Tried out my sleeping bag in cold weather

[kentucky yeti]

Actually, I've done it in upper teens/20's lots of times in Colorado . But two weeks ago, my Colorado camp buddy and me wanted to give them a test when we actually knew the temperature. I should say that we switched to MSS bags many years ago and they have treated us well. One time- we left base camp for a 11-hour hike and hunt to Mt. Baldy. Due the the long hike-(uphill- actually up mountain) the whole way- we left the intermediate black bag out and took only our green patrol bag and body to save weight. By the time we got there, snow was 3+ feet deep in the low spots, so we had to walk the windswept ridges to stay out of deep snow. No idea what the temp was, but it was COLD up there. We about froze. So, two weeks ago our forecast here was light snow and 4* with windchills of -4*. In C/S he had air temp of -7 on his phone so he beat me. We messaged each other and took our bags outside and slept. I had on long John's, blue jeans and a denim shirt. I slept extremely warm all night. Got up at 6 to pee outside and checked my phone. 3*. Texted Jeff and he said he went in to pee at 3:30 and stayed in. (He lives in the city so he can't let it fly like I can on the middle of nowhere). Using both bags and the bivy, I was warm and dry when I got up. Not like our hike to Baldy that time lol

 

[Bob Wright]

I spent a winter in Korea. No more sleeping out in the cold for me, thank you.

Bob Wright

 

[Fox Mike]

Seen enough winter sleeping bag time. Ice on the inside of the tent from your breath freezing. If outside in the cold is your thing have fun.

 

[Ride1949]

Sounds like a normal day/night in my world.

 

[kentucky yeti]

Seen enough winter sleeping bag time. Ice on the inside of the tent from your breath freezing. If outside in the cold is your thing have fun.

For those who have never experienced two weeks in the Colorado Rockies, seeing no one but your partner, and gazed upon the animals in their habitat, I can't explain it. Some folks have no desire to see it, live it, breathe it- and that's fine. We aren't all the same. For me- living out of a backpack those two weeks, drinking ice-cold water that was snow just a few hours earlier and a few thousand feet above me, living off the game that we harvest... outside in the cold is great. We don't even pack a tent. I dread the day coming soon when we won't be physically able to do it anymore.

 

[TestEngineer]

By the time we got there, snow was 3+ feet deep in the low spots, so we had to walk the windswept ridges to stay out of deep snow. No idea what the temp was, but it was COLD up there. We about froze.

Well duh!

You should have went down to the deep snow and burrowed in. I've slept very comfortably in snow banks with just light dacron bags like kids would use for summer camping trips. The temp in snow caves is above 30* while outside can be well below zero.

I was lucky enough to have a good mentor teach me a few things when I was just a young teen. Most people associate snow with cold, but it's actually a great insulator.

 

[kentucky yeti]

Well duh!

You should have went down to the deep snow and burrowed in. I've slept very comfortably in snow banks with just light dacron bags like kids would use for summer camping trips. The temp in snow caves is above 30* while outside can be well below zero.

I was lucky enough to have a good mentor teach me a few things when I was just a young teen. Most people associate snow with cold, but it's actually a great insulator.

We slept in burrows. We.ve been camping up there since the 90's, in cold and sometimes in warm weather (not nearly as fun to hunt or hike in warm weather). It was trying to walk in the snow on slippery, rocky ground that was hard. BTW- a patrol bag is only rated at 50* so it was definitely uncomfortable to me after we had been hiking and burning calories for 11 hours, then crashing in a lightweight bag. I'd say it was probably low teens/single digits AND a decent wind all night at 12,000' . Just one of the things that happens when you have no outside communication and can't get a weather forecast LOL

 

[Kevin]

As a teenager we went camping a lot. I remember my dad had those mummy shaped old green army sleeping bags. I think they were down filled. The sleeping bags also had a canvas outer cover.

Those bags were nice and warm! I can remember a cold cold night in Oklahoma; waking up with frost all over. It must have gotten down into the low 20's.

There were lots of other cold nights. Camping in the snow is fun! Or was. I don't think I'd like it now so much.

 

[Mobuck]

1984 we were elk hunting south of Bozeman MT. That week it was the coldest place in the US. Minus 20 or colder every night and barely above zero during the day. The little camper had a propane heater but it couldn't keep up and all our canned goods froze and burst the cans. Wasn't a problem--we just put the cans in a pot and warmed them up can and all.
Wasn't all bad. We came home with a bull elk and a couple of deer.
I was much younger and tougher back then.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

What's under you accounts for a lot of warmth. Done a lot of camping up here. A good sleeping bag is important, a good thick foam pad underneath is a big help, and a cover over the bag helps, even if it's a tarp.

 

[blume357]

A Duke's Mayonnaise jar can be your best friend in the middle of the night in that situation.

 

[kentucky yeti]

What's under you accounts for a lot of warmth. Done a lot of camping up here. A good sleeping bag is important, a hood thick foam pad underneath is a big help, and a cover over the bag helps, even if it's a tarp.

I cut my one of my military sleeping mats down in the same mummy shape as my MSS so that it fits between the bivy and the first bag for long hikes. When I'm at our camp. I always have my trusted wool blanket (but it is way too heavy to take on long 1-3 days hikes).

 

[kentucky yeti]

A Duke's Mayonnaise jar can be your best friend in the middle of the night in that situation.

I'm lucky. Unlike my camping buddy- I never have to get up during the night to relieve myself. I'll hear him unzipping his bag and pulling on his boots, then coming back and doing the reverse.

 

[kickingandscreaming]

Well duh!

You should have went down to the deep snow and burrowed in. I've slept very comfortably in snow banks with just light dacron bags like kids would use for summer camping trips. The temp in snow caves is above 30* while outside can be well below zero.

I was lucky enough to have a good mentor teach me a few things when I was just a young teen. Most people associate snow with cold, but it's actually a great insulator.

Did the same thing when I wa in my 30's. Built a quinzee on the White Mountains of NH. Shoveled up a pile of snow, waited an hour for it to freeze up snd then tunneled into it. Leveled off two shelves an me and my buddy spent the night in it. Temp never got below 30 degrees. Dead silent inside. Covered the entrance with a sheet of heavy plastic. Went outside to pee at about 3am. Now clouds, lots of stars. Just looking up fir a minute when i was done and realized i was shaking like a dog pis*ing razor blades. Raced back inside and onto the sleeping bag.
Education completed.

 

[bobski]

no more bags for me. enjoy it. nothing is worth it. so says my body.

 

[kentucky yeti]

no more bags for me. enjoy it. nothing is worth it. so says my body.

I dread that day. But it won't be long before I'll feel the same way. At least I'll have a couple decades of memories to fall back on.

 

[kickingandscreaming]

A Duke's Mayonnaise jar can be your best friend in the middle of the night in that situation.

Or a wide mouth 2 litre nalgene jar with a screw on lid that both you and the old lady can use.

 

[contender]

I spent 50 years in the BSA. And I also enjoyed camping a lot when younger. And I too learned how to stay warm, and cozy in snow or icy conditions. A good sleeping bag, and as mentioned above along with proper stuff under it, can make a huge difference. A good pad to soften the bumps & such that uneven ground has is a good comfort too.
As I aged,, and was able to afford better equipment,, I also got various things for my creature comforts when camping. Of course,, what I carry depends upon HOW I'm carrying things.
Nowadays,, I have no problem with the idea of camping out. But my age is such that carrying stuff on my back for long distances has tempered how much of that I want to do anymore. So now I prefer to use mechanized transports, or maybe a canoe or such to transport my gear for my camping style.
But staying warm in snow or ice,, no problem for me.
In my BSA troop we used to have a program called; "Snowmen!" If the weather was calling for snow,, and school was to be let out, the boys & adults who'd put their names on the list of "snowmen" would start getting phone calls. We'd meet, and backpack into a mountainous area where we'd do a few days of snow camping. The boys loved doing it.
When I went into the Army,, and was at Ft. Knox, we had snow the entire time I was there for Basic. They had us do a "march" out to the "field" and set up a camp. All in the snow. Most of these young recruits were clueless. Many were still trying to assemble their shelter halves, and get set up while my buddy & I were inside our tent, having already consumed our C-Rations, and were snoring. My buddy had never done any of it,, but he listened to me, and we were done quickly. Had a great nights sleep.

 

[blume357]

the problem with camping out down here in the Deep South in any snow or ice is it is going to be wet. Y'all are talking about 'cold' snow.... most of what we get is melting shortly after it comes down unless one is up in the mountains ..... Cold is easy... wet can get you killed quicker.... you got to stay dry.

I'm sure I'm the odd one here... been a long time since I camped out... last time it was up on Cold Mountain in N.C. and it dropped down to 5 degrees.... I had just crossed a thigh deep creek and ended up stripping naked in the snow and sleet coming down to put on dry clothes before getting into the tent and my sleeping bag. The mistake I made on this one was just throwing my wet clothes over a bush.... was a pain to fold them up the next morning to get them in my back pack.

Now, as to why I'm the odd one .... I sleep year round outside on our sleeping porch..... it is covered and screened.... Summer is much harder than Winter. Got down to 14 a few weeks ago.. no problem.

 

[Enigma]

I was stationed at the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center at Fort Greely, AK for a year. We tested things there (obviously), including sleeping bags and sleep systems. No sleeping bag/system that we tested performed as advertised at extreme cold, including the big name stuff. By extreme cold, I mean down to -40F. I have absolutely zero desire to ever repeat any of those exploits.