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But you've got to add the sleeping pad to that... not sure about sleeping pad at all really.
Mmm, you're a brave one! You'll lose heat to the ground faster than you lose heat to the air (because air's a good insulator - soil is not). A sleeping bag doesn't provide much insulation against the ground because the down underneath you is compressed by your bodyweight.
I learnt this firsthand on my first few proper hiking trips in my teens - waking up fucking freezing in summer despite being in an old 1200g 3-season down bag - and scurrying to pile up all my spare stuff underneath me.
So unless you're very confident in your ability to find a nice wooden floor rather than a concrete block, or a bit soft pile of pine duff, I'd strongly recommend a pad. Personally I know that I am much warmer with a 450g duvet and a 400g pad than I am with a big 3-season bag on its own.
Blow-up pads are smallest and lightest, self-inflating and foam rolls are pretty big and bulky, foam rolls are usually warmest for their weight but not very comfortable. But here's a trick if you don't need the comfort of an inflatable - 3mm closed-cell foam from a rubber/plastics supplier is significantly less bulky than a standard foam roll, and it's still pretty warm - I have a square of it for a sit pad when hunting.
But really you need to test, test, test, rather than asking questions! Buy stuff secondhand, you can usually recoup your costs if it doesn't work out. I am actually moving back to the UK in a couple of weeks if you want to borrow my Alpkit duvet and an inflatable pad for a few nights.
For what it's worth in the cold house competition, my old uninsulated wooden house was so cold we had ice on the inside of the windows... it was a fucking grim place to live I tell you.
lae-
I have an old 3/4 self-inf Thermarest but it's huge and would take up most of my saddle bag.
But really you need to test, test, test, rather than asking questions!
Yeah, but to do that I need to buy and I don't want to buy buy buy, I want to get the most info first so I get the most likely successful option. I like the 3mm foam option - I'll have a look for some and that can be the first test (well, other than my Thermarest).
Got any suggestions for blow up pads that pack small? Actually, I'm not sure I'd want to use lungs after a day's riding. Maybe I should stick to foam.
Thanks for the loan offer. Where are you based when back here?
You win the cold house comp. Our place was cold but not grim - it gets lots of sun in the lounge with big double glazed windows so kept lots of heat in. The other end of the place is a different story.
Oh, one more question :)
Good forums for finding this kind of stuff second-hand? Prefer like-minded peeps to ebay hassles.
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But really you need to test, test, test, rather than asking questions!
So, I slept in the backyard last night.
Alpkit Hunka bivvy
Thermarest Prolite 3 S in the bivvy
Mountain Designs Travelite 350 in the bivvyI have a silk liner too but it looked a bit skanky so will clean it before using it.
It was supposed to get down to 1-2 degrees according to forecast. I had thermals on, thin cotton socks and a buff folded into a beanie. It got a bit cold but wasn't 'I'm going to die' cold, just mildly uncomfortable cold.
Noticed the top of the bivvy was a bit tight on my legs when lying on my side so got cold spots there.
Breathing was a bit hoarse because head was tucked into sleeping bag and bivvy hood while beanie was over eyes a bit to block out the nearby security lighting.
Moving in the bivvy kind of sucked. It is quite limiting and the Thermarest grips the grippy insides of the bivvy and the whole lot spins around when I lie on my side vs. back.
In the end I was in it from 12-5am and must've had some sleep but not sure how much nor how quality it was. I went back into the house at 5am and proceeded to sleep in until 10:30am, having forgot to set any alarms. Oops.
So, I want to try it without the sleeping pad to get more room and make turning over easier. My neck got sore lying on my side with no pillow - I tried sleeping on my shoe but that wasn't comfortable (imagine that?!). A jacket or something under my head would help.
A lighter buff over my neck and mouth might help when I struggle to breathe in cold air but I don't know if I can sleep like that.
Some things to consider and improve but not entirely as horrific as I expected it might be. I guess the more you do it the more you get used to it as well, which would probably help sleep quality.
hippy
But you've got to add the sleeping pad to that.
I might get some foam and cut it to size but not sure about sleeping pad at all really. Depends if I'm cold and trying to sneak into buildings with cold/hard floors or warm and trying to find flat/soft grassy spots?
My current bag unzips all around so you can use it as a duvet but because it's a bag it's quite large in that form.
Utter exhaustion is the plan :)