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Sleeping Bags & Pads
  • Sleeping Bags & Pads

  • Gear Guide

When it comes to sleeping at altitude, you'll find there's a little bit more to it than just counting sheep. The rating of your sleeping bag, what it's filled with, the type of pad you use, and even your pre-bed routine all play a part in making sure you're well-rested for your climb. There's a ton of info in this post, so we've grouped it under a few sections below. Just click the tab to get the information you're interested in!

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Guide to Sleeping Bags

Logic Behind Sleeping Bags

Logic Behind Sleeping Bags

Insulation

Insulation

Temperatue Rating

  1. Sleeping cold leads to not much sleep at all. When choosing your sleeping bag, match the temperature rating of the bag to anticipated temperatures of the location you’ll be in. Keep in mind not all rating systems are the same between manufacturers.

    Consider the following when choosing a bag:
    1. What are the lowest anticipated temperatures?
  2. 2. Sleeping surface? Snow? Rock? Scree?
  3. 3. What is your sleeping style- Do you sleep cold or hot?
  4. 4. Wet climate or dry?
Guide Tip

Sleeping Warm

"Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. That’s my philosophy. I always go with a bag that’s 5-10 degrees colder than the anticipated low temperatures. For me, the extra ounces are worth it for a little more warmth and a good night’s sleep. "

 - Peter Whittaker

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Sleeping Bags

Regular price from $110.00
Sale price from $110.00
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A Tried-and-True Blanket for Any Occasion The Original Puffy outdoor blanket is a packable, portable blanket that goes everywhere. With a ripstop shell and insulation made from 100% recycled mat...
47% Off
Regular price from $324.99
Sale price from $324.99
Regular price $610.00
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This feature-rich sleeping bag has your back through the biggest adventures you can dream up. Whether you're hanging from a portaledge 1000-feet off the ground, bivvying at high altitudes, or over...
Sleeping Bag

Care & Maintinence

Proper care and maintenance are key to getting the most life out of your bag, and in helping to sustain its temperature rating.

Washing
  • Use a specialized soap, specific to insulation type. 
  • Don't use a washer with an agitator (use a front loader instead)
  • Hang-dry or throw into a large-capacity dryer (with a few tennis balls)
Storage
  • Be sure the bag is 100% dry before storing
  • Do not leave bag in a stuff sack for extended periods
  • Hanging sleeping bags is best

Guide to Sleeping Pads

Sleeping pads are especially important when you’re cold camping - they get you off the ground and away from that cold, damp tent floor. The level of insulation a sleeping pad provides is called its R-value. R-values signify how well a material resists heat conduction, so the higher the R-value, the better the resistance, and the less heat gets transferred from your warm body to the cold ground. Sleeping pad values usually range from 1-7, and for cold camping, we recommend you find one with an R-value of at least 5.

Double Up
Guide Tip

Double Up

If you're planning on sleeping in cold temps, consider going with a two-pad system - a super packable blow-up pad and a closed cell foam cell. When you use two pads together, their R-values effectively add up, and it’s hard to get much more insulated than that! We recommend the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite for a blowup pad and the Exped FlexMat as a closed-cell pad. Plus, your closed cell pad can be used to sit or stand on when you’re outside your tent, insulating you from the snow!

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Sleeping Pads & Accessories

Regular price from $134.95
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Camp with Lightweight Comfort For lightweight self-inflating support, the ProLite Apex brings packable performance and legendary Therm-a-Rest support. The self-inflating foam measures 2 inches (5...
Regular price $52.95
Sale price $52.95
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Add Warmth and Keep your Sleeping Bag Cleaner The soft and cozy Synergy™ Sleeping Bag Liner adds warmth, comfort and years of life to any sleeping bag. Contributing up to 5F/3C degrees of warmth to...
Regular price $41.95
Sale price $41.95
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Sleep in Comfort Don’t let the minimal pack size fool you. The Air Head Lite provides the same big comfort as our regular Air Head for a fraction of the weight. The air pillow provides the perfect...
Regular price from $209.95
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An undisputed Guide Pick™ champion the last few years in a row, the NeoAir series is the go-to for mountaineering sleeping pads. Ultralight and ultra-packable, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT sle...
Regular price from $239.95
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Ultralight and warm, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT sleeping pad is highly durable and boasts a 7.3 R value, giving it a warmth-to-weight ratio suited for extremely cold backcountry pursuits. W...
Regular price from $36.95
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Soft Foam your Head will Enjoy Designed to pack small and deliver big comfort away from home, the Compressible Pillow Cinch is a must-have for camping, road trips, airplanes and anywhere else you...
Regular price $10.95
Sale price $10.95
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Ultralight Kit for Instant, Self-adhesive Repairs in the Field The Instant Field Repair Kit makes fast, easy and lasting mattress repairs in the field. It includes all the same great self-adhesive...
Regular price $32.95
Sale price $32.95
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You Should Take this on Every Hike With its accordion-style design and closed-cell foam construction, the Z Seat camping seat is an ounce-counter's solution to on-the-spot comfort. It's virtually ...
Regular price $57.95
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A Favorite of the Ultra-lite Elite Always a favorite of the ultralight elite, the Z Lite SOL expands upon the utralight performance of the Original Z Lite by adding our reflective ThermaCapture™ co...
Regular price $59.95
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Keeps You Comfortable in Warm, Humid Weather The Adaptor COOLMAX® sleeping bag liner will help you adapt to varying temperatures and humidity. The washable, knitted COOLMAX® fabric wicks moisture a...

Guide to Sleeping Warm

Here are tips from some of RMI Expeditions top guides on how to stay warm while sleeping up high!