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Ski Traverse Sleep Systems

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The High Route Editors

Kelly Cordes in his 19 degree down bag eyes some sunshine way off in the distance.

Kelly Cordes in his 19 degree down bag eyes some sunshine way off in the distance.

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…

Responses

  1. Slim

    I am partial to a 3 piece system for the night time insulation:
    A lightweight 40-50 F synthetic quilt
    A down bag in the 10-20F category
    High loft pants and jackets

    One reason is flexibility: for those of us who don’t get out many trips a year, buying separate 0F, 20F and 40 F bags gets expensive and hard to justify, given how long quality down bags last.
    Also, flexibility on the trip for varying conditions.
    And finally, for longer trips, moisture management:
    If it is cold enough, the dew point will be inside your sleep system. This way, condensation occurs inside the thin synthetic quilt, which is much more resistant to moisture, and much, much easier to dry in the field.
    I like Jed’s idea of saving a high loft clothing layer for unexpected cold conditions or other special circumstances. Depending on conditions, I might bring two puffy jackets, and plan to wear only one on normal nights.

    For pads, for me as a tall guy, a long and wide Xtherm to make sure all of my body is in the pad, and a small torso foam pad for lunch breaks and extra insulation.

  2. Kyle Neddenriep

    One configuration not mentioned but has been a game-changer for me and my partner is the Feathered Friends Spoonbill. It Is absurdly light and thermally efficient for its size—it’s warmer and more comfortable than two solo bags because you’re not wasting insulation between bodies. It’s also roomy enough that neither of us feels claustrophobic. The key caveat is that you need to be comfortable cozying up, so it’s not for every pair of partners.

    One important mod: skip the heavy double pad. We use two Therm-a-Rest Xtherms strapped together with grosgrain straps (easy DIY or grab some from Gossamer Gear). That way, each person maintains preferred firmness, and you retain the warmth and modularity of individual pads without the drift.

    1. Jason Albert

      Thanks for that heads up Kyle. The Spoonbill is something my older child uses for some climbs, and I almost brought it on a traverse last spring. I passed on it since I’m a light sleeper and any movement from a partner right next to me and I’m up. But, maybe I need to give it a try.

    2. Slim

      Another option for those who want to try the 2 person system, Enlightened Equipment has the Accomplice, 2 person quilt. A fair bit cheaper than the FF. No hood. Various fabric, size and thickness options.

      I still haven’t tried a double bag/quilts simply because we have good single bags/quilts, but it makes sense.

  3. Duncan

    Paging Jed for an update on the wiggy’s synthetic bag experiment.

    Was it worth the bulk and weight? Was it as moisture resilient as hoped? Would you use it again in a similar setting?

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