Question: winter sleep clothes

[cougarmeat]

If my face/nose is getting cold, I add a balaclava. Otherwise, I wear the least I can get away with - but always cotton pajamas. Cotton because it feels better than nylon and pajamas because it's easier to wash them than to wash a sleeping bag or Top Quilt. If it is really cold - single digits - I might wear a light jacket because I am at the age where I might have to check the stars several times a night. Note to self - figure a cutoff time for drinking liquids that won't leave you dehydrated.

Practicing at home - seeing what works - is so great. I have friends who go though life taking situations as forever and always events when if they are just random occurrences with no preparation. In other words, instead of camping out at home with various combination of clothing, they just take something out of a drawer and if they are cold that night - they deem all camping to be a cold night experience. Don't be like that. Sometimes it takes just a little adjustment - a little less/more slack in a hammock. A hat or balaclava or light mittens may be just want is needed. So much better to find out at home rather than 10 miles into the bush.

[MrsKD]

If my face/nose is getting cold, I add a balaclava. Otherwise, I wear the least I can get away with - but always cotton pajamas. Cotton because it feels better than nylon and pajamas because it's easier to wash them than to wash a sleeping bag or Top Quilt. If it is really cold - single digits - I might wear a light jacket because I am at the age where I might have to check the stars several times a night. Note to self - figure a cutoff time for drinking liquids that won't leave you dehydrated.

Practicing at home - seeing what works - is so great. I have friends who go though life taking situations as forever and always events when if they are just random occurrences with no preparation. In other words, instead of camping out at home with various combination of clothing, they just take something out of a drawer and if they are cold that night - they deem all camping to be a cold night experience. Don't be like that. Sometimes it takes just a little adjustment - a little less/more slack in a hammock. A hat or balaclava or light mittens may be just want is needed. So much better to find out at home rather than 10 miles into the bush.

I want to print that last paragraph and mail it to every friend that has ever asked to go backpacking with me and then hated it.

[Rolloff]

20's-30's Using 40 TQ + 3/4L 20 UQ -(Used only for sleeping) Light base layers, loose wool socks, fleece hat, hood, or both depending upon which end of that range I find myself. I will need to get up in the night, and again in the morning, so arms, legs, feet, need to be covered.

I've set up cold weather Ground kits 0 to -10, using O degree rated synthetic insulation, where the design was to wear everything, to sleep in, except hiking pants(they would be wet in snow and slept on top of to keep from freezing). Didn't like it. Warm enough to sleep, but too hard to get out of the sleeping bag the next morning, because I was already wearing all my gear and had nothing else really left to put on! I had to fire the Svea, cook something hot, warm the inside of the tent up enough until I could start shucking clothes, then make a dash for it!

Dedicated sleep clothes and insulation kits rated properly to the temps I intend to encounter, work out lighter and much less restrictive for me. If the fates lay the wood to me, I still have the option of adding my hiking cloths (and rain gear, now that I've got a little better handle on VB's).