Winter bedroll setup

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mohawk

Member
Jul 2, 2013
11
0
Rowlands Castle
Hi,
I'd like to use a bedroll sleeping system for use all year round.
I don't want any modern fabrics. Seems like a lot if people use thermarests and sleeping bags. With their bedrolls.
I want traditional and avoid hypothermia lol
Bedroll, wool blanket & animal furs ? Need some experienced advice
Thanks
 
Nov 29, 2004
7,808
22
Scotland
Do you plan to carry it any distance?

I have slept on reindeer hides and found those very warm, I wouldn't want to carry them on my back for any distance though.
 

Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
25
Cumbria
Talk to Bilmo of this parish for a canvas bedroll and providing you're in the UK a chunky wool blanket and a fire will keep you warm in most weather. Suit the blanket size to the time of year and a canvas tarp, also made by Bilmo, will keep rain and wind off. The material is a lot more spark resistant so you can go close to the fire which in turn keeps you warm. I layer up in wool and cotton and wrap myself in a diamond fashion then get in the bedroll. I've always found it very comfortable and I'm out like a light in no time. I've got a fallow deer hide and have used and sold reindeer hides In the past and they are great but as Sandbender said not for trekking. I can carry a traditional set up with ease (at least while I'm still young and fit anyway) hope this helps! :)
 

mohawk

Member
Jul 2, 2013
11
0
Rowlands Castle
Thanks Guys,
thats really useful info, really wanted to have real life experience. I'll checkout Bilmo
What the best thing to use for insulation to the ground ?
 
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Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
25
Cumbria
Hi, the Hudson Bay or earlys Whitney seem expensive. What's so good about their blankets compared to other 100% wool blankets. For example Yugoslavian army wool blanket http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=141001713839

They are of a superb quality. I'm not sure of thickness compared to others really but they are the famed fronteirsman blanket. I've got a Yugo and the fact is it's good but it's not a patch on the Hudson Bay - though admittedly they are pricey. Hope this helps :).
 

The Ratcatcher

Full Member
Apr 3, 2011
268
0
Manchester, UK
Hi, Mohawk,

I've just completed a traditional bedroll after much research into the pioneers of Western Canada. It consists of a canvas outer, two Hudson's bay 3 1/2 point blankets and a liner of Canton Flannel. According to contemporary accounts, it's good down to about 12F (-10C). It's heavy and bulky, but has a lot of advantages over modern lightweight stuff, mainly that you don't have to carry all of it all of the time, and the parts can be used for other purposes.

A single blanket can be worn as a match coat when on the move in cold weather, and used the right way, an emergency shelter can be made quickly.

The HB blanket has stood the test of time, having been constantly in production since 1780, without any substantial changes in manufacture. There are plenty of them in use that are over 50 years old, and if cared for properly they will last for a very long time.

For ground insulation, the first choice was buffalo hide, followed by bear skin and then wolf skin. As I can't afford any of the above, I use a double sheepskin rug, which works perfectly well.

I hope this information is useful, and as an aside, I'm replacing all my modern kit with old-fashioned stuff, and I've found that weight-wise, I'm actually carrying less, as the old kit has multiple uses.
 

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