Want lighter more comfortable sleeping gear

[dreamweaver21]

Hello,

I am a part time White Blazer. I do 1-2 weeks a year on the AT each year and have for the last three years. I love the hiking but not really a fan of sleeping in the woods because I can never sleep through the night. I started at Springer 3 years ago and I am at mile marker 606 (Trent's Grocery). Each trip I adjust my gear based on my experience. Last year it was a new tent. This year I am looking for a better sleep setup. I currently use a Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad and an Enlightened Equipment 20 degree quilt.

My issues with this setup are: I wake up a lot part of it is because the pad makes my arms go to sleep (stomach sleeper) and part of it is because it is generally too cold to not have a quilt on me but I sweat under the 20 degree quilt so I can't keep it on me.

I am thinking of getting a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite pad which should save me a few ounces and hopefully be more comfortable and a 50 degree quilt from Enlightened Equipment. I will get the long quilt so it reaches over my head without pulling my leg up like I have to now.

My question is, is there anything better I should look at? I am aware of what this stuff costs. I am not rich by any stretch but I can budget for nice hiking gear. I will never have the nicest car made or the biggest house, but dammit I can have the best sleeping pad or quilt made.

[Venchka]

Just Bill has created a mini encyclopedia on quilts in that temperature range in a couple of recent threads on the subject. Search for them.
Personally, I manage to sleep through the night, side sleeper & very unlevel locations, on a NeoAir Xterm Large and a 20 degree bag in temps from high 40s to mid 20s. The coldest measured temp has been 25.
Wayne


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[Hikingjim]

If you are going in 50+ degree weather, getting a 50 quilt will be a good start. Sure you can vent a 20f quilt, kick your feet out, etc, but it's not ideal, harder to manage, and wasted weight.

I get the arms falling asleep issue sometimes too. Quite annoying. It's usually when I tuck my hand or arm underneath my leg or body. I have this issue on all the mats I've used, but I know how to avoid it

[ggreaves]

Give a hammock a try. You happen to own one of the best pads for hammocks (Klymit Static V) already. Underinflate it a little bit. You'll be very comfortable and sleep through the night.

[Odd Man Out]

I'm in much the same boat. I take one or two trips per summer and have always had a hard time sleeping through the night. I use a Static V and Underground Quilt 40 deg. Long so I can pull over head. I too have problems with my arms. I think it is key to have a wide pad. The static v is wider than most which helps. Un fortunately most wide pads are also extra long. As a side sleeper, I need a good pillow. I recently added a Sea To Summit deluxe pillow. That helped.

[AfterParty]

Pad in the hammock will create condensation. Under inflating one is quite comfy in the hammock. But it won't help.

[cmoulder]

I have had a similar problem and I hate narrow air mats and the resulting D.E.S. — Dangling Elbow Syndrome. And the hot quilt in the summer.

Solution for me is a Neoair Trekker in the torso/wide format, which is 47" x 25" and an EE Rev 50, with the footbox that can be completely unzipped so that it essentially becomes a simple blanket.

The key with the torso-length mat is, as mentioned above, to inflate it just enough to keep you off the ground when you lie down on it so that it better conforms to, and supports, body contours. I put my empty pack under my lower legs for a little support, and there is minimal drop-off from the minimally inflated air mat.

I also use an Exped UL pillow, medium, with an elastic strap to hold it in place on the air mat.

This entire sleep setup weighs 26.1 oz — 13 oz for the Trekker, 11.3 oz for the Rev 50 and 1.8 oz for the pillow+strap.

[dreamweaver21]

I like the idea of a hammock because I don't care for shelters and it seems like it would be easier to find two spaced out trees than a nice flat tent site. I can't see sleeping on my stomach in one though. Seems like they are made for back sleepers and side sleepers.

Worst arm asleep experience I had was I somehow managed to tuck both my arms under me and they both went numb. I woke up and couldn't get either one out from under me. I ended up rolling my torso over with my legs and then laying there a couple of minutes while I regained feeling and use of my arms.

[HeartFire]

I always bring a sleeping bag liner - not silk, mine is 'cool max', Cocoon brand, I've had it for years. In the winter, I'm inside the liner, inside my bag (an EE quilt). If it's too warm for that, the liner is used as a 'bottom sheet' - I put my neo air inside the liner and I sleep on top of that with the quilt covering me , or, I will just use the liner as my sleeping bag.

I also bought an x-large neo air the 25 inch wide version, and rimmed it down shorter for me. It works great. There is a you tube on how to shorten it.

As far as ratings on quilts -not only are they meaningless, it's also a very individual thing. Some people sleep cold, others not, so the ratings are rather meaningless, you can apply all the scientific measurements you want to it, but you still have to try it out - I have a 30* ee quilt, I find it's good to about 45*, I have a 15* mountain hardware bag, it's good down to way way below 0*.

same with shoes, they can measure your feet 6 ways to tomorrow - you still have to try them on to see if they work for your feet.

[Greenlight]

Having looked over your whole post and the question you really want answered, I think your gear upgrade for this year is pretty logical. You're sweating because you're asking too much of your 20 degree quilt. There are also new sleeping bags out there that have a pocket for the sleeping pad and less insulation underneath because the pad stays in place. If I was sleeping on the ground instead of in the trees, I'd probably try one of those. As a stomach/side sleeper, I've also trained myself to put my left arm (the one I usually pin while sleeping) by my side instead of underneath me. It has helped a lot. If your lighter quilt and new pad don't work well for you this year, maybe try the setup I mentioned the season after. They're sure to have made advances on the design by then, too.

[DuneElliot]

As a stomach/side sleeper also I often struggle with sleeping too. I am in the process of trying a hammock to see if I like it. I have heard from many many hammockers that are side and stomach sleepers that they have no issues with falling asleep on their back in their hammocks and staying asleep. It might be worth getting an inexpensive one from Dutch to try and home before investing in all the quilts and stuff.

[nsherry61]

A few thoughts that might help.
1) A 20* quilt for 3-season use is for people that want only one quilt and are afraid of getting cold, and thus spend too much time being hot. I think of a 50* quilt as a summer quilt when I can pick and choose my weather. I would think a 50* quilt would frequently be chilly along the AT in the summer or need to be supplemented with warmer clothing than you would otherwise need to bring for a summer AT hike. I would think a 40* quilt would probably be more effective. . . but then, I have never hiked the southern AT in the summer so take it for what it's worth.
2) If you haven't already done so, I would recommend going into an outfitter somewhere and spend some significant time laying on the different mattresses you are thinking about trying out so you don't buy one that doesn't work. It's surprising how comfortable and/or uncomfortable mattresses can be that you would have thought would be uncomfortable or comfortable from reviews and specs.
3) When I haven't been sleeping on the ground for a while, it takes my body some time to get used to it and comfortable. With short trips being the norm, it's hard to get your body hardened to ground sleeping before the trip is over. Some people sleep in the mattress on the floor or in the back yard for a few nights prior to a trip to help their bodies prepared.
4) The NeoAir X-lite is a great family of pads. Others worth considering for comfort are the Big-Agnes Q-core SLX - much thicker than the NeoAir and less bouncy than most other thicker pads. Sea-to-Summit pads are shockingly comfortable for many people in spite of their thinness and their weight.
5) You could plan on buying several pads from someplace like REI with a great return policy, then sleep on each one on your floor at home for a few nights until you found the best one for you.

Good luck.

[Secondmouse]

here's a theory - I suspect you are getting cold from the uninsulated mattress and compensating by using a heavier cover. the ground in spring is colder than the ground in summer or fall. I bet you would get better service out of a mildly insulated mattress in the R2-4 range and a lighter quilt, but 40* instead of 50*...

[ggreaves]

Pad in the hammock will create condensation. Under inflating one is quite comfy in the hammock. But it won't help.

As someone who's spent hundreds of nights in a hammock in temps ranging from -25F to over 100F, this statement is ridiculous. A pad in a hammock doesn't create any more condensation than a pad on the ground. By your logic, all people, including tent dwellers should be ditching pads, period. BTW, using an underquilt in a hammock allows you to do just that.

[ggreaves]

I like the idea of a hammock because I don't care for shelters and it seems like it would be easier to find two spaced out trees than a nice flat tent site. I can't see sleeping on my stomach in one though. Seems like they are made for back sleepers and side sleepers.

Worst arm asleep experience I had was I somehow managed to tuck both my arms under me and they both went numb. I woke up and couldn't get either one out from under me. I ended up rolling my torso over with my legs and then laying there a couple of minutes while I regained feeling and use of my arms.

I side sleep and stomach sleep at home in bed. That's the only way I can find a comfortable position. But, being completely supported everywhere with no pressure points in a hammock, I'm very comfortable back-sleeping. My advice to people who won't try hammocks because they're "side-sleepers" is to try it for a few nights on your back. You'll find you will wake up refreshed and it will be morning and you won't believe you slept through the night without moving.

[ggreaves]

As a stomach/side sleeper also I often struggle with sleeping too. I am in the process of trying a hammock to see if I like it. I have heard from many many hammockers that are side and stomach sleepers that they have no issues with falling asleep on their back in their hammocks and staying asleep. It might be worth getting an inexpensive one from Dutch to try and home before investing in all the quilts and stuff.

agree 100%. This was my experience with hammocks. It's the only way I can back sleep.

[orthofingers]

Yup, that's been my experience too. I mostly sleep on my stomach or side at home in my bed but in my hammock (Blackbird XLC), I seem to get a great sleep on my back. I do side sleep some in the XLC as well.

[Kaptainkriz]

I find that a good pillow helped my comfort much more than I expected, even my arms. I sleep side/stomach and was quite uncomfortable no matter what I did until I added the pillow. I'm using the Aeros premium combined with an xTherm pad.

[jcamp]

Agreed with the pillow being a pretty valuable item. I don't even like a pillow that much at home, but there is something about the luxury/warmth on the trail. I got a hammock gear down pillow. Light. Compressible. And it makes not having a hood on a quilt so much nicer.

[MuddyWaters]

Put your shoes where you can rest elbows on them to help with dangling arm syndrome.

With enough time you get used to sleeping on anything. I usually use xlite short with small piece ccf under lower legs. I sleep better on full length, but I do fine on short