed to most other methods that keep it almost hot but only for a few hours.

 

[h2o]

Lol If you insist mate. I only speak through 16 years of experience in various climates, 8 of those in the military. I suppose it depends on the quality of the bag. I mean i've never plucked, duck, goose or pigeon and found them wearing merino underneath their feathers. But maybe i just had the ones who were cold on a night.

http://www.psychovertical.com/?maximisingwarmth

ive never seen a sheep wearing a down jacket either?????