Aron Snyder leaving Kifaru

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Titan_Bow

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I vividly recall a Facebook post about sleep systems. I vividly remember commenting about using my 20F Kifaru down to about -20F, starting with dry socks, dry merino base layers, a Nanopuff, pants, and a hat.

Aron challenged me, which I thought was ridiculous, saying that I should strip to nothing. He then explained that he was right because, well, he had 60,000 Instagram followers. I blocked him.

Not to argue, and whatever works for you, but when I was in the Army, my first duty station was Fort Drum, NY. I was in a light infantry unit, and we did a lot cold weather training and field time. I was taught as part of the cold weather training to get in your sleeping back in only your skivvies, or at most just your base layers. The idea being, if you climb into a well insulated sleeping bag fulling clothed, or clothed in insulating layers, it increases the chances of you sweating, which then can actually be really dangerous in extremely cold weather. We spent a lot of nights in the field in -20 to -30 temps, and I followed that advice and it seemed to work. I remember a new LT that didnt heed that advice and about died of hypothermia, in his sleeping bag, full polypros, insulating layers, full gore-tex, etc.
 

JDBAK

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Not to argue, and whatever works for you, but when I was in the Army, my first duty station was Fort Drum, NY. I was in a light infantry unit, and we did a lot cold weather training and field time. I was taught as part of the cold weather training to get in your sleeping back in only your skivvies, or at most just your base layers. The idea being, if you climb into a well insulated sleeping bag fulling clothed, or clothed in insulating layers, it increases the chances of you sweating, which then can actually be really dangerous in extremely cold weather. We spent a lot of nights in the field in -20 to -30 temps, and I followed that advice and it seemed to work. I remember a new LT that didnt heed that advice and about died of hypothermia, in his sleeping bag, full polypros, insulating layers, full gore-tex, etc.
Sorry, tangent to the original thread here....
I ran a version of that experiment when I was on active duty 20+ years ago sleeping out at Ft. Greely at -30 something (ambient) directly on the snow in a bivy bag.

I used a Wiggy's 2 part sleep system rated to -40F, along with the army goretex bivy bag and issue thin thermarest.
First night, wore all my clothes, and had my fleece jacket tucket in my bag on my right side. I woke up with my right arm freezing! This is before we were issued proper puffy layers, we just had polypro underwear and Polartech 300wt bibs and jacket. The rolled up fleece seemed to compress the synthetic insulation of bag and not insulate nearly as well as the bag alone.

Over the next week I wore silkweights, T-shirt and skivies, and up to the thicker polypro (not the current gridded style).

My take-away was that the skivvies thing was kinda nuts. It was warmer with some insulation, but not thick fleece. That just compressed the good puffy insulation of the sleeping bag. Especially if the bag was too restrictive (which my Wiggy's was somewhat, the issue sleep system was cut much more generously).

In the years since, I've slept better using much lighter sleeping bags (+20F) down to about -20F successfully by learning from climbers and PJs....wear your puffy pants and parka to bed. It makes a huge difference. Also hot nalgene bottles, fresh "sleep" socks, down booties, 2 pad system, all really help. Just don't compress the insulation.

But I still hear that skivies only advice from soldiers, who generally don't sleep out in the cold much. And usually only do with heated squad tents.
 

tony

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LoL must be a WV thing then.
But I still use gray sneakers occasionally for work
 
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Sad to see him go. He did a lot for kifaru!. Awesome guy in the hunting industry. I remember the days of kifaru before Aron. It was like a secret club. Hardly anyone had no one knew about them. He really marketed and exploded Kifaru to the world. I love kifaru packs. Been running them since the early days when they first started. and I will Continue to run them.

Cool to see what new adventures he will do now with born primitive
 
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fngTony

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LoL must be a WV thing then.
But I still use gray sneakers occasionally for work
In your neighboring state my step dad still wears jorts but with sandals. He will pair that with a straw hat when it’s sunny.
 
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