Cold!

[Ants]

If you seam seal the stuff sack it will be a lot easier to pump the pad up....still a pain, but less of one.

Excellent suggestion. I did it and it helps the process go much faster.

 

[Scoot]

Thanks again for all of the helpful info, fellas! Taking into account all of the replies I've gotten here and other webistes, here's what I've concluded:
1) a different tent is way down the list of things that will help me out.
2) a foam pad will help me out underneath my BAIC pad (however, I don't want to go down this road for temps in the range I'm getting cold at- I'd happily do it if I couldn't accomplish staying warm with a little better gear though).
3) a warmer/better sleeping bag will help me a lot.
4) getting a better/warmer pad is probably the biggest thing.

So, I'm going to take your advice and start with a better pad. I'm going to get the one Justin and other suggested and go with the Neo Therma-a-rest. It's got an R value of 5.7 and my current BAIC has an R value of 4.1. My remaining question is this: if my 4.1 R value pad keeps me comfy to about 30-35 degrees, what temp will my new 5.7 R value pad keep me comfortable to? Any reasonable guesses as to how many degrees the pad switcharoo will buy me?

My thinking is this: if the answer is only a couple or few degrees, I may as well just bite the bullet right away and get a new sleeping bag too...

 

[Justin Crossley]

You will see the biggest difference when you put the whole system together. That pad should keep you warm in very cold temperatures with the right sleeping bag.

 

[Rizzy]

Keep in mind that the BA bag has no insulation on the bottom, so a warmer pad would be mandatory. A 650 fill 20 deg BA bag is just not that warm and you will want to upgrade it in the future no matter what pad you get. If you upgrade your sleeping bag, you would be adding insulation in between your pad and bag which would add warmth all around (more r value on bottom and top). I think you would get more for your money this way.

If your pad is not warm enough your back will be cold, if your bag is not warm enough your belly/top of legs will be cold. Did you notice when you woke up in the middle of the night?

 

[Jonboy71]

I'm a cold sleeper as well, and I can never keep my feet warm enough, even with multiple pairs of socks on and raping cloths over them, but then I started bringing my Tigoat bivy sack along, which weighs nothing, the pad and bag both go inside and the sack adds about 10 degrees to the whole setup, the airpad warms up and I'm now able to sleep a lot warmer with less cloths in the same conditions!!

 

[Eric Bailey]

I too am a cold sleeper. Best change I've made in recent years is sleeping with a balaclava on, and a wool cap on top of it. When I go to sleep, I'm typically wearing almost all of my clothes that I bring with me. Usually including long underear, heavy fleece bottoms, sometimes my pants too. On top usually a base layer, and fleece. Then balaclava, then hat. Frequently gloves too.

Sometimes I heat up a liter bottle of water to boiling in the jetboil, wrap it in a shirt or jacket, and put it by my feet in my bag.

 

[Alaskan89]

When sleeping outside in cold temps, I think it's a much wiser option to use a foam pad instead of air, especially if the air pad is not insulated from the ground. Another option to consider with the foam pad is a synthetic bag rated at 15-20º, like a Wiggy's Ultra Lite or the Glacier Hunte bag. I've been packing my Ultra for 6-7 years now and have never been cold, though I like to sleep in synthetic base layers and merino wool socks, which helps a bit i'm sure. You have to be careful with down as i'm sure you laready know, you get it wet and it's basically worthless until it dries out.

 

[Mike7]

I have a BAIAC pad and a Neoair X-therm and I really don't notice much of a difference if at all in how warm I stay between these two pads (maybe because the Neoair is narrower and it is easier for me to end up with my legs a little off of the pad?). But I do notice a huge difference when the temp get down below the low to mid 20's in whether I have my short Thermarest Ridgerest foam pad on top of either of these inflatables. The other great thing about carrying at least a short cut-down Ridgerest is that you can use it for a seat all day while hunting. Wearing a good hat and dry wool socks to bed as mentioned above is great advice also.