Do you use separate clothes for sleeping? [Archive]

DrRichardCranium

05-14-2015, 22:19

I thru-hiked the AT in 2010, but I didn't really use separate clothes for sleeping. Some say it's better because it's less sweaty.

The other issue is you cook while in your day clothes, then you should supposedly BEAR-BAG your clothes and sleep in other clothes.
Seriously, do people actually do this??

And my other question is, if I were to hike the PCT or CDT, should I start doing this? It seems like extra weight and bother.

mrcoffeect

05-14-2015, 22:29

I used seperate sleepware to keep my down sleeping bag a little cleaner longer.

BirdBrain

05-14-2015, 22:35

More qualified people will answer. My answer is no.... except for my socks and a beanie. I have one pair of socks I dedicate just for sleeping. I have a beanie for my head that technically is a multiuse item that could be used on the trail. Haven't used it hiking yet.

Seems to me that if you freezer bag cook, then the food smell should not be an issue. I assume you are concerned with odor laden steam being broadcast into your clothing while cooking in a pot.If so, that is one more vote for FBC.

MuddyWaters

05-14-2015, 22:38

If i slept in separate clothes, mine would always be damp. They only dry by sleeping. If im really wet, i will wear baselayer, most time i leave the same clothes on for weeks.

Scouts do the separate sleeping clothing thing in bear areas. Ive seen some hikers change in camp, just to be more comfortable, not for bear avoidance.

DrRichardCranium

05-14-2015, 22:50

I used a sleeping bag liner all the time. I would just wash it whenever I was in town doing laundry. My down sleeping bag stayed clean for the whole hike, and I never had to have it cleaned.

Sarcasm the elf

05-14-2015, 22:52

The other issue is you cook while in your day clothes, then you should supposedly BEAR-BAG your clothes and sleep in other clothes.
Seriously, do people actually do this??

Statistically speaking, on average how many people have been dragged out of their tents by bears in the USA each year? Zero? One? I'll take my chances.

MuddyWaters

05-14-2015, 23:05

Statistically speaking, on average how many people have been dragged out of their tents by bears in the USA each year? Zero? One? I'll take my chances.
Philmont handles 25-30,000 scouts per summer, camping in same places frequently. This HAS happened there.

With enough numbers, eventually anything will happen to someone.

Sarcasm the elf

05-14-2015, 23:32

Philmont handles 25-30,000 scouts per summer, camping in same places frequently. This HAS happened there.

With enough numbers, eventually anything will happen to someone.

I never camped at Philmont, but they really do work within a set of parameters that most backcountry sites do not have to deal with. If I ever get the chance to go there then I will be their guest and follow their rules. (I am an Eagle Scout and my son is 6 months old, I really do hope to make it to Philmont one day.)

Sarcasm the elf

05-14-2015, 23:34

Philmont handles 25-30,000 scouts per summer, camping in same places frequently. This HAS happened there.

With enough numbers, eventually anything will happen to someone.

In fairness, my first post comes off a little more cockey then I meant for it to sound. I was really poking fun at the "bearbag your clothes" remark in the opening post, not bear safety in general.

Rising3agle

05-15-2015, 00:02

I used a sleeping bag liner all the time. I would just wash it whenever I was in town doing laundry. My down sleeping bag stayed clean for the whole hike, and I never had to have it cleaned.

I like this idea. a lot. I've been carrying an extra shirt and a pair of shorts to try to keep my sleeping stuff a bit cleaner. but this makes a lot more sense from that point of view.

sometimes it's the obvious things....

BirdBrain

05-15-2015, 00:28

In fairness, my first post comes off a little more cockey then I meant for it to sound. I was really poking fun at the "bearbag your clothes" remark in the opening post, not bear safety in general.

How dare you. That is my job. You are an amateur. The information you provided was useful. I actually was concerned about my sleeping habits until you injected logic.

bigcranky

05-15-2015, 07:15

daddytwosticks

05-15-2015, 07:15

I've always taken a spare set of clothes to sleep in since I sweat like a pig and my hiking clothes are always damp/wet. I've never bear bagged clothes...any spares go into my stuff sack for a pillow. :)

magneto

05-15-2015, 07:32

Statistically speaking, on average how many people have been dragged out of their tents by bears in the USA each year? Zero? One? I'll take my chances.

A bear tore open a hiker's tent at the Garfield Campsite in Franconia last season. The hiker in said tent didn't bag his food, deciding to sleep with it next to him instead. Luckily he wasn't mauled, but the tent was lost. Said bear also bluff-charged several people who were trying to scare him away. He then proceeded to push and throw the bear box around in anger, attempting to get what was inside, stamping and growling.

This stuff happens because the campsites are crowded and people don't follow the rules, thinking that it can't happen to them. Then their carelessness is visited upon us all by bears that have lost their natural fear of human beings. I - however - remain very afraid of my fellow man.

When you reach the Whites, you will need to be very concerned about aggressive bears. Don't take chances.

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10-K

05-15-2015, 07:35

Warm weather - sleep nude and use liner.

Cold weather - silk thermals, no liner.

Sarcasm the elf

05-15-2015, 07:51

A bear tore open a hiker's tent at the Garfield Campsite in Franconia last season. The hiker in said tent didn't bag his food, deciding to sleep with it next to him instead. Luckily he wasn't mauled, but the tent was lost. Said bear also bluff-charged several people who were trying to scare him away. He then proceeded to push and throw the bear box around in anger, attempting to get what was inside, stamping and growling.

This stuff happens because the campsites are crowded and people don't follow the rules, thinking that it can't happen to them. Then their carelessness is visited upon us all by bears that have lost their natural fear of human beings. I - however - remain very afraid of my fellow man.

When you reach the Whites, you will need to be very concerned about aggressive bears. Don't take chances.

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I hope that you saw my follow-up comment below as well

In fairness, my first post comes off a little more cockey then I meant for it to sound. I was really poking fun at the "bearbag your clothes" remark in the opening post, not bear safety in general.

As to your Garfield campsite example, I fully agree that choosing not to use a provided bear box is just dumb, if a local maintaining club puts forth the effort to lug a steel box up the side of a mountain for the sake of food storage, that alone is a clear sign to me that there is likely heavy bear activity in the area and it's well worth the extra 10 seconds it takes to secure my food into it.

magneto

05-15-2015, 08:07

No worries - the AMC added the bear boxes to all of their sites because things are so out of control. The camping practices at these sites are truly frighting. People haul all sorts of aromatic foods into the campsites and cook them right on the tent platforms. Then when you arrive, the caretaker assigns you a space right next to them. There is no use in trying to educate - so you just hope for the best.

I don't know why people carry heavy loads way up into the mountains to cook such feasts. I saw one group at Guyot break out huge bags of marinated chicken and pasta - complete with bottles of wine. When I left the next morning, their stuff and the leftover food was simply left out. Decidedly not LNT.

Hike your own hike, of course. However, it seems to me that If you want to have a barbecue - it would be more enjoyable to do it at home before (to prepare) or after (to celebrate) your conquest of the hills. Is hauling pounds upon pounds of expensive animal proteins and alcohol (in heavy glass bottles) up to 4000 feet to cook on camp stoves really necessary to experience the "wilderness?" I have since taken up the challenge of legally stealth-camping in the Whites whenever I can.

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magneto

05-15-2015, 08:16

Also - there are excellent places to car-camp in Whites. You can then make sorties to the peaks during the day, carrying just a day pack and then return to base camp in the evening for a huge party, complete with electric generators and large-screen TVs.

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imscotty

05-15-2015, 08:22

Clothes? Why sleep in clothes? (Presuming three season hiking). A bag liner can be useful to keep things clean.

Alligator

05-15-2015, 08:24

I have separate warmer clothes for sleeping in. I also use these clothes in camp. I hike in lightweight clothes, 3/4 of the time shorts vs. pants and then short or long sleeve depending on the season. Keeping your hiking clothes dry coming into camp is not always possible. Plus what I hike in is not warm enough to hang around camp in anyway.

BirdBrain

05-15-2015, 08:35

A bear tore open a hiker's tent at the Garfield Campsite in Franconia last season. The hiker in said tent didn't bag his food, deciding to sleep with it next to him instead. Luckily he wasn't mauled, but the tent was lost. Said bear also bluff-charged several people who were trying to scare him away. He then proceeded to push and throw the bear box around in anger, attempting to get what was inside, stamping and growling.

This stuff happens because the campsites are crowded and people don't follow the rules, thinking that it can't happen to them. Then their carelessness is visited upon us all by bears that have lost their natural fear of human beings. I - however - remain very afraid of my fellow man.

When you reach the Whites, you will need to be very concerned about aggressive bears. Don't take chances.

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I heard there was that issue at Liberty Springs in 2013. I am not surprised to hear that it happened at Garfield as well. A bear woke me up at that site last year. It went tent to tent waking people up. The Pemi's have bear issues. Even so, I have not heard of any injuries. I suspect you could be clean as a whistle and sleep naked and still get visits in the night there.

magneto

05-15-2015, 08:36

Agreed - injuries are rare. That said, I'd rather my watch-alarm wake me up than a foraging bear! It's all part of the fun...

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Alligator

05-15-2015, 08:38

Clothes? Why sleep in clothes? (Presuming three season hiking). A bag liner can be useful to keep things clean.Depends on how you camp at the end of the day. If you just jump in your bag at the end of the day, then you may not need warm clothes. But if you are hanging around at the end of the day, it helps to have something warmer. Even the middle of the summer can have cooler nights to where a vest and pants are useful. Sleeping in those can reduce weight in the sleeping bag/quilt. There is also more versatility with having the warmer clothes than a beefier bag as you can't wear the bag while hiking if the weather turns bad and your hiking clothes are too cold.

4eyedbuzzard

05-15-2015, 08:41

I'm not a big fan of liners as they tend to twist up and such. I generally sleep in a light weight base layer, but would probably go with lightweight PJ's (silk would be nice) over a liner if that was the route I was taking.

BirdBrain

05-15-2015, 08:43

Agreed - injuries are rare. That said, I'd rather my watch-alarm wake me up than a foraging bear! It's all part of the fun...

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Absolute agreement without on all of that. I just envisioned nervous people reading these. Just thought would inject reality. The bears are terrified of us.

LoneStranger

05-15-2015, 09:19

Am I the only hiker who likes putting on some dry clothes at the end of the day?

I usually carry a light long sleeve wool top and either 150-wt wool long john bottoms, or boxer briefs depending on the season. I hang up my wet hiking shorts and s/s top, and put on dry clothes.

I hike warm in all four seasons so one of the first things I do after making camp is swapping out wet for dry. Airing them out over night helps even if the trail clothes don't actually dry and dedicated sleep clothes including socks keep my down quilt fresher.

I heard there was that issue at Liberty Springs in 2013. I am not surprised to hear that it happened at Garfield as well. A bear woke me up at that site last year. It went tent to tent waking people up. The Pemi's have bear issues. Even so, I have not heard of any injuries. I suspect you could be clean as a whistle and sleep naked and still get visits in the night there.

The camps are the issue as the bears know where to look. Times when I set up at one of the established camps I put my food in the bear box, hang my backpack if possible and sleep light. I camp all over in the wilderness there and have never had any bear issues other than that dream on my last trip :)

illabelle

05-15-2015, 09:31

Sticky sweaty skin interferes with falling asleep. A set of dry clothes at the end of the day is really nice! I usually hike in shorts and short sleeves, and nearly always sleep in long sleeves and long johns. I have one of those liners, but it does twist up like 4EB said above, so I've only used it a couple of times.

Bear bag my clothes? I suppose if I'd spilled supper all over my shirt, and there was a bear hanging out watching us, and we couldn't move on for some reason, I might bear bag my shirt. Normally hiking clothes get hung up to air out, or stuffed into sack for pillow.

BirdBrain

05-15-2015, 09:38

Sticky sweaty skin interferes with falling asleep.

I bring a sea to summit bucket, bandana, and Dr Bronner's. I bath daily. Whereas it does not eliminate the stench, it does take care of the sticky skin. My rule of thumb on clothes is that if you can't wear it all at once, then you are carrying too much. The exceptions are socks and underwear.

The Splitter

05-15-2015, 09:48

I sleep in board shorts and a dry wick shirt, I usually change out of my hiking clothes when I'm done setting up camp. If I'm close to a stream of good water source I'll try and do laundry.

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Walkintom

05-15-2015, 10:06

I usually change out into a base layer for sleeping, unless it's been chilly enough that I'm wearing it while hiking in which case I strip down to the base layer, unless it's cold enough to force me to wear all my layers to sleep in.

So I guess it depends on the situation , but my preference is for a base layer and a bag liner. Keeps my quilt pretty clean and has all the comfort of sleeping under a sheet so if I run a bit warm I can flip up my quilt for ventilation without going to the extreme of bare skin exposed to the air. Unthinkable.

swisscross

05-15-2015, 10:11

Clean boxers and t-shirt.
Cold, I have a pair of silks.
Socks if needed but really don't care to sleep in socks.

I carry a couple of dried baby wipes to get some of the grunge off before sleep.

mankind117

05-15-2015, 10:12

I usually bring a spare shirt and undies or long johns to sleep in. Not because of bears but simply because it is more comfortable to sleep in something you haven't been sweating in all day.

shelb

05-15-2015, 21:54

Am I the only hiker who likes putting on some dry clothes at the end of the day?
.\\

No, you aren't! I always sleep MUCH better when I change into my "sleeping clothes." These clothes vary depending on the night-time temps (cold = marino wool, warm = cotton tank top and shorts). My sleep clothes are always either wool or cotton - I love getting out of the wicking stuff for the night!

bangorme

05-15-2015, 23:20

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No, you aren't! I always sleep MUCH better when I change into my "sleeping clothes." These clothes vary depending on the night-time temps (cold = marino wool, warm = cotton tank top and shorts). My sleep clothes are always either wool or cotton - I love getting out of the wicking stuff for the night!

I agree completely. After a day in the rain, sopping in sweat, there is nothing better to getting into SOMETHING dry. Summer, could be just dry underpants. In the morning, you change back into your wet underwear and clothes, and if it isn't raining, you dry it out by wearing it. But I always keep something dry for the night.

bemental

05-15-2015, 23:28