7 mistakes EVERY new camper makes with their SLEEP SYSTEM 

shouldnt that be the case with every sleeping pad that leave space on the bottom? like also the sea2summit ones? Is this really a significant effect? The R4.4 pad dropped to 1.9 right?

I’m a hammocker, but sometimes in the winter I sleep in shelters on the floor with my Klymit Static-V insulated, with just a quilt. My latest 3 overnights it got down to 20F and I slept great. I do agree that a little bit more width would be nice though

@@toesockoutdoors3627 Yea. I've slept on the insulated V ultralight with a quilt down into the upper twenties with a slight chill creeping in around 4am. I did wear my puffy but I was fine. Of course, everyones cold tolerance is different. I consider myself just slightly on the cold sleeper side of the fence.

You will not be cold with a -15 bag and a pad that thick. It's all marketing bs. Years ago, people used to sleep on nothing but a foam mat and they were fine, yes,even in winter. Wonder what the R value of foam is? 0. Well, it worked.

You are 100% correct about the channels and how they work with a sleeping bag. This working principle does not work for those of us that use quilts. There is no material to fill the channels and you will freeze your behind off trying to use a quilt with any of the Klymit pads.

I would use a stainless or aluminum water bottle with a really good seal, fill with boiling water. Place inside a stocking and into the foot of the sleeping bag. Toasty all night!

I came to the comments to add this. I’ve used it in moderately cold weather to just pre heat the bag. By the time it cooled down, I had the bag good and toasty. Works best for me at my feet.

I've done that a lot. It's also good for keeping your water from freezing.

@@mortsnerd5100 Also good for drying your gloves if they got really wet during the day. Drying slightly moist clothes inside the sleeping bag is ok, but anything beyond slightly moist is miserable. Only works with overnight temps around 0 inside your tent. frozen iced tea is a bit too iced.

Excellent advice, don't forget to use common sense and don't burn yourself lol

I agree, work up some heat before you get in and the bag seals it in, jump in cold and inactive and your body won't release enough bodyheat to warm the air trapped around you. A nice hot drink just before bed is also just the ticket.

Reminds me, city person from Germany, being surprised by snow in Yosemite. We did jumping jacks until out of breath and rubbed our bodies with a cloth until hot. Bonus point: looks funny and you are exhausted (but happy and warm).

thank you for the tip :D

@@missmojo8779 u sweet

MRE heaters

That sounds so interesting, you must have witnessed so many sweeping changes to how camping is done. Would you mind telling me a little more about what changed the most over your camping career?

Nice

🗣️Mr.Anderson

Patrick Star

I’m dead 💀

I disagree. I have been in Finnish army special forces and we gave arctic warfare training to US troops also, but I learned the most after the army. Bivy is many times bad idea, that can make you swetty. And putting more clothes on you is in many situation a good idea. I usually sleep with my wet gear on, and dry them this way to next day. There is alot of tricks people don't know and nobody talks them. When sleeping more than 100 nights in a year outdoors, I had the opportunity to test shitload of wild ideas.

@@caide notice I said Gore tex bivy bag. No survival expert recommends wet clothes in a sleeping bag. In fact they recommend against it. Also wet clothes in a sleeping bag results in a wet sleeping bag. The feathers get wet and lose loft thus insulation resulting in a loss of heat, and who wants to sleep in a wet bed?

@@dingo5208 Yes it is not usually good idea. Surviving is a different game than having trips in winter and having fun. When the game sets easier, it is not surviving anymore. It's a lifestyle. If my sleeping set is in the limita, I will not do that drying of course. But usually me sleeping system is with more warmth, what I need. Then I can dry my clothes. And when the system breaths well, I don't have any plastics, the moist goes through the sleeping bag and to the air. Same system I dry clothes when hiking. I put wet clothes inside my jacket. These skills are very handy when we are out week or two and make longer trips backcountry skiing.

With longer trips, the weather can change from side to side. I have some trips where I had some days +5 Celsius with rain and then quickly after that -25 celsius. So situations are very different every night and tool box for different tricks are usually handy.

@@Codzilla71 Why not. Of course with complete wet, but what you get in winter trips. I did it last weekend again and no problems. My clothing was dry in the morning.

Vivaldi*

I swear by those things. Getting woken up for firewatch to go out in the cold and rain was always a terrible feeling.

+1 here!

And never forget your woobie!!

@@sdevans2 always.

I use this set up for fishing. Good old British army surplus

I learned that lesson camping on wet ground in the fall around Ottawa. Thankfully I had my SOL bivy which I just turned inside out and slid my pad in to, instant insulation. I was warm the rest of the night

Try purchasing some radiator reflection foil roll. On Amazon. It's very cheap. Durable and waterproof. It has its own R rating. From a 5m X 1.2 meter roll you will get 4 full size pieces. Put the piece under your sleeping mat. This definitely stops the transference of cold from the ground. It's really good stuff.

@@NotASheep100 yeah it's great stuff! I use a thermarest pad now, but for really extreme temps I take out a strip of radiator foil cut to size! Also handy for sitting on at camp, or lying on in an emergency if a bivvy out is required due to injury etc.

Watching Perry Peacock use his gear from Wilderness innovation, drilled this into my brain. So dry leaves or 12 inches of pine boughs, get some loft under you. And if you can't get it under all of you, get it under your torso.

This happened to me too as a kid. I was traumatised - total panic, but my family thought it was hilarious & I was just messing around. I'm surprised it didn't put me off camping for life!

You can also put one of those silver emergency blankets under it too ;-)

Been doing it for years. 3/4" closed cell pad, 2" self inflating foam pad, and a king size comforter folded in half layed on top. The comes the Cabelas Magnum 44 sleeping bag, inside of that is a -15C sleeping bag, over top of all that is a pair of thinish wool blankets. I'm personally tested to -30C in it, comfortably sleeping in boxers and a t-shirt. Almost to the point of sweating, if I were wearing anything else. I look forward to trying it in even colder temps, to see how it works. Honestly, I'm working on a winter "hot tent" skidoo trip, keep warm project. It involves an Amazon Chinese Diesel Heater, 2 solar panels, a battery, and a wheeled toolbox that contains it all. Goal being, plumb the hot air into the tent, heater runs all night, solar charges the battery back up during the day when the heater is turned off and I'm out of tent sledding or cooking on the fire.

was looking for this, I always take foil foam pad even If its just one day trail

And it helps prevent air mat punctures. Yet for some reason you dont see them being used in the many camping videos. It is a no brainer.

Just use a closed cell foam pad, full stop. Slept in the snow, no problem.

Yes. That's my plan for my next trip. My sack doesn't have an internal frame, but instead has mesh pockets on the back panel to accomodate a folded 3/4 Z Rest to double as a 'frame'. Combined with my Thermarest Uberlite pad I should be toasty, though I've always put my Z Rest under the tent to act as a groundsheet to protect the tent, and sleep on the pad. Probably amounts to the same as your way? 'Six of one, half a dozen of the other' as they say.

@@domo3552 You want the egg shell mat between you and the air. The air in the sleeping pad is cold so if you want to maximize your warmth you don't sleep on the inflatable pad directly

@@fantasyEXX Greay idrea!

Plus you can use the egg pad as a seat

Those egg shell pads are awesome

It’s a must. Sweat in the liner. Extends life of the bag. Can open your bag a bit on cold nights

I need to try that :D

It's what the girls do, lol!!

I do this as well when camping below freezing.

The silver roll up solar reflectors that you put in your car’s windshield to keep car cool work great under your pad and weigh nothing. I get them cheap at the dollar store.

@@kevindice1092 Same

Between GROUND and PAD or between PAD and SLEEPING BAG?

@@dh2558 between ground and the pad

You should post a video of that beast

Wow I love to see how u made it step by step, is that possible?

I'd love to hear more specifics. Would make great video or blog post. So canvas isn't too heavy and doesn't mold?

I sleep in a hammock indoors! Love it.

California has quite a bit cold weather camping. I've slept in a snow shelter near Donner Pass and it was as cold any other 'tough winter' state.

don't forget "most politicians are dishonest sacks of crap". at least companies create jobs and manufacture products.

@@Mike1614b Generally the two go together in tandem- corrupt politcal culture is an outflow of usually corrupt business culture. I'm hard pushed to think of one example in the world or in history where you has a benign business culture and corruption is isolated to just the politcal system. It hard to bribe a politician if no one is prepared to offer one. By the way corrupt businesses by in large aren't very good at creating goods and jobs- they wouldn't need to be corrupt if they made the best products and worthwhile jobs.

From Southern California yeah, if’s pretty easy to forget seasons besides summer exist, winter oh no it’s like 55 degrees outside 🥶

Yeah .

Do you have backpacking recommendations for MI in spring summer and fall?

@1001CP that’s some of the soundest advice I’ve ever heard. People absolutely “DO NOT” test their equipment out enough before going into the extremes a lot of times. Getting out in the backyard is a foolproof way to do it and figure everything out… BEFOREHAND! Awesome tip!!💯👍🏻🫵🏻

7:52 - If only 30% of the insulation is on the back of the bag, Klymit’s grooves won’t cut it!

Doesn't really make sense though does it? Most insulation is made to prevent cold bridging caused by high pressure points crushing the insulation and "short circuiting" to the cold. Doesn't matter how much is lofted if you're lying on cold bits. Imagine lying on water pipes with down between them, no matter how much down depth you have, the cold pipes will freeze you.

I was wondering what the groves were for

That is false physics.

"At least in theory"? I would amend that to, "at least in Klymit's dishonest marketing."

👍🔥🙏

Hope you've seen some videos by Shug! (Shugemery), taught me everything I know about hammocking!

Check out the SOL Escape Bivy. It's a great way to add 10° insulation value, it packs no bigger than a soda can, and it's pretty light

Absolutely... use a foam pad with an air pad; it makes a big difference. But there's debate over whether to put the foam under the pad or between the pad and the bag. The idea being that the foam will basically be a relatively hard stop of heat transfer between one side and the other, so why not stop/reflect heat at the bag & not waste the heat warming up the air inside a pad that's at least partially exposed to air. The flip side is that you don't heat up the foam, so why not give a little heat to the pad & let it act as a temp buffer and let the foam just block from the ground. Plus less wear/tear on the air pad if the foam is underneath. I've tried both and prefer going with a thin foam pad (like the Agnes 3rd degree) between the bag & pad. But if using a thicker one (like the Therm-a-rest Z-lite), or in a shelter with no flooring, I like it better under the pad. But that also leads to the debate over whether to put a contour pad inside the sleeping bag or outside, which is a whole 'nother can of worms. My answer is no but there are some compelling arguments for it.

@@blackoak4978 I very much do not recommend the SOL Bivvy line for that application. It's basically a mylar blanket-turned-bag with some extra features. It traps air so well that it also traps condensation. I have one & tried it out with my bag & pad one one night when it got down to 5 degrees. By morning, the outside of the sleeping bag / inside of that bivvy was absolutely soaked in condensation. It was also really tight fitting with my bag/pad combo so I lost some loft that way. If all you had was a blanket, summer bag, or nothing but some thermal clothes, and got caught in some cold weather, go for it. (or if you're going out to test the setup) But don't plan to use it; use it for emergency. That's not to say they're bad; I now keep mine in my emergency kit and will throw into my bag on cold treks for emergencies. But they're definitely not for a properly planned/equipped situation.

About to do a backcountry trip there in June - my first backpacking trip! Thanks for this info :)

And beside the above 👆🏻 Make sure that the entire groundsheet is covered with (thin) (aluminum) insulation mat, possibly together with a ground blanket. With a fleece blanket between sleeping mat and sleeping bag you prevent rising cold from below. Cover the sleeping place with a fleece or Dralon blanket or other material that does not absorb moisture. The sleeping place stays dry in this way. A warm jug is pleasant in the sleeping bag.

Western Mountaineering Badger.

@@jeskeepinitreal One thing I used to do was put a folded blanket UNDER the sleeping bag btw you and the pad. That way if the pad is a little on the summerish side of things you can boost it to a winterish pad. I'd only do this for a standing camp though, not a hike. Also, my exhusband and I had a pair of bags that could zip together making a double sized bag with the zips on the side. Line the inside of the bag with a thin but warm blanket and sleep with the blanket above you inside the bag, this will hel[ you tuck it around your neck etc to keep heat in. Again standing camp only not hiking. I used to hike a lot in the days (80s and 90s) when our pads were pretty much not more than yoga mats and you learned a bunch of tricks to keep the cold away from the underside on a hike such as putting a small piece of canvas under your pad between it and the floor as an extra layer of insulation. You could use a space blanket (foil lined sheet), poncho etc the same way.

USMC sleep system, at least the ones used around 2009, had a bivvy bag that ran 80." The rest of the bag could easily encapsulate my head and I stand 6'0".

@@IndomnitableForceofNature, funny you mention that. I have two of them from my time stationed in an MH-53 squadron. They work, but I’m “wall-to-wall” in it.

Klymit makes an XL inflatable pad 78" x 28" x 5".

The glasses and dandy boy spotless clothing really do make him look like a glamper d-bag

I was going to ask this question, thanks.

@@isaiahcampbell488 The one I use is the slightly thicker blanket that is orange on one side and reflective on the other (Ozark Trail Survival Blanket). I don't know if the thin, vinyl ones will work as well.

Slept under the stars this winter-20c haf a tarp a mat and sleeping bag . I was just fine .but waking up I the morning brrrrr. That's the worst

@@terrymiller1759 Would you put the reflective side facing the floor or the mat? I've never used a reflective blanket for anything, so I'm not familiar with their use.

I also use an emergency blanket under the pad. Even the cheap thin ones work wonders for cold weather camping!

I use a flannel sheet inside my bag too. We call it a bed scarf.

@@kevinhikes3132 Thanks. If you make it, make sure to leave it a little loose so that the v-channels of the Klymit pad still work properly... and it makes it easier to put on and remove, of course. Thanks for the reply..

I bought the thermarest Extreme wider square shape for this reason. I bought the exped rectangular shaped ones too for spare kits. Some peeps can get away with mummy shaped...I know I cant

I do that when I take my narrow pad because I was rolling off of it. One thing I do that I've been frowned upon for is I take my boots into my bag with me. They stay behind my knees, and are toasty warm in the morning.

What is the downside of putting the pad inside the bag?

@@NikkiLounsbury The bottom of the bag is more likely to get wet without the pad below it. I only use my narrow one in dry weather, so it just stays put better on the inside. I take a wider one otherwise.

I double it, I have a pad inside and one outside. But my bag I've had since I was young, quilted felt and fuzzy warm inside, open it up on the side and its good in the summer. I don't find bags like this anymore. Most the smooth satiny insides tend to make me really sweaty and uncomfortable.

I do same inside gortex bivy. I have a weird system of setting up my sleep system, tying 550 around the foot end so I can hang upside down, then lighting my UCO candle lantern under the head opening to allow lanten to heat whole sleep system GP included. Seems overkill except in extreme circumstances then it works great (I'm typing this so I haven't froze to death yet). WARNING: DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED! BE VERY CAREFUL OF FIRE!

That is either a massive sleeping bag you have or a very thin mat. Sounds like it would work though. Not to get onthis guys back but the last time I watched a vid by him I think he admitted that he doesn't go on long (multiday) hikes. This was a good year or so ago so he could have changed. I don't bother listening to the advice of people who go out for the night in a tent and then the next night are back in there massive bed at home.

@@affalaffaa I use a thermarest self inflating coffin shaped. Pad. It curls up on the sides a little when you zip up but I have used this method on cots, ground, and hammock.

I’ve always stuffed my mat into the bag and sometimes a second mat outside to lie on, like those foil mats.

I just did this for the first time last week, and it made such a positive difference. I used a Nemo Forte bag and alps inflatable pad (I forget which one I have). I woke up to frost, but had the warmest sleep ever. I actually had to shed layers in the night.

just tried this at home, very good advice. I have a yoga mat and a 5C to 10C sleeping bag. I live on the countryside of brazil, so is usually warm.

I'm a fellow Floridian as well, and I definitely share your sentiment about staying cool during the hot months, but the month or so of cold weather (at least here in North Florida) certainly should not be underestimated. I went hiking/camping in blackwater in February last year and again last montj, and seem to keep underestimating how cold it would be. Woke up and it was 24 degrees, boots were frozen, tent had sheets of ice falling off of it when I got out, etc. It was quite rough. The cold mixed with the humidity here can certainly complicate a trip if one isn't prepared. Sure, there's no snow, but it still can get damn cold and rather risky if you're down a lengthy trail with no cold weather preparations. But yes, heat is certainly the primary concern the other 11 months out of the year lol.

I use an old windshield reflector in my hammock tent. Works great!

is there such a thing as a quiet pad? I move around as a side sleeper and don’t want to wake camping friends

@@justwandermaya Foam pads are the quietest. Many self inflating mattresses are relatively quiet. Certain inflatable pads are more quiet than others. The cover material matters. The more fabric-like, the quieter. I have a winter inflatable mattress, an expensive one, but it uses crunchy mylar like material inside and it is incredibly noisy. I also find it kills my back even though it's one of the thickest pads. The Thermarest self-inflating pad I was issued later in my career was pretty quiet. It was also quite comfortable for me even though it was pretty thin. It had some kind of fill that was insulating and relatively quiet, which is important in a tactical environment.

I have also found that a foam pad under my airpad is huge for warmth. I use a thermarest zpad and a big Agnes q core insulated pad. I've got a cheap fleece sleeping bag from Amazon that maybe is good at 60f by itself and a 22 degree bag that is probably good to 35 in real life. Putting the fleece bag inside the big bag and using both pads I've slept WARM AND COMFY to 5. I'm a cold person.... I never want the AC on and the heat in my house never goes below 73.

I wasn’t in the military, but I have that sane sleep system. I was it was a tad bigger, but it’s an amazing sleep. I was in 15’ F once with 30 mile per hour winds and I slept like a champ. So warm, cozy and waterproof with that gortex bivy.

Lol. Yep. Why not just bring the whole bedroom set too while they’re at it. Pillows and all. Don’t forget the nightlight!