Sleeping in the cold

[docdb]

I live in Georgia. I camp in the northern mountains in the winter, have all kinds of tents and rarely take a stove. My question for you cold weather guys, what do you put in you sleeping bag during the night? In sub freezing weather, I put a bag of water, can of gas, lighter and boots in a bag, all in my sleeping bag. Usually strike a candle and try to start a fire in the morning pronto. For all that gear I usually get the long bag (Im 6’). Thoughts?
Don

 

[Gone4Days]

Water filter goes in bag to prevent freezing

 

[*zap*]

I am 6' also and prefer a long bag even if I am putting nothing in it...very cold conditions I put in everything I do not want to freeze solid.

 

[5MilesBack]

The only thing I put in my sleeping bag is me........and my contacts in their case slid down inside my baselayer bottoms. Putting ice cubes on your eyes every morning pretty much sucks.

 

[D S 319]

Warm up water put it in a nalgene and toss that bad boy in the bottom of the bag

 

[dtrkyman]

Me and my layers I will be wearing, putting on cold clothes in the single digits sux!!!

Have not tried the hot water bottle trick. Thought about throwing in some of the disposable hand warmers but have not tried it either.

 

[ELKOHUNTER]

Hand warmer in the foot box and one for torso.

 

[danswanky911]

Hand warmer in the foot box and one for torso.

One time my dad put a hand warmer inside his socks before crawling into his bag despite my saying it was a bad idea to put it next to the skin. I woke in the middle of the night to what sounded and looked like him being attacked by a shark in the middle of the night as he cramped up trying to get the fire ass hot warmers out of his socks.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I keep my water filter, battery pack, and any under/mid layers I'll be wearing the next day in there. Water filter can't freeze, the battery pack will lose charge in the cold, and having warm layers to start off the morning is nice.

Don't ever start a fire or cook in the morning. Just get up, get dressed, eat a bar, throw food in the bag and get moving. I'll make coffee and eat more at my first glassing spot. Sometimes eat while I hike too.

 

[Drenalin]

If it's sub freezing, I'll stick my water filter, headlamp, and phone in the bag to keep them warm enough through the night. I generally turn water bottles upside down in my boots and hope to have some liquid water left in the morning. I don't do the heated Nalgene thing - I'd probably screw up at some point and get a leak, and it's much more important to me to have a dry bag and pad than it is to have an extra heat source. I've tried throwing the large hand or body warmers in and just don't feel like they do enough to justify carrying them for that purpose.

 

[Poser]

I put battery packs, Spot X messenger, my phone and water filter in my bag. I usually don’t store water in my bag unless it’s frigid, I’ll just fill my pot the night before.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I'm good to the mid/low teens without supplemental heat in the bag.
Colder than that, I'm prolly truck camping with a Buddy heater.

 

[Amos Moses]

My cell phone/battery pack are always in my bag on cold nights. I’ll also keep enough water in a nalgene under or in to make coffee in the vestibule before I climb out of the bag.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Phone, lighter. Water filter in a ziplock. The hot nalgene in the bag is great. I have warmed my bag with one then RE-boiled the water to take to sleep with me just before bed. It only lasts a couple hours but it definitely gives you a head start on “warming up” your bag.

 

[Sundy]

I boil water and put into my nalgene and stuff that into a sock. Holds temperature great all night. I also pack my puffy and anything else to fill air voids - I've stayed warm on a 0 degree night at 12k in my 15 degree bag by doing this - usually I sleep pretty cold too.

 

[jdinville3]

If it's sub freezing, I'll stick my water filter, headlamp, and phone in the bag to keep them warm enough through the night. I generally turn water bottles upside down in my boots and hope to have some liquid water left in the morning. I don't do the heated Nalgene thing - I'd probably screw up at some point and get a leak, and it's much more important to me to have a dry bag and pad than it is to have an extra heat source. I've tried throwing the large hand or body warmers in and just don't feel like they do enough to justify carrying them for that purpose.

Try the back pain wraps, not as cheap, but they are amazing to have if you get COLD!

 

[*zap*]

Good bodywarmers put out heat for more than 10 hours...

 

[Rock-o]

The only thing I put in my sleeping bag is me........and my contacts in their case slid down inside my baselayer bottoms. Putting ice cubes on your eyes every morning pretty much sucks.

*Cool* contacts feel good. *Cold* not so much, I agree.