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  1. #1

    Cool Military Sleeping System

    Hi Fellers, first time on the AT next year. In the process of getting gear. We're hiking the GA section in June and wondering what y'all think about this sleep system. I know you zpack folks won't like the weight of it but considering I have 3 seasons in one pack and I found for about $125.00 not too bad. Thoughts? Would like to hear from anyone that has used them in the past.

  2. #2

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    If you're looking for a bag for summer use, you can do a lot better for $125. On the other hand, if you're looking for something that can get you year round coverage, that's your total budget, and you don't mind it being HUGE when it really is cold out (green and black bag combined), it's as economical as it gets. I used the system in the USMC and was pretty impressed with it for functionality. However, if your needs are more specific, there are great alternatives.

  3. #3

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    I am a veteran. I had a "gift" of that entire system. It's not that great.

    It has a huge volume. It does not fit in an Alice pack.

    I have an Alice pack: I might want to carry duck decoys. That big.

    The compressed version also sold is not that great. Do you need to quickly get out the front shooting?

    It's design is for military, who endure hardship. I would say, forget it.

  4. #4
    Registered User Wise Old Owl's Avatar
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    rhinodyson I am not sure what you are asking us. you havent asked a question and gave a url source to look at what you have intended. Although I have examined military sleep systems for Afganistan mountains there is absolutely no way I would buy them at a surplus store. There is two schools of thought.

    1. buy a bag for now and just like a teen with a new beater car hope for the best.
    2 buy the best down bag you can afford and a compression sack.

    Owl's tried and tru method. - hike you ass off and worry about sleeping later.. then go to EMS or REI and get on the floor and make sure it fits your butt - shoulders - toes. if you are 5' 9" you might need a long and once you buy it's forever. Do it once and forever. There isn't one bag that will work for all seasons. not happening. My current bag can be compressed to a grapefruit and inside the sack, and I have used it below 36° with layers of micro fleece clothing.


    I have lots of military gear... not the bag... nope not going to happen.


    by the way fill out your bio and welcome to WB! We are here to help and the group is from all walks of life...
    Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.

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  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Connie View Post
    I am a veteran. I had a "gift" of that entire system. It's not that great.

    It has a huge volume. It does not fit in an Alice pack.

    I have an Alice pack: I might want to carry duck decoys. That big.

    The compressed version also sold is not that great. Do you need to quickly get out the front shooting?

    It's design is for military, who endure hardship. I would say, forget it.
    This post hits home. "It has a huge volume" is a fact. I went out several years ago with Little Mitten and she had the black bag and I was carrying a 0F Marmot down bag. Funny thing is, I ended up using the Army bag and gave Mitten the Marmot for night time temps at 10F. Just a side note and not relevant to the discussion.

    The Army believes in durability and bulk and it's true---if you pile enough crap on top of you, you will stay warm at 0F. It's the technique poor campers use to survive frigid nights---get a cheap polarguard bag, throw an Army feather bag on top, maybe put an old boy scout rectangular bag unzipped over the whole mess---Voila! You'll stay warm in subzero temps.

    At what cost? Tremendous weight and tremendous bulk. Can it be carried? Sure, but you'll look like you're carrying Muammar Gaddafi's bedouin tent.

    Here's a test---When it's -5F some night, go into the backyard with 5 or 6 bed comforters or quilts and lay down on your sleeping pad and pile all 20 lbs of them on top and you'll stay warm.

    Eventually you'll upgrade to a stand-alone top tier subzero-rated goose down bag like Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering with better warmth at a much lower weight, like 3 lbs 6 ozs for temps around 10 below.

    I had a friend who was first sgt at Fifth Group SF when it was at Ft Bragg. I asked him why him and his boys didn't carry high quality $300 (1980 prices) goose down bags on his winter mountain patrols and he laughed and snickered. He said such bags wouldn't last a night in the field under the conditions they put them thru.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Connie View Post
    I am a veteran. I had a "gift" of that entire system. It's not that great.

    It has a huge volume. It does not fit in an Alice pack.

    I have an Alice pack: I might want to carry duck decoys. That big.

    The compressed version also sold is not that great. Do you need to quickly get out the front shooting?

    It's design is for military, who endure hardship. I would say, forget it.
    Thanks appreciate the feedback

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl View Post
    rhinodyson I am not sure what you are asking us. you havent asked a question and gave a url source to look at what you have intended. Although I have examined military sleep systems for Afganistan mountains there is absolutely no way I would buy them at a surplus store. There is two schools of thought.

    1. buy a bag for now and just like a teen with a new beater car hope for the best.
    2 buy the best down bag you can afford and a compression sack.

    Owl's tried and tru method. - hike you ass off and worry about sleeping later.. then go to EMS or REI and get on the floor and make sure it fits your butt - shoulders - toes. if you are 5' 9" you might need a long and once you buy it's forever. Do it once and forever. There isn't one bag that will work for all seasons. not happening. My current bag can be compressed to a grapefruit and inside the sack, and I have used it below 36° with layers of micro fleece clothing.


    I have lots of military gear... not the bag... nope not going to happen.


    by the way fill out your bio and welcome to WB! We are here to help and the group is from all walks of life...
    Thank you. Will definitely fill out the profile.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    This post hits home. "It has a huge volume" is a fact. I went out several years ago with Little Mitten and she had the black bag and I was carrying a 0F Marmot down bag. Funny thing is, I ended up using the Army bag and gave Mitten the Marmot for night time temps at 10F. Just a side note and not relevant to the discussion.

    The Army believes in durability and bulk and it's true---if you pile enough crap on top of you, you will stay warm at 0F. It's the technique poor campers use to survive frigid nights---get a cheap polarguard bag, throw an Army feather bag on top, maybe put an old boy scout rectangular bag unzipped over the whole mess---Voila! You'll stay warm in subzero temps.

    At what cost? Tremendous weight and tremendous bulk. Can it be carried? Sure, but you'll look like you're carrying Muammar Gaddafi's bedouin tent.

    Here's a test---When it's -5F some night, go into the backyard with 5 or 6 bed comforters or quilts and lay down on your sleeping pad and pile all 20 lbs of them on top and you'll stay warm.

    Eventually you'll upgrade to a stand-alone top tier subzero-rated goose down bag like Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering with better warmth at a much lower weight, like 3 lbs 6 ozs for temps around 10 below.

    I had a friend who was first sgt at Fifth Group SF when it was at Ft Bragg. I asked him why him and his boys didn't carry high quality $300 (1980 prices) goose down bags on his winter mountain patrols and he laughed and snickered. He said such bags wouldn't last a night in the field under the conditions they put them thru.
    Awesome thank you!

  9. #9
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    My son uses one for Boy Scout car camping trips, nice and warm but weighs as much as everything I carry in my pack combined

  10. #10

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    Thank Calebj!

  11. #11
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    I used the standard issue 11Bush sleeping bag in 78. Walter has a point the Army does like durable. I carried for about 500 miles then went to a Military poncho liner and poncho. Back then I was a kid with limited funds. My experience with newer ultra lite except for Western Mountaining bags is that much of it is very expensive and does not last. The useful life is very limited. Equipment choices have so many factors. I find the biggest being cost time ratio. Closely followed by physical condition and age factors. The key is getting in enough bag nights to figure out what works. Last purchase I made to cut weight was a neo air very comfortable for current trips. The big question is how long will it last. When I was younger often I used no mattress, than just a roll of foam. As any experienced hiker knows whats underneath is more important than whats on top and nature can often provide natural material. Another big issue is keeping dry. Thats the big advantage with cuban fiber and the like. Thought I had died and went to heaven when gore-tex was invented. The staying dry also relates to total weight carried. Learned that the first time I lugged an m-60. Had to walk thru streams the CAR 15 crew could just leap over. The whole what to carry really is personal and learned over the years thru doing and not in a book.

  12. #12
    Registered User Donde's Avatar
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    Generally agree with the above you could do better.

    However a

    Quote Originally Posted by lemon b View Post
    Military poncho liner and poncho.
    is always a good call, don't go nowhere without your woobie.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    Eventually you'll upgrade to a stand-alone top tier subzero-rated goose down bag like Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering with better warmth at a much lower weight, like 3 lbs 6 ozs for temps around 10 below.
    And you can - at a weight penalty, but then you are willing to pay it anyway with a military system - use that one good, warm bag in four Seasons by unzipping it to various degrees and using it as a quilt to various degrees.

    I bought a good, solid winter bag when I was a broke college kid for about $400 (it is under 3 lbs) and have been using it ever since in all seasons.

    Now that I have been out of college for nearly a decade - yikes! - I am thinking it is time to get a lighter weight bag for warmer temperatures. I can afford it now, you see.

  14. #14
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    Army "sleep system?" That flashed me back to basic training in the '60s. You could sleep as late as you wanted on Sunday ..... as long as you got up at 6 AM and made your bed.
    "It goes to show you never can tell." - Charles Edward Anderson Berry

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    I'd like to learn about military modular sleep systems from different countries.

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