Prolly an old Sleepbag question..

[atmooney]

Hi all, kinda new here, so I would have missed this thread, sorry if it's been done to death...Anywho....My problem is this: I can NOT sleep in a mummy. I sleep on my belly, arms and legs in every direction. Does anybody share this sleeping style? What bag do you use? Thanks in advance everyone!

[dloome]

Mummy bags are MUCH more efficient in terms of warmth to weight than other styles of sleeping bags. Big roomy bags create a LOT more space for your body to keep warm. I'll bet you'd get used to sleeping in a mummy after a short while. You could also check out some of the bags with elastic baffles that allow the efficieny of a mummy cut with some more room to move around. Montbell makes a bunch of them. Some companies also make semi rectangular bags that are sort of a compromise between the two styles.

You could also check out a quilt system like those made by Nunatak, but if you thrash around a lot it probably wouldn't stay put. That's all I got.

[Footslogger]

Hi all, kinda new here, so I would have missed this thread, sorry if it's been done to death...Anywho....My problem is this: I can NOT sleep in a mummy. I sleep on my belly, arms and legs in every direction. Does anybody share this sleeping style? What bag do you use? Thanks in advance everyone!

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Why can't you do all that in a mummy bag? ...I do. Most of the time I sleep with my arms outside of the bag and wear a long sleeve shirt to sleep in.

'Slogger

[Mother Nature]

I absolutely positively can not sleep in a mummy bag. Been trying to use one for 40 years. But I own one.

On nights where the temperature drops below 20 degrees I just suffer and tough it out in the mummy.

On most nights I open my mummy bag a little shy of half way, flip it and insert my full length z-rest inside and use it like a quilt over me. On warmer nights sleeping directly on the z-rest can get sweaty so I usually sleep in silk underwear to keep from sticking to the pad.

I kick and thrash and flip and turn to my delight. When my butt gets cold I just tuck the quilt around tightly.

Not pretty :) but it works for me.

MN

[Midway Sam]

Try the Mont-Bell Super Stretch.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Both dinos twist and turn a lot. We use a quilt.

[hopefulhiker]

You can go with a good semi rectanguar.. I got a good one from Western Mountaineering.. It is heavier but it is warm...

[Toolshed]

I have suffered in silence for years...... Then I found the Marmot Sawtooth X-wide and more recently the Montbell SuperStretch. My nights have changed. I have more energy and pep.
Seriously, I am really happy with the superstretch. I got my wife a Mountain Hardware Crazy Legs Down Woman's bag about 10 years ago and that has stretch panels - I always wished I had one in a man's size.
Now, thanks to MontBell (Who I heard held the original patent and stopped MH from making the Crazy Legs Bags), I can sleep in comfort and I am not kidding!!!

[MOWGLI]

I had a mummy bag that was constrictive to the point of claustrophobia. I learned that on a shakedown hike before my thru-hike in '00.

I went out and bought a stretch bag from Sierra Designs. It allows me to side sleep, roll over, and basically sleep anyway I like.

Good luck figuring this out.

[atmooney]

Thanks a lot for all the help! I have a new found sense of direction!:0)

[BigCat]

You can solve your problem the way I did ... join the navy! I used to have to stretch out all over the place and rarely slept under blankets. After two submarine tours I could get some zzzz's even if I were stuffed into a 50 gallon barrel.

[paulbrown137]

I love to stretch, kick up a knee, sleep on my side, and tummy and toss and turn all night. I tried a Big Agnes Mystic. Nice and big, but I felt pinned to the pad, and had problems with the down in the chest/hips area of the bag migrating to the sides during the night.

I ended up with a Western Mountaineering Ponderosa. It is a huge bag with 27oz of down in it. Great 15* bag that I can thrash around in for 2.5 lbs. With a good hood on and a montbell u.l. down inner jacket I think I could push it below 10* (Ive had it under 15* before and was cozy warm). There is no hood, but it is big enough to srunch down into and tighten it around your head, neck. Its not a perfect seal, but hoods for side/belly sleepers dont work really well. Ditto on the statements that bigger bags are harder to heat up. You just need to find out where your break even point is. Mine is about at two and a half pounds I guess.

For summer I would recommend a quilt. put it over you like a blanket at home and just pull it in as needed to stay warm. I can sleep in a mummy (though I dont prefer it) so I just got a warm weather mummy bag. I can use it as a quilt or when it gets a bit cold, sinch it up tight.

[illusionistG]

atmooney...we both have the same problem. Check out "Big Agnes" sleeping bags. They have good girth and footbox measurements. In the summer I do the same as others have mentioned by using a quilt.

[astrogirl]

I'm a stomach sleeper and can't manager a mummy bag either.

I use the Nunatak back country blanket and a rectangular silk liner as needed.

[atmooney]

Thanks again all! Very helpful info, indeed!

[Undershaft]

I sleep on my side alot which, as others have stated, can be difficult in a restrictive mummy bag. The solution: I simply bought a larger bag. Most mummy bags come in three sizes: small, regular and tall. The small bag is the size that fits me the best in terms of warmth. I bought a regular size which allows enough extra room to move around inside the bag in any way I want. I can even change my clothes inside the bag. It's not as efficient in terms of warmth, but if I get cold I just put on more clothes.

[NoKnees]

I am the same way...for years I slept with the mummy open like a quilt. Now I have a pair of quilts. One is larger, thicker version of hungry howies quilt its about 26oz. I made it a little longer and quite a bit wider. No problem with drafts. I have used it in comfort in conjuction with a light event bivy down into the single digits. Its my normal bag from the high forties to the teens.

I also made a light, synthetic quilt. less than a pound. Only 1 inch of loft.. good for the mid summer hikes. weighs just 15 oz.

Spring and fall I am a ground sleeper. Tarp if its dryish or shelters aren't a problem. and a tarp tent (contrail these days) if I think rain is likely. but may through early september I am in the Hammock.

Nice thing about quilts besides the weight savings..is it makes the transition to the hammock easier. The syntheitc quilt was so easy.. I through it together in maybe 2 hours and cost was reasonable. Bit of work to make the down quilt tho

[bertcourson]

I bought a Montbell Superstretch #40 and have only tried it on the floor at home, but oh what a feeling! I can toss and turn without breaking a seam.

[atmooney]

Thanks to the incredible advice recieved on thid thread I bought a Montbell super stretch burrow #2. Awesome!!! I can put a knee up while on my belly w/ other leg straight out. Wow! Thanks everyone! Very excited to try it outdoors! Thanks all, again!! Al