Where did sleep in such cold nights? Mountains? Antarctica? -44 C is frozen hell. Now in my town is -22 C and everything is frozed, with normal winter clothes i can't stay to much outdoor, i had to put some of my mountain winter gear. I cannot imagine -44C!
@brotaque Where? Northern Ontario! Quite normal in midwinter in the far north. Very normal in the old days. Not this winter though. Major warm spell. Coldest I have slept out this winter so far is -28C. Balmy compared to -40! When you get up at -40, fire is your friend! Fire, either big open fire, or woodstove in a canvas tent is the way to live well in deep cold.
@wesleyakachino I would say no, not bulky by winter camping standards. It’s a goose down bag so it compresses very well. The Thermarest inflatable is full length standard size. And the Thermarest Ridge Rest is the regular standard. The poly tarp underneath is a 5x7, and takes up almost no room. In deep cold winter plus deep snow you are hauling gear by sled, not back packing. Lots of room on a tradtional northern sled (toboggan).
@nowayduude This high loft goose down bag with foam pad and thermarest is about as light as you can be for deep cold sleeping in a tent or fabric shelter. You can get lighter using snow insulating techniques such as in an igloo, quinzee or snow cave, where it can stay within -10 deg C despite being -40 deg C outside. The bag is about 4.5 lb's. Don’t recall what the pads weigh. We haul gear on sleds (toboggans), so no worries about backpacking. Sleds get to 100 to 120 lb’s!!! :o)
Looks like your sleeping system is VERY heavy.. the extra PVC layer hardly seems necessary. How much does it weigh? Do you really need the bivvy bag to the sleeping bag? How much does that weigh? Seems like it will not let moisture out and condense your sleeping bag.
@nowayduude The bivy works. It's a top zip, and I leave it open, so it vents some. The frost crystallizes on the inside surface of the bivy, and you can shake out the frost in the morning. Much of the moisture vapour in the bag stays unfrozen until it hits the inside bivy surface. Some crystallizes on the outer bag surface. It dries off easily in the hot tent, or outside in the morning sun. Bivy keeps snow and dirt off the bag. Been doing this for many years. :o)
Great video! I was wondering about the layer of Spruce boughs you had underneath. How thick do you make the Spruce layer? I'm starting to break into cold weather bushcrafting and plan to incorporate pine boughs as my first layer of insulation. Thanks!
@antpop1 I use black spruce primarily, no white spruce, since white spruce is sharp, and stinks! I also use balsam fir, which is very fragrant, but not as lofty as black spruce. I layer like shingles, but not perfect, so an overlap may be three branches thick in the good spots, and only one thick in other spots, especially if I run out of boughs. Jam the woody branch end into the snow, and make the foliage tips stick up somewhat. That helps with airyness and loft and springyness.
@Knutekritt It does not get wet. Transport is always in a double drybag, so even if the sled goes through the ice, the bag will be dry. In the tent the bag is always on top of the ground sheet and sleeping pad, and inside a waterproof bivy bag. When its below freezing, its really easy to stay dry. Approaching freezing, that's when the bivy is super effective. Cold tent or hot tent style, the bag is protected from blowing snow.
well 1 centimeter of isolation material protectcs you. If you put the first isolation pad over a frozen steak and then your cheek you are not going to feel anything.
CONCLUSION. You obtain the same isolation with 1 term arest as 10 term arrests.
The bag is about 5 pounds including compression bag and dry bag for packing. Not sure how heavy the Thermarest and Z-rest pads are. If you are asking about a hot tent rig with the woodstove: 2-man Snowtrekker expedition model tent and poles weighs about 16 pounds; small stove with pipes weighs about 20 pounds. Snowtrekker tents are variable in weight depending on the model and year - fabric sometimes changes different years, affecting weight.
@Bazanteria The bag is about 5 pounds including compression bag and dry bag for packing. Not sure how heavy the Thermarest and Z-rest pads are. If you are asking about a hot tent rig with the woodstove: 2-man Snowtrekker expedition model tent and poles weighs about 16 pounds; small stove with pipes weighs about 20 pounds. Snowtrekker tents are variable in weight depending on the model and year - fabric sometimes changes different years, affecting weight.
@Ggreenvideos Hi Bushman! Yep that bag is crazy LOFTY! Very pricey, but I decided I wanted to always be warm so spent myself into debt to get a really lofty -40 bag. Got a good discount deal from a local gear store on a special order. Had it now for about 8 or 9 years, and its just as good as new. It compresses very well to a little bigger than a basketball, and with its compression bag, weighs about 5 pounds.
Looks like a really nice bag. I really like the combination of closed cell foam on bottom with a thermarest. Just seems to lock out heat conduction and provides a lot of comfort as well. Never tried sleeping in a bivy bag before. Actually, I've always been afraid of the condensation but I'm glad you explained how in the cold freezes tot he bivy surface. Makes sense, in 3 season, I've woken to a lot of wetness related to accidently leaving my gortex coat on top of my bag while I slept.
@kgdblade Hi Kgdblade: Ya in winter the moisture frosts right to the inside of the bivy. The MH bag also has its "Conduit" outer layer which is shiny and hydrophobic, which helps to shed frost. The bivy (Integral Designs) has a breathable membrane on top, but I doubt it works in winter, but no worries, because I can shake out the frost every morning.
@kgdblade Hi again Kgdblade: when sleeping outside under a tarp in the summer, my breathable bivy can keep the dew off, which can soak a bag if its a dewy night. It can also keep rain splash off if its a downpour. But the bag is damp inside none the less from condensation. I use bags with a black interior. When hung out in the morning sun (which usually follows a dewy morning) it dries fairly fast.
Just get a military sleep system...
coloradomtb1 1 week ago
Where did sleep in such cold nights? Mountains? Antarctica? -44 C is frozen hell. Now in my town is -22 C and everything is frozed, with normal winter clothes i can't stay to much outdoor, i had to put some of my mountain winter gear. I cannot imagine -44C!
brotaque 3 weeks ago
@brotaque Where? Northern Ontario! Quite normal in midwinter in the far north. Very normal in the old days. Not this winter though. Major warm spell. Coldest I have slept out this winter so far is -28C. Balmy compared to -40! When you get up at -40, fire is your friend! Fire, either big open fire, or woodstove in a canvas tent is the way to live well in deep cold.
Wintertrekker 3 weeks ago 2
@Wintertrekker Ok, thanks for answering.
brotaque 3 weeks ago
Nice vid,,,, great demo
shippen2010 2 months ago
@shippen2010 Thank you!
Wintertrekker 1 month ago
I would like to see how it looks all packed up, is it bulkey?
wesleyakachino 2 months ago
@wesleyakachino I would say no, not bulky by winter camping standards. It’s a goose down bag so it compresses very well. The Thermarest inflatable is full length standard size. And the Thermarest Ridge Rest is the regular standard. The poly tarp underneath is a 5x7, and takes up almost no room. In deep cold winter plus deep snow you are hauling gear by sled, not back packing. Lots of room on a tradtional northern sled (toboggan).
Wintertrekker 2 months ago
I believe the bivy would trap moisture. In a lighter bag there difference in temp might be noticeable.
InTheSticks0001 3 months ago
Sorry about the double post.. But looks to me like the setup is about 10 pounds. That is 1/3 of what the winterpack`s weight right there.
nowayduude 4 months ago
@nowayduude This high loft goose down bag with foam pad and thermarest is about as light as you can be for deep cold sleeping in a tent or fabric shelter. You can get lighter using snow insulating techniques such as in an igloo, quinzee or snow cave, where it can stay within -10 deg C despite being -40 deg C outside. The bag is about 4.5 lb's. Don’t recall what the pads weigh. We haul gear on sleds (toboggans), so no worries about backpacking. Sleds get to 100 to 120 lb’s!!! :o)
Wintertrekker 4 months ago
Looks like your sleeping system is VERY heavy.. the extra PVC layer hardly seems necessary. How much does it weigh? Do you really need the bivvy bag to the sleeping bag? How much does that weigh? Seems like it will not let moisture out and condense your sleeping bag.
nowayduude 4 months ago
@nowayduude The bivy works. It's a top zip, and I leave it open, so it vents some. The frost crystallizes on the inside surface of the bivy, and you can shake out the frost in the morning. Much of the moisture vapour in the bag stays unfrozen until it hits the inside bivy surface. Some crystallizes on the outer bag surface. It dries off easily in the hot tent, or outside in the morning sun. Bivy keeps snow and dirt off the bag. Been doing this for many years. :o)
Wintertrekker 4 months ago
Great video! I was wondering about the layer of Spruce boughs you had underneath. How thick do you make the Spruce layer? I'm starting to break into cold weather bushcrafting and plan to incorporate pine boughs as my first layer of insulation. Thanks!
antpop1 4 months ago
@antpop1 I use black spruce primarily, no white spruce, since white spruce is sharp, and stinks! I also use balsam fir, which is very fragrant, but not as lofty as black spruce. I layer like shingles, but not perfect, so an overlap may be three branches thick in the good spots, and only one thick in other spots, especially if I run out of boughs. Jam the woody branch end into the snow, and make the foliage tips stick up somewhat. That helps with airyness and loft and springyness.
Wintertrekker 4 months ago
Mountain Hardwear BigBang SL.
Except I thought those only came in orange.
dinnerandashow 6 months ago
@dinnerandashow That bag is an old MH Seti model. They change their model names and colours all the time, and I can't keep up with what's new! :o)
Wintertrekker 4 months ago
What do you do if your down bag gets wet?
Knutekritt 6 months ago
@Knutekritt It does not get wet. Transport is always in a double drybag, so even if the sled goes through the ice, the bag will be dry. In the tent the bag is always on top of the ground sheet and sleeping pad, and inside a waterproof bivy bag. When its below freezing, its really easy to stay dry. Approaching freezing, that's when the bivy is super effective. Cold tent or hot tent style, the bag is protected from blowing snow.
Wintertrekker 4 months ago
well 1 centimeter of isolation material protectcs you. If you put the first isolation pad over a frozen steak and then your cheek you are not going to feel anything.
CONCLUSION. You obtain the same isolation with 1 term arest as 10 term arrests.
melodicspeed 9 months ago
The bag is about 5 pounds including compression bag and dry bag for packing. Not sure how heavy the Thermarest and Z-rest pads are. If you are asking about a hot tent rig with the woodstove: 2-man Snowtrekker expedition model tent and poles weighs about 16 pounds; small stove with pipes weighs about 20 pounds. Snowtrekker tents are variable in weight depending on the model and year - fabric sometimes changes different years, affecting weight.
Wintertrekker 10 months ago
how heavy is all this set up ?
Bazanteria 10 months ago
@Bazanteria The bag is about 5 pounds including compression bag and dry bag for packing. Not sure how heavy the Thermarest and Z-rest pads are. If you are asking about a hot tent rig with the woodstove: 2-man Snowtrekker expedition model tent and poles weighs about 16 pounds; small stove with pipes weighs about 20 pounds. Snowtrekker tents are variable in weight depending on the model and year - fabric sometimes changes different years, affecting weight.
Wintertrekker 4 months ago
That's one lofty bag :o)
Ggreenvideos 11 months ago
@Ggreenvideos Hi Bushman! Yep that bag is crazy LOFTY! Very pricey, but I decided I wanted to always be warm so spent myself into debt to get a really lofty -40 bag. Got a good discount deal from a local gear store on a special order. Had it now for about 8 or 9 years, and its just as good as new. It compresses very well to a little bigger than a basketball, and with its compression bag, weighs about 5 pounds.
Wintertrekker 11 months ago
Looks like a really nice bag. I really like the combination of closed cell foam on bottom with a thermarest. Just seems to lock out heat conduction and provides a lot of comfort as well. Never tried sleeping in a bivy bag before. Actually, I've always been afraid of the condensation but I'm glad you explained how in the cold freezes tot he bivy surface. Makes sense, in 3 season, I've woken to a lot of wetness related to accidently leaving my gortex coat on top of my bag while I slept.
kgdblade 11 months ago
@kgdblade Hi Kgdblade: Ya in winter the moisture frosts right to the inside of the bivy. The MH bag also has its "Conduit" outer layer which is shiny and hydrophobic, which helps to shed frost. The bivy (Integral Designs) has a breathable membrane on top, but I doubt it works in winter, but no worries, because I can shake out the frost every morning.
Wintertrekker 11 months ago
@kgdblade Hi again Kgdblade: when sleeping outside under a tarp in the summer, my breathable bivy can keep the dew off, which can soak a bag if its a dewy night. It can also keep rain splash off if its a downpour. But the bag is damp inside none the less from condensation. I use bags with a black interior. When hung out in the morning sun (which usually follows a dewy morning) it dries fairly fast.
Wintertrekker 11 months ago
I bet it's hard to get cold in that system!
Tim
steintanz 11 months ago
@steintanz Ya Tim, it gets too hot some times!
Wintertrekker 11 months ago
Thanks again for sharing your experience and set up with us. Looks like you have a great set up there.
illyounotme 11 months ago
@illyounotme Thanks Ily!
Wintertrekker 11 months ago