Sleeping!

[suspectmonkey]

I used a RidgeRest regular under my Thermarest and was well insulated even when the temperature dropped to sub comfortable at night.  The other benefit is that even if you get a puncture, leaky valve or have some other sort of pilot error, you aren't as likely to wake up feeling as though you've frozen to the ground.

Funny, I was just about to post about the Ridgerest.  I've started using one ever since I spotted 6-Pack sleeping on one at the Chimney Rock camp.  It's pretty comfy and insulating for a foam mat, and its really reassuring knowing that it can't deflate!  I also like that I can use it outside my bivvy bag, and despite being slightly bulky it's still lightweight.  6-Pack showed me a neat trick of cutting an inch off the top of the mat which allows it to roll up much tighter, and I'm also going to trim mine to a more tapered shape to further reduce weight/bulk.  Because I use an OMM DuoMat as the backrest in my rucksack then I also throw this small mat on top of the Ridgerest for even further comfort and insulation - great combo!

I imagine the NeoAir is about as puncture prone as a regular Thermarest - which I've never had a problem with.

I can't remember if it was you or Chris that said the same thing to me.  The NeoAir looks fragile, but at the end of the day the material is similar to a regular Thermarest but without a layer of foam in the middle.  So technically it should be every bit as robust as a regular Thermarest, and from what I gather they are about as tough as they come for self-inflating mats.  I'd certainly like to give one a try, although I still like the bomb proof simplicity of the Ridgerest!

[Kayakgirl]

If buying a thermarest I would suggest paying the extra bit more for full length rather than 3/4.

[RedLeader]

Why? I thought it was always more sensible to but a 3/4.

If buying a thermarest I would suggest paying the extra bit more for full length rather than 3/4.

[Kayakgirl]

I found the full length kept me warmer than the 3/4. Suppose it's personal choice..

[666_pack]

I find my ridge rest + half bottle of rum is a great combo

[whoRya]

I suppose with the NeoAir you have a much higher drop-off if you go for the short version compared to a normal self-inflated sleep mat.  It may take a wee bit of time to find the best piece of kit to prop the lower legs up.  On the other hand some people seem happy to just hang off the end.

With other self-inflated sleep mats it always seems to be a straight 120 v 180 debate.  But I think some of the manufacturers also do a womens' size of 160 which could be the answer for some people. 

[suspectmonkey]

Personally I'm fully signed up to the 3/4 length brigade, but it did take me awhile to get used to it.  If my legs get chilly I just slip the OMM DuoMat underneath them

[Tim]

Am I the only one to use the Mountain Equipment Helium 3.8? It's a great mat, really comfy and i've never felt the cold from beneath. I use a Roben's down bag with a lower comfort of -9, and a trekmates gore-tex bivvy bag. I've slept in that setup in -6° with just merino wool baselayer trousers on and a pair of socks, and was very toasty. I was camping in Norway in november in -13° and the only thing I changed was adding a fleece liner to the bag, and again was nice and warm. I always make sure to warm up by doing some star jumps or something similar before getting into the bag, and as soon as I'm in I tighten up the shoulder baffle to stop heat getting out the top. An important thing to remember is to keep your shirt for the next day inside your sleeping bag so its nice and warm, that way it makes getting out of your sleeping bag on a frosty morning that little bit more bearable, not having to put freezing cold fabric onto your skin.

Has anyone any experience with the Rab Storm bivvy? I can't decide between it and the Alpkit Hunka that everyone seems to be raving about. From what I can tell the Storm bivvy could hold out better in really nasty weather, whereas the Hunka would be better suited under the tarp. Anyone any experience of this?

[suspectmonkey]

Has anyone any experience with the Rab Storm bivvy? I can't decide between it and the Alpkit Hunka that everyone seems to be raving about. From what I can tell the Storm bivvy could hold out better in really nasty weather, whereas the Hunka would be better suited under the tarp. Anyone any experience of this?

I've used both the Alpkit Hunka and the Rab Storm and made a few comments about them here - http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1646.msg15615#msg15615

The already mentioned Alpkit Hunka is hard to beat, although I'm currently using a Rab Storm.  The Storm is much more spacious than the standard Alpkit Hunka, with plenty of room to fit a self-inflating mat and sleeping bag inside the bivvy.  I found the Alpkit Hunka was a bit too tight with anything other than a very slim sleeping mat, but then I could probably do with loosing a few inches around the chest and waist   Mind you, I'm not really making much use of the extra space in the Rab Storm now that I've decided life is much simpler when you sleep with the sleeping mat on the outside of the bag!

I never got to test the Alpkit Hunka in proper rain, but I did a summit bivvy of Binnian in my Rab, under no shelter in the rain.  Stayed pretty dry, any moisture on the inside of the bivvy was from condensation which is inevitable when you seal it up to try and keep the rain out.  I was certainly happy with it, felt it did the job well.

The one thing I can't get used to with the Rab is the zip around hood.  I find the material always ends up flapping around your face, whereas the Hunka has a drawstring which allows you to cinch it up nicely around your face leaving plenty of space for an air hole.  Good thing about the Rab Storm is that it is usually stocked locally so can be picked up handy.

Personally if I was sleeping out with no tarp I'd prefer the Rab Storm for the extra space and the fact I can protect myself better from the weather with the zip closure.  For under a tarp I'd prefer the Alpkit Hunka as the drawstring closure means you can keep the bivvy open around your face allowing for less condensation and of course you arent worried about the weather under the tarp so much.