Sleeping systems - bags, pads, matts, liners

What i am comfortable with isn't any help to you. We all sleep different.

So true.

You'd think a fat fuck like me would be toasty but when we've camped out my missus who's a lot skinnier than me sleeps toasty and kicks off the sleeping bag while I freeze.

Next time I get the nice bivvy..

A bag that's too warm, you can unzip. One that's too cold, you are cold.
Generally a good bag (850+) down rated to 0 C should cover a lot.of conditions. And if its colder then you can wear a baselayes and put your insulated jacket over the bag to help keep warm.

I was well impressed with my West Hikers mat in Shropshire last week from a comfort standpoint.

https://www.westhikers.co/products/mattress-pro

Blows up easily and had no issues sleeping on my back or either side.

I was plenty warm enough but I suspect a lot of that was down to my bag and wearing a base layer to bed.

Can’t quibble for the money. It’s branded Hitorhike and I suspect you can buy them from lots of sellers to avoid a two week wait from China.

Would this be good for Northern Europe in summer?
Seems to pack pretty small and should be warm enough, inside a bivvy. I sleep pretty warm.
Anything I'm missing?

Sea to Summit Spark Sp0 Sleeping Bag
https://seatosummit.com/product/spark-sleeping-bag-sp0/

100g of down doesn't strike me as much, even for summer. Good FP though. There's no way I'd trust it down to minus 2, but if you can trust in the weather, and you're not going to be at altitude, then maybe it'd be ok?

There's no way I'd trust it down to minus 2

That's the extreme rating:

Extreme — the minimum temperature at which a standard female can remain for six hours without risk of death from hypothermia (though frostbite is still possible).

These ratings are taken assuming that the subject is using a sleeping pad, tent and is wearing one base layer of thermal underwear.

So you won't die at -2 with extra layers but it isn't going be a pleasant night

I know that's the extreme, but it strikes me as too big a drop off from its lower comfort limit.

Thanks for comments. I've gone and bought it as small pack size is so tempting. Can layer up with bivvy, silk liner, foil blanket, etc. And only planning to sleep for 3-5 hours.

I've also been lured by the packable inflatable mattresses and they're ok but in my experience nothing beats natural foliage. When wild camping look for a spot with lots of soft leafy branches/shrubs and you really don't need many to cover the area where you sleep. My favourite is ferns and I used to make a very comfy pile that I would then pitch my solo tent over. The result was an excellent mattress that also offered some insulation. Would recommend.

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If you're doing it properly, you will sleep on a pile of exposed rocks, freeze your arse off and then only when you finally give up trying to sleep, will you then ride past a gloriously sheltered corner of pine trees and bed of pine needles. Spend next day cursing yourself.

It seems I've had it wrong all these years, thanks for the advice. Am I allowed to bring my favourite rocks with me or must they be wild?

Ooh, I didn't think about bringing my own rocks. What a great idea! I'll leave the sleeping pad and bag at home too - they're just unnecessary warmth and take up valuable rock space.

Bracken.

I remember gathering a big pile of that to put under my tent before pitching, many years ago, then getting home and hearing a warning on the news about bracken spores being carcinogenic, and the previous weekend having been the peak time of the year for them.

I think you would need ot inhale a lot of them to have an effect, but I've been a bit wary of the stuff since.

Also it's hard to find in places like bus shelters and parks, where I often end up 'sleeping'.

That's a bit alarming although 30 seconds researching the subject suggests that they need to be ingested which I tend not to if I can help it. I've generally got a decent groundsheet between me and the deadly foliage so hope that keeps away the worst of the spores (on a side note, are spores ever good or inherently nasty??). Taking a long view on this, I think city cycling, the odd cigarette and very rare exposure to northern European soleil might outweigh the risk from cancerous ferns. Besides I'll be using rocks from now on, ideally of the flint variety that hold a sharp edge when smashed.

Bracken is also a wonderful place to meet some ticks, no thanks, although to be fair dead bracken shouldn't be as bad

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CPJOMGIM/jobsworth-inflatable-mattress Thoughts on this for a budget oriented inflatable mattress? It does refer to having a insulation layer in it onto of the trapped air so might not be horrendous?

no R-value listed, porky weight >>>>>>

just take the advice that has been posted on this thread many times before

For sure! Just though for 20 might be worth a punt even if it’s half as good as the more expensive counterparts .

AH never knew this but would explain the last years coldness, thought it was my bag just ageing (probably is a bit), but got a new decathlon matt last year thats smaller/lighter/deeper than existing mat (mountain hardware I think), but never been warm on it. Old one is a thin foam inside but the whole matt blows up a bit beyond the foam, not super deep, maybe only 3cm, but never had a prob.
So think your right, totally open matts = lighter, deeper, less big when packed, yet not good for anything below 5-10c I would say.

sold sold sold

Might be an option for the missus, for touring. I'm not paying PHD prices these days (should never have sold the bag I bought for TCR4)

Anyone have any experience of the Decathon inflatable pillow?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/trekking-inflatable-pillow-grey/

Please no insane solutions like "put your down jacket into a dry bag" I don't own a dry bag or a down jacket.

Clearly you need to buy a down jacket and drybag first then

Seems similar to a nemo fillo. Inflatable pillow with a foam layer. I love my nemo pillow. Fabric doesn't seem as comfortable though on the decathlon pillow.