How to Get a Warmer Night’s Sleep

[Peter_pan]

Every once in a while we hear of someone who is not able to sleep comfortably down to the suggested temperature capabilities of a quilt. Here are some points to consider that might help anyone sleep better when using a down quilt or sleeping bag.

1. Down quilts, as well as down bags, are designed to drape gently over the body to achieve the maximum loft. It is the complex of micro dead airspaces created between and among the lofting down clusters that provides the insulation that retains the heat generated by the sleeper and keeps the sleeper warm. Thus, in standard mummy bags, rectangular bags and top quilts, the warmest sleep will be achieved by lying on one’s back, hands on the stomach or chest and remaining still. In this position, insulation can reach its maximum loft and effectiveness without compression driven thin spots or cold channels.

2. Neither quilts nor sleeping bags generate heat. The individual sleeper is the furnace that drives the system. The quilt or sleeping bag only retains the heat generated by the sleeper’s body. If you go to bed already chilled, it’s going to take a while before the body generates enough heat to warm you up. That’s why many outdoor publications recommend a little exercise before going to bed. It helps to jump start the warming process. It also helps if the sleeper is well fed and well hydrated before going to bed. The body furnace needs fuel to generate body heat. Stoke it to last the entire night. Focus on foods such as slow digesting hard cheeses rather than quick burning sugars and candy bars.

3. When using a quilt or a sleeping bag, what insulates the bottom of your body (the part that would otherwise be in contact with the ground) is as important as the quilt over the top. Cooler weather that requires one to use a warmer quilt/bag also demands warmer bottom insulation. If it is 20° outside, in addition to a 20° capable top quilt or bag, you need bottom insulation, be it a pad on the ground or an under quilt in a hammock, capable of keeping you warm in 20° conditions. If you are chilled from below, no amount of top quilt is going to keep you warm.

Longer and wider pads are also beneficial to the cold weather ground camper. Narrow pads that do not insulate the arms or short pads which leave lower legs and feet exposed may be fine for warm weather but are definite liabilities in colder temperatures. As a minimum they must be supplemented with other gear to provide adequate insulation. Items such as a pack with some gear in it under the legs, or a rolled jacket and pants under the arms are commonly used. However, these ultra-light/minimalist approaches are often inadequate because they tend to shift and are inherently less comfortable and result in excess tossing and turning which contributes further to lost heat from shifting and/or drafts.

While we’re talking pads let’s say a few words about comfort. Comfortable sleepers are still sleepers. Less comfortable sleepers are more restless; tossing and turning all night. Side sleepers who do not use thicker more comfortable pads are especially vulnerable to excessive restlessness. Tossing and turning contributes to down shifting to the outsides of the quilt or sleeping bag and results in thin spots above the sleeper which in turn become cold spots. Also, an active night of tossing and turning will invariably lead to heat loss when a top quilt comes untucked or lifts to expose a body part. Thin pads may be inherently lighter; but thicker, more comfortable, and warmer pads will contribute to a better, warmer, and more restful sleep. In the long run, that restful sleep will result in being able to cover more miles in a day.

4. One’s sleep habits can and do defeat even the best of bags/quilts and pads. One of the most common errors committed by cold sleepers is to “hunker down” and pull the bag tighter around themselves. This is often done to reduce the air pocket of a larger bag. To a point this is beneficial. However, when you go past the point of simply eliminating the dead space, you compress the down and create thin spots that will result in cold spots. Another common habit, that is almost instinctual, is to curl up into a ball. The problem is, doing so causes knees and elbows and shoulders and hips to stick out which further contributes to causing thin spots which again result in cold spots. Invariably, the sleeper then exacerbates the situation by tossing and turning to warm these localized thin spots or cold invasion points. Again restarting the excessively active sleeper issues.

Note: the issues of paragraphs 3 and 4 are particularly problematic for side sleepers, especially when any two or more points apply. Active side sleepers are well advised to use thicker, wider pads to quiet their restlessness. Additionally, when purchasing down quilts or bags, they should consider requesting overstuffing or look into heavier/denser fill downs or synthetic bags.

5. Sleep clothing is also important in the conundrum of warm, great sleep. The clothes you have worn all day are damp from sensible and non-sensible perspiration. We may think we have worn them dry. But this is often not true! Change into a dry, seasonally appropriate base layer, including socks and a warm hat before retiring for the night.

To summarize, to stay warm at night: put on dry clothes; go to bed already warm, well fed, and well hydrated; bottom insulation and comfort is as important, if not more so, as top insulation; and get the maximum effectiveness out of your insulation by allowing it to drape gently over your body to attain maximum loft.

Pan

[2ply]

Good advice as our nights get colder. Enjoying a warm night in the woods results from testing extremes at home.

[OutandBack]

Thank you Pan for some great advice and well timed for the start of winter hanging.

[mayhemkb]

My vote goes for a sticky on this post! Good info.

[12trysomething]

Well written, excellent advice. Thank you for taking the time to share!

[dfscott]

Great stuff! I'm taking some scouts camping next weekend and for many of them it will be their first sub-freezing campout, so this is great info to pass along,

[OneClick]

The clothes you have worn all day are damp from sensible and non-sensible perspiration. We may think we have worn them dry. But this is often not true! Change into a dry, seasonally appropriate base layer, including socks and a warm hat before retiring for the night.

All good info! This one especially drives me nuts when people ignore my advice to change into fresh clothes. I've seen it so many times. Rookie campers are cold before bed, so they keep on their jeans and a darn hoodie (stupidest garment ever invented BTW) and freeze even on a mild 40° night.

[canoebie]

All good info! This one especially drives me nuts when people ignore my advice to change into fresh clothes. I've seen it so many times. Rookie campers are cold before bed, so they keep on their jeans and a darn hoodie (stupidest garment ever invented BTW) and freeze even on a mild 40° night.

So, so true. I think most folks overdress for bed. A good base layer by itself allows your body to warm the air. I think doing otherwise is a common critical error. Well done Pan. Good basic information. I slept in northern lower Michigan last weekend along the Manistee river and Saturday night was 15 degrees. I had my longies, good wool socks, a hat and quilts rated to 20 with a little overstuff and was snug as bug in a rug.

[tramos55]

+1 on the Sticky! Great information. To often, in order to cut pack weight, I just sleep in my day clothes. Thanks for the tip on fresh sleep clothes.

[PTAaron]

Great information!

[Racer05]

+1 on sticky!!
Great tips as I am a restless sleeper, especially about base layer. Always change into fresh sleeping clothes, dry and comfortable.

[SirMarkos]

+1 For sticky. Good info!

[snidetripod]

Excellent article on sleeping warm in the colder temperatures.
+1 on going to bed warm. Last winter I allowed my lower back to freeze in -40 c weather. I tried all night to warm by the fire, but alas, I decided to retire. I fell asleep but woke about two am chilled to the bone. I had to pull the pin.
After thinking about the problem over breakfast, I realized that my MW4 was trapping the cold radiating from my lower back inside my insulation resulting in an unpleasant sleep.
In hind sight, exercises before bed may have allowed the blood to start flowing, and coupled with a warm water bottle or two, I may have lasted till morning.

* I am also well aware that I was pushing the limits of my UQ greatly. With persistence, I believe that I can push the -40 c envelope.*

Great Article.

[Hangin' Burrito]

Good advice for sure!
Another thing that works well for keeping warm in cold temps is to eat something just before retiring for the evening, it kicks in your metabolism and thus generates heat!:thumbup1:

[CoreyR]

Very well put. Good information.

[billrobo]

I am new to all this, in fact I've only ever winter slept in my hammock once last Nov, so will be taking this on board in a big way because i want to be able to sleep/enjoy more nights over the winter. My set up at the mo contradicts this advice of which ill change when I get the funds, at the mo I have a 4 season sleeping bag, a pattern 58 down x army sleeping bag modded for my UQ a self inflating 3/4 army thermarest, and a wool blanket to throw over my sleeping bag, this info is so valuable for me thank you very much for posting, it's what we need to know
Thanks

[Lamboy]

Excellent write up Pan

[dtp2c111]

Great write up with some good points. Thanks.

[Rock Paper Scissors]

:thumbup:
Good advice for sure!
Another thing that works well for keeping warm in cold temps is to eat something just before retiring for the evening, it kicks in your metabolism and thus generates heat!:thumbup1:

[Zilla]

Every once in a while we hear of someone who is not able to sleep comfortably down to the suggested temperature capabilities of a quilt. Here are some points to consider that might help anyone sleep better when using a down quilt or sleeping bag.

1. Down quilts, as well as down bags, are designed to drape gently over the body to achieve the maximum loft. It is the complex of micro dead airspaces created between and among the lofting down clusters that provides the insulation that retains the heat generated by the sleeper and keeps the sleeper warm. Thus, in standard mummy bags, rectangular bags and top quilts, the warmest sleep will be achieved by lying on one’s back, hands on the stomach or chest and remaining still. In this position, insulation can reach its maximum loft and effectiveness without compression driven thin spots or cold channels.

2. Neither quilts nor sleeping bags generate heat. The individual sleeper is the furnace that drives the system. The quilt or sleeping bag only retains the heat generated by the sleeper’s body. If you go to bed already chilled, it’s going to take a while before the body generates enough heat to warm you up. That’s why many outdoor publications recommend a little exercise before going to bed. It helps to jump start the warming process. It also helps if the sleeper is well fed and well hydrated before going to bed. The body furnace needs fuel to generate body heat. Stoke it to last the entire night. Focus on foods such as slow digesting hard cheeses rather than quick burning sugars and candy bars.

3. When using a quilt or a sleeping bag, what insulates the bottom of your body (the part that would otherwise be in contact with the ground) is as important as the quilt over the top. Cooler weather that requires one to use a warmer quilt/bag also demands warmer bottom insulation. If it is 20° outside, in addition to a 20° capable top quilt or bag, you need bottom insulation, be it a pad on the ground or an under quilt in a hammock, capable of keeping you warm in 20° conditions. If you are chilled from below, no amount of top quilt is going to keep you warm.

Longer and wider pads are also beneficial to the cold weather ground camper. Narrow pads that do not insulate the arms or short pads which leave lower legs and feet exposed may be fine for warm weather but are definite liabilities in colder temperatures. As a minimum they must be supplemented with other gear to provide adequate insulation. Items such as a pack with some gear in it under the legs, or a rolled jacket and pants under the arms are commonly used. However, these ultra-light/minimalist approaches are often inadequate because they tend to shift and are inherently less comfortable and result in excess tossing and turning which contributes further to lost heat from shifting and/or drafts.

While we’re talking pads let’s say a few words about comfort. Comfortable sleepers are still sleepers. Less comfortable sleepers are more restless; tossing and turning all night. Side sleepers who do not use thicker more comfortable pads are especially vulnerable to excessive restlessness. Tossing and turning contributes to down shifting to the outsides of the quilt or sleeping bag and results in thin spots above the sleeper which in turn become cold spots. Also, an active night of tossing and turning will invariably lead to heat loss when a top quilt comes untucked or lifts to expose a body part. Thin pads may be inherently lighter; but thicker, more comfortable, and warmer pads will contribute to a better, warmer, and more restful sleep. In the long run, that restful sleep will result in being able to cover more miles in a day.

4. One’s sleep habits can and do defeat even the best of bags/quilts and pads. One of the most common errors committed by cold sleepers is to “hunker down” and pull the bag tighter around themselves. This is often done to reduce the air pocket of a larger bag. To a point this is beneficial. However, when you go past the point of simply eliminating the dead space, you compress the down and create thin spots that will result in cold spots. Another common habit, that is almost instinctual, is to curl up into a ball. The problem is, doing so causes knees and elbows and shoulders and hips to stick out which further contributes to causing thin spots which again result in cold spots. Invariably, the sleeper then exacerbates the situation by tossing and turning to warm these localized thin spots or cold invasion points. Again restarting the excessively active sleeper issues.

Note: the issues of paragraphs 3 and 4 are particularly problematic for side sleepers, especially when any two or more points apply. Active side sleepers are well advised to use thicker, wider pads to quiet their restlessness. Additionally, when purchasing down quilts or bags, they should consider requesting overstuffing or look into heavier/denser fill downs or synthetic bags.

5. Sleep clothing is also important in the conundrum of warm, great sleep. The clothes you have worn all day are damp from sensible and non-sensible perspiration. We may think we have worn them dry. But this is often not true! Change into a dry, seasonally appropriate base layer, including socks and a warm hat before retiring for the night.

To summarize, to stay warm at night: put on dry clothes; go to bed already warm, well fed, and well hydrated; bottom insulation and comfort is as important, if not more so, as top insulation; and get the maximum effectiveness out of your insulation by allowing it to drape gently over your body to attain maximum loft.

Pan

This post should be read by everyone and anyone who plans on sleeping in thier hammock.

I vote to make this post a sticky
Thanks Pan, and we all thought you were just another pretty face :laugh::cool:

[pnyberg]

I too appreciate the article, but I don't really think it needs to be sticky. There's only 30 threads in this forum, so I don't feel this bit of wisdom is in danger of getting lost in the crowd.

--Peter

[K8oe]

Great food for thought now winters here. Thanks for posting it for us.

[Dunlop]

Thanks, great post!

[stoikurt]

Many thanks Pan. I shared this with my scouts and leaders tonight.

[Syrrka]

Great post! Lots of good advice.
I have a 20 degree UQ and the lowest I have gone with it was 31. I was toasty warm wearing just base layers. The following night was warmer! but I went to bed chilled and ended up pulling my wool shirt and my down vest into my 20 degree sleeping bag and cinching the bag up around my face to try to keep warm. A warm wind came up during the night and saved my chilly butt. Lesson learned on why it is sooooo important to go to bed warm. You may feel the fool for doing jumping jacks, but it works.

[Tacoma96]

Great article. We stayed out last night and it got down to 28 degrees here. My 20 degree UQ kept me warm. Layering clothing is the way to go.

[hanginyaker]

Good advice can't wait for my UQ to come in so i can do some testing. What are stickys?

[Ironlungs]

Thanks for the great advice. I recently took a two night/three day hike, in 28 degree night temp.not too bad for me, but I did forget my CCF pad. I made out quite well both nights, but had slight probs with condensation around the edge of top cover. I'm still learning, but off to a good start.

[Fastest1]

Excellent thread.

I do want to add to the change of clothing prior to retiring. Make sure there is no cotton! Great stuff for summer, deadly in the winter. I always laugh when I see someone shivering in jeans, long johns, a hoody and a hat (all cotton), while I wear running shorts, a pile hat, good socks, polypro shirt and a fleece coat or vest.

I spent a while on the AT in 95, I always carried my night clothes in a ziploc bag (a pair of running shorts and a polypro shirt). They were only used for sleeping. Immediately upon waking no matter how miserable, wet or frozen yesterdays gear was. It was exchanged and the dry clothes back to the bag.

[Tom18C]

Great article, +1

[ninjaridaz]

Good reminder for sleeping in cold conditions.

[peterhase]

Good advice. Cheers!

[Five Tango]

This article was most informative,So Thanks!The question I have is this-if someone put on several layers of Dry clothes or an insulated coverall or snowmobile suit etc,would this diminish the effectiveness of the down,even if they laid still and on their back with hands on the stomach etc?Also,would a lighter base layer as opposed to my heavier base layers be just as effective in a few minutes once the down "does its thing"?(the reason I ask is because clothes are heavy.I just weighed a pair of socks that came in just over 6 ounces!Ditto thermal underwear,some of it is noticeably heavy in the pack......

[dakotaross]

Where are the folks that say insulation is insulation? I agree with everything said here, and as was alluded to, wearing too many clothes is the same as going to bed cold in that it takes longer to heat the down which is what gets you to an equilibrium state of heat loss (aka comfort).

[LuvmyBonnet]

Good stuff! I generally follow those tips plus throw in some coconut oil to warm your core and a nalgene bottle filled with hot water and I'm GTG.

[IRONFISH45]

I hope this becomes a "Sticky". Many new members have no idea of how to keep warm, I also see some of the long term members found some new things to try when the temp falls.

Really a nice well thought out post. Thank You.

[hartyFL]

My first few hangs I only had my sleeping bag. Needless to say I was a little chilly. FL during fall. A buddy of mine uses a thermarest pad so I decided I would give it a try. That extra bit of insulation makes all the difference in the world. Good thing too because I was beginging to question my hammock purchase vs a conventionl tent.

[Mike04345]

A lot of good information :)

[Scoutmaster1056]

I don't know how many times I have told my scouts to change into dry clothes before they go to bed only to see them get up in the morning wearing what they were wearing the day before. I think it takes them getting cold once or twice before they realize that I know what I am talking about and actually listen!

[Mike04345]

I enjoyed the read, Great information Pan.

[Bobsely]

The whole guide here for the warmer night is quite interesting and can be applied in every condition.

[brianb]

Yeah agree this is a great article. There's a few discussions on this site plus The videos from Shug and a few others that should be correlated and bundled as a "New Hangers On-boarding" curriculum.
I also like reading Andrew Skurka's blog and got a lot out of his clothing system article. (http://andrewskurka.com/2015/backpacking-clothing-systems-3-season-conditions/) Reinforces what ScoutMaster was saying.

[NightHawk!]

great advice for side sleepers. being one I can attest to a lot that was said in the article. wally world pads work for me, but only down into the 30-40s. Since i've gotten my incubator i have had no problems into the teens. I didn't get any overstuff though.

[myingon]

It should be pointed out that any clothing worn in your sleep system should only be nothing more than a base layer. Anything more works against you by keeping your body from being capable of warming the air in the bag with you. It sets up a situation were the clothing is actually working against the insulation of the sleep system.

[huntaholic123]

some interesting points made. Thanks for the article!

[Durtsurf]

That sounds good to me too. I would add, if it's a real cold night throw a pair of handwarmers down by your feat. Keep your electronics, water, flashlight, and some snacks in your sleeping bag or in between your bag and your hammock on the side. There is heat outside your bag on the side. Use water bottles that are at least as big in diameter as the thickness of your pad (if you use one) so they will help you stay on your pad. If you get cold again, eat. If you are going to have spindrift get in use a breathable DWR ripstop sheet over your bag, It can be sewn, zipped, etc. Bring the warmest bag you have in winter, every time. You can use a fabric spray glue if necessary to glue a sleeping bag on the bottom of your hammock in place of an underquilt.

Every once in a while we hear of someone who is not able to sleep comfortably down to the suggested temperature capabilities of a quilt. Here are some points to consider that might help anyone sleep better when using a down quilt or sleeping bag.

1. Down quilts, as well as down bags, are designed to drape gently over the body to achieve the maximum loft. It is the complex of micro dead airspaces created between and among the lofting down clusters that provides the insulation that retains the heat generated by the sleeper and keeps the sleeper warm. Thus, in standard mummy bags, rectangular bags and top quilts, the warmest sleep will be achieved by lying on one’s back, hands on the stomach or chest and remaining still. In this position, insulation can reach its maximum loft and effectiveness without compression driven thin spots or cold channels.

2. Neither quilts nor sleeping bags generate heat. The individual sleeper is the furnace that drives the system. The quilt or sleeping bag only retains the heat generated by the sleeper’s body. If you go to bed already chilled, it’s going to take a while before the body generates enough heat to warm you up. That’s why many outdoor publications recommend a little exercise before going to bed. It helps to jump start the warming process. It also helps if the sleeper is well fed and well hydrated before going to bed. The body furnace needs fuel to generate body heat. Stoke it to last the entire night. Focus on foods such as slow digesting hard cheeses rather than quick burning sugars and candy bars.

3. When using a quilt or a sleeping bag, what insulates the bottom of your body (the part that would otherwise be in contact with the ground) is as important as the quilt over the top. Cooler weather that requires one to use a warmer quilt/bag also demands warmer bottom insulation. If it is 20° outside, in addition to a 20° capable top quilt or bag, you need bottom insulation, be it a pad on the ground or an under quilt in a hammock, capable of keeping you warm in 20° conditions. If you are chilled from below, no amount of top quilt is going to keep you warm.

Longer and wider pads are also beneficial to the cold weather ground camper. Narrow pads that do not insulate the arms or short pads which leave lower legs and feet exposed may be fine for warm weather but are definite liabilities in colder temperatures. As a minimum they must be supplemented with other gear to provide adequate insulation. Items such as a pack with some gear in it under the legs, or a rolled jacket and pants under the arms are commonly used. However, these ultra-light/minimalist approaches are often inadequate because they tend to shift and are inherently less comfortable and result in excess tossing and turning which contributes further to lost heat from shifting and/or drafts.

While we’re talking pads let’s say a few words about comfort. Comfortable sleepers are still sleepers. Less comfortable sleepers are more restless; tossing and turning all night. Side sleepers who do not use thicker more comfortable pads are especially vulnerable to excessive restlessness. Tossing and turning contributes to down shifting to the outsides of the quilt or sleeping bag and results in thin spots above the sleeper which in turn become cold spots. Also, an active night of tossing and turning will invariably lead to heat loss when a top quilt comes untucked or lifts to expose a body part. Thin pads may be inherently lighter; but thicker, more comfortable, and warmer pads will contribute to a better, warmer, and more restful sleep. In the long run, that restful sleep will result in being able to cover more miles in a day.

4. One’s sleep habits can and do defeat even the best of bags/quilts and pads. One of the most common errors committed by cold sleepers is to “hunker down” and pull the bag tighter around themselves. This is often done to reduce the air pocket of a larger bag. To a point this is beneficial. However, when you go past the point of simply eliminating the dead space, you compress the down and create thin spots that will result in cold spots. Another common habit, that is almost instinctual, is to curl up into a ball. The problem is, doing so causes knees and elbows and shoulders and hips to stick out which further contributes to causing thin spots which again result in cold spots. Invariably, the sleeper then exacerbates the situation by tossing and turning to warm these localized thin spots or cold invasion points. Again restarting the excessively active sleeper issues.

Note: the issues of paragraphs 3 and 4 are particularly problematic for side sleepers, especially when any two or more points apply. Active side sleepers are well advised to use thicker, wider pads to quiet their restlessness. Additionally, when purchasing down quilts or bags, they should consider requesting overstuffing or look into heavier/denser fill downs or synthetic bags.

5. Sleep clothing is also important in the conundrum of warm, great sleep. The clothes you have worn all day are damp from sensible and non-sensible perspiration. We may think we have worn them dry. But this is often not true! Change into a dry, seasonally appropriate base layer, including socks and a warm hat before retiring for the night.

To summarize, to stay warm at night: put on dry clothes; go to bed already warm, well fed, and well hydrated; bottom insulation and comfort is as important, if not more so, as top insulation; and get the maximum effectiveness out of your insulation by allowing it to drape gently over your body to attain maximum loft.

Pan

[TheDoc]

Good info to keep in mind. Thanks

[brianb]

. You can use a fabric spray glue if necessary to glue a sleeping bag on the bottom of your hammock in place of an underquilt.

Does that really work? Got any pics? Interesting idea.

[Durtsurf]

Yeah I think I have videos of it on youtube as durtsurf. It does work. Not sure about durability but it could be resprayed. I've not needed to respray yet with about 5 nights worth of use.

Does that really work? Got any pics? Interesting idea.

[Durtsurf]

That might be a personal thing. For me I really prefer to wear dry base layer/insulating type of stuff to bed. Basically anything I would wear outside except the shell. Usually I am wearing at least one coat. If it is really cold I will bear wearing a large down coat, wool shirt, fleece coat, wool underwear, Insulated pants (made for fly fisherman to wear under their water boots), a hat, SUPER thick socks, neck gaiter, and maybe even gloves. That kit would be for single digits and below, and of course less than that as the temp increases.

It should be pointed out that any clothing worn in your sleep system should only be nothing more than a base layer. Anything more works against you by keeping your body from being capable of warming the air in the bag with you. It sets up a situation were the clothing is actually working against the insulation of the sleep system.

[larryschwartz]

That might be a personal thing. For me I really prefer to wear dry base layer/insulating type of stuff to bed. Basically anything I would wear outside except the shell. Usually I am wearing at least one coat. If it is really cold I will bear wearing a large down coat, wool shirt, fleece coat, wool underwear, Insulated pants (made for fly fisherman to wear under their water boots), a hat, SUPER thick socks, neck gaiter, and maybe even gloves. That kit would be for single digits and below, and of course less than that as the temp increases.

Durtsurf,

The point that myingon is making is that all of the heat in your sleep system comes from what your body radiates. That is the only source, other than the warmth from your breath. If you want your sleeping bag and other insulation to trap that heat in the little pockets of air in the insulation then you need to let the heat get from your body to the insulation. If you wear a lot of layers you are trapping the heat in your clothing layers and not in the more efficient insulation that your sleeping bag uses. You may be cool or cold for the first few minutes but you will find that your sleep system warms up faster and warmer when you are naked or wearing just a light base layer.

I used to tell my wife when we went camping that she would be warmer faster if she took her clothes off when she got in her sleeping bag, but she always countered that I just wanted to get her naked. There may have been a little bit of that going on, but she apologized after she finally tried it with just her underwear and she was amazed at the difference.

You may need to eventually add some layers if it is really cold, but your sleep system will be much warmer if you initially "pre-heat the oven", so to speak, with no clothes on at all.

[Durtsurf]

I get the point, I'm just saying do what works for the individual. I did a winter camp this year above treeline at 7000 feet in windy and snowy conditions. It was a terrible night. There were about 20 of us and I was the most comfortable person there. Some of the people were suffering. And these were all experienced winter campers, most of them had done this particular trip more than once. I was warm, that works for me.
Durtsurf,

The point that myingon is making is that all of the heat in your sleep system comes from what your body radiates. That is the only source, other than the warmth from your breath. If you want your sleeping bag and other insulation to trap that heat in the little pockets of air in the insulation then you need to let the heat get from your body to the insulation. If you wear a lot of layers you are trapping the heat in your clothing layers and not in the more efficient insulation that your sleeping bag uses. You may be cool or cold for the first few minutes but you will find that your sleep system warms up faster and warmer when you are naked or wearing just a light base layer.

I used to tell my wife when we went camping that she would be warmer faster if she took her clothes off when she got in her sleeping bag, but she always countered that I just wanted to get her naked. There may have been a little bit of that going on, but she apologized after she finally tried it with just her underwear and she was amazed at the difference.

You may need to eventually add some layers if it is really cold, but your sleep system will be much warmer if you initially "pre-heat the oven", so to speak, with no clothes on at all.

[ttime4four]

The whole guide here for the warmer night is quite interesting and can be applied in every condition.

+1

[BrRabbit]

Every once in a while we hear of someone who is not able to sleep comfortably down to the suggested temperature capabilities of a quilt. Here are some points to consider that might help anyone sleep better when using a down quilt or sleeping bag.

1. Down quilts, as well as down bags, are designed to drape gently over the body to achieve the maximum loft. It is the complex of micro dead airspaces created between and among the lofting down clusters that provides the insulation that retains the heat generated by the sleeper and keeps the sleeper warm. Thus, in standard mummy bags, rectangular bags and top quilts, the warmest sleep will be achieved by lying on one’s back, hands on the stomach or chest and remaining still. In this position, insulation can reach its maximum loft and effectiveness without compression driven thin spots or cold channels.

[...]

To summarize, to stay warm at night: put on dry clothes; go to bed already warm, well fed, and well hydrated; bottom insulation and comfort is as important, if not more so, as top insulation; and get the maximum effectiveness out of your insulation by allowing it to drape gently over your body to attain maximum loft.

Pan

1) Fetal position, with hands between legs, is warmer than anything else IMHO

I agree with everything else though! The rest is in addition to the original list...

2) Avoid wind drafts, both in and around your bag, between you and your UQ, and also if it's cold, close tarp doors, stake your tarp to the ground and build snow walls around it.

3) Avoid moisture build up, always allow a little hole for moisture to go out, and a little bit of wind for ventilation. It goes kind of in opposition to 2) and it is a delicately balancing act... To open up just enough.

4) Water bottle is good if not leaking. Hand/Foot warmers are mighty good too if working.

5) If you woke up cold, identify the reason of it and eliminate it as soon as possible. If it's because of wind - put your wind proof outer jacket, if it's because of insufficient sleeping system warmth, put on all your spare clothes (as long as they are dry) and put your warm outer jacket on top of your sleeping bag (Top Quilt), if it's because of wetness, identify its reason and protect yourself as best as possible. If you decide to take a leak, stop by the fire and throw into it a few logs, get yourself warm, drink hot chocolate... It's OK to break a sleep and eat something, rewarm yourself - then you'll go back to sleep much faster and happier than if you did not do those things and just stayed cold and miserable in the hammock.

[gbolt]

One thing I recently found out but have not confirmed with others; is the addition of a pillow for insulation purposes. When using a new S2S Aeros regular, I felt warmer all over because my head did not loose heat, (even through a head covering) to the hammock. I slept one night in a micro beanie no pillow, the next with the beanie and the pillow and finally, a buff and the pillow. All three nights where within a degree of each other and the last night was actually the coolest due to rain. However, the buff and the pillow was the best combo. I actually overheated a little the middle night. I may be wrong, but the pillow did make a difference in my temp regulation with the same TQ and UQ.

[deuce656]

have a JRB top quilt and it is as good as Pan's customer service which is great!! great write up

[BrRabbit]

One thing I recently found out but have not confirmed with others; is the addition of a pillow for insulation purposes. When using a new S2S Aeros regular, I felt warmer all over because my head did not loose heat, (even through a head covering) to the hammock. I slept one night in a micro beanie no pillow, the next with the beanie and the pillow and finally, a buff and the pillow. All three nights where within a degree of each other and the last night was actually the coolest due to rain. However, the buff and the pillow was the best combo. I actually overheated a little the middle night. I may be wrong, but the pillow did make a difference in my temp regulation with the same TQ and UQ.

Rabbit fur bomber hat doesn't lose heat with or without a pillow. Bomber hat = bomb proof

[Poolsocks]

Good advice.

Currently using synthetic bag/underquilt but looking forward to upgrading to a down top quilt/underquilt
Just a little too much right now!

[jmr]

That sounds good to me too. I would add, if it's a real cold night throw a pair of handwarmers down by your feat.

Yep, that's me too....I think of the handwarmers as emergency heat grenades; boy will they put the heat into anything down-filled.
Good article, ...nothing worse than being cold and not being able to do anything about it quickly.

[mistone]

good tips and info i broke most of those rules a while back :scared:

[markb2]

[QUOTE=larryschwartz;1592618]Durtsurf,
I used to tell my wife when we went camping that she would be warmer faster if she took her clothes off when she got in her sleeping bag, but she always countered that I just wanted to get her naked. There may have been a little bit of that going on, but she apologized after she finally tried it with just her underwear and she was amazed at the difference.
QUOTE]

Oh man, I had to agree with this one while I have relate and I chuckled here to myself, I swear I have had the same conversations... My wife is a believer now too.