Brian Parker moving though some Wind River terrain on his 2024 vision quest.
Sleeping systems for multi-day traverses are all over the map. Depending on your goals and individual metabolism, the roadmap to sleep system perfection is an evolution. Here are some ideas to help focus the sleep system gear selection.
Let’s wander a bit into the realm of ski/splitboard traverse sleep systems. Although we’ll land on some general gear themes, as a reader, it’s good to know if you are warmish or a cold sleeper before you head into the field. We suppose the best way to discern that, if you are new to snow camping, which you’ll be doing on a non-hut supported traverse, is to experiment in your local zone over the winter. Like many things here at THR, the aim is to be non-prescriptive, as in “the best” system is this or that, but to present ideas from several people to discern what might work best for you. From trip to trip and individual to individual, these are personalized systems. A traverse in the Alaska Range differs considerably from one in places like the North Cascades, Canadian Rockies, and the Wind Rivers. Variables to think about are some of the following but not limited to:
- Sleeping altitude.
- Time of year.
- Type of shelter: mid vs. tent.
- Noted already, are you a warm/cold sleeper?
The Need to Recover
The other major variable to highlight is traverse intentions. In other words, how many nights do you expect to be out? If it’s a fast and light mission emphasizing fast, and you’re looking at 2-3 nights out, a few nights of inadequate sleep—because you are cold—might not do you in. Sleep, as you likely know, serves an essential purpose: recovery. Long days moving, long mornings and evenings prepping a camp, meals, drinks, and meltwater for the next day, add to the grind. The question, ultimately, is asking yourself, are you trying to survive a night or three out, or are you trying to recover so you have ample energy to pull off the next day’s mileage? These types of goals can dictate the sleep system. The fast and light, or those on a shorter trip, may be able to harness their inner alpinists and go with a more minimalist/lighter sleep system. Others who can function on less sleep might be able to push the limits of minimalism, too, on longer trips. Know thyself. And know thy partners. Positive group dynamics are key on more extended trips, and a lack of rest makes for crankier partners.
Sleeping systems are nuanced. They take time to dial in. And even then, once seemingly dialed, circumstances change.
As an exercise, we reached out to a few mountain dwellers to get their sleep systems ideas and musings. Taking some liberty with the prompt sent by The High Route, each respondent took their own path in answering.
Responses are lightly edited.
Jason’s Notes
I am a poor sleeper. I also sleep cold. When I expect to be above 8,000 feet in spring, my sleep system has become somewhat basic, but I need some mods.
Sleeping bag: Old model TNF Inferno 0-degree. This is a down bag with 800-fill Pro Down.
Inflatable pad: Thermarest NeoAir XTherm sleeping pad.
Foam pad: 1/8” Gossamer Gear Evazote foam pad from.
Ground cover if using a mid: 72″ X 24″ Tyvek sheet.
Go to shelter: My group has trended toward mids for multi-day traverses. Yup, they are colder, as they can allow cold air drafts in. (Even with adequate snow walls, etc., mids are usually lighter and allow for some customization. Although, for some trips, I’d opt for a tent.)
Sleep clothing: I start my evenings off wearing a light baselayer on the bottom, fresh wool socks, a thin baselayer up top, a NAUL hoodie, topped with DAS Light, and a fleece hat. This layering system is sometimes overkill, and I can add/peel layers as needed. In a tent, I often expect to wear fewer layers while sleeping.
Other Notes:
I start my sleep cycle after consuming warm tea and a 150-200 calorie snack.
I experimented in spring 2024 with sleeping in a tent with an old iteration 19-degree Patagonia Fitz Roy down bag, Thermarest NeoAir XTherm sleeping pad, in a Black Diamond 2-person FirstLight for solo overnights. With all my layers, including a hardshell pant/jacket (but no insulated pants), I slept cold, even at a modest altitude.
I’m trying to find a balance where I can leave the somewhat bulky TNF Inferno 0-degree (read as hard to pack down) at home for future ski traverses. I spent money on a Feathered Friends Raven 10 UL (review pending.) The Raven 10 UL is similar to the Lark 10 UL, with slightly wider/longer dimensions, rated, as the name suggests, to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
As part of a post-trip debrief regarding gear after a spring traverse in Wyoming last spring, I asked one of my partners, Kelly Cordes, for some thoughts on his sleep system. Over the years, Kelly has tried to fine-tune the weight to warmth metric.
On a 2022 traverse, Kelly seemed satisfied with his sleep system when he used a 30-degree down bag. For context, in 2022, we used a Hilleberg Nallo 3—a proper tent. However, in 2024, we used a mid—a more open/porous shelter—and Cordes accordingly bumped to a 19-degree bag. I recalled that Cordes slept a bit colder with the warmer bag and different shelter. I asked if he’d switch to an even warmer bag for future ski traverses.
Kelly Cordes in his 19 degree down bag eyes some sunshine way off in the distance.
Cordes’ Response
Hmmmm, I’m unsure if I’d go to a warmer bag despite getting pretty cold in 2024. I’ve wondered a fair bit about that—in 2022, I took a 30-degree Fitz Roy and don’t recall being cold. Neither bag was a production final, so could the fill have been off? Was it warmer at night in 2022? Did I drop off an age-related cliff? My clothing system and food intake weren’t much different. But, we were in a tent vs a mid. I think that might make some difference. I was the middle spoon in a snug tent that year, and probably had more drafts in the mid.
If I could switch to a significantly warmer bag for less than a 4-5 oz. penalty, I’d probably do it. But in my quiver, my next bag is a big 5-degree bag (def warm!) that’s 18 oz. heavier than the 19-degree Fitz Roy. I’m unsure, especially when I think there’s another culprit to address.
Sleep is king, though. It’s key to everything.
I’ve been thinking about what I’d likely do for the switcharoo: get a warmer, cozier, fatter inflatable pad. The thin foam + inflatable combination is a great system, BTW. I’d been using the lightest NeoAir for the inflatable. But my body is so messed up from wear and tear, and surgeries and fusions, and my spine is still a mess, which affects how I sleep.
Sleep is king, though. It’s key to everything.
My ultralight inflatable pad (Thermarest NeoAir XLite) used to be sweet when I was sturdier and could sleep anywhere. Now, it isn’t enough padding. (Ever-shifting variables, all things change.) I can’t easily sleep on my back due to my spinal problems, and when I’m on my sides without plush padding, my arms fall asleep, waking me up. Rough world out there. My latest theory—rather than toughening up or staying home—is to deal with the weight penalty and get one of those mega-fat pads. I’ve always been such a weight weenie from alpinism, but I realize that while most people still bring too much shit, making their packs way too heavy, for skiing, I can afford to carry a little more. A thicker inflatable sleeping pad should pay for itself in recovery. Plus, it’ll add warmth, maybe allowing me to not buy a new sleeping bag. Gotta gotest my theory, which is part of the fun.
So, long answer to a simple question.
But I probably should have gone warmer, yeah.
As far as the mid vs. tent: Looking at my notes, it surprises me how much colder I was last year, with the 19 vs. in 2022, with the 30. The spaciousness of the mid was nice. Pay for it with warmth. And the lightness is nice. Pay for it with warmth—calculations of personal sleeping system weight increase vs. weight difference (divided by 3) in a tent? And then there’s the intangibles of spaciousness.
***
Jed Porter
(Porter is an IFMGA who has been an excellent resource for dialing in specific gear for specific objectives over the years. Porter is based in the Tetons but guides internationally. You can find more great information on his site. Among the great resources, you can read up on Porter’s 2023 Sierra Traverse Gear Planning.)
I especially like the general emphasis on the whole picture: surviving a night in a cold sleep differs from getting quality rest. And this is timely. Today, I’m packing up (or, more accurately, stalling while I should be packing up) for a 10-day traverse in the North Cascades.
I mix and match among these products. Always (almost always) taking one in each category:
Sleeping Bags
Feathered Friends Vireo. For the High Sierra after April 1. It is a specialized piece as it pertains to ski traversing. Feathered Friends states, “The Vireo was designed with a single purpose in mind; fast and light alpine climbs where every gram counts. With no hood, no zipper, and a variable fill (the lower half is rated at 25ºF / -4ºC, the upper half 45ºF / 7ºC).”
Wiggy’s 0 deg. A beefy, synthetic bag. 5 pounds! For this North Cascades excursion. A bit of an experiment. I’m lightening everything else to justify this piece’s weight. But the synthetic fill and the overkill temp rating will lend some peace of mind in the long and wet itinerary. Even more specialized than the Vireo.
Feathered Friends Lark for everything else. This bag is amazing. This is the bag that ski tourers can and should use everywhere unless they can own one of the above specialized pieces. Rated to +10F and weighs less than 2 pounds. Truly the sweet spot for weight and warmth.
Sleeping Pads
NeoAir XTherm. For real cold.
NeoAir Women’s pad. It is warmer than the regular one and lighter than the Xtherm winter pad. I’m not sure they make the women’s version any longer. The regular summer Xtherm (yellow) is suitable too.
Then, I add a piece of closed-cell foam for “backup” and additional sleeping insulation for sitting around on. Smooth foam catches and holds less snow than the egg carton shapes. 1/8-1/2 inch thick. Torso length: no more, no less.
Go to shelters
Hilleberg Nallo (I have 2, 3, and 4) for real weather (like Alaska or High Andes, or Lower 48 in the actual winter)
Floorless 1-pole pyramid for 2-3 people April-June in the lower 48.
Floorless 2-pole pyramid (I’m partial to the now-discontinued BD BetaLight… more recent small, two-pole pyramids have a less stable pole orientation) for solo outings April-June in the lower 48. In any floorless tent, I sleep on a space blanket; it’s lighter than plastic, of similar durability, and more versatile.
Notably absent: single wall bivy tents. I love these for climbing, but for ski touring/ski mountaineering, we pretty much always have more space for tent set up. The only advantages of a FirstLight over a Megamid are the required set-up space and bug protection. Neither of these is a concern in (most…) ski traversing circumstances.
Puffy Jacket
Choose a tent/bag/pad so that the Puffy jacket isn’t required in routine sleeping situations. In this way, the puffy jacket is for contingencies as it pertains to sleeping. Only count on wearing the puffy jacket if it is especially cold, something happens to compromise the bag/tent/pad, or one is especially depleted.
Down insulated, weighing 10 ounces to 2 pounds, climate and metabolism dependent.
The Feathered Friends Vireo sleeping bag presents an exception to the first puffy jacket bullet; the bag is meant to be used with a puffy jacket. In that case, make the jacket a big one, and bring more other clothing too.
Pants
I mostly sleep in my softshell ski pants. I just don’t like wearing long underwear, ever. Because of my predilection for softshell-pant sleeping, I choose light and fuzzy ski pants. Crazy Idea’s “training tights” are always great; for a given level of skiing protection, these are way lighter and more sleep-cozy than your typical ski touring pants.
Long underwear, though, is much more logical and comfortable (for most…) sleep attire.
Very occasionally, I will carry some light synthetic running pants as pajamas and extra warmth.
Sleeping socks
Something light, fluffy, and that will never see the inside of boot liners. Feathered Friends’ down booties can be taken apart. Bring just the inner part on ski traverses. When one needs to walk around outside, Put the booties inside of ski boot shells. Even lighter, for shorter/warmer missions, is loose-fitting soft wool (I like alpaca wool for sleeping in) socks. Wiggys makes synthetic versions of the FF down bootie liners. I’ll use these in the North Cascades in these next two weeks.
***
The sleep system yard sale: time for airing out the sleeping bags near the Upper Green River.
Heidi MacDonald-Nixon
(Heidi lives in Alaska, is a NOLS instructor, and spends considerable time living…on snow.)
I typically sleep cold, and on trips during these last five weeks up here in Alaska, my 0F has felt good. I have the Sea To Summit traverse 25F that I’ll probably start using now that it’s getting a bit warmer.
Sleeping bag
This is where I have historically not had the most success—finding a bag that is simultaneously warm enough for winter camping, lightweight enough to carry in a 45-55L pack, and durable enough to withstand potential rain on winter trips (which is becoming increasingly common). I’ve been using the Mountain Hardware Shasta 0F with a lighter Sea to Summit liner, which adds some extra warmth. I shove my down jacket or pants at my feet to fill space. The Shasta 0F is a synthetic bag weighing about 2075g (4.9 lbs.).
I typically sleep cold, and on trips during these last five weeks up here in Alaska, my 0F has felt good. I have the Sea to Summit Traverse 25F (also synthetic) that I’ll probably start using now that it’s getting a bit warmer.
Inflatable pad
I use the Thermarest Neoair Xtherm.
Foam pad
Coupled with the inflatable pad, I used the MEC Zotefoams Evazote Bivy (a super thin, Canadian-made yellow mat madefor winter camping and treated with nitrogen for durability).
Sleep clothing
I sleep in my wool base layer set (plus wool underwear + bra), the same set I wear throughout the day. I usually don’t bring a change of clothes unless my trip is longer than 7 days. Depending on how cold it is, I’ll add between 2-4 more layers on my top and bottom while sleeping.
Go to shelter
I love a mid for how lightweight they are, although I recently had a dilemma where I didn’t want to use my poles to stake down the corners since we wanted to go skiing. No trees were around, and we didn’t bring tent stakes or have any items to bury, so we slept without a tent. In more remote terrain (i.e., fly-in access), a Hilleberg tent feels more realistic to withstand high winds and snow while you hunker down for days on end waiting out a storm. We would have been miserable if we had been in a mid while in the Alaska Range earlier this month.
Other notes
For sleeping, I place two baby Nalgenes filled with warm water in my sleeping bag, one that lives at my feet and one that lives around my core. In the morning, I reheat them in the Jetboil, use one to drink coffee out of and rotate one into each of my ski boots to heat them up before putting them on. (I choose not to sleep with my liners).
For comfort, I like to slide my fleece/mid-layer sweater over my “pillow” (pile of clothes I’m not using or bags of beef jerky or other food that isn’t super hard) to makeshift a cozy pillowcase.
***
Peter Hinmon
(Hinmon lives outside Bozeman. His sleep system notes are from his recent excursion on Montana’s Taylor Hilgard traverse. We also owe Hinmon a thank you for prompting us to explore traverse sleep systems.)
We had predicted nighttime low temps of 5 degrees Fahrenheit, and the highest daytime high was in the upper 30s. We ended up with clear nights and days and little wind.
Sleeping bag: Western Mountaineering Versalite 10.
Inflatable pad: Therm-a-rest NeoAir Xlite
Foam pad: Nemo Switchback closed cell foam pad, full length.
Shelter: Mega Mid. We brought a small lightweight ground cloth—big enough for two to sleep on.
Clothing system for traversing and layering while sleeping
Base: Patagonia boxers, Darn Tough ski socks, Patagonia midweight Capilene long-underwear bottom, Smartwool lightweight top, Patagonia Airshed Pro.
Insulation: Patagonia R 1 “old school” grid fleece, lightweight Patagonia Down Sweater Vest, lightweight Patagonia Down jacket with hood, DAS light pants, down booties, fleece beanie.
Weather protection: Arc’teryx shell pants and Arcteryx Alpha shell jacket.
Other notes: The first night was a 5-degree night. I wore all my layers. With the warmer sleeping bag, I decided not to bring a big puffy jacket and instead brought two lighter-weight down layers. On the long morning skin into the mountains and over several small passes and skinning into bigger and bigger mountains, temperatures hovered in single digits. The pit began to grow in my stomach. I am a mountain person, born and raised, you always pack some extra warmth in the event you have to sit and wait. A quick conference with my partner said that we were both willing to snuggle if we had to, and we dropped the last pass into the basin, looking at our first big climb and eventual ski of Hilgard.
I was toasty hot on the cold night with all my layers on and did not need the shell layers on.
The predicted lows for night two were in the teens. I wore all my base layers, DAS light pants, down booties, R1, and beanie. I was very warm to even hot at times; I could have worn less but slept well, so all was good.
I should also say that overall I was very happy with my setup as I was warm and dry. The biggest drawback for me is that the WM Versalite does not pack down super small, the website says 8 “x15” so it takes up a lot of room and thus requires skiing with a larger pack. At 2 pounds, this sleeping bag seems pretty light for its warmth and helps keep overall pack weight manageable. But I am always interested in how folks manage lighter setups.
