Sleeping Gear

Sleeping gear keeps you more than just warm and comfortable at night.  If Scouts have inadequate sleeping gear or their gear gets wet, they will be miserable and are at risk of hyperthermia. 

3-Season Sleeping System

• Sleeping Bag

  • 20-35° EN Rating

  • Fill: Synthetic or Down

    • Synthetic - less expensive; more forgiving if becomes wet; better option for Pacific Northwest

    • Down - lightest and most compact option, expensive, loses insulation ability if wet; requires special care

    • Cotton - NOT acceptable; loses insulation ability if wet, soaks up water like a sponge 

  • Note: a sleeping bag designed for woman may be lighter and a better fit for smaller scouts

• Synthetic Sleeping Bag Examples:

• • REI Co-op Trailbreak 20 (Water-resistant polyester)

  • Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20 (Synthetic)

• Down Sleeping Bag Examples:

  • NOTE: Down is not recommended for younger or less experienced scouts.  If down gets wet, it no longer insulates. 

  • REI Magma 10 (850-fill-power goose down)

  • REI Igneo 17 (700-fill duck down)

  • Kelty Cosmic Down 20 (550-fill-power duck down)

  • Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 (850fp or 950fp down)

• • NEMO Disco 15 (650-fill-power down)

• Sleeping Pad

  • Type:  Air or foam

• Sleeping Pad Examples:

• • Therm-a-rest – Z Lite Sol (Closed cell foam)

  • REI – Flash Insulated

  • Sea To Summit – Comfort Light Insulated

  • Big Agnes – Insulated AXL

  • Klymit – Static V Ultralight SL

Winter Sleep System

• Winters in Washington are cold, especially in the mountains

• Scouts must have enough insulation to stay warm and safe

• Scouts also need to protect their sleep system from getting wet, which can be deadly in the winter

• 20° EN Rated Sleeping Bag or better

  • Down or synthetic fill

  • Down is more expensive but lighter

    • Down is NOT recommended for younger or inexperienced scouts

  • Synthetic is more forgiving it if gets wet 

  • Scouts without an acceptable sleeping system are prohibited from overnight campouts in the snow 

• Optional - Sleeping Bag system with Bivy

  • Military modular systems with Gore-Tex bivy can't be beat 

  • Waterproof

  • -30° Military Rating

  • Expensive and heavy/bulky

  • NSN 8465-01-445-6274

  • Find in Army surplus stores - sometimes new

  • Watch out of counterfeit ones and used ones that are worn out (missing seam tape on bivy)

• Extra Insulation 

  • If you don't have a Military system or 0° Bag - augment your bag

  • Sleeping Bag Liner 

    • REI 

    • Synthetic or Wool Blanket

• Tarp

  • 6x8 Tarp found in hardware and big-box stores

  • Use as waterproof ground cloth

  • Also use for emergency shelter or sled

• Sleeping Pad

  • Required (NOT optional) for snow outings

  • Vital if sleeping on snow or frozen ground

Updated Sleeping Gear List