7 mistakes EVERY new camper makes with their SLEEP SYSTEM

If you have sleepless nights in the backcountry camping, backpacking, hiking, then this video will help. It's 7 tips and tricks to make sure you have the best sleep possible while out camping! How to sleep well while camping. How to sleep warm backpacking. How to sleep comfortable while camping in a tent.

[TheUltralightMindset]

I'm guessing your already aware of this but the Klymit V channels are the reason for the odd Rvalue ratings. They are designed to work in conjunction with the insulation on the bottom of your sleeping bag. Like you said, most of the insulation on the bottom of your bag is compressed and worthless when you lay on it, on most pads. The V channels allow the bags insulation to loft up filling in the gaps creating a higher Rvalue.
I'm not saying it should be 4.4 Rvalue, but it's definitely going to be warmer when used with a sleeping bag versus a quilt or a sleeping bag with less insulation on the bottom.
We have several Static V insulated ultralight pads. Used them for years. Great pad for the money as long as you understand it's limitations. Lots of great info in the video....👍
Cheers!

[danwahl]

Everyone here probably knows this trick, but I love to share it because it really saved me a night of misery. I was backpacking with a friend of mine and an unexpected cold front blew in and I was not prepared. My friend was a cold weather camper and asked me if I had a Nalgene bottle with me. He had me put my jet boil just outside the tent, boil some water and dump it in my bottle, and put it in my bag. It would keep me warm for 2-3 hours and then when I got cold again I would unzip the flap reheat the water and throw it back in my bag. Kept me from freezing my berries off. Hope this helps somebody.

[MrKakemann]

Another tip is the sleeping bag work as a thermos. Put something (you) cold inside and it takes a hell of a lot more time too heat up. Some push ups and knee bends (getting some body heat flowing) speeds up this time. Or you can cheat, fill a bottle with warm water and throw it in the foot end.
Kind regards a soldier, that hates too freeze. In Norway.

[trebor]

I'm 79 and been camping since 1953 . Still camping. Tried many systems including my dad's 'army' blankets. We've been using REI pads for about the last 12 years, and I think they're about the best for the $$. Similar to the Thermarest but varying thickness as needed by the human body. Thicker at the shoulder-to-hip area and thinner at the knees and feet. They roll up nicely and self inflate in less time it takes to set up an e-z tent. Sorta pricy, but worth it for all the reasons (truths) in the video. Maybe wet, maybe buggy, maybe even too hot.. Never too cold. Yet... THX, Bob
p.s. If you're manually blowing up a mattress of ANY kind, do it before drinking ANY alcohol. It eats seals. Don't ask how I know. B

[shmehfleh]

Here's my advice: Try out your new gear in your backyard first. Set up your tent, pad and bag in your backyard, or somewhere where you have easy access to shelter, and try to spend the night in it. Better to find out your gear is too cold, too warm, or too uncomfortable to sleep in when you're just a few feet away from your bed.

[dingo]

For every layer above you, you should have two layers below. All winter campers should be using a liner and a gore tex bivvy bag. Canadian army routinely camps out in the coldest arctic weather, our sleep system is a ground sheet, an air mattress, a bivvy bag, two down filled sleeping bags, and a liner and optional ranger blanket (poncho liner). It is important to sleep in nothing but your underwear so you don't sweat - sweat kills. The coldest I have been out is -60°C in the arctic and was comfy.

[coldhotpocket]

The cameramans power stance in the beginning being reflected by the sunglasses is amazing.

[philip]

Getting comfortable at night and working out what's important to YOU is a huge camping game-changer. I nearly binned backpacking altogether because I didn't like single skin tents, restrictive sleeping bags, stuff-sack pillows etc. I now have a two skin tent, a Thermarest Questar and the Hikenture pillow and my base weight is still only around 10kg.

[TheLikeDatura]

A reflexive car windshield cover is also a lightweight option also to put under your pad also.. when that gets trashed just make a few coozy out of it.

[fantasyEXX]

One thing I discovered that works amazing is using both an inflatable sleeping pad and an egg shell sleeping pad with the radiant side facing you. I put the egg shell pad between the inflatable pad and my sleeping bag. Will keep you significantly warmer vs just the inflatable pad. It is a game changer. I know some people see that as too much to carry but an egg shell sleeping mat is very lightweight and you can fit it to the outside of your bag

[cswann]

Pro tip: Use a closed cell foam pad under your inflatable pad. This will make a thermal barrier between your sleep system and the cold ground.

[carlebach]

When is on a field problem in the Marines in Korea. It was January 1973. It got down to -81 wind chill. We were a winter insulated 10 man tent heated. We had those military sleeping bag. They are very good at keeping body heat in, too good. People complain about getting sweaty. I had brought a military blanket. We were sleeping on cots. So what I did was folded the blanket in half put it on the cot and used my sleeping bag as a blanket. I didn't get sweaty and slept great.

[svenlima]

The orange 'Klymit' pad is considered a 'four seasons pad' because you can listen to Verdi's "Four seasons" while lying on it.

[folksy]

Loved the tip about rolling. Also having a sleeping bag that’s small enough to fit me properly has made a huge difference, so much warmer! And lighter.

[steveblues]

I am currently employed at a outdoors store (I just unload and stalk the selves) however there is a camping department in the store and thanks to you I can give them more information about the gear there looking for

[toryevanss]

I'm a huge fan of my silk sleeping bag liner. It's tiny and very light, and adds a lot of warmth - I don't purposely camp in below freezing temps, so this is a great backup for when it does turn out colder than I was expecting.

[noahfranks]

Wow. I have been doing my sleep system wrong for like 15 years. I stopped backpacking through college at least in part because I couldn't be comfortable. I did not know about all this. I had a super narrow sleeping pad that I would eventually slip off of in the night, I had mummy bags that I couldn't roll around in at all so it rolled with me and made me cold. Really takes the fun out of camping when you're so uncomfortable.

[daven.]

I’m a roller, and the most frightening sleeping experience I had was 40 years ago when I rolled inside of my 1970’s Gerry mummy bag and awoke upside down, not being able to breathe and find the opening. Total panic, like I was drowning. Otherwise, it was, and still is(!) a great 3lb. Goose down bag, though heavy by today’s standards. Cowboy’d it with a tube tent as a ground sheet and a foam pad in those days. Now at age 60 and getting back into packing, I want to use it again with an inflatable pad and tarp in three seasons and see how it goes before I shell out for a new sleep system.

[adibemaxwell]

Don't forget that you can amplify the warmth of your bags, pads, etc, if you're in an area that has evergreens. Adding layers of spruce or juniper boughs can make a massive difference. Also, adding spare clothing in the foot of your sleeping bag while wearing wool socks will also increase your comfort.

If you have hand warmers, or water bottles, use them inside your sleeping bag too. Simply heating some snow and pouring it into the water bottles while warm will help.

[blackoak]

If someone has the SOL reflective bivvy, you can put that around your sleeping pad inside out and it will increase the insulation value of the pad.
I was doing an overnight camp just outside Ottawa on October when it was wet and cold. My sleeping bag was fine, but I was still cold because of the issue mentioned at the start. So instead of putting the bivvy around myself, I put it around the pad and it turned a chilly night into a quite cozy night