Sleeping Bag and Pad Ratings with Matt Wymer

[Jordan Budd]

Sleeping Bag and Pad Ratings with Matt Wymer. @High Country

This week we sit down with Matt Wymer and talk about sleep systems. Specifically we talk about understanding the temperature ratings that are given by companies because sometimes it’s more than meets the eye. A 30 degree sleeping bag from one company may not be the same 30 degree rating from another. Also with sleeping pads, your pad isn’t just for comfort! Sleeping pads play a large role insulating as well. All of that is covered on this episode, so tune in!

 

[Justin Crossley]

This should be a good one! I'm going to check it out later today.

 

[mcseal2]

Good info, I listened in the tractor unloading bales Friday.

I like that the sleep system is considered a system, not just a bag. It's like layering clothing, the pieces need to complement each other.

I have stuck to synthetic bags so far. I consider my bag my last line of defense against cold and have always thought the weight is worth the security. I have dried a lot of layers in my bag without compromising it. I also mostly use floorless shelters and the synthetic bag has been great at dealing with condensation if I roll against the edge of the shelter.

I often run a Kifaru 20 degree Slick bag with a Thermarest X therm max. The warmer pad has kept me from needing a warmer bag on later rifle hunts. I've slept comfortably at 0 degrees with that system using FL Aerowool base layers and a Kuiu Peloton 240 hoody. My glassing pad is a piece of my old Thermarest Z lite. I often take the bigger piece when camping with the X therm. I put it under the part of the X therm my torso and hips will be resting on for puncture protection. I'm a big guy and roll around a lot, a little extra protection seems like a good idea to me. So far I've had good luck with that.

Summer scouting I can get by with a Hill People Gear Mountain Serape. It is also my puffy layer, or at least a part of it then. I use it sitting for whitetail too around home so it's a very multi-use item for me. I slept with it and the Z lite wearing a few layers and stayed comfortable on damp nights in the upper 30's during a canoe trip in Canada. We spent a week portaging, exploring, and fishing different lakes.

Truck camping on late season hunts I've sometimes unzipped the Serape and thrown it over the Slickbag like a blanket for a little extra warmth. I can just zip the Slickbag to my armpits and cover my head and shoulders with the Serape when I do this. I sleep really well that way, I can move a bit more without waking up. I bought a big rectangular Browning 0 degree synthetic bag on Camofire this summer for truck camping in the future. I like having my backpacking gear along even when truck camping in case I see an advantage to spiking out. Having the cheaper bag for the truck camp will let me keep the Slickbag packed and ready with that gear while on trips. I store all my bags and puffys umcompressed between trips.

For truck camping I really like the Cabelas cots. We have a couple shorter versions that are really sturdy. The shorter cots work best in our Seek 8 man tipi since they fit closer to the walls. On that cot I use a couple nylon straps with buckles to hold 3 Thermarest Ridgerest pads I have gorilla taped together. The straps keep them from sliding around or off the cot. It makes a warm comfortable set-up and lets me keep my X therm in the spike camp kit. I also have a Thermarest mesh cot that is much lighter and more compact than the Cabelas one while still being comfortable. It's nice for summer trips since the mesh allows airflow in the heat. It will probably go to AK with me next year on my caribou hunt, it will keep me off the damp ground and keep my pad protected from gravel bars.

Anyway that's my system I use for different trips. I just pick what pieces fit the expected hunt. If I'm carrying the gear in a vehicle or boat I will pack a cot. If it's all going on my back I will be tired enough not to need that much comfort to get sleep.

 

[Matt W.]

Glad to hear you found it helpful. Sounds like you understand the system concept well! Thanks for sharing and adding to the concept!