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Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Gulo] #6818775
03/26/20 11:11 PM
03/26/20 11:11 PM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 307
N.Y.,E. Adks
TRADER TUT Offline
trapper
TRADER TUT  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2014
Posts: 307
N.Y.,E. Adks
Brought back a memory. Years back at yearly cnty 4H horse camp greeting a family, asked the father if he had brought his sleeping bag ? Looking at his wife he commented " got her with me"......... she smiled . Tut


I Farm The Forest
Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Gulo] #6818831
03/27/20 01:32 AM
03/27/20 01:32 AM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,440
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon Offline
"American Honey"
Sharon  Offline
"American Honey"

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,440
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
This is probably borderline , Jack, but here goes ....

I use a good thermarest inflatable mattress to separate the ground from myself , in any situation. I found out about them decades ago, and they have really been a good comfy resting spot for me , in any conditions in the outback. Just roll them up in tie downs, then inflate them and tying off the valve stem when done. I have used them on frigid snow floors, or backpacking tents in summer.

When I go walkabout, my gear is less than four pounds in tent and fly, and backpack provisions generally not more than 50 lbs. That is for 10 days at a time . That means, food, shelter, everything , round trip. Up and down swtichback pass trails all over the Rockies in the NW.

I am into comfort , good food, and the perfect outhouse setup ever . Ive had others tell me that they've loved my private , but scenic , and very comfy resting places chosen smile First morning sun to melt frost from a wood seat, to enjoying the view , with no intruders close, or in optics of distance.

I do have the outback experience down in the details smile

Not a few nights I have lain quiet, wide awake in my thin 4 pound tent , hearing a large being, such as a moose, stepping through the sand bar gravel in slow methodical cadence right up to my canvas, snuffling loudly at me, and stepping off....

I could never bring myself to just sleep in the open ....I always convinced myself that even a thin veil of tent wall would give me warning to be able to announce myself in earnest emergency , along with all my firepower I always carry smile

One of my memories , the coldest I have ever felt...was the most seemingly silly...but for me, it was real every moment.....in late summer along the divide , high in the NW Territories in Canada . Above BC. I was on a drive of 50 horses being escorted to their fall/winter pastures. Every night camp was so cold then, and my sleeping bag was not suitable for that occasion, though in my planning, I thought it would be . I mustered up the energy to help the wranglers drive all those horses along the river and over the pass of jagged , breathtaking mountains ....but we did it. The big white mare I rode was cynical and mean in general, but by a short time, we connected and respected each other greatly.

Point being....to experience the stars and northern lights so close , as to feel them connect you in rooted love , from your body in a down sleeping bag , to the universe , and the huffing, breathing big beings in between, with a thermarest mattress deciding your comfort, is the factor of life lived and loved , without words to explain.

Just like the song of David Mallett....the northern lights.....

See you on on the surface .....









Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Sharon] #6818904
03/27/20 07:24 AM
03/27/20 07:24 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 7,954
On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...
H
Hutchy Offline
trapper
Hutchy  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 7,954
On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...
Originally Posted by Sharon
This is probably borderline , Jack, but here goes ....

I use a good thermarest inflatable mattress to separate the ground from myself , in any situation. I found out about them decades ago, and they have really been a good comfy resting spot for me , in any conditions in the outback. Just roll them up in tie downs, then inflate them and tying off the valve stem when done. I have used them on frigid snow floors, or backpacking tents in summer.

When I go walkabout, my gear is less than four pounds in tent and fly, and backpack provisions generally not more than 50 lbs. That is for 10 days at a time . That means, food, shelter, everything , round trip. Up and down swtichback pass trails all over the Rockies in the NW.

I am into comfort , good food, and the perfect outhouse setup ever . Ive had others tell me that they've loved my private , but scenic , and very comfy resting places chosen smile First morning sun to melt frost from a wood seat, to enjoying the view , with no intruders close, or in optics of distance.

I do have the outback experience down in the details smile

Not a few nights I have lain quiet, wide awake in my thin 4 pound tent , hearing a large being, such as a moose, stepping through the sand bar gravel in slow methodical cadence right up to my canvas, snuffling loudly at me, and stepping off....

I could never bring myself to just sleep in the open ....I always convinced myself that even a thin veil of tent wall would give me warning to be able to announce myself in earnest emergency , along with all my firepower I always carry smile

One of my memories , the coldest I have ever felt...was the most seemingly silly...but for me, it was real every moment.....in late summer along the divide , high in the NW Territories in Canada . Above BC. I was on a drive of 50 horses being escorted to their fall/winter pastures. Every night camp was so cold then, and my sleeping bag was not suitable for that occasion, though in my planning, I thought it would be . I mustered up the energy to help the wranglers drive all those horses along the river and over the pass of jagged , breathtaking mountains ....but we did it. The big white mare I rode was cynical and mean in general, but by a short time, we connected and respected each other greatly.

Point being....to experience the stars and northern lights so close , as to feel them connect you in rooted love , from your body in a down sleeping bag , to the universe , and the huffing, breathing big beings in between, with a thermarest mattress deciding your comfort, is the factor of life lived and loved , without words to explain.

Just like the song of David Mallett....the northern lights.....

See you on on the surface .....











Thermarests are the way to go. For winter I use a closed cell pad first for additional warmth, and a thermarests on top. In certain situations i will use my downmat 9 deluxe. That's like a regular mattress!

People don't understand that insulation in a bag is caused by loft, or dead air space. In a sleeping back, the insulation below you is crushed by your bodyweight, so you are in effect totally open to the cold from the cold ground.

Aside from comfort, the sleeping pad resists compression and is insulated. It keeps you warm from cold conducting up from the ground. That's why you should always match your sleeping pads, or combination of them to the temps you will be sleeping in. Not a problem as much in summer, but early spring, fall, and winter will leave you shivering without incompressible insulation underneath you.
You mention 50 lbs weight and gear total for ten days? In the lightweight backpacking world, food usually comprises 1.5-2 lbs per day to equal the necessary calories. What's your total gear only weight for three season backpacking? Not including food and water that is.

Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Gulo] #6819210
03/27/20 01:40 PM
03/27/20 01:40 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,440
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon Offline
"American Honey"
Sharon  Offline
"American Honey"

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,440
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Hutchy, I agree on the effectiveness of thermarest. I have the longest size, because I don't like my legs and feet on the tent floor.

My pack is internal frame , two main compartments and side pockets. Thermarest rolled and tied on top . A collapsible gas small cook stove, with two or three full gas containers, pans that fit into each other, two decent sized knives, eating utensils, a tiny grill grate . Soap, shampoo, toothpaste , field glasses, other stuff , etc. Down sleeping bag, a liner, and a sheet I sewed together to fit inside the liner, all fitting in a bag. Clothes, sweater , big towel, coat taking up space , my tent . A small day pack , trash bags . An extra pair of light shoes for camp .

I don't carry water . Every trip I have taken has been in well watered country, and it gets treated on the go, or boiled before use. Food, I generally carry more than I need , going in groups of several people , we all stuff more in there than just for ourselves, especially on longer trips. I admit, an amount of food isn't in the freeze dried form, carries moisture weight . A bag and rope to cache food every night. I can eat like a horse expending that energy .

Finally, the greatest weight factor, my two guns and extra ammo . My .45 stays on my hip, my Marlin 1894 lever 44 mag is carried on the outside of my pack, in easy access . Extra ammo is stashed in outside pockets on the pack bottom. My motto : if I need it I have it...if I don't and need it, I'm unprepared and in trouble.

That about sums it up, aside from any other things that last minute gets stuffed in there . Around 50 lbs is the max for me, often less than that , depending on the number of others in a group , the season, and the amount of days , which all vary . Often the longest trips have the goal of establishing a base camp , with easy day trips in the area , free of the extra weight. That's where the small daypack comes in. So that max weight is hauled in then quickly discarded for set up, at the base camp. On trips where hiking is every day , setting up new camps every night, I pack lighter , carry less.

I can't tell you the times I have wanted a horse to help ! And the view from up there is so much better. But the minuses to that are also left out by hoofing it with boots.

Ideally, the way to go , is by plane or chopper drop off , and the views in flight are unsurpassed . And don't forget the sat phone to call Jack so he can fly in to the rescue , if needed smile

Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Gulo] #6819264
03/27/20 03:53 PM
03/27/20 03:53 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
G
Gulo Offline OP
"On The Other Hand"
Gulo  Offline OP
"On The Other Hand"
G

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
Back in the old days I used to do at least one annual Dall sheep hunt. They were brutal. I generally hunted the Wrangell's, but a couple times in the Talkeetna's, the Chugach's, or the Alaska Range. I knew I'd be coming out with 120 pound pack with sheep meat, cape, and horns. I'd go into Los Anchorage to a military surplus store and buy a 12x12 tarp/tent and a cheap military fart-sack, which was reputed to be filled with 100% goose down, but was actually crushed turkey wings. Also carried a tiny primus stove and bottle of fuel, spotting scope, and rifle. With a bit of food, that was it. On the last day of the hunt, I would eat all the leftover food (which wasn't much usually) and gorge on as much sheep rib meat as I could stand. Then, any leftover stove fuel was dumped on the tent and sleeping bag and they were torched. Then, the walk out of the mountains. Only thing I regret is not ever taking a camera. Too much weight back in the day. Too, those were some mighty uncomfortable camps in the most beautiful country in the world.


Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Gulo] #6819312
03/27/20 05:07 PM
03/27/20 05:07 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,747
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,747
williamsburg ks
Never hunted dall sheep. I'm thinking its a hunt for somebody younger than me now. Have back packed in CO some. A little late fall, going deer hunting. Mostly summer time for fishing. I have a little pup tent for if it rains or snows. Not good for daytime rain but it has a floor and is a nice place to sleep. Whole tent doesn't weigh more than 5 pounds and fits in a bag about the size of a paper towel roll. I never brought water either. Didn't need to. I did carry a canteen so I could get get a drink between creeks. I never did anything to it but drink it. I brought tea bags, instant coffee, (in a zip lock bag) powdered eggs, instant rice, dehydrated peas and carrots, andoule sausage. for a stove i just brought kitchen strike anywhere match's. Carried a 22 pistol. could shoot something sometimes. When fishing i could often find wild strawberries and greens. rain in the day was cold but it doesn't last a long time in that part of the world very often. lightning is scary. those mountains attract a lot of it.


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Gulo] #6819338
03/27/20 05:35 PM
03/27/20 05:35 PM
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 270
alaska
T
trapped4ever Offline
trapper
trapped4ever  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 270
alaska
Jack,

I did a couple of those Dall Sheep "death marches" up in the Brooks Range. Carrying a film camera added a little weight, but glad I packed one now. I actually went out and bought a smaller camera, for the first hunt I did up there. The picture with the broomed ram, you can see the little push button remote, in my right hand. The other photo, if you look close, you can see the film got scratched horizontally, in a few places. Might have been the "rugged" trip out? These are from a few decades ago now, I guess? I notice I still had hair then!! HA!

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Down here around home, I used to go even rougher, just bring an extra layer or two of old worn clothes, no sleeping bags, just a fire, and the added clothing. Then burn the old clothes before heading down. In August, it's only dark for about 4 hours, so just layer up and nap around the fire, until daylight. On the pictures from the deer hunting trip, notice I cut off the lower legs of the jeans, but left the rest, for added abrasion resistance, on the way down from the mountains. I usually spend at least some time on the seat of my pants, negotiating that fun old tag alder and mud band, above treeline. Good times!! HA!

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Last edited by trapped4ever; 03/27/20 05:37 PM.
Re: Sleeping Bags [Re: Gulo] #6819360
03/27/20 06:10 PM
03/27/20 06:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
G
Gulo Offline OP
"On The Other Hand"
Gulo  Offline OP
"On The Other Hand"
G

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
Holy-Moly T4E, that's some mighty fine, honest hunting you were doing back in the day! Most sheep, as I remember, were a piece of cake compared with some of those August alpine deer packs out of the Chichagof or Baranof rain. I used to make backpacks out of those deer; looks like you did the same. Is it really fair to call those the "good ol' days"?

Jack


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