Warm sleeping bag?

[gunnix]

Well, I guess I didn't know how much sleeping bags cost then

I'll probably make my own down sleeping bag.. But I'm going to look for a cheaper source for good down.

The -10 isn't so warm indeed, as we'll probably have some nights where it'll be around -30... But I thought of adding blankets inside the bag, it helps a lot, but I've never tried sleeping in such cold weather...

I'll use two sleeping mats under me, and a german army poncho on the ground (because the sleeping mats are not so wide, and I don't want the sleeping bag to get wet). A good thing is that I eat a lot of fat and so I'm a warm sleeper.

The problem is if I make my own sleeping bag I'd still like to make it so that me and my girlfriend (she'll also make her own if I do) can make a big sleeping bag out of it, as it'd be clever to add our body temperatures to each other.. I need to find out how to do that..

How did people sleep outside in the cold in sweden winters before there were sleeping bags? How many woolen blankets or fur did they need? I really wonder about that.

 

[big_swede]

The problem is if I make my own sleeping bag I'd still like to make it so that me and my girlfriend (she'll also make her own if I do) can make a big sleeping bag out of it, as it'd be clever to add our body temperatures to each other.. I need to find out how to do that..

How did people sleep outside in the cold in sweden winters before there were sleeping bags? How many woolen blankets or fur did they need? I really wonder about that.

Make sure you use the same kind of zipper, it has to be the kind that is possible to separate completely, like in a jacket. Then you can just zip them together.

How people manage to sleep outside in the cold? Simple, they used a fire! Or slept in snow caves, where it's seldom colder than -1.

Try to get a reindeer fur, they isolate much more than sleeping mats.

 

[Squidders]

lots and lots of reindeer fur... the bottom line is that they weren't silly enough to "sleep out" as such, they had shelters with fires in them.

if you're making a sleeping bag to share, have 2 openings for your heads instead of one large opening for both, this way you can avoid the usual problem of hot air escaping from the bag.

I got my girlfriend a buffalo superbag and 4S liner and while it doesn't pack down to well, it's REALLY warm and works when wet, can be washed any way you like and is generally indestructible. I don't like down in that a tiny bit of damp will make it all clump and just kill any chance of a good nights sleep.

 

[big_swede]

lots and lots of reindeer fur... the bottom line is that they weren't silly enough to "sleep out" as such, they had shelters with fires in them.

I agree, our times are quite unique in the sense that we have enough spare time, and we don't work so hard so we have the masochistic wish to do this stuff.

My late grand dad was a logger when he was a kid, he told me they used to hate winter time. It was a PITA to gather the fire wood for winter nights in the lean to.

 

[gunnix]

well i ordered two reindeer hides.. but I didn´t think of taking them with me.. as it does seem a bit big. But I'll try

I wonder what the saami use as clothing and how they sleep. But yea, we should make a lot of fire.. I don't know which shelters we are going to use in winter.. But I think it's a tent a bit like the baker tent. So we could make a fire in front of it.

 

[Silverback]

Another good way of keeping warm is to get butt naked and huddle together

 

[Squidders]

Reindeer hides are very good insulation but, as you say, very bulky too.

If you are able to have a fire burning all night long, this is the best way I think. Long, thick logs and lots of them will give you more warmth than any sleeping bag.

I also know that over time, if you're in an environment, you adapt to it... like some who live in the jungle no longer perspire, I know the Inuit are physically more able to tolerate lower temperatures than us.

I would also say to have a huge steak dinner before going to bed... that'll keep ya nice and toasty.

 

[katesdad]

Just bought one of these and used it a weekend in the woods, in the open, no tent, no basha.

Inserted Thermarest into folded up US poncho liner, on top of a groundsheet, with some dry leaves underneath.

Set up next to fire to keep the early chill off, while the drop of cognac eased the tired muscles.

Night time temperature down to -5c and was toasty warm all night, no cold spots, cold spells.

Bacon sandwich and a coffee in the morning and I was raring to go.

This is the best bit of kit I've bought in years. Admittedly it ain't small, even in the compression bag it comes with. But weight to warmth it's the best I've come across for a wild camp in winter.

 

[w00dsmoke]

Well, I guess I didn't know how much sleeping bags cost then

I'll probably make my own down sleeping bag.. But I'm going to look for a cheaper source for good down.

The -10 isn't so warm indeed, as we'll probably have some nights where it'll be around -30... But I thought of adding blankets inside the bag, it helps a lot, but I've never tried sleeping in such cold weather...

I'll use two sleeping mats under me, and a german army poncho on the ground (because the sleeping mats are not so wide, and I don't want the sleeping bag to get wet). A good thing is that I eat a lot of fat and so I'm a warm sleeper.

The problem is if I make my own sleeping bag I'd still like to make it so that me and my girlfriend (she'll also make her own if I do) can make a big sleeping bag out of it, as it'd be clever to add our body temperatures to each other.. I need to find out how to do that..
.

Buy a Mk 2 UK army down sleeping bag for less than £30ish. I have one and recently bought one on here for £30 in good nick as a spare for my old age ( I like them that much!

What to do is buy a fibre pile kingsize mattress cover-over here they are only £7, cut the border skirt off and you are left with a 6ft by 5ft sheet of white fibre pile. I turned my arcit sleeping bag inside out and roughly used it as a template to hand sew a very big loose inner bag with shoe laces as ties to tie it onto the inside of the arcti bag. What you then have is avery cheap sleeping bag that I think will easily be good for -20 and below esp if you double up with your girlfiend. Because the MK 2 arctic bag has a full length zip and I use very good ground insulation (insulated airbed) with fibre pile on top, I can then use the arctic bag as a huge quilt for my wife and I. Remember most sleeping bag insulation on the base gets crushed so you don't really need it if you have good insulation to sleep on. So there you have it, the very cheapest yet very capable sleep system for an unheated shelter in winter!

Woodsmoke

 

[gunnix]

Nice, what material is the mk2 sleeping bag made of?
(by the way, I found it's french not british?)

I also saw it's quite a heavy sleeping bag?

We bought two nanok -10 in september, which zip together, but it's still interesting to discuss sleeping bags. It gets colder then -10 in sweden (avesta) but with a nice blanket inside and a cover it's really warm, lets see how it'll be in february. I'll just put some more blankets in. I don't like about the nanok that it's quite heavy and quite big packsize, but it's allright, definately at the price I got them. There's already a hole burned into each of the sleeping bags by the way, that's what you get with those synthetics.. I'd like to have a sleeping bag made of natural fire resistant textile, but then again, a good cotton cover protects the bag from sparks just as well. I definately like the feeling of a wool blanket on my skin when it's cold! I leave my sleeping bag lying outside for more then a week without drying it and the inner material of the nanok doesn't feel so comfortable when I get in, but a woolen blanket always feels so good. Also the reindeerskins feel really good and warm in the cold! I thought of maybe sleeping in a cotton bag where you put in a reindeerskin to lay on and then woolen blankets on top, must be very comfortable, and if I use loosely woven blankets it should be quite warm too. Loosely woven woolen blankets are much warmer then filt blankets and weigh less too. Only problem is they don't stop any wind, so there the tightly woven cotton comes in... waa, perhaps I read to many old campers books where they still use blankets before the time of the sleeping bag

 

[w00dsmoke]

Nice, what material is the mk2 sleeping bag made of?
(by the way, I found it's french not british?)

I also saw it's quite a heavy sleeping bag?

The Mk 2 bag is UK issue 1980's and early 90's issue down bag, it's NOT French, they were made by several manufacturers such CQC.

French bags are like the issue 58 pat bags.

The mk 2 arctic bag is not at all heavy compared to the current issue doss bag. You will not get a warmer sleeping bag for the price at that quality anywhere (Especially with liner).

 

[Shewie]

I`ll second w00dsmokes` advice, try and pick one up at your local surplus store they`re great for the money.



Rich

 

[jasons]

I have sleept at -20 in a nanok -10 with all kit on it was ok

 

[bikething]

I have sleept at -20 in a nanok -10 with all kit on it was ok

me too ! (apart from cold feet which i suffer from on the motorbike too )