wet sleeping bag while on cot

[mikeboehm]

when my sleeping bag is on a cot I know this underneath of my sleeping bags damp. somebody told me you should put an insulated mat between the cot in the sleeping bag.

what's everybody using

[pin_head]

I noticed on my last trip that the cot was completely saturated beneath my foamy. I just have an old piece of 2-1/2" foam about 2-1/2 x 6 ft long that I put between the cot and my bag. Was absolutely comfy as hell for the 5 nights I spent on it and dry as a bone.

Ive had the foamies as long as I can remember but I'd imagine they could be had from an upholstery shop or something of the sort

cheers,
Brad

[IronNoggin]

Thermarest. Works Very Well :wink:

[LYKTOHUNT]

Thermarest. Works Very Well :wink:
Thats what I use as well, even so the cot will still get damp,just remove sleeping bag and what ever you use under sleeping bag for the day and it will dry out

[huntcoop]

I always have an old piece of foam carpet underlay, cut to the approx. dimensions of my cot, laid on the ground. Then put my cot on that with a wool blanket on the cot, then foam, them my sleeping bag.

[Ranger95]

Go to walmart - buy "queen size" memory foam "bed topper" - fold double - cover with linen sheet (bit of class) and put on your cot - best sleep you will ever have in a tent!

[Jagermeister]

It's odd that you would have a damp sleeping bag on a cot. You must be sweating like your in hell and there is no way to wick that moisture away. As suggested you could use a mat or a foamie. But you could also just gather some fir boughs and lay them on the cot and that should do the trick. You will also have a nice forest odor premeating the bag giving you a nice odor to mask your scent.

[Sleep Robber]

I toss a sheet of plywood in my truck whenever I go and after I get set up I toss it down and put my cot on it then make my bed but I always have something under my fart sack, usually one of those heavy grey army blankets and then my foam.

[Big Lew]

I use a full lengthed patio lounge cushion on the cot and then a light polar fleece blanket folded so that the sleeping bag is sandwiched in between. This not only keeps the bag and cot dry, it also protects the bag from dripping condensation off the tent. The patio cushion is far easier to keep clean than foam etc.

[Gun Dog]

It's called "condensation". Water vapour leaves your hot body, migrates through the sleeping bag insulation and when it reaches the dew point (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dew_point) it condenses into liquid water. The upper side of the sleeping bag, uncompressed and in contact with the air is entirely above the dew point so the vapour ends up in the air. The lower sleeping bag is compressed and the dew point is in the lining of the bag. So it gets wet. If you put a foamy or stack of blankets underneath then the dew point ends up there. You still have to dry out the foamy or blanket but that's better than sleeping in a puddle.

[swampthing]

I just spent 4 nights in my wall tent on a cot and yes, it was wet under the foam I had on my cot. I just fold up my foam and bag so that it air dries during the day. Condensation, as stated.

[BernDawg]

Wool army blanket folded in half does the trick for me.

[Elkchaser]

Whether on cot or light gear set up (small tent), I use thermarest and place sleeping bag in goretex bivy bag. Bivy bag goes in daypack as survival/overnight gear (2 lbs). Also essential winter camping gear. Still end up with some dampness in bag after about 7 days. Cons - good bivy about $150 and are built for mummy bags. I've had my bivy for almost 20yrs and still good. Dease lake hunt this fall did the cot thing in a leaky tent for a week. Thermarest pad, cot and bivy got wet first night. Cot and pad wet for duration, sleeping bad comfy dry for week.

[J_T]

I find the cots all have a bit to much of a "U" shape to them and it restricts movement in bed. I agree with the Thermarest to stop moisture. I bought a thick one and lay it between the metal frame on the cot. It also eats up that "U" space. I then lay a nice 48" wide 6" thick memory foam on top. The Thermarest stops the moisture, and the memory foam makes for a very nice sleep.

[boxhitch]

The newer cots with the x-legs are tighter than a drum top , and as hard. They need a pad of sorts , something with an open weave moves moisture better than something plastic or closed cell foam. A couple of folded wool blankets worked for me , but best was the white hospital felt horse pads

[J_T]

The newer cots with the x-legs are tighter than a drum top , and as hard. They need a pad of sorts , something with an open weave moves moisture better than something plastic or closed cell foam. A couple of folded wool blankets worked for me , but best was the white hospital felt horse pads
I have a Cabelas Outfitter cot and tight is an understatement. I almost need a ratchet system to put it together.

[boxhitch]

Your other post sounded like you had something old and sagging J_T

[kishman]

Wool army blanket folded in half does the trick for me.

I do this as well, along with a thermarest for comfort. Works well.

[Hotwire]

I use a thermarest Z-rest when I go the field, camp, or out on over nights. Its aluminized on one side, to help reflect your body heat. The thin foam pad insulates you from the ground, and provides a moisture barrier. Its deep channels provide ventilation for dampness between you, your bag, and the mat. It also rolls up pretty small, weighs almost nothing, and only cost me $23 at MEC. (Mine has been to afghanistan and back a few times, and still smiles when I lay it on the grass here)

[mikeboehm]

where's a good place in the Lower Mainland for the thermo rest

[landphil]

I picked up a 2nd one at WSS in Kamloops last year for a decent price, though there might be better places.

[luckofthedraw]

wholesale or mountain coop. Any camping/outdoor store should carry them. I think I've even seen them at Can tire and wal mart.