Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Sleeping pad question for the older guys

The top of my Dana ArcFlex converts to a fanny pack. Have not ever done so. Can't imagine packing in a day pack-- though there are some amazingly light packs these days. My wife's Osprey 48 is crazy light; so I'm guessing there's some crazy-light day packs. My Badlands SD isn't one of them.

If I end up going the two-pads route it'll be a bit of a luxury for sure, but at this point I'm ready to go there. It's the convergence of me sleeping lighter as I get older, and my body being much less tolerant of sleeping on hard surfaces.

I could probably take enough weight off my ArcFlex via just the zipper pulls and some round mystery rings it has, to offset an extra pad. Those things are steel and HUGE. Ditto the nylon webbing in places. It's like a tow strap for a car. Bet I could pull 24 oz off that pack easily.

Jeff,,,just saw this post,
I have the exact same issue sleeping, just started maybe 2-3 years ago. Even at home the same thing, not uncomfortable or insomnia,,,I can fall asleep in less than 1 minute, but wake up repeatably for no reason. A solid night drinking slows it a bit, but that F's up the rem cycles...work hard, healthy, fairly stress free life...I'm bewildered.

Have you been tested for sleep apnea?

Smoke,

I've looked at all the different ways people are hunting out of a backpack. I just can't quite bring myself to carry a "daypack" big enough to camp out of. Crimps my style, ya' know? My daypack is a double fanny pack with shoulder harness and I added a zippered pocket in the middle of my back. It started out as my archery daypack to allow to me shoot instinctively. I liked it so much it's been my everything hunting pack for close to 30 years. Can't believe how well it's held up. From the now defunct Packs Plus out of Utah. My backpack carries my camp stuff, my daypack carries my hunt stuff

I won't go backpacking without my Thermarest or Big Agnes lightweight chairs that use the sleeping pads!

All of my backpack hunts I set up camp and operate from there. There has been a couple times (like sheep hunting) when I took a bivvy and my sleeping bag tied onto my daypack and spent the night to ambush rams on the far side of the drainage. Of course, one of those times I woke up, started glassing at daylight, and the friggin rams had moved during the night and were grazing 200 yds below my camp on the other side of the drainage. Go figure........

People carry too much crap in their daypacks anyway. When I was guiding I couldn't believe how much stuff clients were trying to carry based on what they were told they were going to need. Plus the extra weight for the flatlanders just made it that much harder to get around.

Casey

Casey, I can't bring myself to carry a daypack big enough to camp out of either. I use an internal frame backpack that's for built for hauling loads but also cinches down enough to use as a daypack. It's not as svelte as a good daypack but it's svelte enough to get around with. Last year my hunting partner and I both carried full-sized packs and it was nice to have a full-sized pack for the first trip out with meat.

No I haven't,
Last time I checked the sleep diagnosis was like 3k, my wife has sleep apnea and uses a CPAP...I don't snore or wake up with headaches, nor am I over weight(not that you need to be, my wife weighs 105 lb).

Smoke, now you got me wondering how much my empty daypack weighs. I'm guessing 3 lbs max. It's just not that much. Every pack that I have looked at that has enough frame to backpack out of is too restrictive for my tastes. But you're right it's interesting to herethe different approaches to hunting with a pack.

This year I'm not backpack hunting but if I kill an elk I will be packing her out on my back because it's designated wilderness. So I'll carry my backpack with my daypack stuffed in it and my rifle in my backpack scabbard 'till I get to the bottom of the avalanche chute, ditch my Astraplane and crawl (crawl I say) up the 70 degree slope to my ambush spot. It's been successful for me in the past. I realize an Astraplane is a huge pack, but it carries weight better than anything else I've ever tried--and it's got room for my daypack...

Casey

Now you're talking. Sounds like a great spot, good luck!

Not what you were asking about but I am really liking hammocks for camping. If they are big enough to lay in diagonally then they are really comfortable. Get one that is supposed to be rated for two people if not too heavy. I like the old fashioned Yucatan for hot weather and for winter the type that has insulation below the hammock is good until really cold weather.

I have a touch of sleep apnea and can't sleep on my back. I'm fine on my side or belly but hammocks and belly sleepers aren't compatible. There are hammocks out that supposedly can be used by stomach sleepers but the price turns my stomach worse than the position.

I use a BA insulated Air Core 25x 78 4 inches thick and it gives my 6'4" 250 lbs frame enough support to sleep through the night. I am a side sleeper so I would get sore when using thinner pads. In 2007, I used a 1 inch thermarest to backpack at Philmont. By the time my 2011 trip came around I switched to a 2.5" BA. Now that doesn't cut it but the 4" works great.

I spent a week on this in Idaho last year. I'm 6'4" and 235 and I loved it. Light weight and plenty long.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007...Pl=1&dpID=41f4HzmZL0L&ref=plSrch

MM

If I'm leaving camp to head out and hunt, I've got a pack on that can carry the first load of meat out.

As for sleeping pads, I have an older Exped and now a Therm-a-Rest. I think the Exped's more comfy, but the therm is lighter. I'll know after this season whether it was worth it. Each season I try to get a little lighter and less bulky. That's one of my changes this year. I'll be in the woods CO 1st and 2nd rifle, so I'll find out out.

I spent 4 nights on a Nemo Astro lite, I'm a side sleeper. Nemo Astro lite Pad is lightweight, hiked in 10 miles to a set of lakes. temperatures were in the low 40's, didn't get cold from the ground. Pad is a blow up, inflated the pad then lay on it and let out enough air that I was comfortable but not touching the ground. Nemo does make an insulated version.

I'd suggest the Neoair Dream 30 inch wide pad. It's my go to.

Z Lite, BA Air Core, EE quilt. Use 1/8" shock cord around the Zlite for packing around then you can unfold it in 1/2 and it makes a good seat for a tired ass.

Exped downmat 7 or 9 with EE down quilts.

A good night's sleep is the best thing I can carry on my back. YMMV

I ended up suffering on my old thermarest another season when I posted this. However, a couple weeks ago I bought a Big Agnes SLX in the 25x78" size and just used it for 4 nights on the Lost Coast in NoCal. Awesome! Love it! Hips and shoulders were a non issue. I slept like an innocent man......... and I ain't.

The Lost Coast was pretty bitchin' too.

Also joined the modern world of canister fuels and bought a Pocket Rocket 2. Guess I'll finally retire my trusty Whisperlite Intl. which, may I add, still works great 30 years in.

Recommend the ThermaRest "All Season" wide and rectangular. More durable thickness than their NeoAir expensive "light" models. Get the optional Synergy fitted sheet...excellent to prevent wear and tear and keep you from sliding off. Inflating to a little less than maximum gives most comfortable way to side sleep and fit contours of those with rumpzillas.

Additional Ridgerest pad is not a bad idea if expecting zero-ish camp conditions, but getting the X ThermMax is another feasible option.

The little motorized pump works pretty well, but now models are offered with a pumping "sleeve". I modified a pop bottle neck and cap drilled out with a garden hose washer and a garbage bag to use as an inflater pump.

well at my age of 65 years and a few major surgeries too, I had a tuff job all my life shovel work ,pole climber for 35 years at the electric company ,us old lineman climbed everything cold,hot,rain,snow, sun or dark,wind what ever. yes I still back pack I still like a full size back pack even just for the day with a folding chair " folding chair so my butt don`t get wet anymore and getting off the ground is tougher now days too ". I plan on going on a Alaska hunt 2019 next year and yes its with friends who live in Alaska and yes another backpack hunt rain,sun ,snow whatever again ,I luv the hunts but living with my back pack and camping is getting tougher each year,but still look forward to it every year. this year 2018 elk will be hunt`n with bows in the mountains and yes Backpacks too ! good luck to all with a safe hunt,Pete53