Winter camping - pack size?

[April]

I'd rather take much less gear in a smaller pack (and hopefully I'll get it down a bit yet)

We have reduced the overall pack weight over a few years buying newer and mostly more expensive gear so you may need to replace some of the items you have to reduce the bulk.

I see your list has items that you sleep in, long johns and a top. Are these extra to those that you wear during the day? In winter I wear long johns all day underneath my trousers and I sleep in all my clothes, I don't bother taking anything off but I do add an extra layer on my top when I get into the tent. If you are taking clothes off when you sleep, perhaps this is one way of reducing your gear maybe?

[vghikers]

I feel the cold - so I find lots of insulation to be necessary.

I too would agree that separate sleeping clothes are totally unnecessary (unless there's a chance your walking under-layers would get really wet, which they shouldn't). We feel the cold much more nowadays and we just add an extra winter-weight down jacket to our walking layers for the camp.

[WILDWALKINGUK]

It's not the size that matters, it's what you do with it... I've used the ULA Catalyst 75L pack for 10 years and I don't mind the extra weight because it's so comfortable, which is more important to me. I also use the 60L Atompacks Prospector which is lighter weight and comfortable, but I sometimes miss the extra space on long hikes.
I take sleep clothes which are my spare and emergency layers too.
Comfort over weight saving for me. Everybody is different. 

[Chump]

Yeah, I'm never sure about the sleeping clothes....I always bring them just in case - in summer as well.  An then I use them - but mostly because I have them (although I think I would still bring long johns in summer because, since I've started the whole mesh trail shoes thing, the wetness can creep up my lower legs after several days of rain. They were pretty essential when I walked from Glen Nevis to Aviemore last September when I waded several streams up to my mid thighs and the 6 days of wet weather gave no chance for my trousers to dry).


But back to winter...I reckon than new waterproofs (perhaps slightly fancier ones), combined with boots and gaiters rather than trail shoes, might allow me to leave behind the sleeping clothes. I'm not sure how practical stripping down to change into/out of fresh clothes would be on Ben Macdui in February anyway! Leaving the sleeping clothes behind would save 500-600g and a fir amount of bulk as well.

I ordered a Thermarest Neoair Xtherm yesterday   Rather pricey, but will be much warmer (twice the R-value) and less bulky than my Multimat self-inlfatable.



Again, thanks for the advice folks    

[WILDWALKINGUK]

The Thermarest Xtherm is a great mat, really warm and comfortable.
I use merino base layers to sleep in to keep warm so I can carry a slightly lighter sleeping bag but mainly to keep the bag clean and protect it from sweat. (saving the weight of a sleeping bag liner). My winter 200gsm EDZ base layers add up to about 300g but you could splash out on the 200gsm merino Icebreaker full body suit to save another 50g or so. crazy price tho.
But I'm safety and comfort over saving weight.

[Bhod]

Yeah, I'm never sure about the sleeping clothes....I always bring them just in case - in summer as well.  An then I use them - but mostly because I have them (although I think I would still bring long johns in summer because, since I've started the whole mesh trail shoes thing, the wetness can creep up my lower legs after several days of rain. They were pretty essential when I walked from Glen Nevis to Aviemore last September when I waded several streams up to my mid thighs and the 6 days of wet weather gave no chance for my trousers to dry).

If I know I'm camping out overnight I'll always take 'sleeping clothes' with me.  They have their own dry sack, pack down to very little and are a negligible weight but the comfort and warmth they bring and give after a day on the hills are worth it.  I've done the whole sleeping in the clothes you've worn that day thing and just as a personal preference prefer nowadays to have a seperate dry kit for sleeping in.  Only ever worn in the tent to sleep in they consist of  Icebreaker Merino 200 Oasis long sleeve top, 200 Oasis leggings (thank you Samantha x), a pair of Merino wool socks and a Buff Merino hat and like WildWalkingUK it means I can take a lighter weight and more compact sleeping bag with me.

[gunwharfman]

In my case, I try to take clothing with me that can be worn for day and night. I work on the principle of taking two items, one to wear and one to clean and then dry. My routine is to use my time when I camp for the night to change all of my next to the skin clothes and they become the clothes I will sleep in that night and walk in the following day. To keep ahead of it all I also use my tent pitching time to wash what I need to, underwear, base layer and socks mainly. It's not all plain sailing though, my routine can be disrupted by rain, but with a bit of planning I soon catch up again.

In the colder months, I too just wear a pair of long johns under my walking trousers, cause me no problems and when not in use they roll up very small.

I do use my down sleeping quilt all of the time but I am very careful to keep it dry. I had a Rab down jacket recently gifted to me by my son and daughter in law even though I felt that I didn't really need it. I have to admit though that it has fitted in well with the rest of my gear. I've been bothered for a while that my quilt is not as effective as it once was so instead of thinking of taking a blanket to cover me, etc I find that just wearing a clean baselayer and the Rab jacket at night inside my quilt is all that I really need to do. The jacket is also lightweight and crushable and fits into its own small bag which is easy to stuff into my rucksack when not in use. I don't use it when I'm actually walking.

[forgotmyoldpassword]

If I know I'm camping out overnight I'll always take 'sleeping clothes' with me.  They have their own dry sack, pack down to very little and are a negligible weight but the comfort and warmth they bring and give after a day on the hills are worth it.  I've done the whole sleeping in the clothes you've worn that day thing and just as a personal preference prefer nowadays to have a seperate dry kit for sleeping in.  Only ever worn in the tent to sleep in they consist of  Icebreaker Merino 200 Oasis long sleeve top, 200 Oasis leggings (thank you Samantha x), a pair of Merino wool socks and a Buff Merino hat and like WildWalkingUK it means I can take a lighter weight and more compact sleeping bag with me.

Same, typically for winter at least.  Having fallen in a stream before whilst crossing, or even trying to camp in incredibly wet weather - having a spare set of base layers protects your down bag and allows you to have a bit of extra security. 





Not sure I'd buy Icebreaker kit for sleeping clothes mind you but if you've got a spare 80 quid then why not.

[WILDWALKINGUK]

Well said, keeping a Down Jacket for night time use feels like a real luxury but since buying one 4 years ago, I wouldn't go on a wild camping trip without it. Comfortable to sleep in and adds negligible extra weight or space taken up in my pack for the amount comfort and safety it adds. Great to know it's in my pack for an unexpectedly cold night or emergency layer if my daytime clothes were soaked falling in a river etc. This way I don't need heavier spare clothes in my pack, just my sleep system stuff.

[Bhod]

Not sure I'd buy Icebreaker kit for sleeping clothes mind you but if you've got a spare 80 quid then why not.

A present from my wife  the Buff and the socks a present from my niece

 I have a tendency to walk hot and rarely need a thermal base layer, on the odd occasions I have used long johns and a top I've ended up soaking wet through as no matter the wicking properties of the gear I'm wearing they just seem to saturate out, hence one of the reasons why I keep a dry bag of kit to change into on a night time.