Would a simple sleeping bag with a sheet of Mylar inside work as a sleeping pad on a winter campout? a?
May 19th, 2010 | by admin |I don’t have a sleeping pad for a winter camp but I have two simple summer sleeping bags and I’m thinking of simply sandwiching in a sheet of Mylar to ceate some insulation from the ground. Do you think this would work well?
don’t have a sleeping pad for a winter camp but I have two simple summer sleeping bags and I’m thinking of simply sandwiching in a sheet of Mylar to ceate some insulation from the ground. Do you think this would work well? I should add that I will also be using another military bag on top of this and I will be in a tent. This is just for a sleeping pad for my son and I.
9 Responses to “Would a simple sleeping bag with a sheet of Mylar inside work as a sleeping pad on a winter campout? a?”
By Doc Hudson on May 19, 2010 | Reply
It depends on the outside temperature and the temperature rating of the sleeping bags.
I’d suggest putting down a ground cover and one sleeping bag, sleep in the other bag and pull a tarp or quilt over the outside of the bag.
Doc
By Schnurrbart on May 19, 2010 | Reply
Closed-cell foam sleeping pads, which cost about $10-15 for a 3/4th length model are essential gear for camping. There’s really no substitute. Especially for winter camping or camping on top of snow, that pad full of dead, trapped air prevents heat loss to the ground. The extra sleeping bags underneath will be compressed by your body weight and provide very little insulation from the ground.
The only place a mylar sheet would help would be laid out on top of your pad, with you and your sleeping bag on top of it to reflect a little heat back at you. Inside would be uncomfortable and on top would prevent the escape of water vapor from your body, soaking your bag.
For winter camping a good zero degree mummy bag is recommended or at least a good 20-30 degree mummy bag combined with an overbag or second sleeping bag on top. Wearing long underwear and/or a fleece outfit could extend your sleeping bag 10 degrees or more, but that still might not be enough.
A rectangular cotton sleeping bag really isn’t suited to winter camping. Besides the danger of the bag getting wet and thus rendered useless, the hood of the mummy bag insulates the most important part, your head, and being able to cinch it down so that only your mouth is exposed makes a big difference.
By Wayner on May 19, 2010 | Reply
I don’t think Mylar (basically a very thin plastic sheet) will provide you with any insulation from the ground.
To stay warm in some summer bags (if you don’t want to spend any money to buy sleeping pads – which are really a minimal expense and can be used even in the summer), I would recommend just using some blankets between your bag and the tent floor as well as on top of your bags to increase the insulation.
By Willie D on May 19, 2010 | Reply
I’ve done the “mylar e-blanket” thing once when I brought a lighterweight bag winter camping. The temps dropped really low and I was in -10F weather with a +25F bag…..noooooo fun! The mylar twisted around a lot and also served to “help” condense moisture inside my sleeping bag. This only made me colder.
Get a better bag or double up by putting blankets or another sleeping bag around the first one. Use a closed cell foam pad.
Save the mylar for the floor and use it as a ground cloth inside the tent. I use one of the thicker reflective blankets (tarp-like thickness)…not a cheap pocket blanket. Used as a groundcloth between the foam pad and the tent floor it helps a lot.
By HardCoreCamperAdmin on May 19, 2010 | Reply
Because there are normally cold natured people that go with me camping in the snow (or cold), I always take extra blankets (comforters) and sleeping bags to line the bottom & top of where my company sleeps. Usually this will prevent the cold from coming up from the ground and will keep the cold from settling on top of you. In addition, if you have an air mattress that also prevents the cold setting in.
You need something that will lock out the cold from setting in to the bones over the coldest period of the night. Summer sleeping bags are better than nothing.
By Jeff B on May 19, 2010 | Reply
It depends on how cold it gets. I ould test it first on my balcony or something.
By sun_rayz01 on May 19, 2010 | Reply
I am sure it would work, but for a little bit of $ you can get a Thermarest camp mat at places like Bass Pro Shop or other places online and they work great to be so lightweight. I hope this helps.
By mr danger on May 19, 2010 | Reply
Back to basics
There is no such thing as cold only the absence of heat
Cold doesn’t go in heat goes out
Heat is energy energy is motion
Therefore heat moves from one place to another
Three methods to transfer heat
Convection
Conduction
Radiation
Your problem is that the Mylar does absolutely nothing to address the conduction problem which in winter is a major concern to the point that what you have under you is almost as important as what you have over you
Buy a ten dollar piece of closed cell foam and get a good nights sleep
By Edgeoftown on May 19, 2010 | Reply
Camping on the cheap, thinking back to my old Boy Scout days, we used to use layers of newspaper under our bags. Worked for us, temperatures at night 25 F or so. Burned them in the fire when we were done. Never liked the air mattress, I found them to be too cold – I think the air circulated around right underneath you and moved your heat away. But, go for the closed cell foam mattresses at campmor.com. You won’t regret it, and it will be easier to carry than newspapers.