Miserable time in a tent

[hunt1up]

I HATE traditional packpacking sleeping bags. Who wants to lay like a mummy in a coffin all night? I too need my leg room. You need a wide rectangle sleeping bag. A few years ago I purchased a wide rectangle down bag, it's a Cabelas brand bag. I don't believe they make it any more, but someone has to make one similar. It's backpacking worthy, compact and light and has a ton of space inside.

 

[W.D. Crawford]

Man, I gave up on a good nights sleep while camping a loooong time ago. Mark Twain said "Golf is a good walk ruined" That's kinda how I feel about getting a good nights sleep while I am out in the woods. I try to eat just before I turn in and don't drink anything at least an hour before bed.

 

[twall13]

Might be worth trying a hammock in mild conditions to see how you like it, then looking in to underquilts and stuff. Hammocks just get heavy and/or expensive to do cold weather comfortably. I do sleep better in a hammock than anything else.

Cold weather hammock camping can get expensive, but I don't think it's any more weight penalty than other options, unless you are using a bivy type system.

Here's my hammock setup and I'm by no means on the light side-
PolyD 11.5' Hammock- 10.8 Oz.
Hammock Gear Incubator 20* Under Quilt- 25.1 Oz
20* Down Top Quilt I made from a sleeping bag- 28.7 Oz
Warbonnet Superfly Tarp- 22.7 Oz
Suspension, 6 stakes, other- 10.7 Oz
Total Sleep System- 6.125 lbs.

I've taken that setup comfortably down to 15* on multiple occassions. I also have a zero degree underquilt that would add about 5 Oz. Throw in a second top quilt rated to 45* for another 16 Oz. and I'm good to zero degree weather.

If it's warmer, I can use my 30* hammock gear Burrow Econ and drop about 7 oz. off the top quilt. Change out the tarp for one without doors and I lose another 5 oz. I could probably ditch a few stakes and other miscellaneous hardware for another few ounces as well but I choose not to.

Again, my system is set up for comfort, not weight savings. Since I spent the time to learn how to properly use a hammock I've been sleeping much better in the backcountry. They are not for everyone, but they can be very comfortable. My point is, they aren't going to be much different weight wise to a standard tent type setup. The money I've spent on multiple under quilts, top quilts and tarps has been a disadvantage but a good nights sleep is worth it to me and my system is very flexible for about any weather conditions I'm likely to encounter.

 

[cknlg1]

I think your answer just might be a better cot. The problem with a bigger pad is the self inflating ones are super bulky to pack.

 

[MTElkChaser]

When you guys say benadryl...what kind do you mean?

I suffered with restless legs syndrome for years - finally got on medication that made it go away. It’s the only prescription medication I’m on.

Benadryl made my restless legs worse, actually. Depends on how you are wired I guess, but my Dr. said Benadryl usually makes people with restless legs worse and so does Melatonin. I feel your pain buddy - unless you’ve suffered from RLS, it’s hard to understand how completely maddening it is. Have you seen a Dr. about a prescription medication?

- - - Updated - - -

I suffered with restless legs syndrome for years - finally got on medication that made it go away. It’s the only prescription medication I’m on.

Benadryl made my restless legs worse, actually. Depends on how you are wired I guess, but my Dr. said Benadryl usually makes people with restless legs worse and so does Melatonin. I feel your pain buddy - unless you’ve suffered from RLS, it’s hard to understand how completely maddening it is. Have you seen a Dr. about a prescription medication?

Didn’t realize that this post was “resurrected” after almost nearly a year.

Hopefully the OP has found a solution or relief from RLS. It’s a horrible condition to have when remaining still (sitting, driving, sleeping) is a requirement.

Will truly drive you completely insane and sleep deprived if you can’t get it under control. Good luck!

 

[*zap*]

I had trouble sleeping in a bag so I ditched the traditional mattress set up and started sleeping on plywood with a mat and a bag and started keeping the living environment cooler. Eventually it became e-z..still sleep that way every night. Right now I wake up to high 50's or so. Getting some wiggys xlwb bags helped, thou....they are roomy. That's what I use daily. But when I sleep in a tighter bag its no problem anymore. It helps to be tired when you turn in and if you wake then just get up....stay up or if your still tired grab a quick bite and go back to sleep. Anyway, that is what worked for me. YMMV.

 

[Southforkguy]

Basically what 5milesback said, im going full basecamp with a nice ass warm bed. Screw it, if i want to pack in i will use a tarp and my 20degree bag for a night or 2 out. I spent 10 days in my light tent and by the last few days i was not lookin g forward to spending time in it. Sleep and recovery is huge imo

 

[isu22andy]

How do you guys in bags sleep when your feet get hot ? Seems almost every night Im sticking my feet outside my bed covers for cooler air . This leads me to think Ill be a quilt user but I havent slept in a bag for 4-5 years and they were all junk walmart bags.

 

[*zap*]

Put a large stainless bottle of very cold water by your feet.

 

[ozyclint]

Man, I gave up on a good nights sleep while camping a loooong time ago. Mark Twain said "Golf is a good walk ruined" That's kinda how I feel about getting a good nights sleep while I am out in the woods. I try to eat just before I turn in and don't drink anything at least an hour before bed.

^what this man said. there's 340 other days of the year where i'm lying in my comfortable bed wishing i was lying cold/wet/clammy/uncomfortable in a camp on the side of a mountain in a game paradise.
when i'm uncomfortable and the going is rough i tell myself, "i'd give anything to be here if i was at home right now".

 

[SHTF]

So what sleeping pad is wider and thicker and still somewhat light?

Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe Ultralight Camping Sleeping Pad - KLYMIT is what I use. It works great. Cant beat a 30inch wide pad. This one works well.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I guess I don't have anything revolutionary to add. I would just say what everyone generally understands anyway: Sleep and rest are an incredibly important part of any backcountry trip. It's no less important than good nutrition and hydration. Cheat yourself and you won't be 100%, even if you can't realize it. One-third of your trip is spent in your bed, whatever it consists of. Figure out what you need (perhaps it's less than you imagine) to be very comfortable and bring it. Sleeping uncomfortable has never made any sense to me, given the cumulative negative effect it has.

Some folks just aren't ever going to be comfortable with an ultralight bed system. Some won't be comfortable on/in anything but their King mattress and percale sheets. There are guys who probably just won't make it on extended hunts because they can never be comfortable or sleep well. That's an unfortunate reality.

I don't like cramped tents, so I take one with enough space to give me the room I need inside. I might have to relieve myself in the night, and that's a lot easier if I can stand up inside the tent (actually my tipi). My overall bed system consists of an ultralight cot (LuxuryLite for me), Exped DownMat, and Western Mountaineering bag. I take my time and get the cot leveled up, because sleeping on any type incline is bad for deep sleep. My pad is inflated correctly for enough cushion and insulation without being overly tight. I adjust it as needed during the trip. I'm a guy who doesn't need a full rectangular bag, but neither do I want a mummy design. What I demand is a bag with enough shoulder room to allow arm movement without binding or restriction. And give me a footbox with enough height and space for my 13s to not be pressured. Don't forget correct head support. For me the right pillow is money. A too-tight, too-small or too-flat pillow will leave me struggling to get my head comfortable. I've tried a bunch and my favorite remains the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow in size large. I bring 2 pillow cases and use both sides of them during a 12 day hunt. They keep skin and hair oils off the actual pillow and everything is less grungy. Yeah....sleep matters to me and I'll do whatever I need to help get there.

 

[*zap*]

If you want to sleep good in your bag which is on your pad then sleep in your bag on your pad until you get used to it and sleep good. If you want to complain about not sleeping good for the few days that you camp and do not try to change that then I guess you will just suffer. Human beings are very adaptable so if you just do it you will adapt.

I hated sleeping in a bag so I just threw out my mattress and put a piece of plywood on the bed frame and slept in my bag on my pad until I got used to it.....now that is how I prefer to sleep. I sleep better that way. Helps if you keep the sleeping area cool.

 

[jm1607]

I'm a side sleeper. I toss around alot. I don't sleep well in tents or on the ground or anywhere that's not my bed.

I use a Feathered Friends Condor 20. The lightest/roomiest rectangular sleeping bag you can buy. IMO, FF is on par or better than WM.

I hate quilts. I'll carry an extra 2oz if I can have a damn zipper...

For a pad I've moved to Klymits (their non-ultralight ones), mainly because they are made with a little thicker/tougher materials. I woke up in the middle of the night in pain laying on rocks a few times with "ultralight" pads like my old Thermarest MAX and I'm over it. A few extra oz for ruggedness is 1000% worth it. Have yet to puncture one. The fact that they are cheap is a bonus.

Tent wise the big thing I learned is get something that's easy/fast to setup. No one really thinks about that. Alot of people don't care either, but it makes a big difference to me. I hate setting up or breaking down tents when I'm beat after hunting/hiking all day in the dark.

When I can use a tarp (no bugs or anything around) I do. It's handy not having a floor and worrying about getting it dirty/muddy or whatever.

I hate bivys. Too claustrophobic. I also hate hammocks cause I roll around too much.

I take Xanax or Ambien to crash out or else I probably won't sleep much.

I'm still working on my pillow setup. Right now I just use my First Lite Puffy. Sometimes I bring a pillow case to shove it in. Looking into thinner/light pillows at the moment. My current setup is "ok" but I have a feeling there's something better out there for me... Just need to experiment some more

 

[huntsman22]

Drugs....Making people sleep by order of the doctor.