A million times yes to the sleep headphones. Just started using them while backpacking and I'm in love. All comfy, watching a show or listening to a sleep story, pull down the headband over your eyes and it's a sleep mask. The material of mine are very thick, it's like a blackout curtain. Helped me so very much to feel less anxious while sleeping out alone!
Thats a damn good idea. I put my inflatable pillow inside a tshirt anyway because i hate the sound of an inflateable pillow. Never thought to slip that over the sleeping pad too
Love the buff and elastic idea. I’ll try that out on my next trip. Re. the ZenBivy, I’m on my 6th season with the ZenBivy system. I started with an entry-level quilt and as a side sleeper, I loved it but I hated the cool drafts. I switched to the ZB after only 2 or 3 trips and have never looked back. I can’t recommend the ZenBivy highly enough.
I use the rubbery shelf liner (the most rubbery feeling of the various kinds of it), that comes in a roll in the shelf liner section of the store, to put beneath my sea-to-summit inflatable pillow so it doesn’t scoot around. Works perfectly! I also lay a strip of in between the tent floor and sleeping pad and it all stays in place great! This stuff is lightweight to carry.
I have a “wearable sleep sack” called a unighty which I found out about through a backpacker magazine gear guide a few years back. It’s super cozy and since you don’t have to get out of it to get up, I don’t spend time deciding whether to get up and pee if it’s cold out. It has a hood, an open bottom with pockets to put your feet in when you’re in cozy sleep mode, and magnets to hold it up to about knee length to walk around in. Looks dorky, but I love that thing. I’d also say a Nalgene bottle filled with boiling water and put into a thick sock for a hot water bottle helps me sleep well. I think getting cold is the thing that disturbs my sleep the most when I’m camping
Shout out to Shug! Excellent choice on hammock channel to link! Peronsally, IF I know 100% there are going to be trees where I'm going, hammock is the best choice. Once you get comfortable with the set up and learn how to sleep diagonally so you lay flat, it's more comfortable than the best bed (in my opinion). But, many places do not allow you to hang to protect the trees, and many places have no trees at all. And if there is something MUCH less comfortable than sleeping in a tent, it's sleeeping under a tarp with only your underquilt for padding (better hope it's warm).
I also pull my buff over my pillow. I use a liner with my quilt no matter the temp since I hate the feel of sleeping on plastic so that holds it in place since it has a hood. For me I find the most important part of a good sleep is actually the light from either the moon or sun. Esp in the summer when the sunsets are late and sunrises early. I pack a super light eye mask I got from an airline to block out light and that has helped me more than anything else. If it’s colder I just pull my beanie over my eyes.
A small piece of shock cord with some clips tied to your pillow will do the job. I saw a video a few years ago of someone doing this and it has made a HUGE improvement on my quality of sleep. Love the video!
I've just switched to a hammock kit this year. I like it. I won't say it's the absolute best sleep I've ever gotten, but I like not having to crawl into the tent and crawl out. I also like the fact that when I am in a hammock, I also have a built in chair. There is a learning curve with hammocking, and setup is definitely more involved than a tent, but that is part of the fun. It also opens up more options for campsites because I don't need super flat ground, as long as I have a couple of decent trees. One last benefit, when I'm ground sleeping, I like to use a couple of pillows and I get the best sleep with at least one larger pillow. Like Dixie said, I also found that I was chasing my pillow around all night on the ground. In a hammock, my head is naturally raised a bit, I can tether my pillow to the top of the hammock to keep it from sliding down under my butt, and I require a much smaller pillow because my head is raised with the gentle slope of the hammock.
I made the swap to hammocks about 8 years ago and love them, one thing I consistently see people getting wrong is not using a ridgeline on a gathered end hammock. Using a Ridgeline let's you use more kinds of trees and opens up camping spots, but also give you the proper angled lay to be able to be mostly flat. If you haven't tried one, I HIGHLY suggest a bridge hammock. I sleep better in my bridge hammock than I do in my own bed most times. I use the bridge hammock from Warbonnet with a hammock tent (as opposed to a hammock fly) and my bridge hammock has a dbl layered bottom than let's me slide a sleeping pad in cold weather. The other advantage using the hammock tent is when I find myself in a spot without any available trees (often on long distance River trips below the fall line), the hammock tent let's me have a fully enclosed tent to sleep on the ground.
Exactly why I use my hammock 95% of the time over my Duplex. In a tent, I hate crawling in, especially after a long day. Everything seems to cramp up. Having the space to sit in a hammock under a tarp during a rainstorm is huge too. I guess maybe people use an ENO or get calf ridge. Ever since going to Dream Hammock, I have had no problems.
I pack a fitted twin sized bamboo sheet to put over my sleep pad. I can't stand being confined, so a sleeping bag liner won't work for me (I use a quilt). It's soft, and seems to also reduce condensation if I have to burrow my face in for warmth.
Sleeping bags seem to be falling out of favour these days but I am perfectly happy with mine, and my inflatable pillow tucks neatly inside the hood with no fuss. Also I have a set of Anker sleep earbuds which are tiny and comfortable, have excellent passive noise cancellation and long batttery life, worth checking out.
I made a pretty tight fitting little pillow case for my inflatable out of an old flannel sheet. The flannel is soft and comfortable and doesn’t travel around my sleeping pad as much. I also use it as my laundry bag and wash it whenever doing my wash….way better than the repeated sweaty use of the bare pillow
Paria makes a down pillow that has a thin down top layer with a soft surface & there's a pocket on the underside that you can stuff. My best "stuffing" is a Trekology pillow, which fits perfectly in the pocket.
Regarding pillows, if you're using a mummy bag, I've had great success putting my pillow inside the headspace of the bag, then putting my head on top. It's not great for cold weather when I want my head in that spot and all the extra insulation, but most of the time I don't need that, and it holds the pillow in place great.
Thank you Dixie! Your videos have been an inspiration and great source of information for me for years. I will always remember when you said “I need to go see the raging river for myself” as you entered the Sierra....that was moving and empowering to me and it helped get me on the PCT. Thank you so much for everything you do, I’m grateful. Happy trails!
While I am still not 100% with my pillow (testing a new and bigger one this weekend to hopefully finally find the right one) I agree that Zenbivy made a world of a difference for my sleep outdoors. I do use the original light bed with a 25" wide non tapered pad both with a 25 and a 40 degree quilt depending on conditions - tried the 30" and XL quilt as well but that is overkill. It really feels like my bed at home - not constricting at all and super comfy. After all I don't compromise on my sleep system. A good night sleep is so important that I don't care to carry a few ounces more if that suits my comfort on that topic.
I have the 10 degree down Zenbivy Light Bed with insulated hood and absolutely love it. I also have the Zebbivy Bed 10 degree down xl for car camping. Once you switch, you'll never go back.
I found that my sinuses tend to get plugged up when camping and so a decongestant before bed really helps a lot. Also, I tend to sleep on my back and my back gets stiff after a day of hiking, which makes it hard to sleep on just a sleeping pad. One trick is to take my duffel bag with my clothes in it and put it under my knees while sleeping. It takes the pressure off my lower back and I sleep much, much better. If no duffel bag, I would use my pack.
If you have a Sea to Summit pillow you can email them and request some velcro stickers to make your pillow lock to a different brand's pad. It was free of charge when I did it.
I used to let a little air out of my pad. But after lots of winter camping, I’m used to sleeping on it fully inflated. R-value is rated when pads are fully inflated and can go down on some insulated pads if they aren’t fully inflated. I need all the warmth I can get on cold Colorado nights. The hardest part of sleeping at night in winter or shoulder season is keeping my nose warm. 😆
I've been tossing and turning for most of the night every time I'm in the woods for years. I'm seriously considering making the leap from a tent to a hammock. I'm glad you mentioned that solution, because I think a lot of people don't even consider it.
Perfect timing! I “practiced” with my sleep system on a recent camping trip and slept horribly…am hoping some changes will make my upcoming first time backpacking trip more enjoyable!
I don't backpack anymore but after camping in a tent for 40 years, these are all very good suggestions. I fill my inflatable air mattress and then let the air out until it wraps around my body but my butt does not touch the ground much.
I really like the Pillow X by Klymit. The X indentation makes it easy for it to stay in one place against your head. It works great for side and back sleeping 👍
Rule of thumb for sleeping pad inflation…if, when you are sitting up, your butt hits the ground, then the pad is inflated enough so when you lay down you won’t be on the ground, but not overinflated.
Far from being necessarely true. When my sleeping pad is fully inflated, I still end up sitting on the ground, but it’s way too much for me to sleep comfortably. No doubt many other pads are the same, and there’s also an obvious difference between a 45kg or a 120kg person.
I'm one of the few hammock campers who has gone back to ground sleeping. I will always prefer the hammock for comfort, but in some alpine areas it's easier to find a spot for my bivy. As a side sleeper even sleeping in a bed was hard until I started using a pillow between my knees. Now I put some clothes in a stuff sack and sleep with it between my knees whether in a hammock or a bivy.
It is important to ensure a sense of security. When I'm traveling alone, I sleep much better if I know there are other people camping nearby. Of course, if these people behave decently and do not make noise at night.
I love the sounds of the forest when I am in a tent, but when I am in a hammock they seem a little more sinister. Even though the hammock is more comfortable, it's not my favorite if I am alone.
I sponge bath as well. Sometimes heat up some water. A Swedish cloth works well and is light. Another can be used to dry. Or a lightload towel. It`s nice to bunk down clean. Luxurious.
I'm so glad you suggested hammocks and that you linked to Shug's channel. He got me started hammocking years ago. Now I'm having to get used to the idea of using a tent, because I'm doing the JMT. Thanks for another great video!
Great tips! Cleaning up before bed helps so much! Even so, I've found wearing even silk weight long underwear helps prevent my legs from sticking together which just feels gross to me while sleeping.
Hammock sized correctly for you to get a flat lay. I sleep on my side. I found one inflatable pillow that doesn't feel too plastic-y. (ascent brand). I inflate it about 2/3rds full, maybe less, and it doesn't move much. And underquilts are the final game changer to create that cocoon of warmth that feels like you're floating while you sleep.
@Mwilke3789 0 seconds ago I'm a stomach sleeping pillow hugger. I bought a cheap inflatable pillow that's 12*18 inches. The key is only HALF inflate it. Then I fold extra clothes/my puffy jacket or vest around the pillow and stuff it all in a soft stretchy pillow case I made. It's so cozy.
For a hammock, getting a pillow with a small loop on one side and attaching it via a short piece of shock cord to my ridge line helps keep it from sliding under me.
I’ll throw in a sleep apnea comment - I recently tried Snore RX Plus for a recent Sierras two-nighter with acceptable sleep quality results (this is not a product plug). I don’t want the cost and weight of bringing a travel CPAP on-trail, but definitely use CPAP at home (definitely superior). Previous few years on-trail, I tried a simple biteguard as a cheap DIY CPAP oral appliance with marginal results.
if you have trouble with your pad sliding around, you can put something like a thinlight pad or sit pad under it. I have also seen a video where a person put some little dots of silicone sealant/caulk on the bottom of his pad that I may try out.
I need to find a way to strap my full sized pillow to bed here at home! I toss and turn and inevitably chase my pillow! As for the mask w/ speaker in it... Ive had one for almost a year now and love it! Not expensive.. Fits exceptionally well, speakers do not hurt side sleeping, and the quality of sound is pretty good too
I add big ski international 1 oz inflatable pillow into zpacks pillow sack plus a shirt or a puffy - this gives a strucure of inflatable pillow with plushness of puffy and surface/organization of zpacks thing
2:39 Same for me with the zpacks stuffsack pillow! But during the day it keeps my quilt dry, clothes are in another sack. I keep my backpack above my sleeping pad so I can kind of wedge the pillow against that to keep it from sliding.
Great tips. Thanks Dixie. My 2 tips I even use at home are a yoga child’s pose for 5min and then breathing in for 4, hold for 7 out for 8 a few times. 🙂
As a side sleeper, I inflate my pad more than it should be. Then I put my hip and shoulder into it a bit harder than I would when laying down. Deflate until the just touch the ground. That way when I'm fully spread across the pad nothing touches the ground, but I get the most even padding spread and insulation.
Choosing the right pack can solve the pillow problem. Both Mystery Ranch and Crossfire Australia have packs with a quickly removable twin compartment day pack mounted on top of the pack. I use both of these manufacturers packs and never have any need of a pillow. You can use one of the compartments (or both) to carry a 3 ltr water bladder which makes a soft and comfortable pillow at night. Or you can fill the compartment/(s) with clothing and use that as a pillow. The Mystery Ranch, Mountain Ruck, SATL, 6500, Blackjack 50, Blackjack 80, and Blackjack 100 all have this feature. The Crossfire Australia DG 16 also has this feature and has the added advantage of coming with an additional fixed roll down lid you can extend to keep the rain or dew out of your pack at night if you are using the day pack as a pillow in your bivy bag, and the pack is therefore outside exposed to the weather at night.
I use earplugs every day and found some small silicone ones that don't cause any problems sleeping on my side. Make sure you get a good quality silicone and a really small tab that folds over. I'd link to it, but the ones I have are no longer being sold.
I sleep a zenbivy!! it's still not perfect for me - i have a feeling I'll switch to hammocks eventually considering how much I turn over in my sleep - but it has been way better for me as a side sleeper anyways, ESPECIALLY at warmer temperatures. The freedom to open it up into a blanket when it's warm enough helps immensely on those nights, by far the best sleep I've gotten camping so far.
I have 5500 trail miles in the last 4 years. Over an entire year sleeping in my tent in that time. Trekology 2.0 pillow that is slightly deflated. ThermaRest XTherm regular wide 25x72 air mattress also slightly deflated. Ear plugs if around snoring or trains. Cheap blue sleeping pills as needed. I'm male and use a 20 ounce Arizona Tea bottle as my urine bottle.
Even sleeping on a gentle slope, it’s more comfortable to sleep with your head upslope. If I’m on an angle, I put all my gear in the downslope side so I can only slide so far and not wake up pressed against the wall of the tent. Same deal if sleeping with a partner. The bigger person goes on the downslope side 😋 thick sleep socks and hand warmers in almost all seasons help if you’re a cold sleeper and having a pad with a good r-value makes such a big difference. Sometimes if you’re cold, it’s temping to put on all your clothes, but it could have the opposite effect by compressing the layers and defeating their ability to properly insulate and it takes longer for body heat to warm up the bag or quilt.
if you don't sleep well "at home" don't have the expectation that you will sleep well on trail. my best advice is to get up early and hike as much as possible, for as long as you can. the same way hunger makes things taste good, exhaustion can help us sleep in less than ideal situations.
On inflating sleeping pads - experiment and find the inflation that you think leaves the lowest point on your body (typically either your shoulders or hips) about 1 inch above the ground. That will give you full insulation and allow the pad to support the shape of your body to the maximum extent possible. After a bunch of experimenting, as a 6'3" 200lb side sleeping male-type human, I inflate to about 2/3 of what I think "maximum" is. If in doubt, over-inflate a bit, and then you can toy with the valve to let a little air out at a time until it feels just right. Then I'd get up and feel what the pad feels like at that particular amount of inflation so you have something to judge with.
I have an ancient ThermaRest flannel lined stuff sack that will take my 15 F deg sleeping bag. Similar in construction to the Zpacks example. I have used the puffy or an small inflatable pillow in it. A shemagh is often deployed as an air dam lower neck and shoulder to keep stirring around from drafts. Long nights of winter for me means hydrating right to up sleep time and using a pee bottle. That is too many hours between relief. Always right size your pee bottle though. No panic greater than when straddling your $600 dollar down bag and then wondering about bottle capacity.
My sleeping bag has a spot under it for my to stick my pillow into, so my head never actually touches the pillow. On occasion it will start to slip out, but most of the time it does a really nice job of holding it in place. I know a lot of people do it, but I can never do the clothes in a bag as a pillow. The lumpiness of it drives me crazy, and I can never make it comfy.
Hey, Dixie. I’ve heard about women using a peanut butter jar/container for peeing in the middle of the night. The opening is much wider than a Gatorade bottle. As for hammocks, I’d be interested in trying a Haven Tent. They allow you to lie flat while suspended in the hammock!👍🏼
Wtaching this video, I really wanted to get that bug out of your hair! What helps me get the best sleep is hiking hard during the day. I then stretch before going to sleep.
Earplugs have made sleeping so much easier. I use the cheapest ones. They block out all the little noises and rustles but still let you hear the big noises.
Pillows- I put a small strip of Velcro on the back of my inflatable pillow on each end. Tip: put the softer, loop side of the Velcro on the air mattress so it’s not rough if you don’t use a pillow. Pillow has never moved. Whoooo Buuuudy!
Nice! Shug out there in Sector 7...Awesome fella: The multitalented, self proclaimed King of Lollygag. Yeah: things the womens hair ties at Dollar General have saved me a few times.
I need to figure out a way to sleep without my cpap machine. Im looking into a inflatable wedge pillow, that maybe i can then attach somehow to the pack for a good incline. See if that works. I wanna hike the AZT pretty badly.
So I actually started hammocking and you are correct, the sleep was AMAZING. However, I didn't have an underquilt and I felt like bringing my hammock, sleeping bag, bug net, tarp and then thinking about adding an underquilt was just a lottt. Definitely interested in trying it again in the future but going with my husband it's just a little easier to share a tent. Interested to see what your setup will be like when you have a baby!! Do you plan on hammocking together? Or tenting? We are expecting too and I'm not really sure where to put the baby lol!
I will say, hammocking was definitely the most amazing sleep though. EXTREMELY comfortable until it hit around 20 degrees. Then I was missing the underquilt hahahaha
I sometimes sleep on my side and have discovered that my frog-togs rain poncho doubles nicely as a between the knees pillow when it's rolled up and tied.
I got a Duplex during the pandemic. I wanted to save weight over my hammock setup, but I just seem to still pick the hammock 95 percent of the time. It's not so much the sleeping part as it is crawling down to the ground after a long day hiking. I often find myself cramping up with the weird positions getting in.
That's my biggest difficulty with tenting - crawling in and out of it - and my tent is pretty roomy for a backpacking tent (Tarptent Rainbow). I'm just getting older and more broken down. Hammocking might be a future option for me.
I would just suggest a Dutchware Chameleon or something similar from a cottage company. I personally prefer an 11 foot hammock. The only reason I don't get amazing sleep in my hammocks is because I am a side sleeper at home and back sleeper in a hammock. I can side sleep in a hammock but it's kinda weird.
I also use a Dutchware Chameleon in the wide body variation with a spreader bar. The wide body makes it a little more comfortable for me to sleep on my side. Hammocks are more complicated to setup and have more parts (and weight) than a comparable tent setup. I have also discovered that different brands use different cloth in their construction which makes them lay different, so my Dutchware hammock feels like a soft mattress and my Dream hammock feels like a firm mattress.
The T-shirt over the mattress and stuffed with whatever is ok. I've often wondered why pillows aren't incorporated in the construction of a mattress, with a concave section in the middle to keep your head in place might work.
I have an Amazon knock off SheGo. My only tip for peeing in your tent is make sure your bottle is big enough volume wise if you’re like me & pee multiple times a night. I made the mistake on my last trip & thought my bottle was bigger than it was. Yup. I had to spend the rest of the night in my wet bag/liner/leggings. Then the next 2 nights my stuff smelled like pee even though I dried everything out. I guess I was dehydrated even though I was peeing all day & all night so much that I filled up the bottle. 🤦🏻♀️😂
Forgot Tip #8. Drugs. I use over the counter sleep aid Doxylamine Succinate 25mg. I take two other bedtime prescription drugs. One of those is for sleep,the other isn’t, but a side effect of it is drowsiness.
I have a Zenbivy sleeping pad. It's fine, but nothing to write home about as a side sleeper. Better than my Uberlite, but that's not saying a lot. What I didn't like about the Zenbivy is the price. It's crazy to spend about 1100 dollars on a system that gets you down to a real comfort level 20 degrees (their 10 degree system). I've spent 600 on a Feather Friends 0 degree bag, and slept at -4 in my t-shirt and underpants. I honestly think their design is pretty good. But their price for what you get, as well as weight. Not really worth it to me. Also, Dixie. Sent ya a message on messager about the West Highland Way. :)
Or go to a medical supply store and for $20 buy the urinal bottles they use in hospitals. Wide mouth, screw on lid and handle so they can be used vertically or horzinally.
I am a side sleeper and have an inflatable pillow. I just use a super light xl T-shirt and pull it over mattress and pillow. Works like a charm.
I do the same. I also find the pillow is more comfortable if you don't inflate it all the way.
I side sleep in an asymmetrical hammock. No pillow required.
Cleaning up at night with Portowipes (dehydrated baby wipes) with warm water from your camp stove when you’re cooking dinner is such a luxury
A million times yes to the sleep headphones. Just started using them while backpacking and I'm in love. All comfy, watching a show or listening to a sleep story, pull down the headband over your eyes and it's a sleep mask. The material of mine are very thick, it's like a blackout curtain. Helped me so very much to feel less anxious while sleeping out alone!
You can shove a pillow inside a t-shirt, then slide the shirt over the pad.
Same here.
Me too! Works great.
I feel significantly less intelligent that I never thought of that before, 😅
Yesss....
Thats a damn good idea. I put my inflatable pillow inside a tshirt anyway because i hate the sound of an inflateable pillow. Never thought to slip that over the sleeping pad too
Pillow case, that's it. I put my puffy and anything soft in the case to make a pillow 👍😁
Love the buff and elastic idea. I’ll try that out on my next trip.
Re. the ZenBivy, I’m on my 6th season with the ZenBivy system. I started with an entry-level quilt and as a side sleeper, I loved it but I hated the cool drafts. I switched to the ZB after only 2 or 3 trips and have never looked back. I can’t recommend the ZenBivy highly enough.
I use the rubbery shelf liner (the most rubbery feeling of the various kinds of it), that comes in a roll in the shelf liner section of the store, to put beneath my sea-to-summit inflatable pillow so it doesn’t scoot around. Works perfectly! I also lay a strip of in between the tent floor and sleeping pad and it all stays in place great! This stuff is lightweight to carry.
I have a “wearable sleep sack” called a unighty which I found out about through a backpacker magazine gear guide a few years back. It’s super cozy and since you don’t have to get out of it to get up, I don’t spend time deciding whether to get up and pee if it’s cold out. It has a hood, an open bottom with pockets to put your feet in when you’re in cozy sleep mode, and magnets to hold it up to about knee length to walk around in. Looks dorky, but I love that thing. I’d also say a Nalgene bottle filled with boiling water and put into a thick sock for a hot water bottle helps me sleep well. I think getting cold is the thing that disturbs my sleep the most when I’m camping
Just looked it up, I love it and will get one as soon as I figure out if they do international shipping. Thanks!
Shout out to Shug! Excellent choice on hammock channel to link!
Peronsally, IF I know 100% there are going to be trees where I'm going, hammock is the best choice. Once you get comfortable with the set up and learn how to sleep diagonally so you lay flat, it's more comfortable than the best bed (in my opinion).
But, many places do not allow you to hang to protect the trees, and many places have no trees at all. And if there is something MUCH less comfortable than sleeping in a tent, it's sleeeping under a tarp with only your underquilt for padding (better hope it's warm).
I also pull my buff over my pillow. I use a liner with my quilt no matter the temp since I hate the feel of sleeping on plastic so that holds it in place since it has a hood. For me I find the most important part of a good sleep is actually the light from either the moon or sun. Esp in the summer when the sunsets are late and sunrises early. I pack a super light eye mask I got from an airline to block out light and that has helped me more than anything else. If it’s colder I just pull my beanie over my eyes.
A small piece of shock cord with some clips tied to your pillow will do the job. I saw a video a few years ago of someone doing this and it has made a HUGE improvement on my quality of sleep. Love the video!
I've just switched to a hammock kit this year. I like it. I won't say it's the absolute best sleep I've ever gotten, but I like not having to crawl into the tent and crawl out. I also like the fact that when I am in a hammock, I also have a built in chair. There is a learning curve with hammocking, and setup is definitely more involved than a tent, but that is part of the fun. It also opens up more options for campsites because I don't need super flat ground, as long as I have a couple of decent trees.
One last benefit, when I'm ground sleeping, I like to use a couple of pillows and I get the best sleep with at least one larger pillow. Like Dixie said, I also found that I was chasing my pillow around all night on the ground. In a hammock, my head is naturally raised a bit, I can tether my pillow to the top of the hammock to keep it from sliding down under my butt, and I require a much smaller pillow because my head is raised with the gentle slope of the hammock.
I made the swap to hammocks about 8 years ago and love them, one thing I consistently see people getting wrong is not using a ridgeline on a gathered end hammock. Using a Ridgeline let's you use more kinds of trees and opens up camping spots, but also give you the proper angled lay to be able to be mostly flat.
If you haven't tried one, I HIGHLY suggest a bridge hammock. I sleep better in my bridge hammock than I do in my own bed most times. I use the bridge hammock from Warbonnet with a hammock tent (as opposed to a hammock fly) and my bridge hammock has a dbl layered bottom than let's me slide a sleeping pad in cold weather. The other advantage using the hammock tent is when I find myself in a spot without any available trees (often on long distance River trips below the fall line), the hammock tent let's me have a fully enclosed tent to sleep on the ground.
Exactly why I use my hammock 95% of the time over my Duplex. In a tent, I hate crawling in, especially after a long day. Everything seems to cramp up. Having the space to sit in a hammock under a tarp during a rainstorm is huge too. I guess maybe people use an ENO or get calf ridge. Ever since going to Dream Hammock, I have had no problems.
@@southronjr1570 I use is a Ridgerunner bridge hammock.
I pack a fitted twin sized bamboo sheet to put over my sleep pad. I can't stand being confined, so a sleeping bag liner won't work for me (I use a quilt). It's soft, and seems to also reduce condensation if I have to burrow my face in for warmth.
Sleeping bags seem to be falling out of favour these days but I am perfectly happy with mine, and my inflatable pillow tucks neatly inside the hood with no fuss.
Also I have a set of Anker sleep earbuds which are tiny and comfortable, have excellent passive noise cancellation and long batttery life, worth checking out.
I made a pretty tight fitting little pillow case for my inflatable out of an old flannel sheet. The flannel is soft and comfortable and doesn’t travel around my sleeping pad as much. I also use it as my laundry bag and wash it whenever doing my wash….way better than the repeated sweaty use of the bare pillow
Paria makes a down pillow that has a thin down top layer with a soft surface & there's a pocket on the underside that you can stuff. My best "stuffing" is a Trekology pillow, which fits perfectly in the pocket.
Regarding pillows, if you're using a mummy bag, I've had great success putting my pillow inside the headspace of the bag, then putting my head on top. It's not great for cold weather when I want my head in that spot and all the extra insulation, but most of the time I don't need that, and it holds the pillow in place great.
Thank you Dixie! Your videos have been an inspiration and great source of information for me for years. I will always remember when you said “I need to go see the raging river for myself” as you entered the Sierra....that was moving and empowering to me and it helped get me on the PCT. Thank you so much for everything you do, I’m grateful. Happy trails!
While I am still not 100% with my pillow (testing a new and bigger one this weekend to hopefully finally find the right one) I agree that Zenbivy made a world of a difference for my sleep outdoors. I do use the original light bed with a 25" wide non tapered pad both with a 25 and a 40 degree quilt depending on conditions - tried the 30" and XL quilt as well but that is overkill.
It really feels like my bed at home - not constricting at all and super comfy.
After all I don't compromise on my sleep system. A good night sleep is so important that I don't care to carry a few ounces more if that suits my comfort on that topic.
I have the 10 degree down Zenbivy Light Bed with insulated hood and absolutely love it. I also have the Zebbivy Bed 10 degree down xl for car camping. Once you switch, you'll never go back.
I found that my sinuses tend to get plugged up when camping and so a decongestant before bed really helps a lot. Also, I tend to sleep on my back and my back gets stiff after a day of hiking, which makes it hard to sleep on just a sleeping pad. One trick is to take my duffel bag with my clothes in it and put it under my knees while sleeping. It takes the pressure off my lower back and I sleep much, much better. If no duffel bag, I would use my pack.
If you have a Sea to Summit pillow you can email them and request some velcro stickers to make your pillow lock to a different brand's pad. It was free of charge when I did it.
Tape the pillow to your head. It will always be there. Boom. Fixed the issue.
I used to let a little air out of my pad. But after lots of winter camping, I’m used to sleeping on it fully inflated. R-value is rated when pads are fully inflated and can go down on some insulated pads if they aren’t fully inflated. I need all the warmth I can get on cold Colorado nights. The hardest part of sleeping at night in winter or shoulder season is keeping my nose warm. 😆
I've been tossing and turning for most of the night every time I'm in the woods for years. I'm seriously considering making the leap from a tent to a hammock. I'm glad you mentioned that solution, because I think a lot of people don't even consider it.
Perfect timing! I “practiced” with my sleep system on a recent camping trip and slept horribly…am hoping some changes will make my upcoming first time backpacking trip more enjoyable!
I don't backpack anymore but after camping in a tent for 40 years, these are all very good suggestions. I fill my inflatable air mattress and then let the air out until it wraps around my body but my butt does not touch the ground much.
I really like the Pillow X by Klymit. The X indentation makes it easy for it to stay in one place against your head. It works great for side and back sleeping 👍
To keep a pillow in place to the sleeping pad, you can add velcro to the pillow and the pad.
Rule of thumb for sleeping pad inflation…if, when you are sitting up, your butt hits the ground, then the pad is inflated enough so when you lay down you won’t be on the ground, but not overinflated.
Thank you so much for this tip
When I lay on my side, if my just BARELY touches my foam pad, it’s perfect for me!
Far from being necessarely true. When my sleeping pad is fully inflated, I still end up sitting on the ground, but it’s way too much for me to sleep comfortably. No doubt many other pads are the same, and there’s also an obvious difference between a 45kg or a 120kg person.
For comfort yes. But you will be trading off insulation, which is rated when the pad is fully inflated.
I’ve been hammock camping for 8 years now. Best way for me.
Thanks. I just bought the Zenbivy Motobed on sale for car camping. Bulky but comfy it says. Just love your channel, Dixie.
I'm one of the few hammock campers who has gone back to ground sleeping. I will always prefer the hammock for comfort, but in some alpine areas it's easier to find a spot for my bivy. As a side sleeper even sleeping in a bed was hard until I started using a pillow between my knees. Now I put some clothes in a stuff sack and sleep with it between my knees whether in a hammock or a bivy.
I use Gear Doctor inflatable pillow, and it comes with a snap on/of stretchy strap.
It's been great!
It is important to ensure a sense of security. When I'm traveling alone, I sleep much better if I know there are other people camping nearby. Of course, if these people behave decently and do not make noise at night.
Definitely. I usually go alone and on remote trails. Those few nights with others, around, I sleep great.
I love the sounds of the forest when I am in a tent, but when I am in a hammock they seem a little more sinister. Even though the hammock is more comfortable, it's not my favorite if I am alone.
I sponge bath as well. Sometimes heat up some water. A Swedish cloth works well and is light. Another can be used to dry. Or a lightload towel. It`s nice to bunk down clean. Luxurious.
I use a ZenBivy, love it. Purchased one for my daughter since it worked so well for me.
I'm so glad you suggested hammocks and that you linked to Shug's channel. He got me started hammocking years ago. Now I'm having to get used to the idea of using a tent, because I'm doing the JMT. Thanks for another great video!
Great tips! Cleaning up before bed helps so much! Even so, I've found wearing even silk weight long underwear helps prevent my legs from sticking together which just feels gross to me while sleeping.
Thanks Dixie for a really great review of how to sleep better. Muchly appreciated.
- Shybee
Hammock sized correctly for you to get a flat lay. I sleep on my side. I found one inflatable pillow that doesn't feel too plastic-y. (ascent brand). I inflate it about 2/3rds full, maybe less, and it doesn't move much. And underquilts are the final game changer to create that cocoon of warmth that feels like you're floating while you sleep.
@Mwilke3789
0 seconds ago
I'm a stomach sleeping pillow hugger. I bought a cheap inflatable pillow that's 12*18 inches. The key is only HALF inflate it. Then I fold extra clothes/my puffy jacket or vest around the pillow and stuff it all in a soft stretchy pillow case I made. It's so cozy.
Hello 👋 Dixie, a big thank you for sharing this valuable information. Stay safe and healthy out there. 😮
For a hammock, getting a pillow with a small loop on one side and attaching it via a short piece of shock cord to my ridge line helps keep it from sliding under me.
Pillowise I generally just prefer to actually use my backpack as a pillow, or a rolled up jacket.
I’ll throw in a sleep apnea comment - I recently tried Snore RX Plus for a recent Sierras two-nighter with acceptable sleep quality results (this is not a product plug).
I don’t want the cost and weight of bringing a travel CPAP on-trail, but definitely use CPAP at home (definitely superior).
Previous few years on-trail, I tried a simple biteguard as a cheap DIY CPAP oral appliance with marginal results.
if you have trouble with your pad sliding around, you can put something like a thinlight pad or sit pad under it. I have also seen a video where a person put some little dots of silicone sealant/caulk on the bottom of his pad that I may try out.
I need to find a way to strap my full sized pillow to bed here at home! I toss and turn and inevitably chase my pillow! As for the mask w/ speaker in it... Ive had one for almost a year now and love it! Not expensive.. Fits exceptionally well, speakers do not hurt side sleeping, and the quality of sound is pretty good too
I add big ski international 1 oz inflatable pillow into zpacks pillow sack plus a shirt or a puffy - this gives a strucure of inflatable pillow with plushness of puffy and surface/organization of zpacks thing
2:39 Same for me with the zpacks stuffsack pillow! But during the day it keeps my quilt dry, clothes are in another sack. I keep my backpack above my sleeping pad so I can kind of wedge the pillow against that to keep it from sliding.
Great tips. Thanks Dixie. My 2 tips I even use at home are a yoga child’s pose for 5min and then breathing in for 4, hold for 7 out for 8 a few times. 🙂
Good video. Thanks.
I’m a big Zen Bivy fan. Try it and see if you like it.
As a side sleeper, I inflate my pad more than it should be. Then I put my hip and shoulder into it a bit harder than I would when laying down. Deflate until the just touch the ground. That way when I'm fully spread across the pad nothing touches the ground, but I get the most even padding spread and insulation.
Choosing the right pack can solve the pillow problem.
Both Mystery Ranch and Crossfire Australia have packs with a quickly removable twin compartment day pack mounted on top of the pack.
I use both of these manufacturers packs and never have any need of a pillow.
You can use one of the compartments (or both) to carry a 3 ltr water bladder which makes a soft and comfortable pillow at night.
Or you can fill the compartment/(s) with clothing and use that as a pillow.
The Mystery Ranch, Mountain Ruck, SATL, 6500, Blackjack 50, Blackjack 80, and Blackjack 100 all have this feature.
The Crossfire Australia DG 16 also has this feature and has the added advantage of coming with an additional fixed roll down lid you can extend to keep the rain or dew out of your pack at night if you are using the day pack as a pillow in your bivy bag, and the pack is therefore outside exposed to the weather at night.
I use earplugs every day and found some small silicone ones that don't cause any problems sleeping on my side. Make sure you get a good quality silicone and a really small tab that folds over. I'd link to it, but the ones I have are no longer being sold.
Good job
Looking good Jess, great info
I sleep a zenbivy!! it's still not perfect for me - i have a feeling I'll switch to hammocks eventually considering how much I turn over in my sleep - but it has been way better for me as a side sleeper anyways, ESPECIALLY at warmer temperatures. The freedom to open it up into a blanket when it's warm enough helps immensely on those nights, by far the best sleep I've gotten camping so far.
My “pee bottle” is a tilenti jar. Perfect wide mouth and seals shut. Game changer as if I’m properly hydrated I’m up 3 times a night to pee.
I commonly sleep in my hammock in the backyard just because it’s so comfortable.
I have 5500 trail miles in the last 4 years. Over an entire year sleeping in my tent in that time.
Trekology 2.0 pillow that is slightly deflated. ThermaRest XTherm regular wide 25x72 air mattress also slightly deflated. Ear plugs if around snoring or trains. Cheap blue sleeping pills as needed. I'm male and use a 20 ounce Arizona Tea bottle as my urine bottle.
You can pull a tshirt over your pillow and sleep mat. Your pillow will stay put!😊
which zenbivy mattress do people recommend? I mostly car camp but want to backpack soon!
Great video. Subscribed.
Absolutely helpful
Even sleeping on a gentle slope, it’s more comfortable to sleep with your head upslope. If I’m on an angle, I put all my gear in the downslope side so I can only slide so far and not wake up pressed against the wall of the tent. Same deal if sleeping with a partner. The bigger person goes on the downslope side 😋 thick sleep socks and hand warmers in almost all seasons help if you’re a cold sleeper and having a pad with a good r-value makes such a big difference. Sometimes if you’re cold, it’s temping to put on all your clothes, but it could have the opposite effect by compressing the layers and defeating their ability to properly insulate and it takes longer for body heat to warm up the bag or quilt.
if you don't sleep well "at home" don't have the expectation that you will sleep well on trail. my best advice is to get up early and hike as much as possible, for as long as you can. the same way hunger makes things taste good, exhaustion can help us sleep in less than ideal situations.
On inflating sleeping pads - experiment and find the inflation that you think leaves the lowest point on your body (typically either your shoulders or hips) about 1 inch above the ground. That will give you full insulation and allow the pad to support the shape of your body to the maximum extent possible.
After a bunch of experimenting, as a 6'3" 200lb side sleeping male-type human, I inflate to about 2/3 of what I think "maximum" is.
If in doubt, over-inflate a bit, and then you can toy with the valve to let a little air out at a time until it feels just right. Then I'd get up and feel what the pad feels like at that particular amount of inflation so you have something to judge with.
I have an ancient ThermaRest flannel lined stuff sack that will take my 15 F deg sleeping bag. Similar in construction to the Zpacks example. I have used the puffy or an small inflatable pillow in it. A shemagh is often deployed as an air dam lower neck and shoulder to keep stirring around from drafts. Long nights of winter for me means hydrating right to up sleep time and using a pee bottle. That is too many hours between relief. Always right size your pee bottle though. No panic greater than when straddling your $600 dollar down bag and then wondering about bottle capacity.
Hey Dixie! Where can I get that fleece lined Dynema stuff sack? Love that idea, thanks!
Hammock for me every time where i live at in the midwest
Car Camping Tip: I buy 4 Walart el-cheepo pillows ($6.00) and no matter where I slide in my tent, I have a pillow near my head.
My sleeping bag has a spot under it for my to stick my pillow into, so my head never actually touches the pillow. On occasion it will start to slip out, but most of the time it does a really nice job of holding it in place.
I know a lot of people do it, but I can never do the clothes in a bag as a pillow. The lumpiness of it drives me crazy, and I can never make it comfy.
Great video, Tyou
Hey, Dixie. I’ve heard about women using a peanut butter jar/container for peeing in the middle of the night. The opening is much wider than a Gatorade bottle. As for hammocks, I’d be interested in trying a Haven Tent. They allow you to lie flat while suspended in the hammock!👍🏼
Wtaching this video, I really wanted to get that bug out of your hair! What helps me get the best sleep is hiking hard during the day. I then stretch before going to sleep.
Earplugs have made sleeping so much easier. I use the cheapest ones. They block out all the little noises and rustles but still let you hear the big noises.
Pillows- I put a small strip of Velcro on the back of my inflatable pillow on each end. Tip: put the softer, loop side of the Velcro on the air mattress so it’s not rough if you don’t use a pillow. Pillow has never moved.
Whoooo Buuuudy!
Maximum insulation only works when the pad gets inflated really hard. Nobody said it was supposed to be comfy, but it’s supposed to be warm though
Nice! Shug out there in Sector 7...Awesome fella: The multitalented, self proclaimed King of Lollygag. Yeah: things the womens hair ties at Dollar General have saved me a few times.
I need to figure out a way to sleep without my cpap machine. Im looking into a inflatable wedge pillow, that maybe i can then attach somehow to the pack for a good incline. See if that works. I wanna hike the AZT pretty badly.
So I actually started hammocking and you are correct, the sleep was AMAZING. However, I didn't have an underquilt and I felt like bringing my hammock, sleeping bag, bug net, tarp and then thinking about adding an underquilt was just a lottt. Definitely interested in trying it again in the future but going with my husband it's just a little easier to share a tent. Interested to see what your setup will be like when you have a baby!! Do you plan on hammocking together? Or tenting? We are expecting too and I'm not really sure where to put the baby lol!
I will say, hammocking was definitely the most amazing sleep though. EXTREMELY comfortable until it hit around 20 degrees. Then I was missing the underquilt hahahaha
HAHA nevermind, I just saw you say hammocking isn't your go-to. Still curious though what you will do with baby!
I sometimes sleep on my side and have discovered that my frog-togs rain poncho doubles nicely as a between the knees pillow when it's rolled up and tied.
Goes to look which hammocking channel. Yep Shug :D
There are disposable unisex urinals where urine is turned into a gel. Sanitary and easy disposal into any trash container.
I've been able to sleep on my side with the Loop earplugs.
I got a Duplex during the pandemic. I wanted to save weight over my hammock setup, but I just seem to still pick the hammock 95 percent of the time. It's not so much the sleeping part as it is crawling down to the ground after a long day hiking. I often find myself cramping up with the weird positions getting in.
That's my biggest difficulty with tenting - crawling in and out of it - and my tent is pretty roomy for a backpacking tent (Tarptent Rainbow). I'm just getting older and more broken down. Hammocking might be a future option for me.
I would just suggest a Dutchware Chameleon or something similar from a cottage company. I personally prefer an 11 foot hammock. The only reason I don't get amazing sleep in my hammocks is because I am a side sleeper at home and back sleeper in a hammock. I can side sleep in a hammock but it's kinda weird.
I also use a Dutchware Chameleon in the wide body variation with a spreader bar. The wide body makes it a little more comfortable for me to sleep on my side. Hammocks are more complicated to setup and have more parts (and weight) than a comparable tent setup. I have also discovered that different brands use different cloth in their construction which makes them lay different, so my Dutchware hammock feels like a soft mattress and my Dream hammock feels like a firm mattress.
The T-shirt over the mattress and stuffed with whatever is ok. I've often wondered why pillows aren't incorporated in the construction of a mattress, with a concave section in the middle to keep your head in place might work.
Personally, in the past, I would sleep on my backpack.😊
I have an Amazon knock off SheGo. My only tip for peeing in your tent is make sure your bottle is big enough volume wise if you’re like me & pee multiple times a night. I made the mistake on my last trip & thought my bottle was bigger than it was. Yup. I had to spend the rest of the night in my wet bag/liner/leggings. Then the next 2 nights my stuff smelled like pee even though I dried everything out. I guess I was dehydrated even though I was peeing all day & all night so much that I filled up the bottle. 🤦🏻♀️😂
Are you still using cpap?
Forgot Tip #8. Drugs. I use over the counter sleep aid Doxylamine Succinate 25mg. I take two other bedtime prescription drugs. One of those is for sleep,the other isn’t, but a side effect of it is drowsiness.
Cant sleep without a pillow. Ive always preferred using a puffy jacket lol just rolled up! Youre glowing by the way Dixie! Great video, as usual!
Friend of mine put velcro strips on her pillow and sleeping pad.
I had a Trekology pillow. It lasted 2 nights. I hated it. I use a dry bag with my extra clothes in it. My husband loves his Trekology pillow tho.
I have a Zenbivy sleeping pad. It's fine, but nothing to write home about as a side sleeper. Better than my Uberlite, but that's not saying a lot. What I didn't like about the Zenbivy is the price. It's crazy to spend about 1100 dollars on a system that gets you down to a real comfort level 20 degrees (their 10 degree system). I've spent 600 on a Feather Friends 0 degree bag, and slept at -4 in my t-shirt and underpants. I honestly think their design is pretty good. But their price for what you get, as well as weight. Not really worth it to me.
Also, Dixie. Sent ya a message on messager about the West Highland Way. :)
I use a nalgene bottle for a pee bottle. So far no in tent disasters. Large top and easy to screw on and off. Just get up on you knees and go.
Or go to a medical supply store and for $20 buy the urinal bottles they use in hospitals. Wide mouth, screw on lid and handle so they can be used vertically or horzinally.
@0:12 Are you thinking of clompleting the internation Appalachian trail... before you retrire from trekking?
Not retiring anytime soon so lots on the radar 😅