The Big Three - Sleep System

Irrespective of where you sleep, on the ground or in the air, the need for insulation exists. My journey to find a good night’s sleep camping started on the ground.

Three different approaches, all ready for a good night’s sleep in an Isle Royal shelter.

Sleeping Mats

Ground sleeping requires two things under you, appropriate insulation and padding. There are two main technologies used, closed cell foam (CCF) and air-filled mats.

I have limited experience of CCF mats, they are bulky (less suitable for kayak camping hence my lack of experience) and often seen on the outside of thru' hiker's packs. They appear to be a popular choice due to their minimal weight and convenience.

Air-filled mats vary in size, material and fill/insulation. Mats range from 3/4 body length and super skinny widths, up to long and wide ones. The thickness when inflated ranges from around an inch up to as much as four inches.

I am generally a side sleeper and have found it difficult to get comfortable on sleep mats. My arms have routinely developed a tingling sensation that wakes me up, and my hips ache after a while. Two solutions that have helped are firstly to use a wide mat, this has helped provide better support for my shoulders and reduced the arm sensation. The other practice that has helped is to reduce the air pressure in the mat. To find the optimum pressure I inflate the mat then lie on it and then let out the air until my hips are as low as they can be without touching the ground beneath.

The material the mat is made of can affect the noise the mat makes if you move while sleeping, some are super crinkly and sound like unwrapping presents, waking yourself up that way is no fun. The slipperiness of the mat's surface can affect how often you find yourself slipping off the mat, this becomes more critical if you are not able to find a flat area to pitch your tent.

My current mat of choice is the Exped Ultra 1R LW. To decode the name, that is Exped's compromise between light weight, low insulation, yet large mat. For colder temperature I switch it out for the 5R version. These mats have the best combination of thickness, support and durability that I have found work for my body. They are by no means the lightest option available.

A good night's sleep is so critical to sustaining your health on the trail that it’s an area to consider compromising a little additional weight on your quest for minimum total weight to ensure your own resilience.

Sleeping Bags and Quilts

As a vegan it pains me that there is still no great alternative to goose down for sleeping insulation. All synthetic insulations are less compressible and weigh more. The compromise I made with myself is to only buy recycled down gear, where either the down or the complete gear itself is recycled. From a pure vegan perspective this is counter to vegan philosophy as it still supports the abuse of geese by proxy, but it’s the best option for me at this time.

Jacquelyn and I have discovered that we both sleep far better in quilts than in sleeping bags, especially if we are sleeping together in a tent. As a result, I have switched exclusively to using quilts. If you are looking for a sleeping bag my recommendation is to check out Western Mountaineering - I have had excellent experience with their bags, and especially like their Gore-Tex bags (I have a zero-degree GWS bag from them).

Something I haven't really written about is the Cottage Gear Manufacturing industry. The UL backpacking community is lucky to be served by many excellent small businesses that produce custom gear designed specifically for UL backpackers. We live in Minnesota so naturally we try and support our local businesses; we are very fortunate to have an incredible quilt making company locally, Enlightened Equipment (EE).  Enlightened Equipment make custom ultra-light quilts and have a range of off the shelf designs.

I have chosen custom versions of the EE Enigma quilt. To lighten them as much as possible I chose the lightest fabric they offer (7D) as well as the lightest fill weight (950). Quilt layering is a recognized technique to enable greater flexibility to manage different temperature ranges, I have both a 40F and a 20F set of top and under quilts. using these, separately or together, I can happily go from warm days to subzero nights.

An under-quilt is used in hammock camping below 70F to reduce heat loss under your body. In warm weather I use a 3/4 length 40F quilt, the EE Revolt V2 - short and in cooler climates I use a full length 20F quilt. These can also then be layered to provide even greater insulation. This allows me to be UL in warmer climates and yet allows me maximum comfort in colder weather.

The 40F top and under quilts fit together in an eight-liter compression dry bag that I use to protect them from water as well as reduce their size within my pack. I will talk more about packing systems when I write about packs - coming soon.

Side note: When camping with Jacquelyn we also use EE quilts, our favorite is the EE Accomplice 20F long, which we pair with an Exped Ultra 3R Duo sleeping mat and fitted sheet.

The downside of these amazing quilts is they are so luxurious and comfy you may never want to sleep under anything else! I recently found my daughter fast asleep curled up under my quilt on the sofa. I take my blissful afternoon naps at home snug under my 40F EE Enigma.

Pillows

The final item to complete the sleep system is a pillow. Pillows are more critical to side sleeping than back sleeping, as it is helpful to prop up one’s head to reduce the bend in the neck. The most UL method is to reuse a stuff sack and fill it with clothes. However, to ensure a great night’s sleep I take the luxury of packing a Nemo Fillo Elite Ultralight Pillow, I love the material and the thickness adjusts to suit my neck.

As with all my recommendations, your milage may vary, but I recommend really investing time and money in finding the sleeping system that works for you.