Sleeping in Puffy Layers without a sleeping bag

[mtnbiker208]

I did a bike pack trip in alaska in the early 90's. I thought i was tough and left the sleeping bag. i used a blanket and bivy sack. I won't make that mistake again. rain and 45 degrees for days make a miserable trip.

 

[mtwarden]

as unplanned night out/siwash- yeah sure if you had to; as a planned night out- not in Montana anyways, now way, no how

 

[nodakian]

Having spent a few nights on fire lines and camping with just coats and gloves, it seems to me the relationship between puffies vs bag is the same as gloves vs mittens. Mittens are more efficient than gloves, period.

 

[White Mamba]

I have a modified jacket that I can sleep in

 

[208backcountry]

I have a modified jacket that I can sleep in

That setup looks awesome!

 

[White Mamba]

I have a zip on skirt for it as well

 

[Wyobohunter]

I have a zip on skirt for it as well

How much does it weigh?

 

[isItFallYet]

I have a zip on skirt for it as well

Look more like a dress! ...but this is exactly what I was thinking would probably work as I was reading through the comments. Like others have said, my main concern would be my feet getting cold, especially because of the trapped moisture in my socks/boots from the day’s hunt. I have slept in a snowmobile suit many times as a kid ice fishing and November rifle deer hunting. As I recall, my feet were the weakest link then too.

 

[Wyobohunter]

As I recall, my feet were the weakest link then too.

Yes.
It’s damn near impossible to get any sleep with cold feet.

 

[White Mamba]

How much does it weigh?

With a long skirt approximately 2.75 lbs

 

[Wyobohunter]

With a long skirt approximately 2.75 lbs

Ouch. That’s 6 ounces heavier than my synthetic 20° bag. Though you could take away the weight of the jacket because you’d probably carry that anyway. What temps do you figure you’d use it in? For reference my 30° synthetic bag weighs 1 lbs 14 ounces.

 

[White Mamba]

Ouch. That’s 6 ounces heavier than my synthetic 20° bag. Though you could take away the weight of the jacket because you’d probably carry that anyway. What temps do you figure you’d use it in? For reference my 30° synthetic bag weighs 1 lbs 14 ounces.

I have slept and used it in the high teens and low 20s . As a jacket it is extremely warm, I choose how much down I wanted

 

[Ksp04031]

Done it for a night or 2 here and there but I definitely prefer some night time comfort to keep me in the game

 

[SoloWilderness]

I largely agree. If my tests are to pan out (sounds like from folks’ experience was on here that they will not). My idea was to use this supplementally, under the right circumstances for my “this may turn into an overnighter type kit”. As I mentioned in my post, weight savings I agree will be very minimal at best. Mainly brought it up because I had seen it done before, and wanted to get some feedback before running my own tests.

I’m gonna test them with my Borah bivy sack and I’m looking into down booties for my feet, as well.

This is the circumstance I have done this in before, multiple times in different seasons. I always keep my down pants, jacket, beanie, and UL bivy along with a small Sil nylon tarp in my pack. I have a contractors bag in my pack too. I prefer to hunt off my back, and keep camp with me, so usually have my sleeping bag.

The times when I've had to do this typically involve harvesting an animal when I'm a significant distance from a base camp, which I typically hunt from for 2-3 days before going mobile. I've slept out with the clothes on my back, my puffies, and feet inside my pack, with the contractor bag over it, inside my lightweight bivy. It's fairly miserable, even in in archery season, as I typically hunt at treeline in CO, in the later seasons its primarily a survival strategy, and usually involves being in an area that's too cliffy, steep or otherwise dangerous to get out of by headlamp, with an animal on the ground late in the day and at least.

I will typically build a fire in this circumstance to go to sleep as warm as possible. I have had to do this as late as 3rd rifle, although I have a lot more layers on, and in my pack during the later seasons. That was a cold, uncomfortable night. I did a lot of jumping jacks that night, and slept very little. But I also survived a below freezing night out in the open, no worse for wear. So as a survival strategy, absolutely. As a primary sleep system, no way. I like to let my cloths air out overnight, and sleeping in them every night they get stinky. Although I do use my puffies to make my 5 degree bag warmer when hunting late season. Cheaper than owning a dedicated sub zero bag.

 

[Holmes]

I often sleep in all my insulation (synth-puff pants and jacket, extra heavy camp socks or puffy boots, toque, neck gaiter, etc), but then I usually use a 30deg bag as low as 15F, and I'll use a 15deg bag down to single digits F.
No, I don't think sleeping in *just* puff pants and jacket would work. It's the glove/mitten thing.

I'm bringing the puffy gear to wear while glassing, no reason not to sleep in it - is my reasoning. So, I just pack a smaller sleeping bag.

Bonus: being a full puff suit makes it much easier to get out of the bag in the morning and get moving.