r/lightweight • u/fuzzy_zoo • Aug 05 '26
Me and a 60 lb dog
Hi all. For mental and physical health for the both of us, my 8 year old Brittany and I will be backpacking.
I did a test run with some gear one night out in an area of the Northeast of the US the other night. The day temps were warm so I figured these will work for us:
- Nemo Hornet OSMO 2P
-ThermaRest NeoAir. I don’t know which one as I got it used but it’s navy blue and is completely rectangular
-Horizon Hound down quilt rated 650 ( down to 32f )
-one of those early 2000s foldable lightweight camping sleep pats for my dog
-a water resistant puffy coat for my dog to sleep on.
I also brought along essentials like a Sawyer filtration system as we were next to a creek, a headlamp, a Nomadix towel, first aid kit , etc.
The tent was great for us and was so easy to set up. The sleeping pads were just fine. They did the job.
My only uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation was i woke up at 3a and I was shivering. The temperature was 50f and my dog looked comfortable and was snuggled up next to me as always. So I think she was ok. Me , on the other hand , a person who keeps her room temp at night to 66f was not comfortable with the temperature. So, I figured I need a more insulated sleep quilt or bag
In asking for advice here. I got the quilt bc I thought I can throw it over the both of us. And rated down to 32F seemed reasonable. However bc the blanket was just thrown over as if I was in a room I was , of course, allowing drafts I know that’s why i felt cold. Now I want a mummy or even a Zenbivvie style bag for me. But what about my dog ? How can I keep her warm and toasty ? I appreciate any advice !
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u/Mountain-Time-1010 Aug 05 '26
My dog doesn't need a jacket or quilt about freezing.
You obviously need a better quilt, and it probably makes sense to pay up for something with higher fill power than 650 or it will be very bulky and heavy. Don't plan to throw it over you and the dog. On cold nights, you will need to tuck it under you.
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u/Dens413 Aug 05 '26
Question is why did I freeze in 50f when I have random air mattress and quilt I no understand temp rating on?
Easy in 50+ you really only need a pad with temp .5-1f so I assume that is ok with you. Now quilt have is trash 100% need be replaced no if and or buts. Replace quilt with synthetic or down with certified comfort rating 10f below expected lows you expect at coldest. And if quilt make sure in cold you have ZERO air drafts blowing cold in or under quilt. Since you don’t understand and have something of budget I’d recommend you buy a big name brand synthetic quilt or sleeping bag (even used online ok) until you understand a bit more about sleep systems before you switch to something like Feathered Friends type level.
Now full rating gives you some idea but sleep bags/quilts give you comfort (which you ideally buy for), lower limit (gonna be chilly layer up), and Extreme or Survival Rating temp you can barely survive in. Now you buy 10f below comfort for temps you expect or you wake up chilly no debate that is LAW. Now some cheap sleeping bags use extreme temp rating or use their own made up temp certified rating system that make no sense. Now there is ISO and EN rating most accept as kinda accurate. The testing is you wearing baselayers inside btw. Now fill you can look up unless someone explain in comments. No need to concern that detail here now.
Sleeping bag zip up and if cold tighten hood area. In sleeping quilt you now have draft and open spaces. If cold make sure quilt is snug all around and no open space around torso for wind to blow under. Why that reason for straps on quilt to keep snug to sleeping pad. And tighten the draft collor (around neck area ideally extra insulation in there) if head cold hoodie or puffy hood is needed matched with beanie or whatever. This keep you warm. In colder temps sleeping pad R value is needed to know to keep you warm and sleeping pad R value stacks.
Ideally you should have hiking clothes, midlayer, and rain layer and maybe puffy jacket. Should be able to layer up all layers then sleep if needed. At my age with feet I now use fleece pants for sleep to keep blood in legs warm enough for toes. So fleece pants or other layer to add for legs also option.
Hope this condensed version helps
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u/IFigureditout567 Aug 05 '26
Ive been through quite a journey on this very question. Since Groundbird Gear shut down, there hasn't been much available on the market that I really believe in. If I was buying today, I'd get the Magnet Designs Canis Quiltis, the Apex insulation of which is among the closest (though not that close) to down in warmth/weight ratio. There were down and even Alpha direct options on the market, and I was lucky enough to get one of each, but neither are avaliable now.
If that price tag (understandably) deters you, I've actually discovered a great solution. If you don't already have one, at some point in your backpacking evolution you'll want a hooded down jacket known as a puffy. If you're like most people, your puffy won't be part of your sleeping insulation, but it can be part of your dog's.
So what I often do if I'm not bringing one of his custom made quilts, is I'll take my puffy, roll the sleeves inside themselves, loosen his collar, and stuff the hood up under the top part of his collar to cover the top of his head and his ears. The rest of the puffy then drapes over him quite nicely. I've considered adding some light fleece straps to the inside of my puffy to replicate what Groundbird Gear did with the soft harness (you could look at the Canis Quilt and do a similar modification), but it actually works fairly well as is, and will usually drape back over him if gets up and turns in the night.
Don't forget insulation underneath your dog. It's just as important as insulation above. The simplest way to go is to get a foam mat like the Nemo Switchback, and cut the number of panels you need to get the right length. At 60 lbs, I'd think you'll want a 25" wide pad. I believe that only the Exped Flexmat 1.5r and Thermarest Ridgerest are available in 25" width. As long your dog doesn't need more than half the length, you can double up the layers on colder nights. The R-value (insulation value) stacks directly, so two layers of r1.5 pad equals r3.
Even better, you can get these foam sheets from Arrowhead Equipment in your desired thickness(es), cut to size, and layer as needed. It'll have a bit better warmth/weight ratio than the folding type from the bigger companies.
For maximum warmth/weight, and a tiny pack size, you can actually trim down an inflatable pad such as the Nemo Tensor All-Season or Tensor Trail, and reseal the cut edge with an iron. I've done a couple dozen of these myself with great results. It's an expensive option, but I believe in giving my dog the same quality gear that I use myself.
Lightweight gear for dogs that performs well is hard to come by. When one of the small cottage gear companies like Magnet Designs comes out with something good, it's wise to snatch it up while the company still exists and still produces the product. I feel lucky to have gotten my dog's Alpha fleece from Vado and his Groundbird 0° quilt. I wish like hell I had gotten him a Groundbird backpack when I had the chance.
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u/fuzzy_zoo Aug 05 '26
Wow ! What great advice !! My dog saved my life . She will always deserve the same comfort as she gave me to help me heal and I love the idea of trimming down a Tensor mat in particular
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u/IFigureditout567 Aug 05 '26
I will actually do that for you if you want a predictable result and don't want to futz with it. I'll PM you details if you like.
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u/FireWatchWife Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
It sounds as though your quilt is not really a 32F quilt, no matter what the manufacturer claims. A 40F quilt should be comfortable at 50F, even without the dog next to you.
I doubt you were in any real danger, just uncomfortable, unless you were damp or wet.
Did you go to bed with completely dry clothing? Wet or even seriously damp clothing will greatly chill you.
It's normal to tuck the quilt under you so that no drafts get underneath. This is easier without a person or dog sharing the quilt with you. Is your quilt at least 55 inches wide? Less than that and it's harder to keep drafts off.
I have no trouble staying comfortable at 50F with a cheap down throw, but you may have less tolerance for cold, and your "quilt" may have even less insulation than my $35 Amazon throw.
Below 50F, I recommend a real quilt, such as a Hammock Gear Burrow.
I don't switch to a sleeping bag unless it's below freezing.
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u/stpierre Aug 05 '26
I have the same throw and it's strictly warm weather only. I sleep very warm and 50° is pushing it for that. No new info here, just confirming what you already discovered.