Winter Sleep System
Winter is cold. Your Sleep System not only keeps you warm and comfortable at night, it is your emergency shelter from hypothermia should the weather turn for the worse or if you become injured and can not walk out.
Cold Weather Sleeping Bag System
3-layered military sleeping bag system (2 bags covered in bivy bag)
over 2 insulated foam pads
over tarp
Winter Sleep System
One should NOT skimp on sleeping gear. The proper sleeping gear will keep you warm and alive at night. Insufficient sleeping gear will make for one miserable night or place you at risk of hypothermia.
Recommended Sleep Gear Needed in Winter
Sleeping Bag - One of the following:
Synthetic 0° EN Rated Winter Sleeping Bag
Examples:
Hiker Direct Aura 0 Sleeping Bag (super economy option)
Synthetic 20° EN Rated 3-Season Sleeping Bag AND extra layer of insulation (second bag, blanket, etc.)
See our Sleeping Bag Augmentation Page
Examples:
REI Co-op Trailmade 20 Sleeping Bag AND a second bag, comforter or bag liner
Hiker Direct Aura 20 Sleeping Bag AND a second bag, or comforter (super economy option)
Uses a Modular 2-Bag System with waterproof Bivy Cover
Sleeping Pad - Ideally 2
Closed Cell Foam Pad as base layer
Inflatable Sleeping Pad
See our Sleeping Pad Page
Ground Cover - One of the following:
Tarp
Reusable Mylar Survival Blanket - shiny side up
Sleeping Accessories
Sleeping Bags
You should not skimp on your sleeping bag. Having an inadequate sleeping bag for the winter isn't just about having a miserable experience, it places you at risk of hypothermia. That said, you don't need to buy the top of the line bag. You can find a suitable bag for sometimes a quarter of the cost of a higher end bag. If you go with a more economical options, consider getting a better rated bag (a -10° instead of 0° bag) or bringing extra insulation.
0° EN Rated Winter Sleeping Bags
The general rule of thumb is to select a bag that is rated 10° less than the temperature you will be sleeping in. An 0° EN Rated Winter Bag will be sufficient for most of the winter outings we will go on and is preferred over a 3-season bag for snow outings.
These have a bit too much insulation for year round use
All fabric needs to be synthetic
Cotton and flannel are NOT acceptable for shells, liners or fill
Consider down or synthetic fill
Down
Down is more expensive but lighter
Down is preferred for dry cold environments
Down is NOT recommended for younger or inexperienced scouts
Down is NOT recommended for wet environments - which is where we generally camp
Synthetic
Synthetic is more forgiving in wet environments
Synthetic is the preferred bag fill for our Scouts and Adults
Scouts without an acceptable sleeping system are prohibited from overnight campouts in the snow
0° Synthetic Sleeping Bag Options
Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 0° Sleeping Bag
EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 2.3°F / -16.5°C
Fill: HL-ElixR ECO
Marmot Trestles Elite Eco line is considered the best synthetic bags on the market
Mammut Nordic OTI Winter
EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 10°F
Fill: Polyester
Mountain Hardware Bozeman 0F/-18C
EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 0°F / -18°C
Fill: Thermal.Q Recycled
REI Frostbreak 5
REI Temperature Rating: 5°F
Fill: Synthetic
Big Agnes Lost Dog 0° and Benchmark 0°
These have NOT been ISO tested
Temperature Ratings: 0°F?
Lost Dog Fill: FireLine Eco Synthetic
Benchmark Fill: Fireline
Lost Dog is higher end Eco option of their synthetic bags
Uses recycled materials
Has a sleeve for your sleeping pad
Does NOT have insulation on the bottom side and is solely dependent on a sleeping pad for bottom insulation
ISO Testing is not possible due to dependance on a pad - it is similar to a quilt
bigagnes.com - Lost Dog
bigagnes.com - Benchmark
Kelty Cosmic Synthetic 0
Klymit Wild Aspen 0 Sleeping Bags
Temperature Rating: 0°F
Fill: Double Layer Thermapro
Economy bags
Alps Aura and Blaze 0
Rating: 0°F?
Blaze Fill: TechLoft Silver insulation
Aura Fill: TechLoft Micro insulation
These are both economy bags - excellent value
Blaze is budget version of Aura
Polyester outer shell instead of Nylon
Different fill
Get either for dirt cheep with Hiker Direct account
hikerdirect.com Aura 0
$65
hikerdirect.com Blaze 0
$60
Teton Sports Leef 0˚F
Rating: 0°F?
Don't count on it
Less than $80
Find at Walmart
Fill: PolarLite Micro Insulation
Heavy but good bang for buck
Military Cold Weather Sleeping Bag System
System Used by US Military
Intermediate Cold Weather Bag combined with Patrol Bag
Per Tennier
T Limit: -18°C / 0°F for Multi-Season Bags joined
You can sometimes find these for $100 in good condition
The Gray bag (newer Improved MSS) is better than the Black one (older MSS)
3-Season 20° EN Rated Sleeping Bags - WITH Augmented Insulation
20° EN Rated bag will work for 3 out of the 4 seasons in our part of the world
Sleeping Bag Augmentation
In the winter, a 20° EN Rated bag needs to be augmented with second bag/blanket or thick clothing
See our Sleeping Bag Augmentation Page
Mountain Hardware Bozeman 15F
EN Rating:
15°F
Fill:
Thermal.Q Recycled
mountainhardwear.com
3-Season 20° Synthetic Sleeping Bag Options
Marmot Trestles 15° and Trestles Elite Eco 20° Sleeping Bag
EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 16.0°F / -8.9°C
Trestles Fill: Spirafil, Synthetic Sheet
Trestles Elite Eco: HL-ElixR ECO recycled fill
Trestles Elite Eco 20° is considered the best synthetic sleeping bag by many
Packs down small and is pretty light
marmot.com 15° Trestles - more economical
marmot.com 20° Trestles Elite Eco
Mammut Nordic OTI 3-Season
EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 19°F
Fill: Polyester
Mountain Hardware Bozeman 15F/-9C
EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 15°F / -9°C
Fill: Thermal.Q Recycled
Nemo Tempo and Forte 20
Tempo ISO Temp Rating (Limit): 19°F / -7°C
Forte ISO Temp Rating (Limit): 20°F / -7°C
Tempo Fill: Stratofiber
Forte Fill: Zerofiber PCR recycled
Forte is higher end option
Lighter - 1.55 kg vs 1.65 kg
Compresses to 5.3L vs 9.2L
Softer, thinner fabric
Little tighter around waist and feet
Recycled materials and fewer chemicals
nemoequipment.com - Tempo
nemoequipment.com - Forte
REI Co-op Trailmade 20 Sleeping Bag
ISO Temp Rating (Limit): 21°F
Fill: Recycled polyester
Good Budget Bag
Big Agnes Lost Dog 15° and Benchmark 20°
These have NOT been ISO tested
Lost Dog Temperature Rating: 15°F?
Benchmark Temperature Rating: 20°F?
Lost Dog Fill: FireLine Eco Synthetic
Benchmark Fill: Fireline Core Synthetic
Lost Dog is higher end Eco option of their synthetic bags
Uses recycled materials
Has a sleeve for your sleeping pad
Does NOT have insulation on the bottom side and is solely dependent on a sleeping pad for bottom insulation
ISO Testing is not possible due to dependance on a pad - it is similar to a quilt
bigagnes.com - Lost Dog
bigagnes.com - Benchmark
Kelty Cosmic Synthetic 20
Klymit Wild Aspen 20 Sleeping Bags
Temperature Rating: 20°F
Fill: Double Layer Thermapro
Economy bags
Alps Aura and Blaze +20
Rating: 20°F?
Blaze Fill: TechLoft Silver insulation
Aura Fill: TechLoft Micro insulation
Blaze is budget version of Aura with polyester outer and different fill
Get either for dirt cheep with Hiker Direct account
hikerdirect.com Aura +20
$60
hikerdirect.com Blaze +20
$40
Teton Sports Leef 20˚F
Rating: 20°F?
Don't count on it
Around $70
Find at Walmart
Fill: PolarLite Micro Insulation
Heavy but good bang for buck
Military Intermediate Cold Weather Sleeping Bag
This is the thicker of the two bags in the Military Modular Sleep System
Military rated between -10 to 30°F
Possible ISO equivalent of 10-20°F rating?
You can sometimes find these for $50 in good condition
Military Modular Sleep System (MSS)
The military system is designed for use by the military in harsh, wet and cold environments. In extreme conditions, this bag should keep you alive. It is a bit overkill for what we do, but is nice to have when everything is soaking wet and cold. This modular system allows you to select the layers you need and allow for comfortable sleeping range between 0-70°F.
See our Military Modular Sleep System Page for more about his option
Scout sleeping in the Pouring Rain
Sleeping Pad
A Sleeping Pad is essential for insulating your body against the cold ground. This is NOT an optional item for winter camping.
Sleeping Pads
Required (NOT optional) for snow outings
Vital if sleeping on snow or frozen ground
Ideally carry 2 sleeping pads if sleeping on snow or frozen ground
Closed-Cell Foam Sleeping Pad
Indestructible and multi use
Use as bottom layer
Example:
Army Closed Cell Foam Pad
Affordable
Durable
3/8" thick
Inflatable Sleeping Pad
Better insulation/weight ratio than closed cell foam
Use as softer top layer
Can be substituted with second foam pad(s)
Example:
See our Sleeping Pad Page for more on this gear.