Sleeping mats/winter gear

[Teepee]

CCF= Closed Cell Foam. Its blown foam that doesn't soak up water, as opposed to OCF Open Cell Foam like a washing sponge. R value; yep, the higher the value the warmer

Getting out and testing your gear is the only way to know, we can all offer guidance only as different people sleep at different temps. Also, the combined warmth of sleeping bags needs to be tested as its just as much a matter of how well they 'Nest' than thickness of insulation-Its easy to compress insulation to the point of vastly reducing its loft.

On paper, I would sleep out in that setup in most UK conditions.

 

[Andy BB]

CCF= Closed Cell Foam. Its blown foam that doesn't soak up water, as opposed to OCF Open Cell Foam like a washing sponge. R value; yep, the higher the value the warmer

Getting out and testing your gear is the only way to know, we can all offer guidance only as different people sleep at different temps. Also, the combined warmth of sleeping bags needs to be tested as its just as much a matter of how well they 'Nest' than thickness of insulation-Its easy to compress insulation to the point of vastly reducing its loft.

On paper, I would sleep out in that setup in most UK conditions.

Nah - wouldn't sleep on paper - goes all soggy

 

[Teepee]

Nah - wouldn't sleep on paper - goes all soggy

I use wet and dry paper dude, non-slip too

 

[Twodogs]

Mate you in my opinion you have far to many layers on the go it will drive you mad,,,:bluThinki,

Get an Army arctic sleeping bag, roll mat and maybe a bivi bag you will get it all cheap as chips on ebay and your sorted for any weather .


If your winter camping kit gets heavier unless your spending loads of money on down gear that isnt as robust as synthetic ,,


Just my veiw

Twodogs

 

[Bushcraftsman]

is 25-30 quid about right for an army issue arctic bag? I was thinking army bag, foam matt, bivvy and perhaps a wool blanket?

 

[Headshed]

In winter I used a foxhole bivy bag as a vapour barrier, an alpkit dirtbag & an alpkit sky high down bag, all good down to -8C, only had paramo stretch tights on and a merino base layer plus skull cap. To go lower I would add thermawrap and change my clothing. Too many layers are a pain in the proverbial as already mentioned. Best bet, try it out in the garden and then you can bail if necessary.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Sounds right chap, minus the blanket I have slept out in minus thirty in that set up.

is 25-30 quid about right for an army issue arctic bag? I was thinking army bag, foam matt, bivvy and perhaps a woold blanket?

 

[Bushcraftsman]

What!? Minus 30 with bag foam Matt and bivvy! Are the bags that good or are you just immune to cold!

 

[Twodogs]

What!? Minus 30 with bag foam Matt and bivvy! Are the bags that good or are you just immune to cold!

The sleep system is rated for that , plus the user would have a set of base layers on a hat and possably bivvy boots ,

very good cost effective system

Twodogs

 

[Retired Member southey]

yup, though I was in arctic socks and a smile speaking of which I have a bag of socks on route

 

[Retired Member southey]

that was in a simple snow scrape to get out of the worst of the wind, the lowest was around minus 45 with snow grave but i was in full kit, bivvie boots and a candle burning but still bivvie bag with mat and bag in,

 

[Phaestos]

Right, well I keep telling myself I need more, and you keep telling me I need less. I think I'm just worried about freezing my butt off. So, I've decided on getting an arctic army bag, a blanket, a mat and to stop worrying so much. Im still torn between the dirtbag or the multimat. The multimat packs up so small its hard to resist, but the dirtbag is so darn thick and comfy. Gah!

 

[Twodogs]

For winter go thick and comfy

Twodogs

 

[PDA1]

OP had a tight budget. So do I. I use a 1/2" CCF pad 3 season, and two of them in the winter to give a total of 1". This is, for me, good to about -10C. The mat is the single most important piece of kit in your sleep system, The above cost me US$ 12. So that is very cost effective. Exped down mats may be "better", certainly more comfortable, but at a hell of a price. I use the 2 CCF pads with a -5 rated synthetic bag which is true to rate. Cost me $35 on sale. I bit bigger and heavier than a down bag, but $35 vs $250 to save 1 lb pack weight? Obviously, in cold weather I wear base layers (synthetic long johns and sweater) and a hat (even though the bag is a mummy style). BTW, this is for both ground dwelling and hammocking.

 

[Native Nathan]

I have used the , UK Army Issue Sleeping Bag, UK Army Issue CCF Rollmat & a UK Army Issue Bivvybag, in temps as low as -24c all I had on was my base layer of A Fleece hat, thermal Long Johns, Long sleeve top and Clean Dry Issued Socks, and to be honest I was a little too warm, I had to remove my hat & undo my bag a bit quite a few times, just to cool down.

That will do you, Now if funds & weight allowed I would still have the UK Army Issue CCF Rollmat (these are bomb proof and do what they are supposed to do.), but I would swap the bag for the Snugpack Antarctica RE (Central Zip again) swap the UK Army Issue Bivvybag for a Snugpak Special Forces Bivvi Bag (Central Zip again) and I would add an Exped Downmat Pump7, these are very pricey for what they are but I highly doubt you'll find anything more comfortable.
I would place the UK Army Issue CCF Rollmat under the Exped Downmat Pump7 to aid it resisting damage/punctures/wear n tear etc..

 

[Andy BB]

When I was a kid, I could sleep on concrete floors, have a great night's kip and still get up in the morning raring to go. But I'm not a kid any more Army mats and the equivalent just don't do it for me any more. A good night's sleep for me (and what's more important than a good night's sleep to enjoy the following day?) requires either a hammock, camp cot or top-quality inflatable mat, heavily insulated in the winter. (For car camping in the summer, a cheap double-lilo thing works great as well, and means you don't keep rolling off the edge!)

I'm sure I could "survive" with just a closed-cell mat and decent bag in sub-zero weather, but who wants to just "survive"? I want to enjoy myself when I'm out!