What are the essentials in a good sleep system.

[Mightyhunter]

What are the essentials in a good sleep system. Doing my first back in hunt for 10 days and want to have great rest. Need to be light weight.

 

[Bearsears]

What season? What state?

 

[Mightyhunter]

Colorado, high country, mid-late September

 

[journeyman713]

A thermal break from the ground is top priority.
I carry an ultralight self inflating sleeping pad for that.

 

[LCguy]

A pillow, or a backpacking pillow at the very least. I would pack in a pillow 50 miles if I had to.

 

[NevadaMike]

A thermal break from the ground is top priority.
I carry an ultralight self inflating sleeping pad for that.

This! My first fly in Alaska trip I froze my ass off. I read all the cool ultralight quilt and pad stuff and bought in. What a big mistake for me anyway. I had to sleep at night wearing everything I had and was still cold. It was only around 30 degrees but the ground soaked up all the heat I could produce. The next year I went back with the appropriate Western Mountaineering bag and an Exped insulated inflatable pad to put underneath me and slept like a baby.

 

[Bearsears]

Yeah top priority in my opinion is a sleeping pad that is comfortable for you and is the proper r value for the conditions.

 

[Pilsner]

^^^ THIS!
Along with a pillow that actually works for you. I go so far as to grab a cotton fitted sheet for a kid's twin (?) bed that stretches over my sleeping pad and the flat sheet that I use between me and my quilt since I sweat at night despite the temps. After 7 or 10 days it makes a difference for my pad and quilt. Grab a pad that is thicker and has a higher R value than you at first think that you will need.
When we use the pack goats I take in a 2# UL Thermarest cot to get up off the ground just a bit. After 40 years old it makes a real difference to my sleep quality.

 

[kane.naruishi]

What are the essentials in a good sleep system. Doing my first back in hunt for 10 days and want to have great rest. Need to be light weight.

100% agree on the sleeping pad.

On top of that having the layers to be warmer than you think you’ll need. You can always layer down, but it is less fun having to layer up when you wake up freezing. Or worse to not have the layers you need to warm up.

Also doing some jumping jacks before you head to sleep will raise your body temp and help you heat up warmer in your bag.(without sweating of course)