I'm guessing your already aware of this but the Klymit V channels are the reason for the odd Rvalue ratings. They are designed to work in conjunction with the insulation on the bottom of your sleeping bag. Like you said, most of the insulation on the bottom of your bag is compressed and worthless when you lay on it, on most pads. The V channels allow the bags insulation to loft up filling in the gaps creating a higher Rvalue. I'm not saying it should be 4.4 Rvalue, but it's definitely going to be warmer when used with a sleeping bag versus a quilt or a sleeping bag with less insulation on the bottom. We have several Static V insulated ultralight pads. Used them for years. Great pad for the money as long as you understand it's limitations. Lots of great info in the video....👍 Cheers!

Everyone here probably knows this trick, but I love to share it because it really saved me a night of misery. I was backpacking with a friend of mine and an unexpected cold front blew in and I was not prepared. My friend was a cold weather camper and asked me if I had a Nalgene bottle with me. He had me put my jet boil just outside the tent, boil some water and dump it in my bottle, and put it in my bag. It would keep me warm for 2-3 hours and then when I got cold again I would unzip the flap reheat the water and throw it back in my bag. Kept me from freezing my berries off. Hope this helps somebody.

Another tip is the sleeping bag work as a thermos. Put something (you) cold inside and it takes a hell of a lot more time too heat up. Some push ups and knee bends (getting some body heat flowing) speeds up this time. Or you can cheat, fill a bottle with warm water and throw it in the foot end. Kind regards a soldier, that hates too freeze. In Norway.

I'm 79 and been camping since 1953 . Still camping. Tried many systems including my dad's 'army' blankets. We've been using REI pads for about the last 12 years, and I think they're about the best for the $$. Similar to the Thermarest but varying thickness as needed by the human body. Thicker at the shoulder-to-hip area and thinner at the knees and feet. They roll up nicely and self inflate in less time it takes to set up an e-z tent. Sorta pricy, but worth it for all the reasons (truths) in the video. Maybe wet, maybe buggy, maybe even too hot.. Never too cold. Yet... THX, Bob p.s. If you're manually blowing up a mattress of ANY kind, do it before drinking ANY alcohol. It eats seals. Don't ask how I know. B

The cameramans power stance in the beginning being reflected by the sunglasses is amazing.

For every layer above you, you should have two layers below. All winter campers should be using a liner and a gore tex bivvy bag. Canadian army routinely camps out in the coldest arctic weather, our sleep system is a ground sheet, an air mattress, a bivvy bag, two down filled sleeping bags, and a liner and optional ranger blanket (poncho liner). It is important to sleep in nothing but your underwear so you don't sweat - sweat kills. The coldest I have been out is -60°C in the arctic and was comfy.

Pro tip: Use a closed cell foam pad under your inflatable pad. This will make a thermal barrier between your sleep system and the cold ground.

A reflexive car windshield cover is also a lightweight option also to put under your pad also.. when that gets trashed just make a few coozy out of it.

The orange 'Klymit' pad is considered a 'four seasons pad' because you can listen to Verdi's "Four seasons" while lying on it.

One thing I discovered that works amazing is using both an inflatable sleeping pad and an egg shell sleeping pad with the radiant side facing you. I put the egg shell pad between the inflatable pad and my sleeping bag. Will keep you significantly warmer vs just the inflatable pad. It is a game changer. I know some people see that as too much to carry but an egg shell sleeping mat is very lightweight and you can fit it to the outside of your bag

I'm a huge fan of my silk sleeping bag liner. It's tiny and very light, and adds a lot of warmth - I don't purposely camp in below freezing temps, so this is a great backup for when it does turn out colder than I was expecting.

I’ve been getting back into camping again lately and just getting into hammocking, the amount of videos I’ve watched is unreal.. with that being said, your video was hands down the most informative, honest, no bs video on this entire platform. Never heard anyone talk about these other ratings and stuff. Thank you!

Loved the tip about rolling. Also having a sleeping bag that’s small enough to fit me properly has made a huge difference, so much warmer! And lighter.

I’m a roller, and the most frightening sleeping experience I had was 40 years ago when I rolled inside of my 1970’s Gerry mummy bag and awoke upside down, not being able to breathe and find the opening. Total panic, like I was drowning. Otherwise, it was, and still is(!) a great 3lb. Goose down bag, though heavy by today’s standards. Cowboy’d it with a tube tent as a ground sheet and a foam pad in those days. Now at age 60 and getting back into packing, I want to use it again with an inflatable pad and tarp in three seasons and see how it goes before I shell out for a new sleep system.

After years of cold feet and short ground pads, I ended up making my own ground pad. I made a big pocket out of rubber backed canvas and a few sheets of aluminized bubble wrap. I can add in layers for any winter camping and at 6’8” long, my feet are never off the end anymore. I really like using it in my hammock. The canvas is grippy enough that I don’t slide into a ball, it’s stiff enough to keep the hammock sides away from me while sleeping, it is thick enough that I can hammock camp through 35f nights without getting cold and I don’t get bit by mosquitoes through the bottom of hammock on warm buggy nights when I’m sleeping.

Getting comfortable at night and working out what's important to YOU is a huge camping game-changer. I nearly binned backpacking altogether because I didn't like single skin tents, restrictive sleeping bags, stuff-sack pillows etc. I now have a two skin tent, a Thermarest Questar and the Hikenture pillow and my base weight is still only around 10kg.

Wow. I have been doing my sleep system wrong for like 15 years. I stopped backpacking through college at least in part because I couldn't be comfortable. I did not know about all this. I had a super narrow sleeping pad that I would eventually slip off of in the night, I had mummy bags that I couldn't roll around in at all so it rolled with me and made me cold. Really takes the fun out of camping when you're so uncomfortable.

I've never had a sleeping bag warmer than the 3 layer gortex sleeping bag issued to me in the Army back in the early 2000's. Was a cocoon type bag with outer layer just a Gortex waterproof shell. Middle layer was like a lightweight sleeping bad with inner layer being thick. I stayed warm whether sleeping on a cott, the ground, or wherever w/o any kind of sleeping pad or useing that standard issue pad the Army gives ya. I remember being out in the field sleeping under the stars on a city nice & warm and when I woke up in the morning & unzipped & poked my head out to find my entire sleeping bag was covered in frost. I was really warm inside though. Hated to get out of it.

I made the mistake of thinking the sleeping bag was the most important element in staying warm, and neglecting the R value of my pad! I don't think people realise that most of your body heat will be lost to conduction from contact with the cold ground underneath you! Thinking of it as a 'system' that requires each component to work in harmony is definitely the best approach!!

When is on a field problem in the Marines in Korea. It was January 1973. It got down to -81 wind chill. We were a winter insulated 10 man tent heated. We had those military sleeping bag. They are very good at keeping body heat in, too good. People complain about getting sweaty. I had brought a military blanket. We were sleeping on cots. So what I did was folded the blanket in half put it on the cot and used my sleeping bag as a blanket. I didn't get sweaty and slept great.

Don't forget that you can amplify the warmth of your bags, pads, etc, if you're in an area that has evergreens. Adding layers of spruce or juniper boughs can make a massive difference. Also, adding spare clothing in the foot of your sleeping bag while wearing wool socks will also increase your comfort. If you have hand warmers, or water bottles, use them inside your sleeping bag too. Simply heating some snow and pouring it into the water bottles while warm will help.

I bought an insulated sleeping pad, and a sleeping bag liner and they are game changers. So much more comfortable and I don’t feel any cold from the ground.

Another option if you have less expensive pads is to use a thermo blanket between the ground and the pad. Very cheap and weigh nothing. The silver reflective ones work great and make a huge difference.

For winter or mountaineering, I always carry a foam zrest to put under any inflatable pad. This way the ground is insulated it is keeps the inflatable off the cold ground. The remark about using a bivy below is also a good idea, but not needed as much if are in a 4 season tent. Also have learned to make sure that your boots stay in the tent or in the bivy so they don't freeze.

I am currently employed at a outdoors store (I just unload and stalk the selves) however there is a camping department in the store and thanks to you I can give them more information about the gear there looking for

Been camping my whole life and still learned some new tips from this, great video thank you!

Another awesome video, Dan! Sending love and blessings from Australia. I vouch for tip #7 a thousand percent. I bought a Sea to Summit mummy-shaped sleeping pad, and despite months of use (I tend to starfish a lot in my sleep) I could just never bag a good night’s sleep. I always had an arm or a leg sliding off, and God forbid I turn over in my sleep, cause I’d just roll straight off the pad. Switching to an Exped Synmat (with 25 inches/~64cm of width) was one of the best decisions I ever made. Have been sleeping like a baby on all my trips ever since.

If someone has the SOL reflective bivvy, you can put that around your sleeping pad inside out and it will increase the insulation value of the pad. I was doing an overnight camp just outside Ottawa on October when it was wet and cold. My sleeping bag was fine, but I was still cold because of the issue mentioned at the start. So instead of putting the bivvy around myself, I put it around the pad and it turned a chilly night into a quite cozy night

Our winter expedition courses in northern Maine involve potentially multiple days of temps well below zero. We require our students to have -20 degree bags but many get -40 bags. We also require students to use a two-pad sleeping system, typically an insulated inflatable bag on top of a traditional thick foam pad. We travel on skis hauling sleds with all of the heavy gear and wear backpacks stuffed with the lightweight down and insulated equipment.

Great information, thank you. I've been spoiled living in CA for many years. Although it is sort of depressing how many mistakes boil down to "Forgot that most companies are dishonest sacks of crap."

Living and camping exclusively in Florida I've been more concerned with the heat but after section hiking on the AT I've been more interested in colder weather camping. This video is full of useful information and great presentation as always!

REALLY good review my friend. As a survival instructor growing up in rural MI and live/work/explore in my early years living in Alaska being out all year long in different weather conditions we definitely learned tricks to stay warm in the cold BUT the best thing you can ever do is spend some time in your gear outside at HOME before any trip. It saves so much discomfort by getting your system down first being able to bail and go inside for hot coffee/chocolate and then getting the right gear and or learn the cold weather tricks. A good night sleep is priceless in the bush. Also as others have pointed out here, site prep and layering (like you do for YOU) for your base and sides are critical in cold weather.Thank you again for really good advice and showing the ratings mean-usually not much!!

Hey Dan, have you ever done a sub-$100 sleeping pad comparison? Maybe something split up with $0 to $50 pads and $50 to $100 pads? That would be awesome for us that are outfitting new Boy Scouts that are on a budget. Keep up the great videos, we'll keep watching!

Super informative video! This past weekend was my first overnighter where it dropped below freezing. I was not cold whatsoever, given that I had a ton of layers too. Everything here is spot on!

I’m sleeping on a an exped megamat and I take that with me even when visiting family rather than using their guest beds/couches/air mattresses. It’s a dream to sleep on. Especially when camping. Never cold or uncomfortable!

Excellent advice. If there's one thing I find as important as food/water on a hiking or camping trip, it's the quality of my sleep.

God lord, a camping sleep system minefield. I find it easier in the long run to just put some wheels on my king size home bed and pull it along behind me. A bit tiring but a hell of a good workout.

Just to keep it simple I always add 10 degrees to what my bag rating is. For example a 0 degree bag is really good to 10 degrees and a 20 degree is good to 30 degree's and so forth. Also as far as bag size goes, yes you need one sized correctly for your body but you also have to figure you will bring a bit of gear in the bag with you to keep from freezing (Warm Nalgene, socks, electronics) so you should size for that as well.

Klymit pads have those deep grooves which allow your sleeping bag to loft up underneath you and provide more warmth (at least in theory). Thus the pad it self may appear to not have enough insulation for cold temps but when paired up with a sleeping bag it will keep you warmer than a flat pad of the same R value.

A fitted sleeping bag sheet improves comfort greatly and keeps your bag fresh. I've used closed cell foam pads for decades, no fuss, no repair tape needed.

Experienced winter camper from Quebec here. Best trick: place a 1cm thick closed foam cell sleeping pad, custom cut to fit, INSIDE your -15C rated mummy sleeping bag. Place your regular inflatable sleeping pad or another 1cm closed cell sleeping pad under your sleeping bag. If you wish to double your under-bag insulation: lay approximately 3-4cm of spruce/pine/fir fronds under your tent. Ensure your tent/sleep area is not on frozen ground (5-30 cm layer of snow is perfect). However: I sleep in a tarp lean-to for winter conditions and lay a short tarp on top of the evergreen boughs; just use the sleeping pad inside my mummy bag - that's all (the open fire reflects the heat - very toasty).

I'll add a little of my own. When you turn on your side, your back will get cold. Compresses the insulation that was under you. Now he's on the side. If I were choosing a sleeping bag today, I would choose an integrated sleeping system and a cocoon. I would put a sleeping bag inside a summer sleeping system. Two sleeping bags stacked together is a very good idea. Firstly, it is warmer than one sleeping bag. And the second is that the integrated system does not overturn.

I just did a high altitude cold weather trip (sleeping highest at 4800m, temperature below freezing but the altitude changes everything). The thermarest pad (I had the mummy-formed narrow version) is wonderful. Having a sleeping bag that does a bit more than just fulfilling the minimum requirement and pairing that with a really warm pad makes the nights very comfortable and allowed me to sleep more than other travellers.

For winter and cold night camping setups, we use two sleeping pads. One pad goes under the sleeping bag and another goes inside the sleeping bag. We use mummy style bags, so the pad that goes inside has traditionally been a 3/4 length Thermarest self-inflating foam pad. We have also used air only inflatable pads (both inside and outside the bag). With today's lightweight equipment, brining an extra pad is not a big deal. Before inflatable air only pads became popular, we used a lightweight and dense foam pad combined with a Themarest self-inflating foam pad and had no issues with the cold from the ground. Except for areas with warm nights, we generally go the two-pad route.

Great video. While I'm not doing a lot of lightweight winter camping I am out tons in winter sledding, icefishing, backcountry skiing, etc. but always have cold fingers and toes for several hours even with good gear. Handwarmers are a must. Use for what they're made for and more- for feet, hands, body, sleeping bag... even for sled helmets without heated visors that are continuously fogging and icing up. A hand warmer tucked between the forehead and helmet visor can keep enough area clear to sled safely.

I used the 23 inch wide Klymit pad and kept rolling off! LOL Now I have the 30 inch wide version and I love it! It keeps me warm with my Kelty bag, it’s quiet and I don’t roll off anymore! 👍

I live in AZ and have never had to be too concerned with this type if info. I'm now looking at traveling into our mountains and out of state... thank you for sharing this info!!!

This is true. We have an inflatable mattress that we add on top of a double cot. When we don't use the inflatable mattress, it gets extremely cold!

if you've never looked into foil tape, you might check it out. its adhesive is very strong for a first-stick, not so much for any repositioning, but it's very thin so it rolls up in an emergency kit pretty well. also its reflective backing could be used for makeshift repairs should your flashlight should it be damaged-though-functional. mostly it's just very compact.

It took me buying two mummy shaped narrow pads before I realized be the single, only reason I couldn't sleep was just because the pad wasn't wide enough. I'm a lightweight hiker and a 25 inch wide rectangular pad is ESSENTIAL

i've probably violated all of these tips. i've shivered in my bag for enough sleepless night to go back to the drawing board. i like these suggestions, and would like to add one. adding a foam pad to the bottom of the sleeping pad helps in many ways, increasing r value, reducing noise, less sliding around and preserving the lifespan of your pad. its like a thermal break. a hiker buddy told me that the conduction of the ground could outpace my body's ability to warm the pad, which makes sense (though i was packing a pad not rated for the conditions at the time). He offered his nemo switchback for the night and i remember sleeping like a baby.

When tenting in winter always bring at least one closed cell foam sleepingpad per tent. I recomend one per person. When your fancy 8R inflatable sleepingpad punctures, you still have something to keep you from freezing to death. A closed cell sleeping pad of 14-15 mm will generally have an R-value of 3,5-3,9, thats not too bad for 600-750 grams of extra weight. And you can use it by a fire without worrying that flying embers will destroy it. They are puncture safe, but will ad a bit of bulk to the outside of your pack. When carried vertically, it will act like the third leg on a stool and keep your backpack upright all on its own. I see no disadvantages.

Went camping in the mountains some time ago.was really cold at night so I got some rocks from the camp fire , wrapped them in clothes and used for a pillow and also at my feet. Helped a lot

Biggest complaint I have, especially as I get older, with sleeping gear for camping/hiking is that they do NOT make "adult sized" equipment affordable. They make it, but having to take out a second mortgage to buy a sleeping pad makes me think twice. My son is a new Boy Scout. We "car camped" in Cub Scouts mostly in warmerish months. Rules/Regulations prohibit taking Cub Scouts camping in "extreme" (approaching freezing) conditions. But Boy Scouts is a whole different ball game! They go no matter the weather! I'm 6'4" & run about 295lbs. Finding a sleeping bag I actually fit in has always been a challenge. Finding a sleeping pad long enough, wide enough, & warm enough is damn near impossible. I have a long, wide Nemo Tensor Ultralight now. I have not used it yet as we have not been camping with the Troop yet, but it that day will come soon. Fingers crossed that it works!

I have the klymit V and damn near froze to death in northern minnesota with it. Right after that trip I bought a pad with an R value of 5 and that one held up fine in the cascades at lower temps. The klymit is awesome for summer temps though and I love how wide it is as my arms don't fall off.

I like that you desribe that the sleepingbag isolation on the Bags is much thinner than on front. This fact made me order a handmade spb with the perfect filling to my needs...

During my time in the army we camped outside for a few times when it was freezing. We had a waterproof outside bag, then a yoga mat pad, then the sleeping bag and finally a thin, blue sleeping bag. Worked great even though we were sleeping on the naked, dirty ground.

Thanks Dan for the information. If you can't get a good night's sleep while camping or on the trail, you might as well stay home because your trip will be ruined. You need to be alert out there and lack of sleep can really be dangerous.

Thanks Dan, I learned something -- moving within the bag. BTW, I have the Outdoor Vitals 0F Down Bag. Like it. Couldn't decide between the 0F and -15F. But for my area I think the 0F is pretty good.

Super helpful information. Putting together a lightweight sleep system currently with a "do-all" approach. Grabbed the Klymit insulated pad as I live in North Dakota but I was not aware of the ATSM rating. I'll have to test it out in multiple conditions. Combining it with a Snugpak Tactical 3. Basically, the two should cover 75% of the year for me with extreme winter being more problematic. But, weight and cost limits the "do-all" approach I am going for. Anyway, great work!

Wow. I saw this and was like „oh, one of those videos….“ - but this was really really informative, covering many things that a beginner might not know and start believing sleeping outside is uncomfortable! Also I second the repair kit thing; my Thermarest suffered a minor spark from the camp fire on a trip, and wouldn’t hold air at all anymore. I was very lucky to have brought a repair kit with me, so I could continue the trip without the hassle to find a camping store in a foreign country. That was about 10 years ago, and I still use that same Thermarest every time I go outdoors, patched and all.

Large (not regular) RidgeRest is the affordable and foolproof Winter pad. Bulky yes, but no chance your hip bone mashes down to the frozen ground as a side sleeper. Also durable and doubles as a seat when making a snow couch and other such things.

Made the mistake on my first backpacking trip, my air mattress was rated for fall temperatures and it was about 30 degrees in the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan, and it deflated during the night. My sleeping bag was rated for 0° F, but I was still cold. I have since gotten a higher R Value pad.

love your point about rolling inside the bag vs. rolling with the bag. I have a Big Agnes and, not sure if all BA are like this, but the one I have has a sleeve on the bottom into which slide the pad. It makes it impossible for the bag to roll with you, keeps the pad under you all night. The drawback is I have to use a fairly narrow pad to fit the sleeve, but the construction of the bag/sleeve do a nice job of keeping you on the pad as you roll around.

Am nearly 50 years of age and weight is now a big issue now because I can't carry stuff like when I was younger, so vids like this is great and what to buy that does not cause to much stress on your back

As a person who attended five military survival courses, I learned the less you wear while in your sleeping bag, the warmer you will. I initially failed to heed our instructors advice, and wore my long johns when I first went to bed. Halfway through the night I woke up freezing. Got up and stood in the snow and removed my long johns. Slept warm and comfortable the remaining of the night!

I know it's probably frowned on, but I put my pad inside my sleeping bag with me and it's really made a big difference in how warm I stay. Its gotten rid of the shivering sleepless nights for me

I dumped my inflatable pad and went for closed cell foam pad at my first stop on my Appalachian Trail hike - Didn't want to have to worry about deflation, plus it was a pain to constantly deflate and reinflate, even for the self-inflating pads. Less things to go wrong, the better. Also, critical are waterproof stuff sacks for sleeping bag to keep them dry - it can mean the difference between life or death. Once your down bag gets wet, that could be the end of your hike or more depending on where you are and how cold it is outside.

Have you ever tried using a reflective "emergency blanket" under your sleeping pad? I've found that very effective. Using it over the sleeping bag will trap moisture but using it on the floor of the tent works well.

I learned a long time ago (got my first thermarest pad in 1986, ten years after starting to backpack) that if you put the sleeping mat inside the sleeping bag then you’re less likely to roll the bag with you when you thrash around, less likely to roll off the mat in the night (especially if you have to sleep on a slope) and less likely to cut or puncture your mat.

The way to roll in a bag without exposing the back of the bag to the cold is TO STRAP IT TO THE PAD. If your bag has an uneven insulation design, it almost assuredly has straps or a baffle designed to attach to the pad to prevent rolling

I love that you told us from the beginning when he started us it was for people who don't know not experienced and I think that you are doing a wonderful job and you are also learning things too I appreciate you

I've been using a self-inflating (orange) Therm-a-rest pad since they first came out and have never had a problem even camping at the higher elevations in the Cascade Mountains in the winter. My extreme winter bag was made by Feathered Friends back in the early 90s and is rated -10. I've never been cold.

Thank you Thank you Thank you. I am just getting back into tent camping after a lifetime of not doing it. Great information Dan. I bought the Diamond Park 0 degree bag that has the fitted attachment to a pad. I haven't used it yet but looking forward to it. Of course, most of my camping is from my motorcycle and truck

Hey Dan, thanks for the great video, I've never been able to get the right advice on a good sleep system. This summed in up in a great way. thanks very much.

cub scout wool blanket with any camping sleep system as an add on is gold

50 years ago I discovered cheap 10mm closed cell foam pads and Fairydown's cheapest down and feather sleeping bag that moved with me as I turned worked brilliantly - winter climbing in Scotland with temps down to -20 deg C (about -4F). It takes a bit of getting used to the bag moving with you, but it saves major heat loss which depends on surface area

Just bought the Western Mountaineering Alpinlite 20 and yes I have the static V Sleeping Pad. Never ending with upgrading. Told my wife this was the last item 10 items ago 😆

Solid advice...I definitely started out with some sleeping pads and bags that we not right for me...I now have the Klymit Static V Luxe pad with the V sheet and just received my new Big Agnes Echo Park 20 bag...I've also been using a piece of Reflectix insulation cut the width and length of the pad underneath everything...I feel it makes a pretty big difference

I sewed together a sleeve to go over my Klymit Static V for those cold nights. I made it out of a thin wool blanket and a piece of a sil-nylon camping tarp that was getting old and worn out. The nylon goes under the pad and the wool on top, of course. I can't tell you the added R-value, but I can tell you that it is remarkably warmer than the naked pad. It does add 16 ounces to my sleeping setup, but I only have to use it in the cold winter months. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than buying the insulated Thermorest.

I discovered a nifty trick where I bought a cotton fitted sheet for a queen-sized mattress and I use it inside of my sleeping bag. This helped keep alot of warmth inside my sleeping bag when the fall temps started dropping around 40-50 deg F at night. The fitted ends of the sheet helps alot by keeping my feet wrapped inside so I dont have cold feet at night. EDIT: I forgot to mention the extra weight of the sheet really didnt make much of a difference (IMO) keeping things “ultra-light” in my rucksack as I keep it stuffed inside my sleeping bag when its rolled up for storage.

Marvellous information that would be difficult to obtain from conventional sources. Thank you. A few decades ago I used to do quite a lot of hunting in the hills and native forests of New Zealand (very rugged terrain, and often terrible weather). I never took a "pad" with me. The conventional technique was to gather dry forest material to form a raised bed, and put down on that my sleeping bag (a "Fairy Down 20 Below" - perhaps the best NZ made bag!), and only rarely suffered from a cold night, even with snow outside. Yes, insulation below the bag is very important.

Wow I didn't not know anything other than they made some sleeping bags/pads for freezing weather too. This gives me a lot more to think on and research, especially as a side sleeper! Thank you Dab Becker!

This was very helpful. I've just upgraded from a swag to a hot tent. I'm going shopping this week for a sleeping pad and bag. You have given me the tools to make an informed decision. Thank you.

I know it is overkill and extra weight, but it's totally worth it to have a closed cell foam pad under your sleeping bag, and and some kind of inflatable one inside your sleeping bag. helps with the rolling issue as well.

Just a note. I have the same Klymit sleeping pad but the insulated static V one and not the lite and has an R value of 4.4 and is a 4 season sleeping pad. It packs down incredibly small and weighs 700g. I use it all year round and never had issue with it.

I am glad your channel was recommended to me in my feed. I use my old US Army sleep system when I go out camping/overlanding, I dont backpack much anymore. The system is comprised of 1 lighter “Patrol” sleeping bag, 1 heavier “Cold Weather” sleeping bag, and a “Gore-Tex Bivy” shell to top it off, so you can mix and match as weather permits. When all 3 bags are used together the system is rated to provide 4 hours sleep at -40° F (-40º C). The system is designed to fit in a stuff sack that is included. I also started bringing a blow up mattress with me for camping/overlanding, better sleep and stay warmer.

This video was SO helpful! I just completed my 3rd backcountry, 3-season experience with my current sleep system and this last trip I REALLY felt the cold at night. I was disappointed because the comfort rating on my sleeping bag is at least 10 C colder than the nighttime temp. This video has me convinced that the rating on my Klymit V sleeping pad is the culprit.

Used static V and found it comfortable but not very warm. Used it during a Manitoba Canada cold snap that was in the -40s. Had to put other insulation with it (parka underneath me). Took it out a couple years later ( same temp range) but paired with a Z rest on top and was warm.

The core principle of insulation is air space. Place two sheets of glass together and you get bone chilling cold. But put a 1/4 space of air and you get toasty. That applies to EVERY material you can find, even if it's pine branches or just plastic bags out of a dumpster. Instead of thinking R value, think COCOONS. The universe wants to steal your heat no matter how efficient your equipment is rated. The goal then is to slow that heat escape down to a snail's pace to get through the night. Every cocoon you build around yourself is another beaver dam for body heat. That being said, two air mattresses with waffle style surfaces on top of each other do a great job of insulation. The first cocoon layer is your body in down, then squished down to top waffle, then the inner waffle of the top mat, then air space between waffles of each mat, then inner waffle of bottom mat, and then air spaces of waffles from bottom mat to bottom of tent. That's a lot of R value. Cheap air mats run about 1 lbs per mat (2 lbs total for 2x) and an expensive air mat with insulation runs about the 14-16 oz pack weight with far less functional R value. An high end air mattress runs about 1/2 lbs so 2x will be 1 lbs packing wgt. The advantage of two cheap mats is they can divided up for camp purposes other than sleeping. If one gets wet or muddy, it goes on the bottom. Punctured one? Mend it or use pine boughs and sleep on the last one. And you have year round sleep solution just by leaving one at home for the 3 season trips. I house sit and travel between friends with little or no guest accommodations. Two inexpensive 2.5 inch thick air mattresses interlock their waffles to a 5 inch thickness and I can sleep on a bare hard floor with out touching bottom when I lay out flat. In fact, I generally refuse beds because the uniform comfort level of stacked air mattresses on the floor usually exceeds any extra mattress bed or sofa they can offer. An air mattress on a friend's sofa can avert that back problem in the morning. Now ... sleeping bags. DOWN bags. I used to keep a summer bag and an expedition down bag, though neither was a total solution. Now, I take a 750 goose down (750 duck down is oiler and heavier and the down is smaller) weighing 1-2 lbs., AND a down quilt at .8 lbs. I use the same stuff sack for both unless the weight needs to be divided for some reason. The "Cocoon R value" kicks in there too: down bag next to body, inserted and snapped inside a down quilt on the outside for second cocoon, tent for third cocoon, fly for fourth. Throw a nylon sheet over yourself and there's a fifth. Here, versatility helps too. You can keep the bag in the tent and wear the quilt around the fire or to run out to the cat hole. If you have condensation from the fly on your feet in the tent in the mornings, dew is on the water resistant quilt, not on your warmth bag, and it dries out faster than a foot box on a tree. Again, there's seasonal versatility as well: bag and quilt cocoon for winter, just the quilt for summer and just the bag for Fall and early spring. Now I don't have shelves of assorted down bags to store. I do also have that small nylon sheet. It's a sand free beach sheet by design. It works as a shade tarp, a beach blanket, changing tipi, ground cloth to keep my bags clean, and thrown over my face, it's breathable and keeps my nose warm in winter, and sun out of my eyes if dawn glare doesn't appeal to me for another hour. It wrings by hand and dries in under 10 minutes (which makes it a decent cooling shelter). My friend woke and said she was freezing inside her sleeping gear, so I popped out the tiny stuff sac containing the beach sheet and shook the parachute over her. Within minutes she said she was already toasty. In the morning she admitted she slept well without further incident. Voila! The miracle of cocoons. All in all, the cocoon system might sound like excess weight, but functionally with well chosen gear it's barely there in my pack. It's mulitpurpose, comfort, and has safety redundancy against hypothermia with quick recovery of use.

My wife and I are getting ready to primitive camp on the Gulf of Mexico on the beach in Texas next week. We are worried about "freezing" because it will get down to 50degF at night, lol. We have a big tent and a queen size air bed and a mattress topper and blankets. We are bringing a little TV, a generator and the Nintendo Switch, a couple of books and chairs, a small grill and stove. We plan to do nothing, nothing at all. It has been fifteen years since we went camping. Really looking forward to it, despite the 20-hour drive to get there from Minnesota. On the way home, we'll visit our son and daughter in law in San Antonio!

Got a silver thermal insulated tent mat, it makes a really big difference than using a regular polyester mat.

I’ve never had a problem with cardboard over a divet dug into the snow/dirt. Fill the 2-3 inch deep torso+ sized hole with something airy from the environment. Even just small sticks and leaves is fine, as you place the cardboard over the top of the hole. Tarp gets folded with two layers between the inside and outside of whatever hovel you set up. usually tucked next to a Bush or someplace out of the wind with the top suspended with a corsage.This setup will make even a regular 2-season tent comfortable so long as you have a fire going. Or you can spend 1000$ on gear you will use 3 times a year and need to replace often.

Excellent video Dan, I really enjoyed you having all the gear present to show exactly what you were speaking on. I picked up a 20" pad trying to save weight and space-only to trade out for a 25" after having to sleeping like a vampire. I traditionally run marathons in my sleep, so it was a lesson learned the hard way! Take Care!

A good vid for all beginners, Ive made all the misstakes and its not cheap to buy these if you good quality stuff, have 4 sleeping bags, 2 sleeping mats and 2 quilts. Now i have the setup that works best for me, a little bit bigger sleeping pad and a quilt. Still use the old ones depending on the weather thou. Wish this vid came out before I started camping :D

loved this! Still working out the fine details of my sleep system before I leave for cross Canada cycle on Friday!

Damn, considering that this equipment might decide over life and death there should be mandatory, understandable and independently tested ratings as to how warm it will keep the camper. Very nice and elaborate video!

Al Lindsau, a polar explorer, says that putting a foam pad on TOP of the air pad is warmer so I plan on testing that next month. Lots of great points in this video, thanks!

This really gave me some good stuff to think about it. I'm a middle-aged dude, still fairly fit from mil service but way out of practice and trying to gear up for some backpacking. There's a lot I can do without but quality sleep is absolutely vital for me.

I've taken my Klymit Insulated Static V camping in low 30-degree F weather and was warm; but this is great info to learn!