The KEY to Great Sleep Outdoors

Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links where I'll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

What is the worst part of backpacking? I bet most people would say it is the sleep. And that's not right! That's why I set out to determine how to get the best sleep in the backcountry. And I think I may be on to something!

Subscribe to my Channel:

Subscribe to my Blog:

Connect on Social:

Camera Equipment I use:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no addition cost to you.

[cameronpatrick]

I appreciate you getting to the point and not making this video 30 mins. Great stuff.

[matthewb.]

One very important aspect to consider when backpacking with others: noise. I can’t believe how LOUD most of these pads are these days. My dad kept me up all night because every time he adjusted, it sounded like a clown was making me a balloon animal.

[romeobenvolio]

For a ~7 minute video, this was densely-packed with information. I appreciate you keeping the value of your viewer's time in mind. Great video - I'll be getting a thicker pad and better pillow myself. Might even start substituting a few things so I can bring my pillow from home.

[ChrisLegg]

Too many comments now that nobody will see this, but here's something that few (or nobody) mentions, but is worth its weight - change ALL your clothes before laying down! The perspiration inside the fabric of your clothes (even if it seems totally dry) somehow will keep you awake. But if you put on all fresh dry sleep clothes, you'll feel like a brand new chicken, fuzzy and cozy to sleep the whole night. It's literally the single most thing that has changed my camping experiences in the last few years.

[liamfinnegan]

One of the roughest parts of working as a wildland firefighter is getting a good night's rest. You made so many great points it actually relieved some of my anxieties for next season. Thank you for the recommendations, I know that gear is going to bring me some much needed rest.

[sunbornvistoso]

A PILLOW! Not a rolled up jacket or the end of the backpack, but a dedicated pillow. Everything after that seems secondary. Even my most ultralight kit includes a comfy pillow. Maybe for one night you can get away without it but bad sleep adds up fast. Thank you for summarizing in minutes what it took me 25 years of backpacking to truly understand. I try to be ultra minimalist in every other respect, but to me the pillow is the bare minimum.

[gtev]

I like how you described your journey towards good sleep. For me, it led me to a hammock-based system. It’s not for everyone, but once I learned the skills needed and figured it out, it’s the best sleep I’ve ever gotten outdoors. It really does make all the difference.

[stephenkohler]

Agreed. Also try a sleeping bag liner. It makes a HUGE difference in comfort. It acts like a base layer and keeps the cold, slick sleeping bag material off your skin. Makes it feel like your sleeping in cozy sheets instead of a ski coat burrito.

[ItsAsparageese]

For my fellow unhoused people who learn from these videos but contrive cheap/alternative gear: 1. Fuzzy blankets are more lightweight/compact relative to the warmth you get from them when compared to average non-fuzzy blankets, & also when used underneath you they keep you from feeling annoying dirt/debris against your skin.

2. A spare hoodie is great to have (can tie it around your waist or otherwise tie it to things so it doesn't take much inventory space) because you can wear a primary hoodie while using the secondary one as a pillow, a face covering when sleeping during the day or in serious cold, a warm wrap for your feet (stick 'em in the sleeves!), a light moisture shield over your stuff, a knee pillow, or tie it into an extra bag for holding things, among many other uses.

3. If you're trying to sleep okay at night in an urban environment, cardboard & free newspapers aren't just stereotypes, they actually work for insulating you from the ground. Don't be afraid to look like a cliche, trust me, once you try these you'll wish you'd used them sooner. Also rolled up free newspapers inside a spare shirt can make a half decent pillow. Very belated edit: Also, concrete absorbs a lot of heat from sun during the day in warm enough seasons/areas, so it can be a nice thermal bank at night. Sure grass is a little softer but all that soil & moisture transmits cold very effectively. If you're using a thin bedroll anyway it may be worth feeling some cement for a moment to see if it's warm & setting up on that instead, it's usually not all that much harder (compared to dirt in areas I've been in anyway) & you might sleep a good deal warmer for it.

[arturgajewskiphotog]

It kills me to see people struggle with sleeping bags when they could use them as quilts. Just unzip the sleeping bag, put your feet in the warm end of the bag and place the backside of the sleeping bag on top of you. You don't need expensive quilts, you can use sleeping back as 2-in-1 solution.

[Purpleninja]

Sleeping in a hammock has given me the best sleep over any sort of tent. With a hammock you don't have to try and negate the cold ground if you just have a pad to flatten out the bottom and a sleeping bag to curl up in, that's optimal imo. Of course if you have no trees around you, youre sort of out of luck.
Edit: Since sleeping in a tent with my gf, I miss sleeping in a hammock. I tend to get really hot and stuffy with the cover over it. I dont have a blow up pad or anything but feel like its necessary to get any decent sleep in tents.
Didnt expect my comment to get this attention.

[Lorondos]

The other thing I learnt, is that going an extra size up (if it is an option) is also a good idea if you are an active or wide sleeper when it comes to sleeping bags/quilts, seems completely obvious but I have always gone for the smallest size possible to save on weight and cost, only to learn that my sleep always seems to be crap.

[DosJof]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I bikepack and I'm also, like you, a side sleeper. And I have noticed the very same issues you did with traditional sleep systems. I'm currently using a Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed which is a cross of a sleeping bag and a quilt and find it works for me. But a larger thicker pad is definitely on my shopping list along with a better pillow. Thanks again for a well-thought-out video.

[MrQuestful]

I think it’s fascinating that we can have the same challenges but come to different conclusions. I had a Big Agnes q-core for years, it worked quite well for most applications, but when I started bikepacking across the US I came across a problem: gnarly spiked items that would deflate my pad. From goat weed to burrs I found myself battling a flat air pad in the middle of the night more often than I liked, and ended up changing my pad for one of those close cell foam pads. While it wasn’t nearly as thick, it was very warm, and I learned that I could make a very comfortable bed if I padded my sleeping area with pine needles or leaves.

[thaisplouvier]

1:00 thick + wide
nemo tensor : warm + comfy
seattosummit ether light : best compromise between warmth and comfort
q-core slx : most comfy but colder
2:30 quilt > sleeping bag bc you can move around
zenbivy 7L sleep system : sheet + quilt + pillow holder + loops to hold the quilt in place
4:40 pillow : nemo fillo

[trustbuster]

Good info. I found switching to a quilt made a huge difference, as did switching to a self-inflating pad. They just seem to handle side-sleeping a bit better. And here is a little tip, particularly for big guys that struggle with any camp pillow. You need a pillow high enough that your head stays in a straight line with your spine if you sleep on your side. That is just an anatomical fact, there is no getting around it. So no camp pillow you will be willing to take backpacking will ever be high enough on its own. But you can make a crappy pillow out of your spare clothes, then put a more comfortable pillow like the small therm-a-rest on top of that thing, and voila, you have a pillow that is high enough to be comfortable. It doesn't matter that the lower pillow is crappy if the one above it is comfortable.

[blueeyeswhitedragon]

After approximately 30 years of camping in various forms, seasons and styles, l agree with everything you are saying, having learned the hard way through experience.
As l grew older, sleep became even more elusive so l added one more piece to my camp bedding. I was always responsible for not only my sleep systems, but of my companions, wife and children so a simple and inexpensive solution to comfortable sleep was the addition of a simple fleece blanket to everything you mentioned in the video. The fleece blankets are inexpensive, can be purchased almost anywhere, are often made from recycled plastic bottles, and add that warm feeling of being home, in your own bed. They are also easily washed and compactable. Simple solution to a comfortable sleep in the bush.

[Red-Yo]

22 about to be homeless but still want to do good and achieve in life so watching you’re videos to learn how to survive the best I can so I can still work hard and get after it no mater what.

Thanks man you help all sorts of people in all deferent times of need in there life.
You should be proud.

[archi-mendel]

For the guy who prefers winter hikes even more than summer ones, warmth is a key for me. After I've got myself Therm-a-rest Xtherm pad and TNF Inferno -28C sleeping bag, I can say I've reached the level of comfort which allows me to sleep 9-10 hours straight in temperatures down to -20C in my underwear only. "Going outside" (for pee) almost naked in -20C and be confident that I am going to feel warm and cozy 10 seconds after I jump bag to my sleeping bag is priceless. As of the pillow - stuff sack still works perfectly for me (I've tried inflatable pillow and it is okay, but not in winter time definitely).

[lapdogg]

Honestly a quality pillow is the key to a goodnight sleep anywhere and I’m glad you brought that up. As someone who has broken their neck in 2 different places I’ve been picky about pillows since then and it’s been like a quest to find the best pillow I can regardless of where I lay my head. I do plan on doing a lot more camping starting at the end of this month and I’ve been searching for the right gear to be able to get the best out of my adventures so I am so glad I stumbled across your video. I also like the idea of using a quilt vs a sleeping bag because I am a side sleeper as well and like to kick up my knee, which my old Marine Corps issue sleeping bag doesn’t really allow for. I still use it for now but things might change after seeing this really useful video. Thanks for the excellent video with quality, concise information. 👍👍