Sleeping in Puffy Layers without a sleeping bag

[Wrench]

My problem would be the moisture and oils my body puts off. I always try to keep my down bag from direct contact with the above and air it out every day. If you have a plan for that, rock on.....if not, consider it.

 

[zeroforhire]

I have. It mostly sucks. If you want to go ultralight check out an elephants foot. Climbers use them.


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[ThunderJack49]

If you are not using a pad the biggest drawback is insulation from the ground. Any amount of contact with the ground or wind is going to pull heat away from your body. It's very doable in mild weather and I've done it in less than ideal circumstances. Personally I just love wrapping myself in my sleeping bag and sleep much better with it. That is worth it to me in the weight penalty.

 

[rclouse79]

The advice to try it your backyard was golden. It seems like one of those ideas that sounds tempting on paper when you are trying to cut ounces, but in reality will probably suck.

 

[mlgc20]

I’ve tried this a couple of different ways. The reality is that this method will not save you weight. By the time you add enough extra clothing to stay warm, you’ve added more weight than a lightweight sleeping bag. The only way the math works out in terms of saving weight is if you make a big trade-off on sleeping comfortably. Apple to apples, the sleeping bag is much more efficient compared to down clothes.

 

[Outlaw243]

I tried to do it once a couple years back. tagged along on a sheep hunt in the sangre de cristo mtn range in Colorado in august.
We was super high camped at 13,2k
I didn’t die but I didn’t sleep much either from being cold.
Temps were not supposed to be that cold but the mtns are unpredictable.
I’d advise plan for the worst and bring a bag!

 

[zeroforhire]

When I climbed mt rainier I went stupid light. 32 degree down bag, ul bivy etc…. Barely slept and was hallucinating from exhaustion on the way down. Hard lesson learned.

 

[camping1601]

Me and the wife did it after a late Elk pack out to the vehicle. Sucked bad.

 

[Chape1rm]

I am thinking about trying to sleep in a Stone Glacier Grumman suit, I already have the jacket and am waiting for a deal on the pants. The jacket is wicked warm, and I am sure the pants are the same.

A long time ago, I saw one of the Stone Glacier dudes post something about sleeping in his puffy layers alone, he was testing it out, I’m pretty sure he had all his layers on, as well as gloves and a beanie, not sure what he had on his feet.... however, I never saw the results.

Have any of you guys ever tried sleeping in puffy layers alone? What were you wearing (head to toe), be as specific as possible? What kind of shelter setup were you in? What temperature was it outside? What sleeping pad were you using?

Obviously, it doesn’t necessarily save a ton of weight, however it does allow you to bring an extra puffy item or two, without a weight penalty, which can be nice around camp and while glassing. I’m just mainly trying to glean some tips and parameters to see how I can get away with it, before I try it out.

Before you question my mental health. Please know that I sleep very hot, and I will test it with my quilt nearby the first couple times. I have also made myself used to sleeping with most of my clothes on, because I like the time savings of not having to spend time putting all my clothes on in the morning. I just eat, pack up and head out for the day.

I understand the risks involved, and I am not a p****, so please spare me any lecturing, if you can.

Never slept in puffys alone but had to don them and crawl in my 20 degree bag one night when temps dropped to -8 f with a 10 to fifteen wind. I was wearing duckworth marino baselayers, duckworth powder hoody SG dehaviland pants and jacket and kifaru lost park puffys with exped down slippers and duckworth heavyweight marino socks. Also had a triple aught designs marino watch cap and all my damn hoods up. I was in a kifaru supertarp and slept on a thermarest x therm. It was a struggle getting over a little claustrophobia cuz it felt like i was in a dam cacoon but eventually I selpt and only woke up twice. I feel like without the bag I could have survived temps at freezing and probably slept better because I could have actually moved around.

 

[Mike Islander]

What is your plan for your hands and especially feet? Are you sleeping on a pad? What's the purpose of this exercise?

 

[scott85]

I’ll stick to my quilt.

 

[Rocsteel]

Try it out in your yard. If it's a fail you can go inside and not die. It's going to be cold for the next several days so give it a shot and see how it goes.

You should give this a try, sounds like a great idea.

 

[Bighorse]

Just why? If you're on a hunt planning on harvesting you are already asking for a heavy load. I would hope you want to sleep great and also have the base fitness to haul around a few more pounds of quality kit. I understand the pleasure of remaining nimble and fleet of foot. It's great bounding about to gracefully slay da beast. Reality is more along the lines of a Mt Gorilla stomin' up a slope to sit, seeking relief from a heavy load. Deploy a camp in a quality location and hunt within a reasonable distance from this. Thereby you are able to return and recover (if that's a concern). Every hunt doesn't have to be a "Sheep" hunt. Perhaps this is the advantage of training and scouting? You can get into key habitat knowing that your within striking distance and can reduce your pack load for the actual hunt. Anyway.....best wishes as you strategize, a noble pastime.

 

[208backcountry]

Just why? If you're on a hunt planning on harvesting you are already asking for a heavy load. I would hope you want to sleep great and also have the base fitness to haul around a few more pounds of quality kit. I understand the pleasure of remaining nimble and fleet of foot. It's great bounding about to gracefully slay da beast. Reality is more along the lines of a Mt Gorilla stomin' up a slope to sit, seeking relief from a heavy load. Deploy a camp in a quality location and hunt within a reasonable distance from this. Thereby you are able to return and recover (if that's a concern). Every hunt doesn't have to be a "Sheep" hunt. Perhaps this is the advantage of training and scouting? You can get into key habitat knowing that your within striking distance and can reduce your pack load for the actual hunt. Anyway.....best wishes as you strategize, a noble pastime.

I largely agree. If my tests are to pan out (sounds like from folks’ experience was on here that they will not). My idea was to use this supplementally, under the right circumstances for my “this may turn into an overnighter type kit”. As I mentioned in my post, weight savings I agree will be very minimal at best. Mainly brought it up because I had seen it done before, and wanted to get some feedback before running my own tests.

I’m gonna test them with my Borah bivy sack and I’m looking into down booties for my feet, as well.

 

[Chuckybmd]

I haven’t done it, but maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. As long as you have a good pad. Obviously test it first, but if it works out I’d be interested in the outcome.

 

[Bighorse]

I’ve bivy out on mountains with puffy gear. It’s typically the result of what was described earlier. Getting into position only to find the sit longer than expected. I also once got closed in by a dense cloud on a summit once too. I consider my puffy gear insurance vs primary thermal protection.

 

[Voyageur]

@208backcountry please report back on the results of your testing

 

[slim9300]

You are going to be cold unless it’s 60 degrees or warmer all night or you are a super hot sleeper. That’s my take. I have a few hundreds days sleeping on the side of a mountain in my puffy clothes also.


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[Billinsd]

In the mid 90s I slept in my sweat pants and a jack with an emergency aluminum blanket at 12,000 feet in September and my teeth were chattering. Didn't sleep a wink. One of the worst ideas I ever came up with++

 

[Wyobohunter]

I can imagine a small weight advantage to carrying puffy pants and booties instead of a sleeping bag (I don’t fool with puffy pants). This is unlike me but I don’t think the weight savings would be worth it for several reasons:

1- Harder to regulate temperature through the night. If it’s a little cold I can batten down the hatches in my mummy bag. If it’s really cold I can throw on my puffy jacket and beanie. If it’s warmer I can use the mummy bag like a quilt. If it’s hot I can kick the quilt off and easily put it back over me later when it cools down. Only bringing puffy clothes takes away, restricts or complicates those abilities.

2- A zipped up mummy sleeping bag will be more efficient at keeping your body heated evenly. The heat from your torso warms your feet. Not so with different parts of your body isolated.

3- I bet it takes longer to pull off and pack up the puffy clothes before getting dressed than it does to crawl out of the bag and get dressed. To really save time you could also sleep in your clothes.

I have a “quiver” of sleeping bags. To save weight I bring the lightest one I think I can get away with for the expected conditions. I’m also a warm sleeper and can add my puffy jacket and beanie to my sleepwear if necessary.