Sleeping Gear for Hot Summer Nights

[SawnieRobertson]

I would appreciate recommendations. Once the 40-degree bag becomes way too hot, what have you been successful in using? Thanks for your suggestions.

[Old Hiker]

I lay on top of a fleece bag - $15 (?) at Wally or some such. At or about 0200, I slip my legs into the bag as I've cooled down enough to be chilly, even here in FL.

[Feral Bill]

Unzip bag and use as a quilt. Cover as much or little as needed.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Unzip bag and use as a quilt. Cover as much or little as needed.

This is what I do as well. I've tried using just a blanket in the middle of the summer, but after I spent a couple of miserable nights caught in bad weather without proper insulation I decided it was worth it to always have a proper sleeping bag with me.

[SawnieRobertson]

Thanks for the replies. Of course, a ceiling fan would probably help, or, as I suspected, someone would mention a credit card to be used at motels on the way. I've done the 40-degree bag thing and have been reluctant to give it up (even though I hated it at the moment) for the reason given by Feral Bill. I think I'll try the fleece bag, one from Walmart instead of the heavy one I already own from another place. Again, thanks for your time and replies.

[Venchka]

Where are Y'all sleeping that it is so hot?
If/When I sleep on the ground I do it places that aren't hot. Even in July.
New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Alberta & British Columbia. Sounds like the CDT/GDT to me.

Wayne

[FarmerChef]

I lay on top of a fleece bag - $15 (?) at Wally or some such. At or about 0200, I slip my legs into the bag as I've cooled down enough to be chilly, even here in FL.

This is exactly what I do. Works all summer long for me.

[rocketsocks]

Last summer on one trip (day time highs 91 degrees) I left the bag home knowing it would be hot, and pretty certain the forecast had it right. However I brought a cotton bag liner, really a sheet but it's sewn up like a bag, worked pretty good, don't think I got in it, but just laid it on top. A silky one would have likely been better, and way lighter.

[Just Bill]

silk sleeping bag liner is popular.
Lost it, but I used to have a quilt with no insulation made from uncoated nylon- more or less a sheet of ripstop folded over with a box style foot box.

Summer here is summer- 60-80 at night is not hard to encounter.
In true summer here I just bring a pad and sleep in a Cap 2 top and shorts or the button up shirt and longer (bug) pants that I may bring for sitting around.

[rafe]

Unzip bag and use as a quilt. Cover as much or little as needed.

Works for me. But some nights are just sweltering, you know? A ceiling fan would be nice.

[Ricky&Jack]

Works for me. But some nights are just sweltering, you know? A ceiling fan would be nice.

I used my hammock last night. It was 82 at night. So I hung it over a creek that was about 5 feet wide (and a few inches deep) and the blowing air from the cool water helped me stay cool. All I had was a cheap blanket that I used balled up for comfort.

[RangerZ]

Back during my "travel light and freeze at night" days I carried two poncho liners and slept under 1 or 2 or 3 layers folded over depending what the temperature was.

The travel light part really wasn't.

[jj2044]

I agree with RangerZ, I have used my poncho liners during the summers here in Texas, but I doubt I would them on the AT,.... when I was in the army we took a trip to Shenandoah national park in mid June and I froze my butt off at night, just use a 40 degree bag, or maybe one o those cheap eBay ultra light 54 degree bags.

[daddytwosticks]

I've been using a down Montbell Thermal Sheet opened up like a quilt for this time of year. Very light, like maybe around 14 ounces and truly does compress down to the size of a 1 liter Nalgene. :)

[garlic08]

I'll throw out another suggestion, based on a cycling trip across the Midwest during the 2012 heat wave. I had plenty of campsites where the temp at sunset was over 95F, and 75 at sunrise (with 70F dewpoints). Key for me was catching a breeze (the natural ceiling fan), so I paid a lot of attention to site selection and tent placement.

I carried a 30F down quilt on that trip, which also saw wet snow in the North Cascades. The quilt was perfect.

[HooKooDooKu]

Of course, a ceiling fan would probably help...
On short weekend hikes during the summer, I take along a Coleman battery operated fan (http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/coleman-cool-zephyr-mini-fan/pid-26567). I managed to drill some holes into it to attach some string to allow me to hang it off the gear loft in the tent. I use it when we first head to bed until I get settled down for the evening. A pair of AA batteries gets about an hour to an hour-and-a-half out of the fan.

[FlyFishNut]

I would get the lightest bag (mentioned above from wally world) and I bought this in case even the lightest bag is too hot.

http://www.rei.com/product/649745/cocoon-coolmax-mummy-liner

Also, this coupled with your cold weather bag will make you sleep warmer in cold weather PLUS it's soft. (unlike stickiness on the inside of a lot of sleeping bags that aren't soft).

And if you stay in any 3rd world country nasty places where don't trust the bedding slide into this and you will sleep better.

[SawnieRobertson]

I would get the lightest bag (mentioned above from wally world) and I bought this in case even the lightest bag is too hot.http://www.rei.com/product/649745/cocoon-coolmax-mummy-liner

Cool Max is a friend, but are there any provisions for getting in and out of this bag? The specs do not mention a zipper, tags, or even buttons along one side. It is, therefore, perhaps unable to be used as a quilt. Too bad.

[Odd Man Out]

My only bag is a 40 deg down quilt (only planning on summer hikes for the foreseeable future). I like to lie on top of the quilt when I go to bed, wearing just my boxer briefs. It usually takes my metabolism a while to cool down so even if it's cool out, I stay warm for quite a while. If it's hot I may just fall asleep on top of the quilt. At some point I wake up feeling a bit chilled, at which point I pull the quilt over me and go back to sleep. The secret is to not get into or under the down bag/quilt until after you have cooled off and your metabolism has slowed for the evening.

[JumpMaster Blaster]

Back during my "travel light and freeze at night" days I carried two poncho liners and slept under 1 or 2 or 3 layers folded over depending what the temperature was.

The travel light part really wasn't.
Ahh the old poncho liner a/k/a the "woobie". I have a spare and was thinking about bringing it instead of my (issued) 40 degree bag next time out this summer. At 1 lb 5 oz it would certainly lighten the summer packing list, but from my military experience it's either too much or too little- never "just right".

Of course, a front will come in & I'll freeze my **-**s off. Go figure.

[shelb]

I used my hammock last night. It was 82 at night. So I hung it over a creek that was about 5 feet wide (and a few inches deep) and the blowing air from the cool water helped me stay cool. All I had was a cheap blanket that I used balled up for comfort.

This sounds heavenly!!! You didn't mention the "lullaby" of the "babbling creek," which is what would really lull me to sleep!!!!