spike camp suggestions

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Lockdown
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spike camp suggestions

Unread postby Lockdown » Thu Oct 01, 2020 4:22 pm

When I head out west I might be sleeping under the stars. As long as the weather permits that is. It would probably only be for a max of 2 nights at a time.

First thing I need is a bivy sack. Does anyone have any recommendations? Not sure if a sleeping bag in the $100 range is a mistake... I surely can’t drop $300 on one.

My other concern is water. This isn’t going to be like a CO elk hunt where I can just swing down to the stream and fill a bladder. There’s a 50/50 chance everything is frozen, and I think the only option for water are cattle watering holes. Not drinking that ;) is there a solution? I didn’t look up historical temps but they will range from roughly 20-30 degrees at night to 40-50 in the day time.

Jet boil seems to be the ticket for coffee and food ;)

I’ll just leave it at that for now. But any recommendations you have for a quick night or two under the stars are welcome.


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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby ODH » Thu Oct 01, 2020 4:31 pm

We just picked up this bivy. It’s pricey but we found it to be worthwhile it’s waterproof which also makes it a bit warmer. Easy set-up. https://www.rei.com/product/147956/rei- ... light-bivy
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Oct 02, 2020 2:11 am

ODH wrote:We just picked up this bivy. It’s pricey but we found it to be worthwhile it’s waterproof which also makes it a bit warmer. Easy set-up. https://www.rei.com/product/147956/rei- ... light-bivy


Thanks! Any suggestions for sleeping bags? I was looking at some of the 0 degree bags...



I’m a newbie when it comes to this stuff! So any info is appreciated.
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby hunter_mike » Fri Oct 02, 2020 2:30 am

I've never used a bivy but i did sit under a lightweight 6x10 tarp for 3 days straight while it rained while i was in Alaska. having a dry space to stand up was priceless. Not sure if you will have trees around where you are going but if so that makes it super easy to pitch a small tarp.

For water I used a sawyer mini squeeze filter and that worked good for ensuring cleaning water. Wasnt too much of a chore to squeeze ~3 liters of water per day.

Thats all i got.
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby Drenalin » Fri Oct 02, 2020 2:40 am

You might be able to find a Wiggy's bag around that price, just know that it's going to be a little heavy and pretty bulky. I think most synthetic insulation bags are going to have the same faults though. Another option is get a lightweight tarp, no bivy, and see if you can save a little money there and put more toward the bag. Do you have a sleeping pad? No bag is going to reach it's temp rating without an insulated pad in those temps; you're looking for a minimum R-value of 4 on the pad.

I use a Seek Outside Silex, Klymit insulated pad, and Enlightened Equipment quilt. I have a Borah Bivy, but it only comes out when there are a lot of mosquitos. I've also spent a lot of nights on a 1/2" closed cell pad in a military modular sleep system that includes a Gore-Tex coffin - I mean bivy - and been perfectly fine. If you go that route, just know the military surplus stuff is really heavy (9 pounds for that modular system) and shockingly bulky, even compressed.

Unless you want to carry all your water in, I'd plan on drinking the same water the cattle drink. Get a colored water Nalgene so you can't see the tint of the water, and try not to think about it. I use a Sawyer Micro, but you have to be careful not to let a filter freeze with any water inside it. Like sleep with in your bag careful. Another option is a Steripen with a pre-filter (which is basically just a screen to get the turds and bugs out of the water). I just got one of those, but haven't used it yet.

Jetboils are nice for convenience, but if you want to melt ice or snow for water you might want to consider something else. MSR pocket rocket, or similar. I have a cheap BRS 3000 off amazon and a Toaks cup that are extremely lightweight, but it doesn't perform well in wind. For that matter, most stoves of that type will suffer in wind - the Pocket Rocket Deluxe and Soto Windmaster do pretty well and give you enough control to melt snow and maybe ice for water. You might pull that off with a Jetboil, but you also might melt down all the plastic components.
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby Drenalin » Fri Oct 02, 2020 2:44 am

You might also find a Marmot, Nemo, or Kelty bag at a zero degree rating right at or a little above the $100 mark. They all have good reputations, and you might even find one used, if that doesn't weird you out.
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Fri Oct 02, 2020 6:08 am

First Lite Nemo tent (optional)
Cabela's Mountain Trapper sleeping bag (this thing is awesome)
Jet boil like you mentioned

A lot of guys out west are using canvas cutter bivy sacks to sleep in, but they are very expensive: https://canvascutter.com/collections/bedrolls
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby ODH » Fri Oct 02, 2020 6:24 am

As mentioned by someone else if the weather is going to be okay any tarp for a roof and a sheet of tyvek works just as well and you can skip the bivy. But nights are touching the 30's already, at least where I am. Some peaks have snow!
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby isitseasonyet? » Fri Oct 02, 2020 7:14 am

I know it’s been mentioned, but a sleeping pad to insulate you from the ground is clutch, no matter how good of a bag, the cold ground draws a lot of heat from your body
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Fri Oct 02, 2020 7:23 am

isitseasonyet? wrote:I know it’s been mentioned, but a sleeping pad to insulate you from the ground is clutch, no matter how good of a bag, the cold ground draws a lot of heat from your body


Totally agree, and if you like to sleep on your side make sure to get one with a decent amount of insulation space
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby RiverBottoms » Fri Oct 02, 2020 7:40 am

Is truck camping a possibility? I have seen some nice cots rigged up in the back of a pick up by some of the western guys lately.
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:01 am

I've never been west to hunt but Rokslide is the ultimate western hunt resource.
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby BRoth82 » Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:05 pm

Just a thought as well most of the sleeping bags are rated to perform colder than what I've experienced. I feel a 0 deg bag would be good down to maybe 20degs, you could make it work if you sleep in your base layers. The biggest issue I think you'll face is how much water you're going to need to bring in with you if you can't drink what's out there.

I have a steri pen that runs off batteries for when I was going into the BWCA, very handy tool.

Also do you have a good pack to use that can handle the weight of a camp and a load of meat?
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby camelcluch » Sun Oct 04, 2020 12:25 pm

Bivy sacks are strange to sleep in if you have never done used one. Outdoor Research, RAB and maybe a company like Jimmy Tarps make a good bivy. For bags I would take a serious look at outdoor vitals and hike and byke. Both companies make a nice bag for a good price.
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Re: spike camp suggestions

Unread postby Rich M » Sun Oct 04, 2020 11:10 pm

I almost did the live off your back thing and started buying gear but it was archery and deaf guys don't do archery well. Figured the time and $ spent would be better during rifle.

Anyway - got me a -20 Browning sleeping bag for about $65 on some kind of clearance. Had it below zero last year and it worked well enough.

Lots of guys use a mediocre bivy (just a sleeve around the sleeping bag) and a tarp. Tarp keeps the rain off.

Other option is a hammock set-up with either a built in tent or a tarp.

As for water - filters are low cost and many are packable. If you'll be in an area with running or standing water, you could get a sports bottle and filter combination and carry a couple gator aid bottles full of untreated water - pour it into your filter bottle and go from there. They sell the $20 survival straws but I'm not sure how practical those will be if climbing mountains.

I carry sterno as opposed to a jet boil or whatever.


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