Seek Outside Tent + Stove = Cold?

[Bubblehide]

What’s the big deal with condensation? Who cares if you wake up to a frosted inside of a tent? Fire up the stove and it’s gone in minutes.

If the wind is blowing the tent, even slightly, you will have that wet, or frozen condensation raining down on you and waking you up. It will matter then. Some ventilation also helps with condensation.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Get a balaclava to keep your head warm. Beanies fall off and you lose a lot of heat from your head.

Sleeping pad is key. Get a good one. Read reviews.

Get a good quality sleeping bag. I’ve spent hundreds and hundreds of nights in the back country. Western mountaneering can’t be beat and their temp ratings are legit.

In single digits I sleep in my puffy pants and plenty of layers up top. Usually a first lite kiln weight, and fleece mid layer. I’ll even sleep in the puffy jacket if I have to. Staying warm keeps you alive. I also leave my boots in the bottom of the bag to stay warm.

Stoves are nice for long trips when clothes wet out and you need to dry out gear. They are also nice to warm up a tent but they burn very quickly due to the thin walls. A full size log with low stoke to keep it going long will still only burn for 3 hours. And it’s not that much extra warmth anyway after about 1.5 hours.

Sleep system is way more important than stove. I rarely even bring the stoves anymore. Takes a long enough and cold enough or wet enough hunt to justify it.

 

[Hectocotylus]

I appreciate your support! I am thinking I should leave my 11 year old at home and go solo for the maiden voyage in case it turns into a suck fest.

Can always break out that heater. I’d think putting the sleeping bag underneath you might be warmer than over top… experiment and see what works for your situation. You lose a lot more heat from underneath than you would think.


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[cnelk]

I was told by a guy that sleeps in a sleeping bag a lot to not wear any base layers while in a sleeping bag.
They inhibit the body’s heat from warming the sleeping bag.

I’ve never tried it tho

 

[rclouse79]

I was told by a guy that sleeps in a sleeping bag a lot to not wear any base layers while in a sleeping bag.
They inhibit the body’s heat from warming the sleeping bag.

I’ve never tried it tho

I have heard that also. Maybe it is true for base layers vs whitey tighties. From personal experience I know wearing extra puffy layers in the sleeping bag can make all the difference in the world.

 

[couesbitten]

I may be wrong (but I don't think so), but I would think that being on a cot would be colder than sleeping on the ground. If the ground temp is 30 deg and you have your ground sheet, pad and bag set up, the ground that you're sleeping on shouldn't get any colder. If you are sleeping on a cot, using the same pad and bag, you're going to be subject to whatever temperature the air around you drops to over the course of the night.

 

[rclouse79]

I may be wrong (but I don't think so), but I would think that being on a cot would be colder than sleeping on the ground. If the ground temp is 30 deg and you have your ground sheet, pad and bag set up, the ground that you're sleeping on shouldn't get any colder. If you are sleeping on a cot, using the same pad and bag, you're going to be subject to whatever temperature the air around you drops to over the course of the night.

I agree that the rate of heat loss is proportional to the difference in temperature. The rate of heat loss is also proportional to the thermal conductivity of the material. Metal feels cooler at room temperature than carpet because it is a better conductor. I would guess air is a better insulator than the ground, but I don’t know which plays the bigger factor in heat loss. Just food for thought.

 

[Rock-o]

What's your pillow? Use one that is stuffed not air.

 

[supermatt9]

Sounds like it’s a pad problem not a tent problem. Check the klymit R value vs the ASTM R value… I had a static v insulated that klymit said was 4.4 but astm said 1.7. I don’t trust klymits numbers.


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I would bet money this is the correct solution. I wouldn't trust a klymit pad in that kind of cold.

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[ianpadron]

Cheap bag and pad will do that. Marmot bags are notoriously over-rated FYI

Try a NeoAir Extherm Max and a Western Mountaineering Kodiak for those conditions.

The stove is only to take the edge off when you wake up or if you need to dry gear.

 

[sndmn11]

Cheap bag and pad will do that. Marmot bags are notoriously over-rated FYI

Bingo, I asked earlier what exact model of bag and pad are being used.

I haven't had a need for full zip up yet this year in archery, 1st, or 2nd season to zip up fully with my western mountaineering bags or klymit pad.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Either way sounds like folks are having better luck with the foam based sleeping pads vs air.

I will just throw this out there. The Thermarest NeoAir XTherm is very warm. Never have had an issue with it in cold weather. It is an inflatable. No need to sacrifice comfort and pack space by going to foam.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Most has been said. But I burn a candle lantern or two all night. To cut down on condensation and take a little bit of the edge off the cold. Then roll out and start the stove to dry and heat up in the morning.

I like this idea! What candles do you use? Just the cheap tea light ones?

 

[Poser]

I was told by a guy that sleeps in a sleeping bag a lot to not wear any base layers while in a sleeping bag.
They inhibit the body’s heat from warming the sleeping bag.

I’ve never tried it tho

This has been discussed here many times and it is a false claim. The exception is if you are wearing so much clothes that you start sweating or that you over compress your down bag. Serious mountaineers and alpinists have been sleeping in their layers for decades. Even the owner of Feathered Friends sleeps in layers.

 

[Wally3o3]

Thank you once again to all the folks chiming in. I will revisit sleeping pad and sleeping bag to make sure I don't run into issues going forward. Those have to be the missing link to my sleep system! Looking forward to getting back out there and solving this issue

 

[mmac]

I am not sure where you are, but some practice nights would help solve some of this. Couple tricks that were mentioned and not mentioned- Handwarmers in your bag are really helpful. Thermarest pad on top of your klymet is better than under. Balaclava and make sure your head is covered well. Long underwear is much warmer than without.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I was told by a guy that sleeps in a sleeping bag a lot to not wear any base layers while in a sleeping bag.
They inhibit the body’s heat from warming the sleeping bag.

I’ve never tried it tho

I have found this to be absolutely incorrect for me personally. I’ve spent countless nights in a sleeping bag and am a cold sleeper. Maybe someone who is a hot sleeper and sweats may be the case?

It is interesting what works for one guy and freezes another guy out. Gotta just explore for yourself and learn.

 

[BDRam16]

Cheap bag and pad will do that. Marmot bags are notoriously over-rated FYI

Try a NeoAir Extherm Max and a Western Mountaineering Kodiak for those conditions.

The stove is only to take the edge off when you wake up or if you need to dry gear.

Interesting. I ran a Marmot Never Summer 0* in single digits in a Luxe tipi this year with no stove and I was warm all night. I had my Mr. Buddy as a safety net but I never fired it up until the morning when I was eating breakfast and getting ready.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Interesting. I ran a Marmot Never Summer 0* in single digits in a Luxe tipi this year with no stove and I was warm all night. I had my Mr. Buddy as a safety net but I never fired it up until the morning when I was eating breakfast and getting ready.

You pack in a mr buddy?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Thank you once again to all the folks chiming in. I will revisit sleeping pad and sleeping bag to make sure I don't run into issues going forward. Those have to be the missing link to my sleep system! Looking forward to getting back out there and solving this issue

No need to pack in to test if you live somewhere that gets cold. Spend a night or two in your yard.