A honest question: Who is this video for? I think it is interesting and entertaining, but I am a bit unclear of the target audience. My hypothesis: 1. Experienced military people, who want to know what someone else says about the subject 3. Everyday youtube watchers, who just want to see camping content with a military twist. 2. Aspiring soldiers, who want to learn. 4. Doomsday preppers / militia people When I see content like this I get a bit worried that is content like this mostly for people in category 4. What do you think?
People who want to be ready. Professional nonprofessional hobbyists and people that are scared. It’s for me and I am an extreme camper survivalist. I am always looking to grow knowledge of how I can have greater successes when I solocamp with no food below freezing for 3 days. It’s for kids that want to be boy scouts and for old soldiers who want to reminisce and see how things change. It is responsible people who feel responsible for others. It is for patriots, it’s for the curious. It’s basic information that you as a human being have a responsibility to know so you are a provider not a deficit should the need arise. It’s for mothers and fathers and brothers, I don’t care how you identify THIS IS FOR MEN, biology non exclusive, born men transitioning men 14 year old MEN and anyone else who is willing to be a man for the duration of a traumatic situation
Why are you worried about category 4? If you're military and people ask you for tips on survival and using weapons,especially when they foresee natural or economic disasters, will you just withhold that info because FEMA will come help them 2 weeks after the fact?
Me ttoo ..i was homless in 2016... slept ina blacked out abandoned Frozen rat infested house...smashed up and smeaered with feces..full of freindly rats that kept me company.. i was crippiled...just expecting people to break in and kill me for fun....i found a. Strange inner quiet peace ever since then...
@@SpiritusSystemsseriously tho keep this content coming. Even tho I have my own setup and way of doing things it's good to see what others are doing to get diffrent perspectives. I learn something new everytime. I get shit on my bug net too. I will die on that hill. No one can convince me to get rid of it lol
@@SpiritusSystems Hi , new subscriber here... Great video , you've pointed out how easy wild camping is ,how easy it is being homeless with the right equipment... Much appreciated.. NONE OF US ARE EVER IN A NON PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT...so we can relax ... 🙂👍
Hell I learned this stuff from my dad at a very young age. He's just a woodsman. We were taught not to sleep in the clothes that we sweated in all day if you can help it. He even used to take us winter backpacking on snowshoes in northern NY when it's -40 with windchill and we'd sleep in our own snow shelters. Good times.
In the Army as a regular 11B, I learned real quick, that if you stay awake a couple days and are under constant threat of multiple adverse situations, you can sleep almost anywhere in any weather, and still wake up at the slightest noise. Your mind goes into a totally different state and sleeping becomes something you only do when you can no longer function. A couple hours will feel like an entire nights sleep. Its crazy how quick you can adapt once your in that enviroment.
In military the best skill you can acquire is to be able to fall asleep anywhere at anytime. I got so good at it I was asleep the moment there was something to sit/lay on and 5 minutes to spare.
@@ericthiel4053 We once drove over swamp and up a fell in Sisu NA-110 tracked all-terrain transport. We were bouncing all over the place for an hour and I slept through all of it. I've also gotten good sleep in bare truck bed in -30C winter with the boys tucked under our kit and gear. It's amazing how you body adapts to situations like that and you can somewhat control it too.
@@ex1tium Oh absolutely!! Some of the best sleep in my life was in the back of M113s and Strykers and HMMVs. As privates, we figured out that while sitting up, our collars on our IOTVs (body armor) could support our chins perfectly upright and we slept crammed in there during freezing temps lol. Body heat really can warm up a place decently!!
In the British military we had a saying " any Muppet can rough it ". There was always those that left things behind because they didn't want to carry it, and they would end up in shit order due to being cold, wet and tired. Cracking vid, looking forward to the next one
Yeah - sleep on the ground if there's really no other option...maximum non-permissive environment. However, short of that, GET OFF THE GROUND: some sort of sleep pad, or - something I was waiting for you to mention: a hammock - especailly with an underquilt. In a non-permissive environment that isn't Europe / North America, you're NOT sleeping on the ground - whether it's the desert, or the jungle, you're going to get f**ked-up if you sleep on the ground, and you *will* lose your combat effectiveness...so, anything to get you up off the bare earth will serve you well. Standard military wet wether gear to sleep in will likely only cause skin moisture issues: crotch rot, jungle foot, etc. Take a hint from backpackers: sleep dry as a priority. Anything that retains moisture is not going to be in one's favour. Standard military woobie is next-to-useless in anything under 60-degrees Fahrenheit. Again, take a hint from backpackers: a high-loft quilt is going to do much better in a non-permissive environment than that crappy "poncho liner" makeshift "sleeping bag" tied together with shoelaces.
I think that saying or the similar "any fool can be uncomfortable" combined with "no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing" can get you through 99% of being outdoors.
I am actually surprised there isnt more videos about this on youtube. Everyones worried about "Oh CQB, oh high speed gear oh, oh muh target transitions at 10 yards." But during training, my biggest thing was how much the fiekd sucks and how to make it suck less, especially sleep. Thanks for getting this out there! Hopefully it opens some eyes and gets people thinking outside of the tacticool box!
there's a million videos like these on bushcraft channels. expand your horizons. stop blaming content creators for putting out the same stuff when that's all you look at. that's how youtube works, it promotes similar content, so you have to go out of your comfort zone and look at other things
Spending almost my entire military in COIN it was always a bit baffling to me how much time we spent on CQB when we rotated into environments like Afghanistan and our average engagements are reacting to indirect, and kinetic events happen at like +400m. Of course I'm not saying CQB is unimportant whatsoever. That's a skill every fighter MUST learn. But most of what we do when it comes to soldiering is not that. And when you're on a patrol for 10+ days, the guys who are most ready for the fight are the ones who become pros at being *comfortable at being uncomfortable.* Videos like this are just great conversation pieces for practitioners of all levels. Gotta love it.
as an experienced wild camper who hunts on private land with public access (ie without security), i'd add 3 nuggets of hard won experience: 1. practice practice practice - take your gear out and use it and train and test and try things and program that muscle memory to always do the same things with your gear, practice can help diagnose and fix problems that aren't ever going to come up in a youtube video. 2. if you lie down and something ain't right, get back up and fix it immediately regardless of how tired you are, because it will only get worse and you will have a miserable night 3. cold feet are the worst, your body closes off circulation to preserve heat but it means they'll never warm up. one trick is to briefly stand barefoot in a stream before bed, it'll open up your circulation and when you get in your bag that'll warm the air around your feet, keeping them toasty all night. it'll also help keep them clean and foot health is life or death cause you can lose an arm and still walk out but if your feet are messed up your either dead or someone else's problem.
In addition to 3, if you aren't comfortable or can't dip your feet into a stream (never heard of this one, it's interesting), when you get into your sleeping bag, roll your ankles, wiggle your toes and flex all the muscles from your knees down for a few minutes. All of these things drastically opens up circulation. Also, before you go to bed, pee. Your body uses excess energy to keep the pee in your bladder at body temp. Even if you feel like you don't need to go, try anyways.
Sorry but both of you have fundamental inaccuracies here. If you're worried about cold feet at night absolutely do not chill your feet in a stream before bed. That will make them colder and harder to warm. Cold water will not "open up circulation" it will cause vasoconstriction and make them warm slower. Keeping your feet dry as much as possible is absolutely crucial in cold weather. In fact a change of socks to remove what little sweat/condensation in the socks you've worn from your feet is a good idea. Also the water you drink is warmed within seconds of moment you drink it, that's the only time energy is expended to warm it. After that point the water/urine in your bladder adds to your thermal mass and heat retention. A thermos doesn't expend energy to keep hot cocoa hot and if you poured out the hot cocoa the thermos would cool off faster. In reality you should pee before bed to avoid having to open your sleep system in the night, losing heat, sleep, and exposing yourself.
@@DL-ij7tfwrong. Your example is incredibly ignorant. A thermos isn't temperature controlled to be at 97.6F degrees and doesn't have any system to rapidly expend energy when the temperature starts dropping. Furthermore, a (good) thermos is a great insulator while your body is quite a terrible one. A full bladder is nothing more than an unneeded sack of fluid that now must be maintained at body temperature, which is costly. Go back to highschool physics.
In my experience, getting a little sleep is substantially better than getting no sleep. On an exercise, we patrolled for hours to and from the objective, doing a recce and attack when we got there. Afterwards we had to dig out shell scrapes and set up sentry positions. That one hour i got in the morning made me so much better and had me feeling a damn sight more functional. Ive heard even 10-20 mins can make a significant difference. If the environment and situation permits, get some sleep. It's essential admin.
I often work 16-18 hr days and I drive 30min too and from work. sometimes a 20min nap in the car before work can do wonders, just make sure your spine is alligned and it improves how good of sleep you can get from a small amount of time
Great info. One detail I would point out about the wet weather gear. I think you were spot on by mentioning that a semi-permeable membrane is needed. But you misspoke by saying you need a vapor barrier. Those two are not the same. You do NOT need a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier prevents vapor from escaping from your body, keeping your wet and clammy inside. You DO need a semi-permeable membrane, which keeps out liquid (rain), but will let vapor pass from the inside, keeping you drier. Gore Tex is a good example of a semi-permeable membrane, which I think you did mention.
Sleep deprivation is no joke, it's not just about performance but genuine physical danger, from blue on blue to catching pneumonia due to suppressed immune function. And the worst part is even with 8h a night in a non-permissive environment makes proper sleep essentially impossible, because heightened baseline cortisol reduces deep sleep to the extreme level. Degree to which we can adapt and to which we're responsive to "mental tricks" is genetic too so that's why sleep deprivation is so crucial during selection and school (especislly for special operations), you just can't know what's up until you try it.
I know i'm incapable of functioning without enough sleep for 3 days or more. I tried, lots of traveling and work, 4-5 hours on sleep both night, i just collapsed asleep on day 3 when i got home.
The thing with me is, I can either sleep 6-7 hours every day and be tired, or be up for 2 days and sleep for 11 hours and be good to go another 2 days.
@@TommyCubed I'm the same. I have to go at least 24 hours between rest periods, otherwise i spend most of my time staring at the ceiling and end up waking up more tired than if i had just stayed up.. It doesnt make sense but thats the facts lol.
Medical info indicates that bodily organs begin to self-digest and poisonously deteriorate beginning about after 52 to 72 hours of continuously being awake without sleep. One can get by for about a week with 2-hour naps every 32 to 36 hours or so and still function, assuming a low degree of physical activity, but, even with that regimen, bodily organs will, again, begin to deteriorate after about a week. Some of that can be permanent damage. I, myself, have experienced the 5-day (150 hour) marathon with only six hours of sleep. I had to get 2-hour naps every 32 to 36 hours, but one of my teammates got his six hours of sleep only after the entire 150 hours elapsed. We both got a full night's sleep the night following those 150 hours. I don't know how he did it. Before my spinal surgery years ago, I went six weeks without deep sleep. I did not dream. I dozed, but I was consciously aware of the passage of every moment. A slick, greasy sheen of sweat covered my entire body the entire time. Apparently, the amount of rest I was able to acquire from that miserable existence seems to have been barely enough for my organs to survive. I want to never go through that ever again. So, yes. Sleep is essential. To Adam and to Spiritus Systems, kudos to you for producing this video. Please keep making them.
In British army reserve doing infantry officer training I slept 7hrs across 4 days in the field. Often we simply didn’t get chance to sleep, and led to 90% of my platoon falling asleep while waiting for an ambush, I made sure I stayed awake by aggressively blinked all the time, later that evening after a day of patrolling and mock assaults I was on guard duty with 2 others and I couldn’t help but fall asleep, but it was safe as the other 2 guys slept during the ambush so they were able to stay up. I simply don’t get how we were supposed to stay awake as much as the training staff intended. This was in 2019 btw
I think it was meant to show you your limits. That way you know when you need sleep in actual combat and don’t put others at risk. Better to train and know than go in blind. Also learning to sleep when you can is a huge skill to learn in combat even if it’s 1-5 min.
Sleeping with gloves on is very important because in the middle of the night when ur fast asleep, ur hands may be constantly touching the ground where creatures of the night like spiders, scorpions, stinging ants, & other nasty critters may bite your hand leaving painful wounds or other lingering symptoms!
After doing a 3-night backwoods camping in TN in early August I 100% agree on the bug net. Having a half shelter set up with no bug net, I made friends with the frogs every night
Mid-TN here. I can attest to this. Bug nets are necessary for the spring/summer months here. - Also, we can experience 4 seasons in a week here, so thermal layering is a bit weird in TN. If you dont have the luxury of knowing the extended forecast, pack all seasons in the Fall, Winter, & Spring. (Summer is fairly consistent)
On the coast, sleeping in the dunes, I had no idea that there'd be millions of mosquitoes. I figured the ocean breeze would keep them away. Man, was I wrong! I had no netting so I had to sleep all tucked into my bag. The head opening cinched and folded tight. That was just half of the battle. These critters were so thick and loud that there was a loud and constant buzz which made it difficult to fall asleep. So, short story long... Carry a head net!
To add regarding 4hr sleep, I think there's a huge difference between physical and mental exhaustion. Physical I believe you can overcome, but mental exhaustion definitely needs more sleep.
Depends on how physically exhausted. At some point you re gonna crumble. In my experience it’s mind first thought. You ll start doubting what you dreamt of and what actually happened. It’s a real mind fuck even cafeine can’t get you out of it. Pbly makes it worse with nicotine and overuse of alcohol whenever possible.
@@reedy_9619 Very very true. When very young I was able to bunk sleep and just be tired the next day and otherwise get away with it. But now even at just 26, if I get ANY less than 4 hours of sleep I'll start falling asleep on my feet to the point that I get convinced I'm hallucinating. Generally speaking I can get away with 1, maybe 2 nights of 4 hours or so, 3-4 of 6 hrs. But realistically most need 6 and above to sustain themselves unless they wish to join alice in their own fucked up wonderland.
@Nigriff Really, r u sure? I wasn't aware of this. Perhaps they have different functions or require different fuel 🤔 ... I think perhaps the brain works harder and requires more intentional rest.
My own personal experience with this is using the micro sleep technique. sleeping 3 hrs here, 4 hrs there in a 24 -36 hr period really helps me maintain my physical and mental health in order to continue working. I understand that it doesnt work for everybody, just my own personal experince.
Polyphasic sleeping. Did it throughout college while working 2 jobs and going to school. Definitely has some pros - doing 1.5~3hrs sleeps multiple times a day you learn to pass out quick. Problem is, missing one of your naps can really mess you up - found I’d get zombie-like quickly if I missed a nap or two. That, and the world doesn’t look fondly on people sleeping outside “normal” hours. If you need to be out and about during a nap, good luck not being woken up by a cop tapping on your car window or asking if you’re okay when napping under a tree.
Yeah that really works well for week long bursts for me. I don’t do well that way all the time but I can keep myself at a decent level for several days and it starts declining from there but it’s a great short/medium term strategy
Hi mate, loving your vlogs. Quick intro, 23 year career in the Australian army, with most of that as a grunt. I saw this vlog and straight away thought about a sleep deprivation exercise we did over 1 week. So here it goes, from 0100 on day 1, you will be working a reverse cycle 5 day week, finishing up with a 48 defence in depth. So the break down is as follows 0100 to 0600 will be an intro taste of reverse cycle, you sleep or do what ever you want from 0600 to 1800, then start you night routine eg night patrolling/ambushin/probing etc at night. This will go on for 5 says. On the 6 and 7th days your in a night harbour, with full defence up, whist being probed by the enemy, which from 0100 to 0600, will try and attach your position. So it’s up to your platoon to stay awake eg. Sleep cycle routine, culminating with a tactile withdrawal. Try this and see you it all pans out mate, one of our company commanders worked with the Brit’s for a few years, this was one of the exercises we did in the battalion that I was based in 1990 to 97. Other suggestions for night routines would be navigation at night eg by the stars, night noise, working with night fighting scopes etc. Oh, and finish up cleaning stores etc on a Friday night so your boys can recharge on the weekend. Cheers
I originally watched this as someone that has severe insomnia (currently on 4hrs of sleep in 42hrs). I have always had problems sleeping, especially anywhere else but my bed. My senses are so heightened and hyperware that I don't sleep, my ears also ring terribly without a fan. I havent really been able to fall asleep on my back either. But watching this really made me appreciative of the explanations of WHY you do this and that from a defensive standpoint and it made me realize how valuable today's technology is. Just back in the early 1900s, an everyday person didnt have the access to survival tactics for war. It also makes me appreciate war before modern weaponry/tech because of the lives sacrificed learning what/what not to do without the aid of others to the extent of the current day. Thank you for this video of something as simple and vital as sleeping and advocating for the health of our soldiers💕
What is often overlooked, but especially in the winter time, is the neckgaiter. Most people especially beginners tend to sleep in their sleepgear with their heads tucked inside the sleepingbag, not a good idea. Because all that co2 will condense and soak up the sleepingbag, making it lose insulation. When lying inside a sleeping bag, put on your watchcap (As a lot of bodyheat leaves through the head), cover youe face with a neckgaiter, leave your head outside of the sleepingbag and you're good to go.
It's essential to all seasons. Store-able anywhere and extremely versatile, it's a free piece of kit that: keeps you warm or cool, provides dust or sun protection, and aides sleeping. Bandana works too, but combined with a cap your vital head is well protected from the elements. I use one on planes, while hiking or snowboarding or at music festivals, and for general air pollution like in Korea.
You should work on your skills of finding a better spot to sleep. Liquefying carbon dioxide requires pressures above five times atmospheric, so, if you have your "CO₂ condense" around you, you had better get out of that pressure vessel somebody is trying to use for something more productive than you just wanting to catch some Z.
@@Anvilshock Ok, jesus christ, seems like I fucked up trying to say, that condesation will build up inside your sleeping bag, when breathing inside. I hope that is correct, and worth your time, good sir.
A concept that stuck with me from a NOLS semester was the idea of “storm proofing” your gear- if you remove anything from your pack, put it back or close the pack up. So that if it’s rains in the next 5 mins or your have to grab your gear and move its closed up ready to go.
I came in the Army in 80. Never had enough sleep in the field. We did Platoon Confidence Training in n Germany. On the FTX we did 50% security and only got a couple of hours of sleep at night trekking through the mountains. After three days we were walking into trees, walking half asleep. The entire platoon fell asleep waiting to do an ambush. We couldn’t concentrate and think straight. We did still get a lot out of the training despite being tired. I as Mechanized Infantry. We generally tried to get most of our sleep in the back of the track while moving. If closed up. During Desert Storm . I was driving a HMMMV and took turns sleeping with the Captain I was driving when we stopped for short periods. After we set up an AA, and pulling guard for a couple of hours I was finally able to get some real sleep in the vehicle. Never called the sleeping pad a puss pad or anything like that.
Yep, 50% for 3 or 4 days sucks. I just got done with basic, and we had to pull 50% or 100% switching between the 2 for 3 nights, and on the last night, we had to ruck all night. Fatigue makes the boots so much heavier.
@@sdivine13 got the first pack as birthday present from a doc. The complete Stack is like triple D for alpinism. First Testo or Primo better any DHT Deri Second Tavor Third Modafinil Prednisolon And Oxypower😁
During a platoon night live fire exercise I was a young 2nd lieutenant and we carried out attacks with the squads. The platoon had not been sleeping properly durin the previous days. What happened was that in one of the assaults the sergeant started the assault with 8 soldiers in jis squad and ended with 7. I couldn't believe it. The first thing I thought was that the one who was missing had been accidentally shot in the head and would have been dead in the ground, we started looking for him and calling him but he didn't appear. At the end I stepped on something soft on the ground. It was the soldier lying on the ground but he was not dead, HE WAS ASLEEP! With his rifle in his hands, he had fallen asleep in an exercise with live rifle fire, machine guns and mortars... I learned from this that the leader must guarantee sleep at all times to his subordinates. That lesson was very useful years later in the province of Badghish in Afghanistan where I clearly marked the sleeping shifts for everyone, including the platoon and squad leaders of my company.
Good stuff.... I'd add, in the Nam our primary issues were different from what you described for cold weather. Some of the team carried full gear (very heavy), I was disinclined to do so, as we were going on long-range patrols thru jungle. Biggest issue was insects (leeches, and mosquitoes). Had to carry a lot of insect repellent to put on boots and exposed parts of the body... which was only partially effective. Water purification tablets a must as well. A good water proof poncho is only partially effective when in monsoon rains, but also helped with the insect problem. Some places we had to standup to rest (or sleep) as the ground insects (leeches, centipedes, spiders} and venomous snakes wanted your space and body heat as well. But hey, one learns what works best thru trial & error, if you live long enough.
Good question, and exactly what I did....at the time the mil-issue hammocks were heavy and bulky, I didn't want the extra weight or bulk busting thru the jungle .... so I went to a sewing shop in Saigon and had him make me a 7-ft hammock out of parachute material. Weighed nearly nothing and could carry the whole thing in an ammo pouch. Helped a lot.... @@user-ii2rf8cs8j
Does the rain pour throught he seams in the military ponchos, too? Mine is a multi piece affair stitched together and sealed with some kind of rubbery plastic and it always leaks in heavy rain.
@@G-Mastah-FashI can only answer that question with years-past experience; and yeah, they absolutely not keep you dry. My suggestion about them was just expect not to be dry and enjoy the suck?
When I was training on Camp Pendleton, I had a rotating watch and we were in foxholes. My battle buddy and I took turns sleeping until our watch was over. Biggest mistake I ever did and still remember it to this day. It was 40 degrees or so with a coastal breeze. The ground sucked the heat out of me inside of an hour with my cammies and gortex on. Luckily our shift was up not long after. I was so cold for the rest of the day and still remember that day 20 years later. Good lesson learned that could have killed me.
This video is my introduction to your channel. The entire first 17 minutes you had been so poised and professional. I was not expecting the mom joke. You put my abs to work sir. Thank you.
Yup. Arms by your side, breathing in through your nose for six seconds, hold it for four seconds, breathe out for six seconds, and hols your lungs empty for four seconds. Repeat. I'm always asleep within 5 or 6 minutes.
“Pack up ready to go”, one of the first things I was taught on my first field exercise in boot camp in Guards Depot Pirbright Surrey UK in summer of 1974. And if you watched what your instructors were doing you got a better idea if SHTF was going to happen lol. If they are not eating or getting kit out it’s a pretty good idea that things are not going to go well for you in the training environment. Still use this as my mantra when I’m just out in the woods camping today.
Fantastic video! A couple of thing I would like to add (may or may not have been addressed). - Waterproof as much you can anything that can absorb water. Besides the obvious, stuff soaking up water will add weight to what is probably already a heavy pack. Use wet weather bags or heavy duty trash bags in a pinch. Also for stuff like a fleece cap, socks etc that you might want to keep accessible in an outer pouch on your pack, sandwich bags work great, are cheap, and transparent so you can see what you are grabbing before opening it up. - A good tarp with some decent tie down points for a more deliberate shelter is a must have. - Stakes with 550 tie downs already attached are fantastic for these deliberate shelters. Raptor tactical sells some polymer ones that are super lightweight and work fantastic for this purpose. - Bungee cords. Fairly multipurpose and they make setting up a deliberate tarp shelter super fast and just as fast to break down. Additionally they help keep constant tension for said shelter. Also, if you have an alice pack they can be easy to store on the frame itself. - That old school jacket liner (basically a button up woobie jacket) is a super cost effective insulating layer that brings me almost as much joy as the fleece cap. I could go on but if your attention span is anything like mine you stopped reading awhile ago.
I experienced far more sleep deprivation though out selection and training than I ever did in combat (non-permissive and semi non-permissive). I think that training to function while sleep deprived has value but I strongly agree with you that after 2-3 days/nights of minimal sleep you definitely start seeing capability drop off. I have always struggled to sleep since childhood so for me personally four hours of sleep is plenty. Only now as a fifty something adult can I sleep a little better. My problem was that I would wake up at the drop of a pin and never be able to get back to sleep. I just had to learn to function on less sleep. Apparently some people function normally on less sleep and I was told I am one of those people but I disagree. I may have learned to function at what is considered a "normal" level but I still felt tired and I know it had some negative longer term health impacts. Bottom line, sleep is far more important than most people realize! Great video, great topic!
Every body is different, but there's no cheating nature. This isn't the most sexy topic, but it needs to be talked about and understood if people are serious about developing capabilities.
That's the ideal, both selection and training are there to find the limits. And there's no way any training, even for a highly motivated person, will increase baseline cortisol as much as hostile environment - that means you gotta sleep even less due to sleep quality being better to compare the extremes >< Unfortunately these heightened baseline cortisol levels stick with us for a long time, sometimes the whole life, and mess up our health a lot. It's a real shame this issue isn't recognised by VA, you can't outmedicate that and a good stress management/trauma oriented therapy is crucial after leaving the force
One thing that really helped me, that I used with great effect was Autogenic Training. It’s basically a form of self-hypnosis/meditation to get your deep sleep within shorter periods of time. I used it in SFAS every night if I recall, got excellent sleep even within the short windows of sleep deprivation that are built into their unpredictable schedule. SFAS was fun for me personally, whereas a lot of dudes were sucking. I had several years of Weapons Squad, Recon, and LRSC experience behind me already, so that alone gave me all the physical and mental conditioning I needed. AT was just another unfair advantage I used to get quality sleep through the process.
One of my Cadet trainers on the subject of ground mats told the story of an Army captain with a combover. He fell asleep without a mat and woke up with his hair stuck to the ground.
Just looking at the thumbnail made me think of some of the notably unconventional sleeping locations and techniques that I utilized during my time as a US Army Infantryman. They include: 1. Under my bunk in Basic with my fingers entwined in the bedsprings, so that I will appear to be tightening my blanket. 2. In my sleeping bag on the floor beside my bunk so that my blankets stay pristine. 3. Inside and under a pile of duffel bags in the formation area when the unit is hurrying-up-and waiting for a movement. 4. Under the bags of sling-load rigging and cargo nets in an equipment cage. 5. Sitting and leaning against some other dude's back. 6. Bungee corded to a tree on a steep hillside in the Panamanian jungle.
I did military service in Finland and we use THICK sleeping bags, with the clothes under, or pants in your ankles. Also works as a great dryer for wet socks and such, they just magically dry during sleeping. With enough practise you can get out of a sleeping bag real quick lol
"Ranger holes" are awesome for softening ground and exposing either cooler or warmer ground depending on the environment. Sand is a terrible insulator.... but youll still find warmer ground underneath when those winds and cold roll in
Sweet! Adding a few things to my buy list! Woobie, E Tool and Poncho were three things I didn't have yet. As a concerned citizen, these all sound like important pieces for a Get-Home gear setup. Thanks guys!
"Your mom may not have a problem sleeping on the ground, because she's massive, but everyone else.." LMFAO just casually dropping a your mom joke in there.
For small units, rather than each member carry an entrenching tool we would carry a 1:2 or 1:3 of tool to team member. As there will always be guys on security, it was often enough to consider the tool "mission specific" and pack enough that one or two guys can be digging while others are dealing with security, comms, and possibly beginning observation.
Great Tips. As a medic I like being as light as I can be to hold more medical supplies. Went with a Wilderness Innovations Poncho and insulation options they have. Allowed me to ditch my issued insulation options, go lighter and warmer in some instances. Depending on temps and environment I have been able to ditch the pads. That said, the colder it is the more the pad does come into place even with my system. Nice to see others put the concepts together.
To add onto this, I’ve also found pads are great when it’s wet. It raises you off the ground a bit so water cant get into your poncho or cover as easily. Plus water even through a rain layer makes you cold
I'm really glad to hear about sleep time , I believe it too . I have heard do may people say you only need 3 or 4 hours of sleep . I could not function after a couple of days .
Excellent video. My first 10 years from 1979-1989 we were issued an air sleeping mat which we had to blow up. Problem was that they could get a slow “leak” from tiny holes you wouldn’t notice until too late. As a 17 year old soldier at my first duty station at Ft Carson I found out the hard way about heat conduction when my leaking sleep mat deflated and I was freezing in the Colorado night on my truck bed sleeping bag direct to truck steel. I was cold all night despite having a an Arctic bag with feathers in it. My last 10 years especially attached to the light infantry it was a rolled sleep pad with our ponchos and liners. We weren’t allowed to use our sleeping bags unless it was extreme cold. During the invasion of Panama in 1989 we only used our ponchos because of the Jungle rains. Ponchos were our most valuable shelter and weather protection in the light infantry. Your video is absolutely spot on and I thank you for getting this information out. 👍🇺🇸
I used to use the MSS goretex bivy and poncho liner. I would crawl inside or drape over like a blanket depending on context. Sometimes would wrap or drape poncho depending on temp level. this in addition with a ground pad, pine boughs, leaves, gloves, neck gaiter and beanie and additional insulation layers I had, worked fairly well for most conditions. as opposed to using the whole MSS system which was heavy and took up a lot of space. That goretex bivy was awesome! I felt like you could float away in that thing! I am also a big fan of the head net.
Best part about being a FiSTer was never having to pull guard. Also using the woobie as a poncho liner instead of a standalone "blanket" can be an expedient ground pad/sleep system. Lay on it and then use the left over material to cover your self up or fold it in two to double up the insulation from the ground if you have something else to drape over you. Just 550 cord the woobie to the poncho so they stay together. Poncho keeps the wind off of you and the woobie keeps you warm.
I used to use an SAS bivy before we got the Gortex bivy with the sleep system. I modify my woobies now with plastic snaps so you can configure them like Poncho Villa or a light sleep system component. I make all my own stuff sacks for them as well. I sew the stuff sack to my woobies so you can’t lose it.
Pair of soft ears has been the best sleep aid I’ve found in my career. Blocks out all the background noise and helps you sleep deeper by not being startled awake by every little insignificant noise in the bush
Great video sir. 12 years in the army and I used common sense with my gear. The older stuff mind you. Never the less, my gear was used just as intended. Thanks for sharing.
The Stone Glacier Grumman down puffy coat you’re wearing is the best thing I’ve ever purchased and put in my pack! Little space, little weight, lots of windproof warmth!
Every bit of advice in this video is gold. I would only add 4 bungee cords. With 4 bungees and a poncho you can make a hasty shelter in less than 30 seconds almost anywhere. A crusty old squad leader taught me that and it served me well for all my time in the infantry. The sleep deprivation part is no exaggeration. I’ve fallen asleep while walking, standing, and talking. After a couple weeks of 4 hours at 50% security you start hallucinating and talking nonsense.
This is amazing content you are putting out here on YT. Funnily enough, I was going through my own research of what makes a good sleeping system, what is a good weight/warmth ratio, etc. and then I see you guys posting a video about it. As I have quickly went through the comment section, I will also join the ranks of people who say that such "small" things are vital for your average minuteman or infantryman. I myself a firm believer that a good soldier is somebody who can create a comfort for himself even in the worst environment possible because, as it usually happens, you might spend much more time in this environment then expected. Love the content, looking forward to the next one!
I found you can sleep anywhere any time! If given the opportunity to set up positions, I agree with this video! Truth is, you'll never be properly supplied, have any ability to be comfortable and you'll have to take sleep when possible. I don't remember once being able to use my sleeping bag. Even though we had the sleeping system, sleeping in rain, snow or high winds no one could use it. If we did, we'd have to leave it under contact and later pay for it!
I always carry either two ponchos, or a poncho and a tarp. This way I have one that can be dedicated to creating shelter as needed, and the second to whatever other purpose I need. I will often lay out the poncho as a ground tarp, and if I need additional insulation you can fold it in half and stuff it with leaves, grass, or pine straw. You can then roll that up and reuse it when you move, or just stuff it again in your new position. More you know, less you need to carry.
@@gregmcmanus1975 no, I prefer to avoid bivy bags and sleeping bags. I use ponchos, tarps, and poncho liners or camp quilts in conjunction with the layers I pack out to keep me warm enough during rest periods. Of course if I’m just camping then I will bring a bivy or sleeping bag in cold weather because there are no tactical considerations at that point.
One thing about buying Gortex rain gear from a surplus place. Look for stuff that is lightly used. Speaking from experience when guys get out or change units they have to clean their gear to a pretty ridiculous standard when they turn in back into CIF, even though its probably getting dermo'd anyways. So if your Gortex is covered in red dirt (dudes from Schofield Barracks and K-Bay know what I'm talking about) you probably sent it through the washing machine and dryer 15 times before you turned it back in. All that laundering significantly reduces how water proof the material is.
Remember doing a one week military exercise and I was washed out by lack of sleep and an injury to boot. In the end I just lay on a very irregular stone (just to avoid the wet ground) and faded away into sleep while people were shooting submachineguns (only blanks, but they are loud enough) around me. I just slept
As a health care worker who works 3-13 hour overnight shifts a week for the past 25 years, fatigue is my constant companion. Ive functioned 48 hours with no sleep. It can be done but it cannot be sustained. By night 3 or 4 the exhaustion kicks in. 4-6 hours of sleep if i am lucky during the day between shifts. Weight gain as one consumes calories to stay awake. My brother served in the Airforce as security, he was Ranger certified. They told him back in the 80's for every 5 years of overnight or swing shift, it takes 6 months off of life expectancy. I believe it. So i am already at least 2 years less than average. Fatigue though can be held off, WILL take its toll eventually in one form or another. Rest can make a difference.
These videos rock. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! I’m not a soldier and I hope to never have to use this information, but I am happy to learn.
I don’t sleep on the ground really but I’m a new EMT and we get put in a lot of crazy environments and the whole thermodynamics and cold weather gear portion of the video helped me out a lot. I work with a lot of ex military/NG/68W types and its like these guys just have a secret survival guide or a magic fucking bag that pulls out the correct garment for the weather that day. Being new and underprepared has been a big challenge but I’m learning a lot from the seasoned guys. So frustrating though to realize some of the shit I bought is just fucking impractical in the field.
4 hrs was standard when I was in and during my deployment to Iraq. Sleep is always secondary unless.you want to sleep permanently. Great advice and tips brother
Spandex long-sleeve turtle-necks are super nice. Clinging to the body like a 2nd skin, warming & wicking moisture. I've found it crucial to minimizing my layering requirements and carry weight for snowboarding, kayaking , hiking, or desert raving in Colorado.
Glad to hear someone talking about falling asleep while walking. One of my old PLs experienced that plenty of times at ranger school, his group referred to it as teleporting lol
I'm one of those people who always needed 10-12 hours of sleep every night. I ate nothing but raw fruits and vegetables for about 3 months. Some days I was also intermittent fasting, so eating once a day. During that 3 months, I was working 18 hour days and couldn't sleep for more than 5 hours. I would always wake up before the alarm clock rang. But my sleep was deep and I always woke up refreshed. What and how you eat affects your overall health and functionality way more than most people realize.
Never been in the military, don't plan on it ever, but I backpack and sleep out when I can (really just fun, it's never non-permissive). I thought this was great content, and also think it's funny the amount of excusing you had to do! Especially for sleep pads... pro tip: cut yours to 1/2 or 3/4 length. Saves weight, and you really don't need it for your legs/feet, just your core. ✨✨The cold does not care if there's a war on, it will kill you just the same ✨✨
I would add an industrial thick mil trash bag. Good for keeping things dry and doubles for ground cover. Little strips of it burn 🔥 great too for fire in wet terrain Also add Dyneema 800lb cordage as it is better than paracord in most applications as it is UV resistant. Also comes in fishing line which can be used for perimeter alarms, traps, fishing, and sewing up torn gear, or replaces shoe laces.
The military often used what’s commonly called 550 chord. I assume these are similar. The chord has small strands internally for strength that can be removed for those activities 😊
I’d love to see a pack video, external frame vs the civilian backing internal frame models. With the collective experience of Spiritus, I think that’d be super helpful
For hot and cold areas I have found that the shemagh is more than capable of keeping bugs away, keeping the sun off you, keeping you that much warmer, and it is lightweight
Excellent info. The Kifaru Woobie and HPG Serape together are pretty bombproof. Also, change your socks and don't tighten your boots laces as much as normal, it will keep your feet warmer. You can also use your rain jacket to zip around your feet is it is colder.
for what it's worth your body loses almost 70% of body heat through your head and hands so not only keep your feet dry always keep your head and hands dry and covered up
As a Drill Sgt I used to say to my troops "Sleep is Not a Mission".....BTW changing your socks at sun down and drying your socks inside your shirt is a must!!!!
I have been there at bear camp. The first 5 days it rained. One day I fell asleep in my tree stand. By the 9th day all the walking up and down hills my knee was giving me issues. Something that has never happened before. I was woken up at 4-5 am due to predators almost every day. Picking a defensible spot is key. You don't want to be holed up. I find the mat to be most important when sleeping on cold ground in frosty conditions. Wet weather gear sucks to sleep in. All too frequently wet weather gear does not breath. The moisture don't escape if you don't have a wick layer. It's why sleep bags need to be dried after use. Or a few days and sleeping bags will be damp and not insulate as well. Even in a shelter or not, condensation from your breath will dampen clothing too. I like wool. I carry a tarp and poncho in my rucksack. Tarp is actually for game in vehicle but have a cheap table cloth from dollar store. The mat is great idea. I keep a yoga mat in my vehicles. For working under vehicles on the ground in fowl weather. It makes a thermal break between you and the ground. I have slept in my level 3 ballistics jacket. We bought a screened tent for bugs to harvest honey and serve and eat food at camp. The no see-ums, biting flies, midges, deer flies, and bees are bad at times. I can't sleep in boats they would be half wet the next day. Putting cold boots on in the morning sucks. It takes a while to warm them up. I was glad I brought 2 pairs of boots to bear camp. It took 24 hours for them to dry. Keeping camp clean is very important because predators. You don't want to drag a deer carcass around camp. Leading predators back to you. Or animals spooking giving away your position.
Pro tip. One need not sleep all eight hours in one shot. Two, four hour intervals is ideal. But three, three hour intervals works. The most important part of sleep is to get into REM sleep so that one’s brain resets and one’s body starts repairing itself.
Pro tip, the more psychopathic threats you have the less uninterrupted sleep you require. However, the majority of humans have very few psychopathic threats and need 8 to 9 hours uninterrupted sleep. The more sleep you find you need to function is not a sign you are weak, it just means you are more human!
go look up the basics of REM, go apologize to the nearest tree for wasting it's effort, refresh yourself on middle school health class, and try again. the first major REM cycle is in a 4 hour period, and it doesn't "STICK" until the second four. that first four hour cycle is when you BEGIN to repair. the brain and body is focusing on muscle memory-related things and critical systems. you need 8 hours. I've lost count of how many commanders I've personally scuffed up for pulling that "you dont need it all at once" crap. it's just a great way to run afoul of the surgeon general's guidance, which is to account for 7 unless you're in an austere field setting. in garrison there's no excuse.
@@Bluecatte in an ideal world where there are no threats you are right. In an oh-shit situation where you move, asses, sleep you are wrong and dead. If memory serves this vid was not about being in a platoon with buddies on watch. It was about moving, evading and sleeping.
Was homeless, and used cars etc. to survive. Have land no home and a RV. Being in environments and prepared to what works best. I have learned a lot from channel. The gloves one was good. Im geared up. Self reliant independent is key and in Bible
- Cortex WW top is 100% a must. It was in my sustainment pouch for 10+ years. Keeps you dry, keeps you warm, wind breaker. - Army poncho is good if only set up correctly, its water resistant but very little. They're handing out tarps now. If you use it as a shelter have it angled down and not flat so the rain can't pool up and saturate and drip onto you/gear. I recommend folding it into your top flap of your large ruck, helps keep your ruxk dry, and easily accessible. Or can pull it out form the flap and drap it over you/gear quickly. - puss pad is a must. You might be a the baddest dude out there but that ground is going to win and take that body heat. Plus if you're on some bad terrain you just added some comfort. - comforts: the beanie and some nice socks to change/sleep in(if cold out)
Brilliant stuff!! Please keep it coming. I’d have my dog in my Bivee with me if I was going all NPE and all. She’s my early warning system, in case someone’s trying to creep on me. The whole kit would probably end up on my dual sport motorcycle (yes, including the dog). 😅
There are some really compact, lightweight, engineered loft fabric sleeping systems that have been out for a while now. Even the Thinsulate Woobies are pretty good, and they’re almost 40 years old now.
My mother sleeps very terribly on campouts, no thanks you very much Sir! Hahaha great dig, but for real, this was video was super informational. Never ceases to amaze me the practical sense "i Know" but have to be reminded of frequently. Thank you for this video!
I've fallen asleep while standing up holding a 240 and with my ruck still on. It was dark and when I woke up the rest of my squad had moved and didn't even realize I was still standing there. Luckily they were still in line of sight and I was able to catch up. We had 2 hours of sleep in 2 days.
I had a mountain serape and the kifaru woobie when I lived up north and will definitely recommend them for anyone who likes winter camping/excursions. I used them in place of a sleeping bag at times with a hammock or just a pad. I gave my serape away to my neighbor, but kept the woobie, which I still use even here in the southeast. I can't recommend not having a woobie amongst your sleep gear as they are the closest to a mandatory survival item as you can get! 😂 I'd also recommend the helinox swagman in place of a poncho liner if you can get one.
🙌Kifaru woobie 🙌 Besides using climashield the woobie uses a calendared fabric from the skydiving world, it prevents air flow through the fabric which means that you get warm faster.
@Murgatroyd999 thank you for the info. I learned something today! I definitely felt warmer faster than when using my original, and at 1st wasn't keen on the seemingly loose filling compared to the original, sewn in place insulation. Now tho... I wouldn't exchange it for anything else on the market!
@bricketdabrown9607 I remember reading about the doobie being twice the insulation, if not more! I can't recall if the doobie had a size difference other than the insulation? At those temps, if I'd planned accordingly, would have more than likely taken a sleeping bag as well. When I was just the nfg in my squad, I'd take a lightweight sleeping bag and issued woobie when camping due to being a hot sleeper, keeping the bag unzipped, and drape the liner over me. Slept like a champ during three seasons, but winter camping and mountain training in Vermont made me rethink my sleep system to always keep the liner and maybe a wool blanket if I could manage.
@@michaelmeadows5142 yeah it definitely wasn’t a planned thing but glad I had it none the less. I’m in northern Minnesota. So it being start of a long winter the car kit is upgraded for sure!
¹Moisture control: don't retain perspiration or breath residue. ²Isolate from the earth by one measure or another. The classic wool sweater is a favorite, letting moisture blow off while moving and becoming insulation when you stop and zip your windproof shell. Even the lightest face cover can increase comfort and prevent frostbite; wear that neck gaiter.
Outstanding video, very thought out and informative. My son is Army, I didn’t want him to join the Corps, as much as I wanted him too. He’s also a combat vet and now understands where I’m coming from. The Army is the best thing for him, he’s now picked up Staff Sergeant and is doing good on his military career. Hopefully he’ll stay in for the full retirement. Again you’re good to go brotha, take care. RAH! 🇺🇸
I can completely attest to the importance of a bug net Nothing sucked more than path clearing on my woodlot after a day of rain and getting eaten alive by blackflies Full body netting let me have so many good naps on sunny days too lol
A honest question: Who is this video for?
I think it is interesting and entertaining, but I am a bit unclear of the target audience. My hypothesis:
1. Experienced military people, who want to know what someone else says about the subject
3. Everyday youtube watchers, who just want to see camping content with a military twist.
2. Aspiring soldiers, who want to learn.
4. Doomsday preppers / militia people
When I see content like this I get a bit worried that is content like this mostly for people in category 4. What do you think?
I think that it is intended more for 1 and 2 but because the main audience is regular people, it ends up catering to 4.
People who want to be ready. Professional nonprofessional hobbyists and people that are scared. It’s for me and I am an extreme camper survivalist. I am always looking to grow knowledge of how I can have greater successes when I solocamp with no food below freezing for 3 days.
It’s for kids that want to be boy scouts and for old soldiers who want to reminisce and see how things change. It is responsible people who feel responsible for others. It is for patriots, it’s for the curious. It’s basic information that you as a human being have a responsibility to know so you are a provider not a deficit should the need arise. It’s for mothers and fathers and brothers, I don’t care how you identify THIS IS FOR MEN, biology non exclusive, born men transitioning men 14 year old MEN and anyone else who is willing to be a man for the duration of a traumatic situation
Why are you worried about category 4? If you're military and people ask you for tips on survival and using weapons,especially when they foresee natural or economic disasters, will you just withhold that info because FEMA will come help them 2 weeks after the fact?
Everyday YT watcher here. Some of the gear I use is military.
I was an 0331/0317, for me it's a comparison of tactics. Sometimes a reminder of things I forgot.
Me, in a completely permissible environment, knowing I have work in the morning, watching this instead of sleeping
Me at 3AM watching a video on how to sleep in the woods from my bedroom in the middle of a city, miles away from any substantial amount of Grass.
Exactly what I’ve been doing
I am actually near the woods and like hiking and camping.
But I am in my house now and laying lazy on my sofa wile watching this 😊
Stop looking at me
Its important information
I was homeless for 5 years. You can learn a lot about sleeping in non-permissive environments by simply not having a home.
Me ttoo ..i was homless in 2016... slept ina blacked out abandoned Frozen rat infested house...smashed up and smeaered with feces..full of freindly rats that kept me company.. i was crippiled...just expecting people to break in and kill me for fun....i found a. Strange inner quiet peace ever since then...
Oh...and the lack of food broke me down soo bad......so quick.
I call it ninja camping. I don’t believe in homelessness as home is wherever you lay your head
@@KarenLopez-in5ih that must have been scary
Or getting drunk and falling on the ground.
Solid info. Not too many gear companies producing content like this. Very grateful.
Glad you dig it!
@@SpiritusSystemsseriously tho keep this content coming. Even tho I have my own setup and way of doing things it's good to see what others are doing to get diffrent perspectives. I learn something new everytime. I get shit on my bug net too. I will die on that hill. No one can convince me to get rid of it lol
@@SpiritusSystems
Hi , new subscriber here...
Great video , you've pointed out how easy wild camping is ,how easy it is being homeless with the right equipment...
Much appreciated..
NONE OF US ARE EVER IN A NON PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT...so we can relax ...
🙂👍
Lots of content makers making gear content though
Your experience with this presentation is incomprehensible .
Hell I learned this stuff from my dad at a very young age. He's just a woodsman. We were taught not to sleep in the clothes that we sweated in all day if you can help it. He even used to take us winter backpacking on snowshoes in northern NY when it's -40 with windchill and we'd sleep in our own snow shelters. Good times.
Actual life skills instead of participation medals. Kudos to your dad
In the Army as a regular 11B, I learned real quick, that if you stay awake a couple days and are under constant threat of multiple adverse situations, you can sleep almost anywhere in any weather, and still wake up at the slightest noise. Your mind goes into a totally different state and sleeping becomes something you only do when you can no longer function. A couple hours will feel like an entire nights sleep. Its crazy how quick you can adapt once your in that enviroment.
i remember first time i slept over at my dads place after he moved, i got woken up by a light switch turning on in a different room
In military the best skill you can acquire is to be able to fall asleep anywhere at anytime. I got so good at it I was asleep the moment there was something to sit/lay on and 5 minutes to spare.
@ex1tium Yep lol. End up sleeping in places you never thought possible!!
@@ericthiel4053 We once drove over swamp and up a fell in Sisu NA-110 tracked all-terrain transport. We were bouncing all over the place for an hour and I slept through all of it. I've also gotten good sleep in bare truck bed in -30C winter with the boys tucked under our kit and gear. It's amazing how you body adapts to situations like that and you can somewhat control it too.
@@ex1tium Oh absolutely!! Some of the best sleep in my life was in the back of M113s and Strykers and HMMVs. As privates, we figured out that while sitting up, our collars on our IOTVs (body armor) could support our chins perfectly upright and we slept crammed in there during freezing temps lol. Body heat really can warm up a place decently!!
In the British military we had a saying " any Muppet can rough it ". There was always those that left things behind because they didn't want to carry it, and they would end up in shit order due to being cold, wet and tired. Cracking vid, looking forward to the next one
Yeah - sleep on the ground if there's really no other option...maximum non-permissive environment. However, short of that, GET OFF THE GROUND: some sort of sleep pad, or - something I was waiting for you to mention: a hammock - especailly with an underquilt. In a non-permissive environment that isn't Europe / North America, you're NOT sleeping on the ground - whether it's the desert, or the jungle, you're going to get f**ked-up if you sleep on the ground, and you *will* lose your combat effectiveness...so, anything to get you up off the bare earth will serve you well.
Standard military wet wether gear to sleep in will likely only cause skin moisture issues: crotch rot, jungle foot, etc. Take a hint from backpackers: sleep dry as a priority. Anything that retains moisture is not going to be in one's favour.
Standard military woobie is next-to-useless in anything under 60-degrees Fahrenheit. Again, take a hint from backpackers: a high-loft quilt is going to do much better in a non-permissive environment than that crappy "poncho liner" makeshift "sleeping bag" tied together with shoelaces.
Same thing with people trying to "reg it out" stupid mentality to have
Any lizard can be cold, takes a real man to deploy on the area with a 24tog duvet under his top flap
we always had a cut down roll mat so it didn't whack off every branch you walked past, just enough to cover your body.. :)
I think that saying or the similar "any fool can be uncomfortable" combined with "no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing" can get you through 99% of being outdoors.
I am actually surprised there isnt more videos about this on youtube. Everyones worried about "Oh CQB, oh high speed gear oh, oh muh target transitions at 10 yards." But during training, my biggest thing was how much the fiekd sucks and how to make it suck less, especially sleep. Thanks for getting this out there! Hopefully it opens some eyes and gets people thinking outside of the tacticool box!
I have made videos on the topic. fact Is, they just dont do well on the algorithm and consequently don't get any views.
there's a million videos like these on bushcraft channels. expand your horizons. stop blaming content creators for putting out the same stuff when that's all you look at. that's how youtube works, it promotes similar content, so you have to go out of your comfort zone and look at other things
PreparedAirman has several videos on this topic. It is great that a company like SpiritusSystems knows the environment that their gear is made for.
@@MeninMayazas will most. CQB is not fun if your life depends on it. Even when doing airsoft milsims I avoid CQB, keep your distance and pick them off
Spending almost my entire military in COIN it was always a bit baffling to me how much time we spent on CQB when we rotated into environments like Afghanistan and our average engagements are reacting to indirect, and kinetic events happen at like +400m.
Of course I'm not saying CQB is unimportant whatsoever. That's a skill every fighter MUST learn. But most of what we do when it comes to soldiering is not that. And when you're on a patrol for 10+ days, the guys who are most ready for the fight are the ones who become pros at being *comfortable at being uncomfortable.*
Videos like this are just great conversation pieces for practitioners of all levels. Gotta love it.
as an experienced wild camper who hunts on private land with public access (ie without security), i'd add 3 nuggets of hard won experience:
1. practice practice practice - take your gear out and use it and train and test and try things and program that muscle memory to always do the same things with your gear, practice can help diagnose and fix problems that aren't ever going to come up in a youtube video.
2. if you lie down and something ain't right, get back up and fix it immediately regardless of how tired you are, because it will only get worse and you will have a miserable night
3. cold feet are the worst, your body closes off circulation to preserve heat but it means they'll never warm up. one trick is to briefly stand barefoot in a stream before bed, it'll open up your circulation and when you get in your bag that'll warm the air around your feet, keeping them toasty all night. it'll also help keep them clean and foot health is life or death cause you can lose an arm and still walk out but if your feet are messed up your either dead or someone else's problem.
In addition to 3, if you aren't comfortable or can't dip your feet into a stream (never heard of this one, it's interesting), when you get into your sleeping bag, roll your ankles, wiggle your toes and flex all the muscles from your knees down for a few minutes. All of these things drastically opens up circulation.
Also, before you go to bed, pee. Your body uses excess energy to keep the pee in your bladder at body temp. Even if you feel like you don't need to go, try anyways.
Sorry but both of you have fundamental inaccuracies here. If you're worried about cold feet at night absolutely do not chill your feet in a stream before bed. That will make them colder and harder to warm. Cold water will not "open up circulation" it will cause vasoconstriction and make them warm slower. Keeping your feet dry as much as possible is absolutely crucial in cold weather. In fact a change of socks to remove what little sweat/condensation in the socks you've worn from your feet is a good idea. Also the water you drink is warmed within seconds of moment you drink it, that's the only time energy is expended to warm it. After that point the water/urine in your bladder adds to your thermal mass and heat retention. A thermos doesn't expend energy to keep hot cocoa hot and if you poured out the hot cocoa the thermos would cool off faster. In reality you should pee before bed to avoid having to open your sleep system in the night, losing heat, sleep, and exposing yourself.
@@DL-ij7tfwrong. Your example is incredibly ignorant. A thermos isn't temperature controlled to be at 97.6F degrees and doesn't have any system to rapidly expend energy when the temperature starts dropping. Furthermore, a (good) thermos is a great insulator while your body is quite a terrible one.
A full bladder is nothing more than an unneeded sack of fluid that now must be maintained at body temperature, which is costly.
Go back to highschool physics.
@@LRon-Hoyabembe Justify your position with an argument.
@@DL-ij7tfI just did. Reread. Sargon of akkad watching loser lmao.
In my experience, getting a little sleep is substantially better than getting no sleep.
On an exercise, we patrolled for hours to and from the objective, doing a recce and attack when we got there.
Afterwards we had to dig out shell scrapes and set up sentry positions.
That one hour i got in the morning made me so much better and had me feeling a damn sight more functional.
Ive heard even 10-20 mins can make a significant difference.
If the environment and situation permits, get some sleep. It's essential admin.
I often work 16-18 hr days and I drive 30min too and from work. sometimes a 20min nap in the car before work can do wonders, just make sure your spine is alligned and it improves how good of sleep you can get from a small amount of time
@radomone Man, you should get a different job
@@Rascal-of-War I wish, anything with less hours doesn't make enough money or doesn't offer full time at all
No sleep or little sleep you'll be hallucinating by day 3😵💫
@mongoloidhorde Hell is a bottomless pit. Imagine 3 days with no sleep whatsoever, which is unfortunately a possibility for soldiers
Great info. One detail I would point out about the wet weather gear. I think you were spot on by mentioning that a semi-permeable membrane is needed. But you misspoke by saying you need a vapor barrier. Those two are not the same. You do NOT need a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier prevents vapor from escaping from your body, keeping your wet and clammy inside. You DO need a semi-permeable membrane, which keeps out liquid (rain), but will let vapor pass from the inside, keeping you drier. Gore Tex is a good example of a semi-permeable membrane, which I think you did mention.
Sleep deprivation is no joke, it's not just about performance but genuine physical danger, from blue on blue to catching pneumonia due to suppressed immune function. And the worst part is even with 8h a night in a non-permissive environment makes proper sleep essentially impossible, because heightened baseline cortisol reduces deep sleep to the extreme level. Degree to which we can adapt and to which we're responsive to "mental tricks" is genetic too so that's why sleep deprivation is so crucial during selection and school (especislly for special operations), you just can't know what's up until you try it.
I know i'm incapable of functioning without enough sleep for 3 days or more. I tried, lots of traveling and work, 4-5 hours on sleep both night, i just collapsed asleep on day 3 when i got home.
The thing with me is, I can either sleep 6-7 hours every day and be tired, or be up for 2 days and sleep for 11 hours and be good to go another 2 days.
@@TommyCubed I'm the same. I have to go at least 24 hours between rest periods, otherwise i spend most of my time staring at the ceiling and end up waking up more tired than if i had just stayed up.. It doesnt make sense but thats the facts lol.
Well said
Medical info indicates that bodily organs begin to self-digest and poisonously deteriorate beginning about after 52 to 72 hours of continuously being awake without sleep. One can get by for about a week with 2-hour naps every 32 to 36 hours or so and still function, assuming a low degree of physical activity, but, even with that regimen, bodily organs will, again, begin to deteriorate after about a week. Some of that can be permanent damage.
I, myself, have experienced the 5-day (150 hour) marathon with only six hours of sleep. I had to get 2-hour naps every 32 to 36 hours, but one of my teammates got his six hours of sleep only after the entire 150 hours elapsed. We both got a full night's sleep the night following those 150 hours. I don't know how he did it.
Before my spinal surgery years ago, I went six weeks without deep sleep. I did not dream. I dozed, but I was consciously aware of the passage of every moment. A slick, greasy sheen of sweat covered my entire body the entire time. Apparently, the amount of rest I was able to acquire from that miserable existence seems to have been barely enough for my organs to survive. I want to never go through that ever again.
So, yes. Sleep is essential.
To Adam and to Spiritus Systems, kudos to you for producing this video. Please keep making them.
In British army reserve doing infantry officer training I slept 7hrs across 4 days in the field. Often we simply didn’t get chance to sleep, and led to 90% of my platoon falling asleep while waiting for an ambush, I made sure I stayed awake by aggressively blinked all the time, later that evening after a day of patrolling and mock assaults I was on guard duty with 2 others and I couldn’t help but fall asleep, but it was safe as the other 2 guys slept during the ambush so they were able to stay up. I simply don’t get how we were supposed to stay awake as much as the training staff intended.
This was in 2019 btw
Dad i can't believe this is you
In war you pop pills..
I think it was meant to show you your limits. That way you know when you need sleep in actual combat and don’t put others at risk. Better to train and know than go in blind. Also learning to sleep when you can is a huge skill to learn in combat even if it’s 1-5 min.
@@carterrk
I think you’re exactly right, and I agree, it’s good to know and push your limits. “Sweat saves blood” as the saying goes!
I remember positioning myself so as I fell asleep my forehead hit the rear sight. At dawn I was bleeding.
Never heard someone obsess so much about the details of sleep.
As a former night shift worker I notice and appreciate your craft mate.
Well done.
It is a life-or-death context, so being proficient in every aspect of living will be benificial to survival. Sleep is vital!
This was interesting. I work rotating shifts. Days and nights. Not having a consistent schedule messes you up man
You are well spoken. Nice to listen to someone articulate
Sleeping with gloves on is very important because in the middle of the night when ur fast asleep, ur hands may be constantly touching the ground where creatures of the night like spiders, scorpions, stinging ants, & other nasty critters may bite your hand leaving painful wounds or other lingering symptoms!
They can still climb in over the wrist cuff and stay in the glove for maximum bite damage!
After doing a 3-night backwoods camping in TN in early August I 100% agree on the bug net. Having a half shelter set up with no bug net, I made friends with the frogs every night
Mid-TN here. I can attest to this. Bug nets are necessary for the spring/summer months here.
-
Also, we can experience 4 seasons in a week here, so thermal layering is a bit weird in TN. If you dont have the luxury of knowing the extended forecast, pack all seasons in the Fall, Winter, & Spring. (Summer is fairly consistent)
On the coast, sleeping in the dunes, I had no idea that there'd be millions of mosquitoes. I figured the ocean breeze would keep them away. Man, was I wrong! I had no netting so I had to sleep all tucked into my bag. The head opening cinched and folded tight.
That was just half of the battle. These critters were so thick and loud that there was a loud and constant buzz which made it difficult to fall asleep.
So, short story long...
Carry a head net!
Wouldn’t the frogs still be on your face even with a bug net?
Like you can still feel them anyways. Or am I missing something?
I never used bug nets until i moved to AZ and I woke up to a fellow hiker screaming because they were stung by a bark scorpion.
@zerokool-2058 the frogs were my best friend cause they'd sit right outside my shelter and go ham on all the bugs lol
To add regarding 4hr sleep, I think there's a huge difference between physical and mental exhaustion. Physical I believe you can overcome, but mental exhaustion definitely needs more sleep.
Depends on how physically exhausted.
At some point you re gonna crumble.
In my experience it’s mind first thought.
You ll start doubting what you dreamt of and what actually happened. It’s a real mind fuck even cafeine can’t get you out of it. Pbly makes it worse with nicotine and overuse of alcohol whenever possible.
@@reedy_9619
Very very true. When very young I was able to bunk sleep and just be tired the next day and otherwise get away with it.
But now even at just 26, if I get ANY less than 4 hours of sleep I'll start falling asleep on my feet to the point that I get convinced I'm hallucinating.
Generally speaking I can get away with 1, maybe 2 nights of 4 hours or so, 3-4 of 6 hrs. But realistically most need 6 and above to sustain themselves unless they wish to join alice in their own fucked up wonderland.
The brain and body are not separate.
@Nigriff Really, r u sure? I wasn't aware of this. Perhaps they have different functions or require different fuel 🤔 ... I think perhaps the brain works harder and requires more intentional rest.
@@Ben-qm9zq
Are you keeping your brain in a jar? You certainly sound like you do...
My own personal experience with this is using the micro sleep technique. sleeping 3 hrs here, 4 hrs there in a 24 -36 hr period really helps me maintain my physical and mental health in order to continue working. I understand that it doesnt work for everybody, just my own personal experince.
That is a good tip!
Bro my micro sleeps were 4 minutes here, 13 mins there. That’s how you stay up
definitely "cat naps" 10 to 15 minutes many times a day
Polyphasic sleeping. Did it throughout college while working 2 jobs and going to school. Definitely has some pros - doing 1.5~3hrs sleeps multiple times a day you learn to pass out quick. Problem is, missing one of your naps can really mess you up - found I’d get zombie-like quickly if I missed a nap or two.
That, and the world doesn’t look fondly on people sleeping outside “normal” hours. If you need to be out and about during a nap, good luck not being woken up by a cop tapping on your car window or asking if you’re okay when napping under a tree.
Yeah that really works well for week long bursts for me. I don’t do well that way all the time but I can keep myself at a decent level for several days and it starts declining from there but it’s a great short/medium term strategy
Hi mate, loving your vlogs. Quick intro, 23 year career in the Australian army, with most of that as a grunt. I saw this vlog and straight away thought about a sleep deprivation exercise we did over 1 week. So here it goes, from 0100 on day 1, you will be working a reverse cycle 5 day week, finishing up with a 48 defence in depth. So the break down is as follows 0100 to 0600 will be an intro taste of reverse cycle, you sleep or do what ever you want from 0600 to 1800, then start you night routine eg night patrolling/ambushin/probing etc at night. This will go on for 5 says. On the 6 and 7th days your in a night harbour, with full defence up, whist being probed by the enemy, which from 0100 to 0600, will try and attach your position. So it’s up to your platoon to stay awake eg. Sleep cycle routine, culminating with a tactile withdrawal. Try this and see you it all pans out mate, one of our company commanders worked with the Brit’s for a few years, this was one of the exercises we did in the battalion that I was based in 1990 to 97. Other suggestions for night routines would be navigation at night eg by the stars, night noise, working with night fighting scopes etc.
Oh, and finish up cleaning stores etc on a Friday night so your boys can recharge on the weekend. Cheers
I originally watched this as someone that has severe insomnia (currently on 4hrs of sleep in 42hrs). I have always had problems sleeping, especially anywhere else but my bed. My senses are so heightened and hyperware that I don't sleep, my ears also ring terribly without a fan. I havent really been able to fall asleep on my back either.
But watching this really made me appreciative of the explanations of WHY you do this and that from a defensive standpoint and it made me realize how valuable today's technology is. Just back in the early 1900s, an everyday person didnt have the access to survival tactics for war. It also makes me appreciate war before modern weaponry/tech because of the lives sacrificed learning what/what not to do without the aid of others to the extent of the current day. Thank you for this video of something as simple and vital as sleeping and advocating for the health of our soldiers💕
What is often overlooked, but especially in the winter time, is the neckgaiter. Most people especially beginners tend to sleep in their sleepgear with their heads tucked inside the sleepingbag, not a good idea. Because all that co2 will condense and soak up the sleepingbag, making it lose insulation. When lying inside a sleeping bag, put on your watchcap (As a lot of bodyheat leaves through the head), cover youe face with a neckgaiter, leave your head outside of the sleepingbag and you're good to go.
Agreed! Neck gaiters are underrated in general! Here in Alaska they're necessary at all times during the winter, if you're outside.
It's essential to all seasons. Store-able anywhere and extremely versatile, it's a free piece of kit that: keeps you warm or cool, provides dust or sun protection, and aides sleeping.
Bandana works too, but combined with a cap your vital head is well protected from the elements. I use one on planes, while hiking or snowboarding or at music festivals, and for general air pollution like in Korea.
You should work on your skills of finding a better spot to sleep. Liquefying carbon dioxide requires pressures above five times atmospheric, so, if you have your "CO₂ condense" around you, you had better get out of that pressure vessel somebody is trying to use for something more productive than you just wanting to catch some Z.
@@Anvilshock Ok, jesus christ, seems like I fucked up trying to say, that condesation will build up inside your sleeping bag, when breathing inside.
I hope that is correct, and worth your time, good sir.
@@Karl37112 Hopefully that teaches you to research the fancy terms _before_ trying to use them. CO₂ is not H₂O.
A concept that stuck with me from a NOLS semester was the idea of “storm proofing” your gear- if you remove anything from your pack, put it back or close the pack up. So that if it’s rains in the next 5 mins or your have to grab your gear and move its closed up ready to go.
I came in the Army in 80. Never had enough sleep in the field. We did Platoon Confidence Training in n Germany. On the FTX we did 50% security and only got a couple of hours of sleep at night trekking through the mountains. After three days we were walking into trees, walking half asleep. The entire platoon fell asleep waiting to do an ambush. We couldn’t concentrate and think straight.
We did still get a lot out of the training despite being tired.
I as Mechanized Infantry. We generally tried to get most of our sleep in the back of the track while moving. If closed up.
During Desert Storm . I was driving a HMMMV and took turns sleeping with the Captain I was driving when we stopped for short periods. After we set up an AA, and pulling guard for a couple of hours I was finally able to get some real sleep in the vehicle.
Never called the sleeping pad a puss pad or anything like that.
Yep, 50% for 3 or 4 days sucks. I just got done with basic, and we had to pull 50% or 100% switching between the 2 for 3 nights, and on the last night, we had to ruck all night. Fatigue makes the boots so much heavier.
Shalom
Did you ever take Modafinil Brandname Vigil or short Gopills????
@@tiegger9316zigeuner, did you have the modafinil nights?
@@sdivine13 got the first pack as birthday present from a doc.
The complete Stack is like triple D for alpinism.
First Testo or Primo better any DHT Deri
Second Tavor
Third Modafinil
Prednisolon
And Oxypower😁
But only legal from your medic.
No illegal drugs😉
Great tips and outstanding presentation, and highlighting the psychological necessities of sleep even in combat situations!!!!
During a platoon night live fire exercise I was a young 2nd lieutenant and we carried out attacks with the squads. The platoon had not been sleeping properly durin the previous days.
What happened was that in one of the assaults the sergeant started the assault with 8 soldiers in jis squad and ended with 7.
I couldn't believe it. The first thing I thought was that the one who was missing had been accidentally shot in the head and would have been dead in the ground, we started looking for him and calling him but he didn't appear.
At the end I stepped on something soft on the ground. It was the soldier lying on the ground but he was not dead, HE WAS ASLEEP! With his rifle in his hands, he had fallen asleep in an exercise with live rifle fire, machine guns and mortars... I learned from this that the leader must guarantee sleep at all times to his subordinates.
That lesson was very useful years later in the province of Badghish in Afghanistan where I clearly marked the sleeping shifts for everyone, including the platoon and squad leaders of my company.
Good stuff.... I'd add, in the Nam our primary issues were different from what you described for cold weather. Some of the team carried full gear (very heavy), I was disinclined to do so, as we were going on long-range patrols thru jungle. Biggest issue was insects (leeches, and mosquitoes). Had to carry a lot of insect repellent to put on boots and exposed parts of the body... which was only partially effective. Water purification tablets a must as well.
A good water proof poncho is only partially effective when in monsoon rains, but also helped with the insect problem. Some places we had to standup to rest (or sleep) as the ground insects (leeches, centipedes, spiders} and venomous snakes wanted your space and body heat as well.
But hey, one learns what works best thru trial & error, if you live long enough.
Damn that’s hardcore. What about a hammock in those conditions? I’d rather have bugs in a hammock with me then on the muddy ground.
Good question, and exactly what I did....at the time the mil-issue hammocks were heavy and bulky, I didn't want the extra weight or bulk busting thru the jungle .... so I went to a sewing shop in Saigon and had him make me a 7-ft hammock out of parachute material. Weighed nearly nothing and could carry the whole thing in an ammo pouch. Helped a lot.... @@user-ii2rf8cs8j
You learn to be able to sleep on a bob wire fence in a marine corps
Does the rain pour throught he seams in the military ponchos, too? Mine is a multi piece affair stitched together and sealed with some kind of rubbery plastic and it always leaks in heavy rain.
@@G-Mastah-FashI can only answer that question with years-past experience; and yeah, they absolutely not keep you dry. My suggestion about them was just expect not to be dry and enjoy the suck?
When I was training on Camp Pendleton, I had a rotating watch and we were in foxholes. My battle buddy and I took turns sleeping until our watch was over. Biggest mistake I ever did and still remember it to this day. It was 40 degrees or so with a coastal breeze. The ground sucked the heat out of me inside of an hour with my cammies and gortex on. Luckily our shift was up not long after. I was so cold for the rest of the day and still remember that day 20 years later. Good lesson learned that could have killed me.
and Pendleton is temperate! I spent some time in the dirt at Vandenberg and ft. ord. Nothing like real cold.....
Imagine Ukraine right now . Hell
@@paddyleather5676 yea I know. That would truly suck. But they do have abandoned buildings
@@paddyleather5676don’t mention Ukraine to Republicans on here, they want to defund them and let trump win.
Pendleton does get chilly at night.
+1 on the extra poncho, bug net and beanie. Complete game changers for the quality of sleep.
This video is my introduction to your channel.
The entire first 17 minutes you had been so poised and professional.
I was not expecting the mom joke. You put my abs to work sir.
Thank you.
1. Lay flat on your back 2. Relax and let yourself sink into position 3. Slow your breathing to six breaths a minute
Yup.
Arms by your side, breathing in through your nose for six seconds, hold it for four seconds, breathe out for six seconds, and hols your lungs empty for four seconds.
Repeat.
I'm always asleep within 5 or 6 minutes.
“Pack up ready to go”, one of the first things I was taught on my first field exercise in boot camp in Guards Depot Pirbright Surrey UK in summer of 1974. And if you watched what your instructors were doing you got a better idea if SHTF was going to happen lol. If they are not eating or getting kit out it’s a pretty good idea that things are not going to go well for you in the training environment. Still use this as my mantra when I’m just out in the woods camping today.
Fantastic video! A couple of thing I would like to add (may or may not have been addressed).
- Waterproof as much you can anything that can absorb water. Besides the obvious, stuff soaking up water will add weight to what is probably already a heavy pack. Use wet weather bags or heavy duty trash bags in a pinch. Also for stuff like a fleece cap, socks etc that you might want to keep accessible in an outer pouch on your pack, sandwich bags work great, are cheap, and transparent so you can see what you are grabbing before opening it up.
- A good tarp with some decent tie down points for a more deliberate shelter is a must have.
- Stakes with 550 tie downs already attached are fantastic for these deliberate shelters. Raptor tactical sells some polymer ones that are super lightweight and work fantastic for this purpose.
- Bungee cords. Fairly multipurpose and they make setting up a deliberate tarp shelter super fast and just as fast to break down. Additionally they help keep constant tension for said shelter. Also, if you have an alice pack they can be easy to store on the frame itself.
- That old school jacket liner (basically a button up woobie jacket) is a super cost effective insulating layer that brings me almost as much joy as the fleece cap.
I could go on but if your attention span is anything like mine you stopped reading awhile ago.
I experienced far more sleep deprivation though out selection and training than I ever did in combat (non-permissive and semi non-permissive). I think that training to function while sleep deprived has value but I strongly agree with you that after 2-3 days/nights of minimal sleep you definitely start seeing capability drop off. I have always struggled to sleep since childhood so for me personally four hours of sleep is plenty. Only now as a fifty something adult can I sleep a little better. My problem was that I would wake up at the drop of a pin and never be able to get back to sleep. I just had to learn to function on less sleep. Apparently some people function normally on less sleep and I was told I am one of those people but I disagree. I may have learned to function at what is considered a "normal" level but I still felt tired and I know it had some negative longer term health impacts. Bottom line, sleep is far more important than most people realize! Great video, great topic!
Every body is different, but there's no cheating nature. This isn't the most sexy topic, but it needs to be talked about and understood if people are serious about developing capabilities.
That's the ideal, both selection and training are there to find the limits. And there's no way any training, even for a highly motivated person, will increase baseline cortisol as much as hostile environment - that means you gotta sleep even less due to sleep quality being better to compare the extremes ><
Unfortunately these heightened baseline cortisol levels stick with us for a long time, sometimes the whole life, and mess up our health a lot. It's a real shame this issue isn't recognised by VA, you can't outmedicate that and a good stress management/trauma oriented therapy is crucial after leaving the force
One thing that really helped me, that I used with great effect was Autogenic Training. It’s basically a form of self-hypnosis/meditation to get your deep sleep within shorter periods of time. I used it in SFAS every night if I recall, got excellent sleep even within the short windows of sleep deprivation that are built into their unpredictable schedule. SFAS was fun for me personally, whereas a lot of dudes were sucking. I had several years of Weapons Squad, Recon, and LRSC experience behind me already, so that alone gave me all the physical and mental conditioning I needed. AT was just another unfair advantage I used to get quality sleep through the process.
One of my Cadet trainers on the subject of ground mats told the story of an Army captain with a combover. He fell asleep without a mat and woke up with his hair stuck to the ground.
@@LRRPFco52 Where can I learn more about AT?
Just looking at the thumbnail made me think of some of the notably unconventional sleeping locations and techniques that I utilized during my time as a US Army Infantryman. They include:
1. Under my bunk in Basic with my fingers entwined in the bedsprings, so that I will appear to be tightening my blanket.
2. In my sleeping bag on the floor beside my bunk so that my blankets stay pristine.
3. Inside and under a pile of duffel bags in the formation area when the unit is hurrying-up-and waiting for a movement.
4. Under the bags of sling-load rigging and cargo nets in an equipment cage.
5. Sitting and leaning against some other dude's back.
6. Bungee corded to a tree on a steep hillside in the Panamanian jungle.
Imagining these scenarios is funny my friend. Makes you seem like a cat
Thanks Adam, I got a lot out of this video. I also said to self...”Duh, why did I not think about that?” Experience is priceless! Thanks again!
I did military service in Finland and we use THICK sleeping bags, with the clothes under, or pants in your ankles. Also works as a great dryer for wet socks and such, they just magically dry during sleeping. With enough practise you can get out of a sleeping bag real quick lol
"Ranger holes" are awesome for softening ground and exposing either cooler or warmer ground depending on the environment. Sand is a terrible insulator.... but youll still find warmer ground underneath when those winds and cold roll in
That 'your mom' joke in the middle of the video was fucking hilarious.
In confused the fuck out of me
Fucking delivery was perfect. Spit take the morning coffee and everything. Had to rewind a couple.
That's why i was coming to the comments lol. I had to say it got me good.
I did not see that one coming.
too funny i love it
Sweet! Adding a few things to my buy list! Woobie, E Tool and Poncho were three things I didn't have yet. As a concerned citizen, these all sound like important pieces for a Get-Home gear setup. Thanks guys!
"Your mom may not have a problem sleeping on the ground, because she's massive, but everyone else.."
LMFAO just casually dropping a your mom joke in there.
For small units, rather than each member carry an entrenching tool we would carry a 1:2 or 1:3 of tool to team member. As there will always be guys on security, it was often enough to consider the tool "mission specific" and pack enough that one or two guys can be digging while others are dealing with security, comms, and possibly beginning observation.
Probably good to have 1 carry etool, another has an axe, and another has a folding saw.
@@WearilyCorrect frame the problem, equip as necessary.
Great Tips. As a medic I like being as light as I can be to hold more medical supplies. Went with a Wilderness Innovations Poncho and insulation options they have. Allowed me to ditch my issued insulation options, go lighter and warmer in some instances. Depending on temps and environment I have been able to ditch the pads. That said, the colder it is the more the pad does come into place even with my system. Nice to see others put the concepts together.
To add onto this, I’ve also found pads are great when it’s wet. It raises you off the ground a bit so water cant get into your poncho or cover as easily. Plus water even through a rain layer makes you cold
@@saddlepiggy yes, definitely. Greatly depends on the environmental and weather conditions as bringing one or not. Always good to have.
Interesting ! ... doc 68-71 .
I'm really glad to hear about sleep time , I believe it too .
I have heard do may people say you only need 3 or 4 hours of sleep . I could not function after a couple of days .
This information is very valuable especially in a emergency where you must traverse a bad situation.
Excellent video. My first 10 years from 1979-1989 we were issued an air sleeping mat which we had to blow up. Problem was that they could get a slow “leak” from tiny holes you wouldn’t notice until too late. As a 17 year old soldier at my first duty station at Ft Carson I found out the hard way about heat conduction when my leaking sleep mat deflated and I was freezing in the Colorado night on my truck bed sleeping bag direct to truck steel. I was cold all night despite having a an Arctic bag with feathers in it. My last 10 years especially attached to the light infantry it was a rolled sleep pad with our ponchos and liners. We weren’t allowed to use our sleeping bags unless it was extreme cold. During the invasion of Panama in 1989 we only used our ponchos because of the Jungle rains. Ponchos were our most valuable shelter and weather protection in the light infantry. Your video is absolutely spot on and I thank you for getting this information out. 👍🇺🇸
Thanks for your service!
I used to use the MSS goretex bivy and poncho liner. I would crawl inside or drape over like a blanket depending on context. Sometimes would wrap or drape poncho depending on temp level. this in addition with a ground pad, pine boughs, leaves, gloves, neck gaiter and beanie and additional insulation layers I had, worked fairly well for most conditions. as opposed to using the whole MSS system which was heavy and took up a lot of space. That goretex bivy was awesome! I felt like you could float away in that thing!
I am also a big fan of the head net.
Best part about being a FiSTer was never having to pull guard. Also using the woobie as a poncho liner instead of a standalone "blanket" can be an expedient ground pad/sleep system. Lay on it and then use the left over material to cover your self up or fold it in two to double up the insulation from the ground if you have something else to drape over you. Just 550 cord the woobie to the poncho so they stay together. Poncho keeps the wind off of you and the woobie keeps you warm.
I used to use an SAS bivy before we got the Gortex bivy with the sleep system. I modify my woobies now with plastic snaps so you can configure them like Poncho Villa or a light sleep system component. I make all my own stuff sacks for them as well. I sew the stuff sack to my woobies so you can’t lose it.
the stuff sack sewn into the woobie is genius. i almost always kept my woobie 550ed to my poncho. helps with the wind up on cold OPs@@LRRPFco52
aye fellow Fister 😎
Bugs nets are a must. After waking with a slug sucking the saliva out of my mouth I always used one
This is great. This helps to prepare for getting bumped at night, and those are bad times if you aren't ready
Pair of soft ears has been the best sleep aid I’ve found in my career. Blocks out all the background noise and helps you sleep deeper by not being startled awake by every little insignificant noise in the bush
How would you hear if someone or an animal snuck up on you while sleeping?
@@AJ14721 Thats why you got buddies on fireguard, rotating guard shifts
Dead
…..you can’t be serious lol
@@JacobLush-lq1hm😂
Great video sir. 12 years in the army and I used common sense with my gear. The older stuff mind you. Never the less, my gear was used just as intended. Thanks for sharing.
I have 3 kids under 5 years old. This was a useful video.
100% a non-permissive environment. Been there too, my friend.
Glad you put in work bro..keep em coming..
Feel for you!
Holy shit ,you never sleep.
🤣🤣🤣
The Stone Glacier Grumman down puffy coat you’re wearing is the best thing I’ve ever purchased and put in my pack! Little space, little weight, lots of windproof warmth!
Lol thanks for this comment. I kept trying to pause and zoom on the logo. 😂
Every bit of advice in this video is gold. I would only add 4 bungee cords. With 4 bungees and a poncho you can make a hasty shelter in less than 30 seconds almost anywhere. A crusty old squad leader taught me that and it served me well for all my time in the infantry.
The sleep deprivation part is no exaggeration. I’ve fallen asleep while walking, standing, and talking. After a couple weeks of 4 hours at 50% security you start hallucinating and talking nonsense.
Yeah... when you start seeing Pink Elephants on guard duty.... you realise how important sleep is. :)
This is amazing content you are putting out here on YT. Funnily enough, I was going through my own research of what makes a good sleeping system, what is a good weight/warmth ratio, etc. and then I see you guys posting a video about it.
As I have quickly went through the comment section, I will also join the ranks of people who say that such "small" things are vital for your average minuteman or infantryman. I myself a firm believer that a good soldier is somebody who can create a comfort for himself even in the worst environment possible because, as it usually happens, you might spend much more time in this environment then expected. Love the content, looking forward to the next one!
agreed. Glad you are getting value from the content.
I found you can sleep anywhere any time! If given the opportunity to set up positions, I agree with this video!
Truth is, you'll never be properly supplied, have any ability to be comfortable and you'll have to take sleep when possible.
I don't remember once being able to use my sleeping bag.
Even though we had the sleeping system, sleeping in rain, snow or high winds no one could use it.
If we did, we'd have to leave it under contact and later pay for it!
I always carry either two ponchos, or a poncho and a tarp. This way I have one that can be dedicated to creating shelter as needed, and the second to whatever other purpose I need. I will often lay out the poncho as a ground tarp, and if I need additional insulation you can fold it in half and stuff it with leaves, grass, or pine straw. You can then roll that up and reuse it when you move, or just stuff it again in your new position. More you know, less you need to carry.
i feel like you'd love a bivy cover
@@gregmcmanus1975 no, I prefer to avoid bivy bags and sleeping bags. I use ponchos, tarps, and poncho liners or camp quilts in conjunction with the layers I pack out to keep me warm enough during rest periods.
Of course if I’m just camping then I will bring a bivy or sleeping bag in cold weather because there are no tactical considerations at that point.
One thing about buying Gortex rain gear from a surplus place. Look for stuff that is lightly used. Speaking from experience when guys get out or change units they have to clean their gear to a pretty ridiculous standard when they turn in back into CIF, even though its probably getting dermo'd anyways. So if your Gortex is covered in red dirt (dudes from Schofield Barracks and K-Bay know what I'm talking about) you probably sent it through the washing machine and dryer 15 times before you turned it back in. All that laundering significantly reduces how water proof the material is.
You had field uniforms and barracks uniforms cuz even with Simple Green, you cannot get the red dirt out of them!!!!
@@stratigii529 My experience with Gortex is that after a while, the weave opens up, and it ceases to be waterproof.
Remember doing a one week military exercise and I was washed out by lack of sleep and an injury to boot. In the end I just lay on a very irregular stone (just to avoid the wet ground) and faded away into sleep while people were shooting submachineguns (only blanks, but they are loud enough) around me. I just slept
Bushcraft Outfitters is no more. Not sure why they decided to close. Great info. Great video
As a health care worker who works 3-13 hour overnight shifts a week for the past 25 years, fatigue is my constant companion. Ive functioned 48 hours with no sleep. It can be done but it cannot be sustained. By night 3 or 4 the exhaustion kicks in. 4-6 hours of sleep if i am lucky during the day between shifts. Weight gain as one consumes calories to stay awake. My brother served in the Airforce as security, he was Ranger certified. They told him back in the 80's for every 5 years of overnight or swing shift, it takes 6 months off of life expectancy. I believe it. So i am already at least 2 years less than average. Fatigue though can be held off, WILL take its toll eventually in one form or another. Rest can make a difference.
These videos rock. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! I’m not a soldier and I hope to never have to use this information, but I am happy to learn.
Of course! and we really hope you don't either. But if you do... our goal is for you to not have to learn the hard way.
I don’t sleep on the ground really but I’m a new EMT and we get put in a lot of crazy environments and the whole thermodynamics and cold weather gear portion of the video helped me out a lot. I work with a lot of ex military/NG/68W types and its like these guys just have a secret survival guide or a magic fucking bag that pulls out the correct garment for the weather that day. Being new and underprepared has been a big challenge but I’m learning a lot from the seasoned guys. So frustrating though to realize some of the shit I bought is just fucking impractical in the field.
I subscribed just because you brought up sleep deprivation of taking a knee or walking & falling asleep!!
4 hrs was standard when I was in and during my deployment to Iraq. Sleep is always secondary unless.you want to sleep permanently. Great advice and tips brother
Sleep is not secondary. Go three days without sleep, doesn't work.
Spandex long-sleeve turtle-necks are super nice. Clinging to the body like a 2nd skin, warming & wicking moisture. I've found it crucial to minimizing my layering requirements and carry weight for snowboarding, kayaking , hiking, or desert raving in Colorado.
Glad to hear someone talking about falling asleep while walking. One of my old PLs experienced that plenty of times at ranger school, his group referred to it as teleporting lol
One of my favorites is the woobie and the sleep mat plus the level 5 and 6
I'm one of those people who always needed 10-12 hours of sleep every night. I ate nothing but raw fruits and vegetables for about 3 months. Some days I was also intermittent fasting, so eating once a day. During that 3 months, I was working 18 hour days and couldn't sleep for more than 5 hours. I would always wake up before the alarm clock rang. But my sleep was deep and I always woke up refreshed. What and how you eat affects your overall health and functionality way more than most people realize.
Never been in the military, don't plan on it ever, but I backpack and sleep out when I can (really just fun, it's never non-permissive). I thought this was great content, and also think it's funny the amount of excusing you had to do! Especially for sleep pads... pro tip: cut yours to 1/2 or 3/4 length. Saves weight, and you really don't need it for your legs/feet, just your core.
✨✨The cold does not care if there's a war on, it will kill you just the same ✨✨
I would add an industrial thick mil trash bag. Good for keeping things dry and doubles for ground cover. Little strips of it burn 🔥 great too for fire in wet terrain
Also add
Dyneema 800lb cordage as it is better than paracord in most applications as it is UV resistant. Also comes in fishing line which can be used for perimeter alarms, traps, fishing, and sewing up torn gear, or replaces shoe laces.
The military often used what’s commonly called 550 chord. I assume these are similar. The chord has small strands internally for strength that can be removed for those activities 😊
I’d love to see a pack video, external frame vs the civilian backing internal frame models. With the collective experience of Spiritus, I think that’d be super helpful
Thank you for the suggestion, it is added to the list!
Drones has change most of everything here! It's time to innovate
I’m watching this while I’m on staff duty and when he said military wants more of it completely true
I'm looking to whittle down my larping setup to do similar things. This video came at a great time, thank you for putting it together. ❤
For hot and cold areas I have found that the shemagh is more than capable of keeping bugs away, keeping the sun off you, keeping you that much warmer, and it is lightweight
Excellent info. The Kifaru Woobie and HPG Serape together are pretty bombproof. Also, change your socks and don't tighten your boots laces as much as normal, it will keep your feet warmer. You can also use your rain jacket to zip around your feet is it is colder.
for what it's worth your body loses almost 70% of body heat through your head and hands so not only keep your feet dry always keep your head and hands dry and covered up
As a Drill Sgt I used to say to my troops "Sleep is Not a Mission".....BTW changing your socks at sun down and drying your socks inside your shirt is a must!!!!
As usual, we were talking about falling asleep on the ground while hunting, then this comes up the next day on youtube suggestions.
I have been there at bear camp. The first 5 days it rained. One day I fell asleep in my tree stand. By the 9th day all the walking up and down hills my knee was giving me issues. Something that has never happened before. I was woken up at 4-5 am due to predators almost every day. Picking a defensible spot is key. You don't want to be holed up. I find the mat to be most important when sleeping on cold ground in frosty conditions. Wet weather gear sucks to sleep in. All too frequently wet weather gear does not breath. The moisture don't escape if you don't have a wick layer. It's why sleep bags need to be dried after use. Or a few days and sleeping bags will be damp and not insulate as well. Even in a shelter or not, condensation from your breath will dampen clothing too. I like wool. I carry a tarp and poncho in my rucksack. Tarp is actually for game in vehicle but have a cheap table cloth from dollar store. The mat is great idea. I keep a yoga mat in my vehicles. For working under vehicles on the ground in fowl weather. It makes a thermal break between you and the ground. I have slept in my level 3 ballistics jacket. We bought a screened tent for bugs to harvest honey and serve and eat food at camp. The no see-ums, biting flies, midges, deer flies, and bees are bad at times. I can't sleep in boats they would be half wet the next day. Putting cold boots on in the morning sucks. It takes a while to warm them up. I was glad I brought 2 pairs of boots to bear camp. It took 24 hours for them to dry. Keeping camp clean is very important because predators. You don't want to drag a deer carcass around camp. Leading predators back to you. Or animals spooking giving away your position.
Pro tip. One need not sleep all eight hours in one shot. Two, four hour intervals is ideal. But three, three hour intervals works. The most important part of sleep is to get into REM sleep so that one’s brain resets and one’s body starts repairing itself.
Pro tip, the more psychopathic threats you have the less uninterrupted sleep you require. However, the majority of humans
have very few psychopathic threats and need 8 to 9 hours uninterrupted sleep. The more sleep you find you need to function is not a sign you are weak, it just means you are more human!
go look up the basics of REM, go apologize to the nearest tree for wasting it's effort, refresh yourself on middle school health class, and try again. the first major REM cycle is in a 4 hour period, and it doesn't "STICK" until the second four. that first four hour cycle is when you BEGIN to repair. the brain and body is focusing on muscle memory-related things and critical systems. you need 8 hours.
I've lost count of how many commanders I've personally scuffed up for pulling that "you dont need it all at once" crap. it's just a great way to run afoul of the surgeon general's guidance, which is to account for 7 unless you're in an austere field setting. in garrison there's no excuse.
@@Bluecatte in an ideal world where there are no threats you are right. In an oh-shit situation where you move, asses, sleep you are wrong and dead.
If memory serves this vid was not about being in a platoon with buddies on watch. It was about moving, evading and sleeping.
This isn’t necessarily true especially because you only get into certain sleeps eg:rem or deep sleep which are much better for your body
LOL mom jokes for the win! You guys are absolutely putting out gold.
Hit me hard I was All In...
17:17
Was homeless, and used cars etc. to survive. Have land no home and a RV. Being in environments and prepared to what works best. I have learned a lot from channel. The gloves one was good. Im geared up. Self reliant independent is key and in Bible
- Cortex WW top is 100% a must. It was in my sustainment pouch for 10+ years. Keeps you dry, keeps you warm, wind breaker.
- Army poncho is good if only set up correctly, its water resistant but very little. They're handing out tarps now. If you use it as a shelter have it angled down and not flat so the rain can't pool up and saturate and drip onto you/gear. I recommend folding it into your top flap of your large ruck, helps keep your ruxk dry, and easily accessible. Or can pull it out form the flap and drap it over you/gear quickly.
- puss pad is a must. You might be a the baddest dude out there but that ground is going to win and take that body heat. Plus if you're on some bad terrain you just added some comfort.
- comforts: the beanie and some nice socks to change/sleep in(if cold out)
First! Can’t get enough of these videos. Put all of this into practice during my last field op. Outstanding work.
Semper Fi Gents
Glad to hear it. Lot's more to come. The goal is for this channel be an encyclopedia filled with all the data you need to be effective out there.
@@SpiritusSystems And its greatly appreciated! You guys are awesome for both your gear and your knowledge dumps!
Brilliant stuff!! Please keep it coming. I’d have my dog in my Bivee with me if I was going all NPE and all. She’s my early warning system, in case someone’s trying to creep on me. The whole kit would probably end up on my dual sport motorcycle (yes, including the dog). 😅
I appreciate videos like this. I actually think I'm going to ditch my sleeping bag and bivy from my ruck and just get better rain gear.
There are some really compact, lightweight, engineered loft fabric sleeping systems that have been out for a while now. Even the Thinsulate Woobies are pretty good, and they’re almost 40 years old now.
Have fun with that lol
My mother sleeps very terribly on campouts, no thanks you very much Sir!
Hahaha great dig, but for real, this was video was super informational. Never ceases to amaze me the practical sense "i Know" but have to be reminded of frequently. Thank you for this video!
I've fallen asleep while standing up holding a 240 and with my ruck still on. It was dark and when I woke up the rest of my squad had moved and didn't even realize I was still standing there. Luckily they were still in line of sight and I was able to catch up. We had 2 hours of sleep in 2 days.
I had a mountain serape and the kifaru woobie when I lived up north and will definitely recommend them for anyone who likes winter camping/excursions. I used them in place of a sleeping bag at times with a hammock or just a pad. I gave my serape away to my neighbor, but kept the woobie, which I still use even here in the southeast. I can't recommend not having a woobie amongst your sleep gear as they are the closest to a mandatory survival item as you can get! 😂 I'd also recommend the helinox swagman in place of a poncho liner if you can get one.
🙌Kifaru woobie 🙌 Besides using climashield the woobie uses a calendared fabric from the skydiving world, it prevents air flow through the fabric which means that you get warm faster.
I have the kifaru doobie, me and my buddy had a surprise overnight stay in a car on a trip in 10 degree weather. Kept us both warm.
@Murgatroyd999 thank you for the info. I learned something today! I definitely felt warmer faster than when using my original, and at 1st wasn't keen on the seemingly loose filling compared to the original, sewn in place insulation. Now tho... I wouldn't exchange it for anything else on the market!
@bricketdabrown9607 I remember reading about the doobie being twice the insulation, if not more! I can't recall if the doobie had a size difference other than the insulation? At those temps, if I'd planned accordingly, would have more than likely taken a sleeping bag as well. When I was just the nfg in my squad, I'd take a lightweight sleeping bag and issued woobie when camping due to being a hot sleeper, keeping the bag unzipped, and drape the liner over me. Slept like a champ during three seasons, but winter camping and mountain training in Vermont made me rethink my sleep system to always keep the liner and maybe a wool blanket if I could manage.
@@michaelmeadows5142 yeah it definitely wasn’t a planned thing but glad I had it none the less. I’m in northern Minnesota. So it being start of a long winter the car kit is upgraded for sure!
¹Moisture control: don't retain perspiration or breath residue.
²Isolate from the earth by one measure or another.
The classic wool sweater is a favorite, letting moisture blow off while moving and becoming insulation when you stop and zip your windproof shell. Even the lightest face cover can increase comfort and prevent frostbite; wear that neck gaiter.
I had a messed up neck and had to take off my neck brace a couple times a day because I would get too hot so you’re absolutely right on that
Outstanding video, very thought out and informative. My son is Army, I didn’t want him to join the Corps, as much as I wanted him too. He’s also a combat vet and now understands where I’m coming from. The Army is the best thing for him, he’s now picked up Staff Sergeant and is doing good on his military career. Hopefully he’ll stay in for the full retirement. Again you’re good to go brotha, take care. RAH! 🇺🇸
I’m a hiker and found this very useful.
Solid content, theres a billion larpers doing gungear reviews. This is the info people really need.
The "Your Mom" got me, with a mouthful of coffee.
Softly wobbling a teammates boot was the nice way we woke eachother in hostile areas..
Non startling, safer for all.
I can completely attest to the importance of a bug net
Nothing sucked more than path clearing on my woodlot after a day of rain and getting eaten alive by blackflies
Full body netting let me have so many good naps on sunny days too lol
Thanks for mentioning the mosquito net. I always bring it plus leather or lined gloves. Thanks for your fine video.
A little off topic but the camera work, angles and color grading is phenomenal. Hollywood level work. Definitely should give tutorials.
The internet needs a tutorial on how to poop in a non permissive environment. 😐
We'll add it to the project white board. Just gotta figure out how to film that one without getting kicked off the platform.
If you go the etool you are halfway there
Drone warfare need to be incorporated in this. Both drone bombing and FPV drones are unbelievably dangerous.
LOL!@@SpiritusSystems
Solution is simple.... Poop in your pants. ;) ;) j/k