winter sleeping out

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Mar 22, 2006
291
0
38
North Wales
well that time of year i make stupid promises ill do for the new year that ill never do, but one of them is to go out camping at least once a month as i have bought tonnes of camping stuff so i need to use it, any who i have a tarp and a double d hamock and an army issue arctic sleeping bag with gortex cover, would i need a under blanket for the hamock i think the bag has a -40 rating and would you recomend just sleeping on ground with gortex bag and roll mat as bein a good idea for this time of year
Jamie :red:
 

leon-b

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
May 31, 2006
3,390
22
Who knows
are you planning to sleep on the ground in a bivy bag without a sleeping bag, if so at this time of year you will be pretty cold
leon
 

JonnyP

Full Member
Oct 17, 2005
3,833
29
Cornwall...
no matter haw good your bag is, you will still need some insulation under you, because your body will crush the insulation underneath you....
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
Backyard Bushcraft said:
would i need a under blanket for the hamock Jamie :red:
HI BB,
If you have the option, try it without the underquilt in your garden so that you can retreat indoors if you need to - Theres no shame in doing it as an experiment. Then if you really feel that it is necessary, you can save for a quilt or watch out for my Pod tutorial which I'm trying to piece together over the next few weeks!

ATB

Ogri the trog
 

fred gordon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 8, 2006
2,099
19
78
Aberdeenshire
leon-b said:
are you planning to sleep on the ground in a bivy bag without a sleeping bag, if so at this time of year you will be pretty cold
leon
My father used to tell me that there was an old Army saying about sleeping in a bivvy. One blanket under you is worth two over you. It's certainly been my experience that you really need good insulation from the ground in our part of the world. :eek:
 

Zodiak

Settler
Mar 6, 2006
664
8
Kent UK
I can strongly recommend sleeping on heavey duty bubble wrap, it kept me nice and warm last weekend.

We have a bubble wrap type sleeping mat at our Scout HQ in the lost proprty box, it seems to be really tough and I doubt it would ever burst but I have no idea where to get one from :)
 

TheGreenMan

Native
Feb 17, 2006
1,000
8
beyond the pale
Backyard Bushcraft said:
well that time of year i make stupid promises ill do for the new year that ill never do, but one of them is to go out camping at least once a month as i have bought tonnes of camping stuff so i need to use it, any who i have a tarp and a double d hamock and an army issue arctic sleeping bag with gortex cover, would i need a under blanket for the hamock i think the bag has a -40 rating and would you recomend just sleeping on ground with gortex bag and roll mat as bein a good idea for this time of year
Jamie :red:

Hello Jamie,

Can't offer any advice about the hammock, as I don't own one, but you won't have any problems using a sleeping mat/bag/bivi combinaton on the ground in winter, except that you might be too hot in a -40 bag in the UK! ;)

Merry Chrimbo :)
Paul.
 

SowthEfrikan

Tenderfoot
Jul 9, 2006
66
0
62
Texas, USA
You need some kind of insulation if sleeping on the ground, not to mention using it as protection in case the ground gets wet. Plus, it makes the ground just a little bit less hard. In a hammock, same thing except the insulation is against air. The hammock option would probably be more comfortable and it sounds as if your bag is rated beyond what you need. The suggestion about trying it out at home first is sound.
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
Ogri the trog said:
HI BB,
If you have the option, try it without the underquilt in your garden so that you can retreat indoors if you need to - Theres no shame in doing it as an experiment. Then if you really feel that it is necessary, you can save for a quilt or watch out for my Pod tutorial which I'm trying to piece together over the next few weeks!

ATB

Ogri the trog

Finally got round to doing it, http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=17722&highlight=tutorial

ATB

Ogri the trog
 
Dec 22, 2006
8
0
Rural Oregon, USA
Sleeping bags have a comfort range, Out side of that range one can be too warm or too cold. Most high end bags do not place much insulation on the bottom of the bag, once the loft is crushed (laying on it) it has no insulation value. Reason a pad is needed. Same with beds (hammocks or cotts)a insulation pad is needed in colder climates.

You can make a system of bags, Inner bags, liners, over bags, bivy bags to expand the range of comfort (temperature). Systems are heavier than a single bag design for the temperature one will be using.
 

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