Sleep System Episode 7: Sleep System Mistakes & How To Avoid Them
Avoid These Sleep System Mistakes: Pro Tips for Backcountry Comfort
After diving deep into sleeping bags, pads, and pillows throughout our "Everything Sleep Systems" series, we're wrapping things up by sharing our most valuable lessons: the mistakes we've made and the tips and tricks we've learned to ensure you get a comfortable and safe night's sleep in the great outdoors.
We've learned these lessons the hard way, so you don't have to!
Sleeping Bag Mistakes & Tips
Don't Store in a Compression Sack!
Mistake: Jay's biggest recurring mistake is leaving his sleeping bag stuffed in its compression sack after a trip.
Why it's Bad: This is terrible for both down and synthetic insulation. It crushes the fill, causing it to lose its loft (the fluffy insulation that traps air) and significantly cuts down the bag's lifespan.
Pro Tip: Always store your sleeping bag loosely in a large stowaway sack or hanging in a closet. This allows the insulation to remain fully lofted, preserving its warmth and longevity.
Proper Cleaning & Odor Removal
Mistake: Letting your bag get excessively stinky after multi-day trips (it happens!). Washing incorrectly can damage insulation.
Pro Tip: For mild odors, air out your sleeping bag on a sunny day. Unzip it completely and lay it flat (or hang it) in direct sunlight for a few hours, flipping it to expose both sides. The sun's UV rays can magically break down odors.
Caution: Don't leave it in direct sun for too long, as prolonged exposure can degrade the fabric and insulation fibers. For deeper cleaning, always follow the manufacturer's washing instructions, typically requiring a large front-loading washing machine and specialized down/synthetic wash.
Test Your Gear at Home (Before the Backcountry!)
Mistake: Not getting familiar with your new sleeping bag until you're already miles into your trip. Jay once learned his bag was too small for him as a side sleeper in the backcountry, leading to a terrible night.
Pro Tip: Treat your new sleep system like a kid's slumber party! Set up your sleeping bag, pad, and pillow in your living room or backyard. Get in, move around, check the zippers, and truly understand how it feels. This allows you to identify and fix any comfort issues before they ruin a trip.
Don't Trust Unverified Temperature Ratings
Mistake: Believing a "0-degree" or "20-degree" label without checking its certification. Drew recalls freezing in a "20-degree" bag at 35 degrees because it wasn't ISO rated. Jay also learned this lesson with his young son's bag, leading to a miserable, sweaty night.
Pro Tip: Always look for ISO-rated sleeping bags. This international standard provides accurate Comfort, Limit, and Extreme temperature ratings, ensuring you can trust the bag's performance for your specific needs. Refer back to our dedicated episode on this topic!
Utilize a Sleeping Bag Liner
Pro Tip: A lightweight liner (made of silk, merino wool, etc.) can add an extra 5-10 degrees of warmth to your sleeping bag. It also helps keep your bag cleaner, extending its life between washes.
Dry Damp Clothes in Your Bag
Pro Tip: This might sound counterintuitive, but if you have damp (not soaking wet) clothes, put them inside your sleeping bag at night. Your body heat will act like a mini-oven, drying them out. It also helps fill any "dead air space" in your bag, making it warmer, and you'll wake up to warm, dry clothes!
Loft Your Bag Immediately at Camp
Mistake: Arriving at camp late and exhausted, then just tossing your compressed bag onto your pad and crawling in.
Pro Tip: As soon as you set up your shelter, take your sleeping bag out of its stuff sack and fluff it up vigorously. Allow it time to loft (expand) fully. This maximizes the insulating air pockets, ensuring you get the full warmth potential from your bag.
Use a Lightweight Dry Bag
Pro Tip: No matter how water-resistant your sleeping bag's compression sack claims to be, always pack your sleeping bag inside a separate, lightweight dry bag. It's cheap insurance to protect one of your most critical pieces of gear from rain or moisture, which can ruin its insulation.
Stuff, Don't Roll Your Bag
Pro Tip: When packing your sleeping bag into its compression sack, stuff it in randomly rather than rolling it. Rolling can create consistent creases that break down the insulation in specific spots, leading to cold spots over time. Stuffing distributes the compression more evenly.
Sleeping Pad Mistakes & Tips
Adjust Air Volume for Comfort
Mistake: Fully inflating your inflatable sleeping pad, thinking it will be maximally comfortable. Jay and Drew both started this way, finding it like "sleeping on a table" or constantly sliding off.
Pro Tip: Experiment with inflating your pad to 75-80% capacity. This allows the pad to contour to your body, providing much better cushioning and preventing hip/shoulder pain, especially for side sleepers. This is one of the most important things to test at home!
Protect Against Punctures
Mistake: Assuming your inflatable pad is immune to punctures from sharp rocks or debris. Drew recounts a friend whose night was ruined by a hole from "sandy soil."
Pro Tip: Consider using a ground cloth or thin foam pad underneath your inflatable pad. This acts as an extra barrier against sharp objects and can also boost your R-Value (insulation) from the ground up.
Know How to Repair Your Pad
Mistake: Not knowing how to use your pad's patch kit until you have a leak in the middle of the night.
Pro Tip: Take your patch kit out at home. Read the instructions and familiarize yourself with the repair process. Some even submerge their inflated pads in a bathtub at home to check for tiny pinholes before a trip.
Don't Cache Pads (Especially from Bears!)
Mistake: Jay shared a classic "bear story" where he cached his sleeping pad (and other gear) near a tree root ball, only to find a bear had dug it out and shredded his pad into unusable pieces. He spent 8 miserable days with no pad in cold conditions.
Pro Tip: Never assume your gear is safe from wildlife, especially if there's any scent. Pack out what you pack in, and if you must cache, use bear-proof containers or hang food/scented items far from camp.
Check the R-Value & Noise Before Buying
Mistake: Buying a pad based on advertised R-value or without considering noise. Jay bought an expensive pad that was incredibly loud ("like crinkling aluminum papers").
Pro Tip: Always verify the ASTM R-value for accurate insulation. Also, if possible, unfurl and lie on a demo pad in the store to assess how noisy its material is. This is crucial for light sleepers.
Pillow Mistakes & Tips
Don't Bring Your Home Pillow
Mistake: Trying to bring a bulky house pillow on a backpacking trip.
Pro Tip: These simply won't fit in your sleeping bag's head cavity and will slide around, get dirty, and become a nuisance. Opt for compact, lightweight inflatable backcountry pillows.
Adjust Air & Add Softness
Mistake: Over-inflating an inflatable pillow, making it too firm and uncomfortable.
Pro Tip: Deflate your inflatable pillow slightly (around 20% or more) to find a softer, more comfortable firmness. Drew also likes to wrap his down jacket around his inflatable pillow for extra cushion and a softer feel.
Ensure Pillow Fits Your Bag
Pro Tip: Many newer sleeping bags have a dedicated pillow sleeve or a shaped hood. Ensure your backcountry pillow is sized appropriately to fit in this area, preventing it from slipping out during the night.
Consider a Pillowcase
Pro Tip: Some people use small, lightweight pillowcases or sleeves for their inflatable pillows. This can add comfort and help keep the pillow clean.
Alternative Pillow Options (If Desperate)
Pro Tip: If you absolutely don't have a dedicated pillow, you can stuff extra clothes (like a fleece or puffy jacket) into a dry bag or a stuff sack. However, both Jay and Drew find this less comfortable and consistent than a proper inflatable pillow.
The Overarching Principle: Test, Test, Test!
This is our biggest takeaway for your entire sleep system. From your sleeping bag's fit and zipper function to your sleeping pad's inflation and your pillow's comfort – try it all out at home before you go. A quick "backyard overnight" can save you from immense misery, frustration, and even potential safety issues in the real backcountry.
Quality sleep is vital for enjoying your outdoor adventures to the fullest. By learning from our mistakes and implementing these tips, you'll be well on your way to comfortable and restorative nights under the stars!