Wool Blanket. What am I doing wrong?

[Tokwan]

EB is right on the dot!

[finallyME]

It sounds like you had enough ground insulation. Other than that, did you tuck all the ends underneath you? Did you cover your head and neck, either with the blanket or a hat? If you did those two things, then you just didn't have enough blanket. Another trick is getting enough to eat before bed. Your body needs fuel to burn.

[Winnie]

I'm in England too Tri-star and camp a lot. Even in the height of summer a single wool blanket as you have described will not keep you warm, I'm afraid. You would probably need two, or your sleeping bag. Possibly the difference between the two is layers and heat retention capability(although I couldd be wrong.) The problem with the 2am-3am thing is, it's about this time that the temps are at their lowest and the dew starts to rise. Put the two together and it's pretty nippy. The daytime temps over this bank holiday weekend have been rotten. It's been hovering around the 10-15C (that's 50-60f) and down into single digits at night so around 40-45f at night, some places even got down to the late 30'sf. Add in the rain and wind and you can take off another couple of degrees for the 'feels like' temps.

I had considered camping this weekend, but after seeing the weather forcast, that's as far as I got.

[Tristar777]

Hi All.
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions, I think the simple answer to try out first is more blankets!
Hi Winnie. Your right, the good camping weather seems to have come and gone! I think its the Autumn and winter gear is gonna be out the cupboard pretty soon! Haha! Hey its Britain, at least we had a hot spell earlier this year!

[kyratshooter]

Tristar, what you are experiencing is the very reason outdoorsmen invented the sleeping bag.

Pound for pound those insulated, quilted, zippered devices give you more comfort than should be expected for their size and price.

Once you have added a second blanket you are going to be well past the weight and bulk of the sleeping bag, and if the blankets are good you will have exceeded the price of a good bag.

I do often carry blankets as well as a sleeping bag but I am car camping. The weight and bulk are not relevant. The blankets are for hovering around the campfire on cold nights and adding to the sleeping bag if it happens to not be enough.

I also keep a selection of various bags ranging from 2 season to -20 rating and I am not afraid to use them.

I sleep cold and have been known to slip the -20 bag inside a jumbo sized 0 degree bag, then dive inside and tie the top shut!

[The Killer Tuna]

Any blanket's insulation is just the blanket. There is no air pocket. This is the advantage of modern synthetics and sleeping bags; they create an insulating air pocket around you that can't draft in and out. Think about a hammock, or sleeping directly on the ground. Most hard-core hammock users say you can't sleep in a hammock below about 70F (I can't do it under about 80F) without some kind of bottom quilt, because just using a sleeping bag there is no insulation on you're bottom side. You've crushed the air pocket. Ditto sleeping directly on the ground in a bag, without the pad. There is no air pocket between you and the ground.

If you want to use a blanket, I recommend full clothing and a beanie. Either that, or you do it like Jeremiah Johnson...just make sure you put enough dirt on it... ;-)

[Jimmyq]

Was the blanket simple laid over you or did you wrap up in it? There are a number of youtube videos about a good wrap up style for wool blankets. A wool blanket lacks a lot of loft vs a modern sleeping bag with hollow fibre fill etc... Loft and air void = warmth retention, think about fibreglass insulation...

[Rick]

Should I be fully clothed?

I think this is the culprit. Clothing is a first layer of warmth. It traps a film of air between you and the outside air. If you remove this layer then you are going to get cold with the items you listed. The blanket doesn't have enough loft nor is it tight fitting enough to close gaps that will let in the cooler air. I always sleep in my clothes even in summer. It would have to be pretty hot for me to remove them. In any case, they are the last thing to go. I change socks and let the ones I've worn that day air dry. Anything else that needs to be changed will be changed the next morning. The only exception to this would be if I had gotten wet then I would change that evening. My clothes are the newer fast drying fabrics but I won't sleep in them wet.

[DomC]

In the “old days” winter trekkers slept in caribou hides, or they kept all their winter clothing and moccasins on and wrapped themselves in one or two wool blankets. Nowadays, the concept of sleeping in all your clothing and boots is "not in style".... I don't care if I'm "not in style", you need a good night's rest, so if I have to wear all my clothing and coat to sleep warm and sound I won't hesitate...I've been there done that as recently as 11/11/11.

I recall when I'd be on duty in the Navy, sleeping on board the sub during the winters tied up to the piers; I would sleep in my rack fully clothed with boots on and wool blankets and still felt cold! That old boat felt like a cold storage unit during the winters in Groton, CT. The old adage "1 is none 2 is one" rings true with wool blankets...a long fire helps too.

DomC

[Tristar777]

Hi Rick. Yup. I definitely need to stay fully clothed. I think I was asking too much of my single blanket without the clothing.
Im going out again next week for one night so Ill give it another go! Cheers!

[ElevenBravo]

EB is right on the dot!

Damn, I was?!?! I better mark that on the calendar! HA HA!



OP, a good rule of thumb for sleep gear, its better to take a wee bit too much and not need it, than a wee bit too little and have a sleepless miserable night.

If your hot you can roll off a layer or two, but if your cold, a fire is about all thats left, and tending a fire at night while your trying to sleep aint all glamor like it looks on TV!!!

EB

[Tristar777]

Ha ha! Thanks EB. Don't worry, when ever I test anything new (to me), I take back up. I had a sleeping bag with me just in case!
Well I went out again and you guys were right. Two blankets and fully clothed and I was comfortable warm. I must admit, not as cosy as my bag but it has been an interesting try out for me.
I like the idea of blanket bed rolls but I think that's only gonna happen for me when car camping. Any hiking and the extra weight of the wool is just too much when compared to my 3 season bag. Even my Army artic bag is lighter!
Good fun though and thanks for all the advice and replies.

[Tokwan]

You should try out a few combinations, then go for the one that packed smallest and lightest. Please share when you found the correct combination for you.

[ieatcrayons]

i do a lot of winter camping in Arkansas. i have also used wool blankets. i find they work well as a ground mat or under/in your bag directly over you. now all that being said. my wife. i can't keep her warm in 80 deg. weather. some people just have problems with that. i would say keep the blanket an maybe invest in a heaver bag.

[Sgt. Duece]

if you use synthetic clothing be very careful around open flames because they dont burn, they melt, and the docs have a hard time separating your skin from the synthetic material

Good point. I just watched Jeremiah Johnson the other night and it brings to mind where the old mountain man Bear Claw was teaching him how to start a fire and then bury it so he could roll out his bedroll on it. He woke up quick in the middle of the night when his clothes caught fire. The old mountain man looked over and said. "You didn't use enough dirt. I seen that right off."

[Laboucan]

if you use synthetic clothing be very careful around open flames because they dont burn, they melt, and the docs have a hard time separating your skin from the synthetic material

Be careful to not use a fabric softner on polar fleese, it can make the fabric really flamable.

[Wise Old Owl]

Although the thread is a year old much has changed in the last 10 years with clothing. I agree with many of the posts so - this is not an argument. nylon is now spun smaller than human hair. By holding these tightly woven fibers close to the body it traps molecules of air close to the body. Nylon cannot hold moisture so you sweat thru the products such as a Bergalene, Tec-Wick or Turtle Fur and the tighter or fuzzy it is the first layer against the skin. It can still trap sweat in the nether regions so be careful to dry those out prior to sleeping. I use a multi layer of Bergalene when canoing with Boy Scouts - to the average person - I am clothed. The difference is on a three season day I can swim in the cold water and get back in the canoe and be head to toe dry in 10 - 30 minutes. I just keep moving and the body heat did the rest. SO my answer would have been layers, the best mat you can afford and a turtle fur beenie. If you want to use a wool blanket - go for it... I use a 40° degree Down-Tec Waterproof Down bag. That weighs 1 pound. It compresses int o mini pack.

The product names I mentioned have changed over the years - but its all the same.

[hunter63]

Be careful to not use a fabric softner on polar fleese, it can make the fabric really flamable.

Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome.
There is a intro section at

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

If you want to say Hello.

[shiftyer1]

I want to make a hat like the one mentioned above.........how do I go about finding a furry turtle?

[Wise Old Owl]

I want to make a hat like the one mentioned above.........how do I go about finding a furry turtle?

Turtle Fur is on its way out - it is the finest softest poly one can buy. I am sure you are joking. I get it. It is proprietary.

http://www.mycoolingstore.com/turtle...l#.VZ8WM_n_9Vc