BikeliciousBabe

We camp a lot. Once or twice a month twelve months a year. We travel pretty light so if we got a pad it'd have to be A) under a pound B) be able to fit both of us on it and C) not too expensive

I don't know what YMMV means same with the stuff @fietsbob said above.

fietsbob

Your Mileage May Vary, phrase comes from car advertising..


POOSSLQ, a phrase meaning living together .
people of opposite sex sharing living quarters .

being LGBQ accepting I revised to also include same sex..

but of course that can include room-mates , without going under the blankets together..

djb

Its up to you, but I figure its worth at least seeing whats out there, and there are lots.
You'll see that what works for you now will change as the years go along, but if you're happy now with X, or not even X, and you get a decent nights sleep, then thats the only important thing.
When that changes, there are lots of options.

BikeliciousBabe

Oh! Got it! Haha I call him my other half. My boyfriend of 8 years I'm 23. Yes, I know I look 12

Thanks djb!

PedalingWalrus

I don't know if I follow all the reasons here but are you saying you camp without a sleeping pad? How many nights have you done?



FWIW (google it) I slept without a pad and without a tent until I wa 21, done probably 200 nights outdoors during that era from 5th grade to adulthood. It's not something you see nowadays as there are sensible alternatives. Back then I had a cotton insulation filled sleeping bag on top of waxed cotton camo tarp military groundsheet with a second groundsheet (same military surplus camo) over the sleeping bag like a second blanket.

Today I would probably stack two fleece blankets if I couldn't use down bags or common synthetic bags. They sell them with zippers like sleeping bag liners.

DXchulo

I was actually thinking about carrying a fleece blanket for a summer trip I'm doing. I have a synthetic sleeping bag liner that's very small and light, and it's actually good on its own for a lot of the warmer stuff I do around here. But I'm going up towards Canada in June and I'm not sure that's going to be enough. I don't want to take my winter bag (mainly because of bulk, not weight) but want a little extra insurance. Seems like a good way to go. Cheap, light, and won't take up much space.

jefnvk

I've done it plenty. I like hard surfaces, Even when I don't, I only use those blue foam pads.

I'm forced to buy a "proper" pad for my next trip, as I don't have the space in luggage for the blue rolls and I can't guarantee clean grassy spots to camp. I guess I'll see what I've been missing out on.

BikeliciousBabe

Too many to count! I've done 3 tours (30-60 days/each), backpacked parts of the CDT in Colorado, the PCT in Washington and Oregon (10-14 days/each trip) and have been camping at least one or two weekends a month every month of the year for the past 8 years or so. Among other numerous short tours and backpacking trips.

I sleep better on hard surfaces as does my other half. Even our mattress at home is one of the firmer memory foam ones.

That and we don't have much room for any additional gear. We travel pretty light!

Yes! Read my comments to pedalingwalrus!

Which pad are you looking at? We've looked at this one Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad | Backcountry.com

PedalingWalrus

Although I live on the East Coast I've done the CDT in Wyoming. Wow - best backpacking evar :-)

bikemig 

I've been using this for summer tours; light and works very well:

https://www.thermarest.com/catalog/p...t/category/15/

PedalingWalrus

This is similar to how I grew up sleeping outdoors ...


or similar in this photo folder I googled up https://www.michalkupsa.cz/priloha-89...akem-2847.html

... I've upgrades since I could earn my own money. :-)

veganbikes

Welcome, welcome welcome!!!!!!!!!! If the name doesn't give it away, I am vegan and always happy to see others especially asking about more than just food : )

As far as bag I am quite happy with my Mountain Hardwear UltraLumina. I have the 45 degree version but they get warmer and I believe they now have the HyperLamina which is way lighter but eliminates a full zip and instead has a half zip in the middle. Their 20˚ version is a touch over 2lbs but is within price and certainly a nice one. I might end up with one of the Hypers at some point because I could use something a little warmer for some trips.

Make sure you have a good sleeping pad as that is crucial to staying warm. You could have a -25˚ bag in 45˚ weather and still be cold if you don't have something insulating you from below. Most of your heat is going to be lost through the ground. Plus a pad will add some comfort depending on the pad. My choice would be one of the new Sea To Summit pads they are pretty light (depending on model), really top notch in comfort, easy/quick to inflate and deflate and won't get moldy inside. They aren't the cheapest pads but probably the best I have seen or used and after a long day in the saddle or hiking around price can drown in a lake, comfort is key!

Feel free to PM me if you have any other vegan questions, I love it when I get a chance to help a fellow vegan out!

xVx

andrewclaus

I'll reiterate what's been said, a pad is not only for comfort, it's for insulation. Look at getting a long Z-rest pad and cutting it in half for just your torso, and you and your friend can share the low cost, about $25 and a half pound each. The extra insulation will make your nights much warmer. It's amazing how much heat can be conducted out of your body into the earth.

Then seriously reconsider your aversion to quilts. The enLightened Equipment quilt I bought for my last long bike tour was the best piece of outdoor gear I've ever invested in. I resisted a quilt for decades--bad move.

cyclo.man

i do not know but if u have any possibility to buy from Europe, try Decathlon shops...They have really cheap sleeping bags...

Darth Lefty 

I'm sort of curious how you ensure that a synthetic bag is also vegan. Chemicals used to make plastics come from a lot of places, not just oil wells. Does anyone certify these things? If Mountain Hard Wear also makes down bags, is that a moral problem for buying their synthetic model? Given the kind of people who backpack, it seems like there would definitely be a market for high performance gear that was certified somehow. Or are you better off looking for something made of plant fabric even if it's heavier and absorbent?

I didn't know they were owned by Columbia, either
https://www.mountainhardwear.com/sustainability.html

J.Higgins 

Reminds me on this old Hudson Bay blanket I had as a kid. Rolled it up and lashed it to my boy scouts frame pack and off I'd go. Itchy-scratchy warmth. Back in the day, nobody cared if you built a campfire, and that old wool blanket did the trick. Dad gave me a Coleman sleeping bag for Christmas one year. It was okay, but it was SO bulky, and SO heavy, not to mention that it stank of chemicals and was hotter than blue blazes to sleep in. I used it a couple times, but swapped it for a fishing pole the following year.

Wool is ethical.

Ty0604

Not only does Columbia own Mountain Hardware but also Sorel, prAna, and Montrail brands.

I work at Nike, headquartered about 2 miles from Columbia Sportswear. Point being we work with them a lot. Good company.

J.Higgins 

Don't be sad about that! Lol, I looked like I was twelve until I was mid-40's. I had a whole military career and was retired and STILL got no respect or credibility because of how young I looked.

bikemig 

+ 1.

BikeliciousBabe

Thank you! Nice to meet you! I'll check out that sleeping bag. We live next to Mountain Hardware with access to the company store so we can probably save a bundle! As for the sleeping pad... We don't use one! Neither of us gets cold enough and haven't found them necessary.

Love meeting a fellow vegan!

We've looked at one from REI. We camped this weekend in single digit/low teens temps. Using our REI Mojave +15 bag (we share it). One night on a borrowed pad. One night without. We both slept better without the pad. The hard surface, while a little colder, was much more comfortable to us!

Lol Good to know!

They're certified, yes! As Ty mentioned, Columbia owns a lot of other companies!

veganbikes

No problem, nice to meet you as well. Check it out, it is a swell bag. They make a ton of great stuff though I will say their gloves could use some larger sizing.

I wish Arc'teryx made their Atom series as a top end sleeping bag. At my old work place it was basically part of the uniform because it was such an awesome jacket. Heck I think one of our employees had two or three different ones (a vest and two jackets LT and SV) or if Sea To Summit would put some synthetic bags on the market. They make some über light stuff using exploitation but talking to Barry (their rep and also Ask Boz) when he came by the shop I frequently mentioned they should go for a synth bag.

Surprised that you don't like sleeping pads, my back can't handle without it. That is why I love hammocks so much. Pads are also so crucial for insulating so maybe you could take a warmer weather bag.

suburbanbeat

I've had very good experiences with my Marmot Cloudbreak 30. It's synthetic and packs down to about 10" tall by 6" across with the help of the compression straps. However, I would not say that it's usable down to 30 degrees. Personally, I'm comfortable down to about 45, but I run pretty cold. Still, this is a great lightweight sleeping bag that is very appropriate for touring when nights don't fall below 40 degrees.

I'm in the market for a 0 or 10 degree bag for winter touring.

BikeliciousBabe

We have a few hammocks! Both Enos. We sleep comfortable in our double nest. We use an underquilt with it along with our REI Mojave +15 bag but most nights the bag stays open. Too warm combined with the underquilt.

I'll check out the bag!

From a short tour we did in September 2016 (Portland to Eugene!)


I don't think that would work! We're doing the Southern Tier next month. Not quite warm enough for that. But thank you for the suggestion.

BikeliciousBabe

Hi! I ended up getting a Mountain Hardware HyperLamina Flame +21*F bag. Weighs 1lb 13oz. Regular price at REI was $240 but on sale for $209 and had a $20 off anything over $100 purchase card so paid $189 for it.

I imagine we'll use his bag most nights but glad I got one!!!