Thread: Sleeping bag

Everyone sleeps at different temps obviously. My mate bought a halo, very nice lightweight bag, supposedly water resistant. They are designed to be slept in using layers should you encounter a colder night than normal, they're not an extreme low temp rated bag. G got cold in his bag a couple of nights on our roar trip...got to negative 7 or 8, snow on tent etc. He had to put on his down jacket and hat to get a good night sleep. One night his feet must have been touching the end of the tent and his bag sucked up a fair bit of moisture.

I bought a Macpac epic 600 last year before winter tahr trip last year and am very happy with it. I sleep in my undies with a silk liner and have yet to get cold, my nose will be icy cold but i'm toasty as in the bag. As Tussock says, my wet gear comes off and stays outside, tucked under the vestibule I am not climbing in and out of. Wet gear and boots creates moisture.

Another thing to really consider to keep warm is a decent filled sleeping mat, so you have decent insulation from the cold ground. They can make the world of difference.

We always laugh at how the old timers must shake their heads at us with all our flash gear we use to keep comfy and warm. Man some of those guys must have been tough bastards.

Originally Posted by JoshC

We always laugh at how the old timers must shake their heads at us with all our flash gear we use to keep comfy and warm. Man some of those guys must have been tough bastards.

I can remember always being cold wet and miserable as a grunt when on ex in NZ.
Waiouru and Tekepo humping around half your body weight in rain, hail, snow or shine. Digging in, in frozen ground everytime you stopped.
You never got warm apart from when digging or stomping for weeks.

Coldest I have been was when we were cut off way out the back of the training area in Waiouru for over a week. No vehicles or helos could reach us.
We were dug in to stage 4. The pits may as well have been underground freezers.
We had what I thought at the time, we're decent sleeping bags.
Kept losing guys to Hypothermia and even frostbite but there was no way to evac them.
It was beyond miserable.

I remember having a chat with the CSM and QM on site who said they have had it way worse and never had a sleeping bag back in their day. They carried just 2 grey army blankets and woollen battle dress.
From then on I treasured my shitty synthetic sleeping bag that always seemed damp and heavy
Yup, don't know why or how but they were definitely harder bastards back in the day.






Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by R93

I can remember always being cold wet and miserable as a grunt when on ex in NZ.
Waiouru and Tekepo humping around half your body weight in rain, hail, snow or shine. Digging in, in frozen ground everytime you stopped.
You never got warm apart from when digging or stomping for weeks.

Coldest I have been was when we were cut off way out the back of the training area in Waiouru for over a week. No vehicles or helos could reach us.
We were dug in to stage 4. The pits may as well have been underground freezers.
We had what I thought at the time, we're decent sleeping bags.
Kept losing guys to Hypothermia and even frostbite but there was no way to evac them.
It was beyond miserable.

I remember having a chat with the CSM and QM on site who said they have had it way worse and never had a sleeping bag back in their day. They carried just 2 grey army blankets and woollen battle dress.
From then on I treasured my shitty synthetic sleeping bag that always seemed damp and heavy
Yup, don't know why or how but they were definitely harder bastards back in the day.






Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

When you read about troops out in winter and you see the gear they had (lucky if they had blankets) you wonder how they did not just freeze to death. I guess a fair few did.

Originally Posted by Tussock

When you read about troops out in winter and you see the gear they had (lucky if they had blankets) you wonder how they did not just freeze to death. I guess a fair few did.

Imo it is an age thing as well.
Younger=hardier. There is obviously a point where it is too cold for anyone but the younger you are the better you handle it.
I just look at my kids getting around on cold frosty mornings in shorts and t shirts like it's summer.

I am thankful for modern gear that keeps me warm in the hills.
If we had it when I was serving we still would have found something to whinge about.

I have an old original macpac solstice sleeping bag, got it years ago. Has more duct tape on it than a roll of duct tape to be fair.

Best bag I have ever used high up mid winter in the alps or at 7000 ft in Canada during autumn.
Modern bags must be better again in warmth and value you would think.


Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk