Should I buy a longer bag to keep water bottles in when it's below freezing?

[sneaky]

Hi sneaky;

Sounds about right. Double wall vacuum is supposed to prevent heat/cold transfer between inside and outside. Single wall will transfer heat from bottle to bag very well.

Also, if air has somehow got into the vacuum space, then heating the bottle to boil water or melt snow could -in theory- burst/explode the bottle.

The other poster, valtteri, said his throat gets sore from below zero temps, not that his face gets too cold. That's why he breathes inside the bag. I'd try not to do it myself, but I guess it works for our Polish friend, valtteri.

Edited to tighten up. Not like Archie Bell, though.

Breathing through a polypro or merino face covering on my snowmobile or quad creates a sufficient microclimate where my breath intake isn't cold. Stationary in a sleeping bag works even better. Much better than dumping a couple litres of condensation into the down of a sleeping bag.

 

[*zap*]

insulated water bottles will help 24 hrs a day..they can go in your sleep bag also.

 

[valtteri]

Breathing into your bag all night is a good way to ruin the loft of your bag in short order. Wear a balaclava to bed if the cold bothers your face, much better than ruining a perfectly good bag by loading it up with condensation.

I’ve never had any problems with the loft of my bag sleeping this way, even on week-long trips. With or without a wood stove for heating/drying things up.

I would say that the fear of losing loft in down bags is mainly just that, fear. At least that’s my experience anyway.

The fabrics used in quality bags these days are just so good that it takes a lot to penetrate the shell. For example, my winter bag has a Pertex Quantum Pro outer shell and if you pour water on it, it will just bead and roll off. When I wash it, I really have to work to get water to penetrate it. It takes a long time, like several minutes, to soak. And this is me pushing it down on a full tub of water.

In any case, when it comes to winter camping, I would say it’s better to start out slow and see what works for you and your gear. Take it easy, have fun and in a little while you will find that it’s not that much different. Everything just takes longer but also is much more fun!

 

[Bbrinks]

I usually just make sure the Nalgene or whatever bottle I’m using doesn’t leak and then just store it upside down overnight. If it does freeze a little it’ll stay at the bottom of the bottle and the cap won’t be frozen shut

 

[MountainTracker]

I usually just make sure the Nalgene or whatever bottle I’m using doesn’t leak and then just store it upside down overnight. If it does freeze a little it’ll stay at the bottom of the bottle and the cap won’t be frozen shut

Bingo, was going to say just this. Put the bottle in your backpack upside down. I also have a bladder of water in my pack never had it freeze.


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[streetdoctor]

Hello Team4LG;

Thank you.

So, single digits = bottle in bag? That's what I did years ago.

Boil water, put in Nalgene, put in bag around mid section. Don't buy a bigger bag for it. Warms you and your bag up and will stay warm all night. Tested to -10 a couple weeks ago. I also sleep with my battery pack and phone inside the bag with me. A bladder will freeze in those temps along with anything left somewhere not warm. Winter camping in real cold weather is generally miserable. Enjoy it.

 

[FLH]

I usually just make sure the Nalgene or whatever bottle I’m using doesn’t leak and then just store it upside down overnight. If it does freeze a little it’ll stay at the bottom of the bottle and the cap won’t be frozen shut

Thanks, Bbrinks.

At what temp would the Nalgene freeze through and through?

 

[FLH]

Boil water, put in Nalgene, put in bag around mid section. Don't buy a bigger bag for it. Warms you and your bag up and will stay warm all night. Tested to -10 a couple weeks ago. I also sleep with my battery pack and phone inside the bag with me. A bladder will freeze in those temps along with anything left somewhere not warm. Winter camping in real cold weather is generally miserable. Enjoy it.

Thank you, SD.

What bag were you using at -10?

 

[streetdoctor]

Thank you, SD.

What bag were you using at -10?

I have this-

Seamless Burrow Bag #0

The Seamless Burrow Bag is made using our proprietary synthetic insulation, <a...

www.montbell.us

Not recommended when it's that cold but I don't do a ton of winter camping and I've had that bag probably 10 years. With base wool layers and a winter hat it works though.

 

[Bbrinks]

Thanks, Bbrinks.

At what temp would the Nalgene freeze through and through?

Are you talking overnight or during the day in your pack too?

 

[prm]

I always keep my boots and water bottle in the foot of my sleeping bag.

edit: when it’s cold…

 

[mtwarden]

Definitely a long for cold weather- I have a dry bag that I put my water and boots in, shoved into the bottom of the bag and nothing frozen in the morning. Frozen water and frozen boots are no bueno!

 

[Marmots]

Long bags are the way to go. Aside from all the cold weather storage benefits, mobility while resting is important. Your hips, knees, ankles and feet get put through the ringer when hunting or backpacking. After breaking down muscles and tendons all day, I don't want them healing in a scrunched up position. I've found that I recover a lot better if I can fully stretch out at night. I like to be able to fully extend my knees and point my toes in a bag.

 

[Crowmangler]

I realize a lot of people do it, but putting any container with water inside of a sleeping bag is a hard no for me. Not gonna risk a leak.
If you don't mind the extra weight, put one of those hot hands in your bag & it'll keep you toasty warm all night. Just wrap your Nalgene with extra clothes, etc. or use a rubber band & attach a hot hands to the side of the Nalgene bottle.

 

[*zap*]

non insulated water containers just do not cut it for outdoor winter activities....mt warden's idea of putting boots and bottles in a dry bag and then in the bottom of your bag is sound. Insulated water containers just make more sense for winter...for one thing you can put hot coffee in one and have the coffee hours later.

 

[Poser]

We had a particular cold 3rd rifle this year with low single digits every night. Here’s what I did:

Single wall Titanium water bottle with an insulated neoprene sleeve. Left out in the shelter for drinking access. Did not freeze.

Bladders stored in my pack. (Had to pack in water for 3 days and was concerned this would be an issue). Did not freeze.

Double walled, titanium thermos/coffee mug: added boiling water each night. Placed in bag for extra heat.

I did bring my insulated bladder from HydraPak as a fail safe. I usually use this bladder for backcountry skiing. It’s a great piece of gear that works well, but turns out I didn’t really need it.

My other cold weather bladders are the standard, dark rubber HydraPaks. My though here is if they do freeze, a few minutes in the sun will melt them out.

 

[Formidilosus]

I spend on inordinate amount of time each year below freezing and in snow backpacking (60-90 days a year). I and buddies have tried everything mentioned here. All of us do the same things now, which mostly mirrors what what other people that have lots of experience in similar conditions do.


Water: All of us use 2x bottles- some metal, some Nalgene, most do not use an insulated bottle, or if they do it’s only one of the two. Some put neoprene or foam around bottles to insulate. Everyone boils water and then pours it into the bottles and puts them in their sleeping bags. I sleep hot/am used to sleeping cold (my bedroom never gets above mid 40° F), and usually don’t put a water bottle in my bag until 10’ish degrees. Below 10’ish degrees any water not in the sleeping bag will start to freeze and often will totally freeze. No one uses or can use bladders. Even if you can find a running stream, pump filters freeze and crack anyways, so it’s tabs or boiling water.
At night water for coffee and breakfast is poured into the Jetboil or pot where it freezes and is ready to be melted in the morning.

Bag: my bags are large enough/long enough that I can put my puff jackets and socks in the bottom of it. This keeps them warm and takes up air space making it easier to keep feet warm. I do not put boots/shoes in the bag, they get covered. I am a particular about keeping my bag clean and free of debris, and will not put wet or dirty clothes in it unless it is a true emergency. Anything not going in the bag, goes under the sleeping pad between the pad and a Matty McMattface.

 

[mrbillbrown]

I’m 6’ and the 6’ bags fit perfectly but I prefer the 6’6” for the extra space. Place for clothes, electronics, water filter, Nalgene, or sliding down to sleep on my stomach on occasion. The extra length is just too valuable to me to give up.


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