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October 17, 2008
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How can I ramp up the warmth in a sleeping bag?
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Lightweight Fleece Bag Liner (courtesy, REI)
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My 12-year-old daughter gets very cold at night when we’re camping. We are
backpackers and tend to camp just under treeline between May and October. She
currently uses a junior polyfill bag with an inflatable pad and some good long
underwear. What could we do to keep her warm and give us a peaceful night’s
sleep?
— Lori
Lakewood, Colorado
Do you have a question of your own?
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 Well, part of it is due to simple biology. Twelve-year-old girls aren’t all
that big, so she has less thermal mass to begin with.
But there are things you can do to make sure she stays warm. Good-quality long
underwear is essential. I like wool. The Icebreaker
200 Oasis Crewe ($65) is an excellent piece. Also, make sure she has warm socks,
light gloves, and a snug warm hat. At bedtime, brew up some hot
chocolate—that will put something warm in her stomach, along with some
calories.
I think the sleeping bag is okay. You could add a liner to it, such as the REI Lightweight Fleece Bag Liner
($45). That extends the comfort range by ten degrees or so. Then, fix her
mattress. If she has a true air mattress, then she has almost no insulation under
her, just cold air. So do one of two things. Either swap it out for an insulating
pad (Exped DownMat, which is a down-filled air mattress, $130).
Or, throw a light foam insulating pad over the air mattress. Cascade Designs’
Therm-A-Rest Z-Lite ($29) would do nicely, adding several R of insulation values.
A plain ol’ hot water bottle also can do miracles.
Good luck!
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