If you are a “cold sleeper” or one of these people who can
never get warm, you and I have a common bond. Since campfires are often prohibited in sensitive areas, or in hot, wildfire-laden summers, the task of getting warm before bed can be tricky. The scenario plays out the same every summer…the sunny day has
disappeared into a slightly damp, mildly-windy evening and now you find
yourself curled up in your sleeping bag, chilly and trying to wiggle
every-which-way-ta’-Tuesday to scare up some warmth. My clickity-clacking teeth
have been there many times and it can be downright miserable! Those who have
internal thermostat issues know how hard it can be to increase your
body’s temperature once night falls at camp and your sweaty, sun screened, bug
sprayed self is desperate to count some sheep. If you are anything like me,
your carcass is tired, dreamland is within grips, but you’d give anything for
an electric blanket! To combat my frigid malady, I’ve had to learn a few tips which
help me find the sandman, and may do the same for you.
Take damp clothes off immediately. Many
of these tips may have you exclaiming “well, DUH!”, but trust me when I say as
a guide, I saw sweaty hikers setting up camp, time and again before taking off
their perspiration soaked shirts. Take
off your sweaty “everythings” and change immediately when you get to camp into
a dry set of duds. Ladies, this is very key to us because wet underwear like
sports bras stick against the skin and are often soaked after hard trail
days. Soggy underwear will zap heat like
a water to a fire, plus it’s just not comfortable when you stop moving.
Don’t sleep in too many clothes. A
sleeping bag in and of itself cannot generate heat, correct? Again, I hear a
collective “DUH”, but stay with me. Therefore,
a sleeping bag is not warm, unless you and your snuggly self can radiate enough
heat to trap it inside the down/synthetic fibers and let the bag do what it was
designed to do! Sleeping in a puffy
jacket and thick fleece pants may only trap the heat in those garments
rendering the sleeping bag rather useless.
Instead, bring a thin to medium set of sleeping clothes, such as long
underwear, and you might find you sleep toastier.
Drink hot drinks before bed. And, I
don’t mean toddies. In fact, alcohol can actually have the opposite effect of
staying warm. Instead, heat up water for a cup of tea or cocoa and let the cozy
beverage rush over your tongue and into your tummy until it’s gone. Afterward,
dive into the sleeping bag and notice how much warmer you feel. Of course, be sure to empty your bladder
before you do, or you might be back to square one at 2am.
Wear a hat to bed. Want to join me for
a nightcap? No seriously. Years ago before central heat made it to
homes, people wore nightcaps to bed to take off the chill. They knew what was
up with staying warm at night- these folks had it dialed! Channel your inner pioneer and fire a toque
over your noggin’ before catching some zzzs. Just be sure you get one that fits
comfortably that isn’t too tight or too small or you’ll wake up with lines across
your forehead and a headache that will make you want to throw the hat off the
nearest cliff.
Sleep with a hot water bottle. If the
weather takes a turn or you get very wet and are having a hard time taking the
chill off of your body, fill a hard-sided plastic bottle with a secure lid (key
words), with warm (not hot) water. Most hard sided water bottles can handle the
heat provided it’s not scalding. Let
that warm little rascal hang out in your sleeping bag by your feet then spoon
it like you mean it. Be sure to triple check
the lid to ensure this shenanigan doesn’t go sideways.
Choose the right sleeping bag. Go to
any outdoor retailer and you’ll stand there like a deer in the headlights when
it comes to sleeping bags. Green ones,
red ones, light ones, heavy ones, right zipper, left zipper, half zipper,
double, mummy, bleeeeaaaahhhh! First, do your homework and make sure you know
approximately what you want.
Start
with the bags innards. Goose down bags are more comfortable in a wider
variety of temperatures, are more compressible and are usually lighter than
their synthetic counter parts. Unfortunately, they are more expensive and if
they get wet, oh baby, they stay wet with a vengeance! I highly recommend those
with goose down bags get an ultralight waterproof stuff sack for it to live
while you are out trail traipsing. Synthetic bags on the other hand are
tougher, cheaper and better in wet conditions, but they are less compressible
and usually heavier. I’ve always had
goose down bags because I don’t want to carry one single ounce more than I
need, but that’s me and you are you (DUH).
Do what you do.
Next,
look for EN temperature ratings.
This rating is the lowest possible temperature that you might experience
on the trail. To that, add 10 degrees if
you are a cold sleeper. It’s a good rule
of thumb that usually works for most folks who are fearful of buying a bag that
won’t keep them warm. Temperature ratings are not exact science- if it was,
every coat out there would have one. Plus, people have different metabolisms
and we are all our own beast. Most manufacturer’s tout some kind of crazy
metric/testing to arrive at the number. Look
for loft and read, read, read reviews!
Select
your gender. Women’s bag are all over the place and a really good option if
you deem yourself a female. Because women tend to sleep colder than men, more
filling is added to the chest and the foot box, where women tend to loose most
of their heat. Their temperature ratings also tend to be more lenient because
they know, that a shivering woman, is a force to be reckoned with (I speak from
goose-bumping experience). There really isn’t such a thing as men’s bags, but
rather a unisex category. Don’t
necessarily buy a women’s bag, just because
you are a woman. Some gals have broad shoulders, tall statures or are just
strong, burley Bettys. In the store, climb in both women’s bag and
unisex bags before you determine what feels most comfortable.
Be
a little mummy. When I worked for REI people commonly mention how
claustrophobic they felt in mummy bags and sure, they aren’t for everyone, but
if you want to stay warm, they do one heck of a job trapping that warm body air
and keeping it inside the bag. A wider bag or a longer bag requires more of
your toasty goodness to heat the bag, thus, making it harder to stay warm. Plus, mummys are often lighter and have great
draft tubes (stuffing filled tubes near the zippers which prevent cold air from
coming in). For me, it’s a no brainer, but then again, I’m comfortable scuba
diving in the dark waters of the Pacific Northwest and enjoy riding elevators.
As a last resort, hand warmers and the buddy system. You know those little disposable hand warmers that heat up instantly when you tear the pouch open? Those little puppies are great at heating hands and toes in a pinch (well, not pinched toes, but you get me). The downside to them is that they are heavy to pack in and pack out. But…if you are desperate, I’ve seen worse ideas. Tent mates are warm too. Just having another body sleeping beside you rises the temperature inside the nylon walls and helps you regulate your own temperature. It's like your own built-in "friend heater" complete with a laugh to keep you company. Perfect, I say. 
