The Science of Sleeping....?

[telwebb]

One of the biggest surprises to me since I've been here is how complicated having a nap can get - previously I thought you got in a bag & went to sleep, but oh no, nothing so simple. I could always appreciate that a bag needed to suit the temperature in which it was to be used, but does that mean you have a 'wardrobe' of differing specs?
My intention is to rely mainly on a tarp, with the possibilty of trying a hammock at some stage. So is it possible to simplify ones choices and build a kit that will adapt to several formats as well as varying conditions?
One question that I suppose requires answering first is in choice of bag - how much is a bags rating affected by the addition of a liner and/or bivy bag - meaning does a 1-2 season bag effectively become 2-3 or whatever? Similarly the use of an underblanket or whatever with a hammock?

Any clarification before I get hold of something that will of no use whatsoever greatly appreciated!

Cheers

tel

 

[jonnie drake]

I cant be of much help to you but I have a happily used a 4+ season bag in the summer, you just have to open it up a little bit more, so in my eyes it's easily possible to get away with one bag. Also mats make a good lot of difference. When you lie in your bag, you squash the filling underneath you which stops it from insulating you as much, letting the ground take away your heat. A mat will help reduce this, the thicker they are the more they will insulate you. I've just bought a foil backed mat which should hopefully reflect the heat back in, will let you know how I get on with it.

 

[Shewie]

I tend to have different kit to suit the weather and bug factor, I'm hammocking 99% of my trips so I have kit for both cold and warm weather. A good sized tarp is worth the investment for both hammocking and ground dwelling, the DD 3x3 is a good starter. Depending on the weather my sleep kit looks something like this ....

Warm:
2 season synthetic Vango bag (packs tiny)
3/4 Unsponsored underblanket or occasionally a 3/4 Thermarest
Warbonnet Blackbird hammock (for the bugs)
DD 3x3m Tarp or Gargoyle Ogee II

Cold:
Alpkit Pipedream 600 bag
Speers Snugfit underblanket
Nomad Land XXL or Blackbird hammock (getting to like the footbox now on the BB)
DD 3x3m or 4.5x3m (depending on the wind forecast usually)

If I'm going somewhere where there's a chance I won't get to hang a hammock lack of trees I'll also carry ...
Terra Nova Saturn bivvy
Exped down mat
Either sleeping bag depending on the season

I always use a pertex or silk liner in my bags, mainly for cleanliness for also for the added warmth. Sometimes I find it's nice to unzip the bag down to the waist and still snuggle up in the liner when it gets warm..

I've found mats are okay in a hammock but I much prefer a good underblanket, the down ones are so light and pack to nothing anyway so it's a no brainer for me really.

A good do-it-all piece of kit has to be the tarp, get a decent sized one to start with which will see you right for both ground dwelling and hammocking, the DD 3x3 is probably the one I'd go for.


Not sure if that helps or not but that's kind of how I play it, bearing in mind most of my trips are canoe based now but I could still carry either of the setups comfortably if I'm hiking somewhere.

 

[telwebb]

Cheers for the resposes so far - @Shewie my one investment in this direction so far has been the DD 3x3, so I got something right!

 

[Nat]

Like Shewie i have different set ups depending on the time of year.

Hammocking Warm
Snugpak Zero Camper, a test bag i bought this year. Not small and not large, good for hammocking or on the ground.
DD 3m x 3m Tarp
Alpkit Slim Airic mat.

Autumn
DD 3m x 3m Tarp
Issue medium sized dossbag
Issue Bivi bag
Alpkit Slim Airic Mat

Winter
Issue large dossbag
Slim Airic Mat
Issue Bivi bag
DD 3m x 3m tarp

Now for ground dwelling on the numerous exercises i go on, i use:
Issue Basha
Issue dossbag Med or Lrg
Slim Airic
Issue Bivi back
I also lay fir branches on the floor before my dossbag bivi bag etc. A good few inches then lay on my sleeping kit to ensure a nice comfy natural matress.

Underblankets: I used an old sleeping bag tied in at the corners a couple of years ago in minus 11 to minus 13 temps and it worked fine. Not used one since, never had a need to.

I can sleep anywhere, but then again i've been trained to grab as much as you can when you can. I find that once you get your lower back and neck comfy you can sleep anywhere.
Try different ways of sleeping in your gear and get used to it, that could be half the problem

 

[Twodogs]

Tel one of the main problems is everyone sleeps differently some hot some cold and the kit thats right one time wont be the next due to how tired you are what you have eaten etc,

However I for one would have a four season sleeping bag all year and open it up if need be instead of one cold night ........yuk

Twodogs

 

[Teepee]

IME, a silk liner will boost your bags warmth by a couple of degrees C. This doesn't sound like much, but in reality it makes a decent difference. It also means that your sleeping bag doesn't get as dirty or soaks up as much oil from your skin. This in turn will reduce the number of times you have to wash your bag which often reduces the warmth of them.

I only ever take my hammock and tarp. Tents suck. For the times I sleep on mountains or treeless areas, I sleep on an air mattress, and use my DD hammock as a groundsheet and bug net under my DD tarp. The air mattress can still be used in the hammock if partly inflated. I also use a 3 oC 2-3 season Montbell stretch down sleeping bag in all but cold winter conditions, then I use a 4 season synthetic bag.

The problem for me with doing things like this is windblown rain, it gets wet under the tarp and a waterproof cover is needed for your sleeping bag in bad conditions. I solved this problem a couple of weeks ago by sewing ripstop doors to my DD tarp.
I'm planning on using a full hammock underblanket this winter and using it as an extra quilt if I'm on the floor.
This whole setup will cover me for almost everything.

 

[sapper1]

DD 3x3 tarp for me and now I use a 3/4 season down bag with a liner to keep it clean.If it gets warm then I can open the zip.To sleep on I use a karrimor ultralight self inflating mat.Depending on the weather I may also use a lightweight bivibag.I have tried a hammock but have gone back to ground dwelling now.

 

[Beardy Adam]

To be honest when it comes to sleep it is all of matter of what works for you. For example jonnie said you can easily get away with a 4 season bag all year but I would disagree. Fair enough I was in my tent and not bivvying, but I used a Mountain Equipment Starlight III in Scotland from July-Aug and found it way too warm and sweaty even when unzipping it and just laying it on top of me. You have to remember that everyone is different and others 'run hot' whilst others have to wear 3 layers as soon as they stop moving. I am going to set aside the Starlight III as my winter only bag and replace it with a 2 season synthetic with a liner and I will evaluate how that works for me before embarking on a big trek.