winter camping help. I'm still cold

[doggy]

Hi all.

I really like camping in winter and I've invested good money in my kit yet I'm still cold. Admittedly I do feel the cold.
I have a Tundra pure -10 down bag, https://www.tundrasleepingbags.com/sleeping-bags/pure/pure-minus-10

an Exped winterlite mat, http://www.exped.com/usa/en/product-category/mats/synmat-hl-winter-m

sleeping bag liner and I was wearing merino base layers last night. So I camped in the garden and it was about minus 3/4, I woke up a few times with my back and bum freezing, I'm assuming the winter mat isn't insulating me enough.

This is the kit I intend to take up hills so I can't really carry too much and a lot of it is pretty light to save weight.

I have a second SIM multimat http://www.multimat.uk.com/store/products/summit-25-slash-38 that I might try to night although the temp is only going to be down to maybe minus 1.

What more can I do other than another foam mat under my synmat? Initially I was very warm in the bag but after a few hours the cold got to me.

Any advice please?

[Mal Grey]

Normally, I say going to bed already warm is vital, but it sounds like you already do this.

It does sound like its the mat. Is it inflated enough for you to be well away from the floor at the pressure points of shoulders and hips/bum?

You could try some sort of reflective stuff underneath the mat. I don't know what its called, but there's stuff used for pot cosies etc which is a bit like reflective bubble wrap!

I find wearing a hat and a neck warmer makes a surprising difference, even with a bag with a hood and neck collar. Otherwise, I prefer to wear very little inside, and my similar bag is happy down to -8c I know.

[doggy]

Yeah I think it's the mat although it's supposed to be for camping in the winter. I'm trying my multimat tonight to see if I'm still cold. It's really just my back and bum that's cold, as if the mat just isn't doing its job.

[Mal Grey]

Yeah I think it's the mat although it's supposed to be for camping in the winter. I'm trying my multimat tonight to see if I'm still cold. It's really just my back and bum that's cold, as if the mat just isn't doing its job.

Down is wonderful stuff, but the only problem is it gets squashed underneath you, hence making the mat more important. Have to say, when its properly cold, I do tend to "double mat" - old foam type and self-inflating, but I don't have to carry it on my back as I'm normally canoeing!

[doggy]

I do have a foam roll mat so I'll try that and I'll try my synthetic bag too.

[Robinho08]

Your gear sounds pretty much spot on. But I use the cheap multi purpose insulation foil you can buy in DIY shops as a ground sheet which helps a lot.

However the one bit of advice that everybody fails to mention or ask is: Are you eating enough? Your body needs energy to burn to generate heat. I even have a snack to hand if I wake up cold during the night.

[Ben Nachie]

I assume you sleep on your back. If so, your cold back & bum suggest your mat is not warm enough for you. Your bag has 600g of fill, which is not enough for me. I have an old Rab 1000 (1000g duck fill) which is only good down to freezing for me. I also have a Rab Ladakh 1000, also 1000g fill, but of goose. I'm never cold in that, proving that not all down is equal!

I'm quite a cold sleeper but my Thermarest Trail Lite 3/4 length with a foam sit mat under my feet always keeps me perfectly warm from below.

[Iainm]

Your gear sounds pretty much spot on. But I use the cheap multi purpose insulation foil you can buy in DIY shops as a ground sheet which helps a lot.

However the one bit of advice that everybody fails to mention or ask is: Are you eating enough? Your body needs energy to burn to generate heat. I even have a snack to hand if I wake up cold during the night.

I'll second this. Your kit should be fine for the conditions, but there is more to being comfortable when camping in the cold than just the rating of your kit.

When winter camping, I will always have a high calorie hot meal and a hot drink soon before bed. My go to is usually cous cous with added olive oil and pepperami and a snack of cashew nuts. It's simple and packs a lot of calories for the weight. A flask and a snack is good to have handy for a quick boost if you wake up cold in the night.

Have a read of this article. https://andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view/maximising_your_bags_warmth

[doggy]

Thanks everyone.
The following night I used my multimat and a Vango latitude 400 and i was fine. The bag isn't as good but being synthetic I wasn't cold on my back/bum area.

I'll keep trying the suggestions.