Okay, I need some advise on cool-weather camping. Saturday night I got really cold as I camped out in the backyard to watch the Leonids meteor shower. My sleeping gear consisted of a ground sheet, then a 5" thick air mattress, a 1" closed-cell foam pad under me and a lightweight mummy bag, and fleece blanket on top. I was wearing wool socks, boxers, long-sleeve thermal top and a wool watch-cap. Before laying down I had some cookies and plenty of water. There was no wind but the temps got down to 40-45F. Fog rolled in around midnight making most things damp.

End result: really cold. Not to the point of shivering or hypothermia, but still dang uncomfortable.

Would a wool blanket have been better than fleece? I've tried those air-activated heat-packs before but they never worked in my sleeping bag.

Any tips for staying warm while watching the stars (no shelter) on cold nights?

-Blast

well a good sleepingbag on top of a well insulating pad, should do just fine. Maybe a bivy, against the dampness/wetness.

Your problem is probably a not adequate sleeping bag. You either need a better one of you should add more insulation. A fleece or wol blanket doesn't really matter, it depends on there thickness and weave.

I've never had any luck with those chemical handwarmers either. But I have one of these and it works great. Only problem is that you need to boil it to reactivate it. I've used mine about 2 dozen times over the last 15 years and it's still going strong. I generally fire mine up when I wake up shivering at about 2 AM and it sure takes the chill off inside the sleeping bag. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Were you wearing them all day or did you put them on before climbing into the sleeping bag? Been taught to change to dry undergarments before going to sleep for the ones being worn during the day are damp therefore make you cold

You put these on dry right before bed, correct? At least the socks and the thermal top. If they were the same ones you wore during the day then they would be wet, even if you didn't think you were sweating any. Air mattresses are not good insulators. At least you had a foam pad on top of it, but I'd recommend using just a ThermaRest style pad (air mattress stuffed with foam inside, basically). If you pad is not full length, wad up clothing and other gear and put it under the foot of your sleeping bag. Mummy bags are at their warmest when the hood is drawn up and snuggled around your face. The inside draft collar should be tightened around your shoulders as well (if you bag has one of these - doubtful, for a bag used in Texas that left you cold in the 40-45 degree range - you may not even have a hood on it).

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Same thought, same time, as obmeyer. On the dry socks/top. We were both typing and posting at about the same time.
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You were right, it was the same clothes I had on all day. They probably were damp.

As for the sleeping bag, it does have a drawstring hood and collar which I cinched down tight. However it has little to no filling. It was a $20 bag from either Majar Surplus and Survival or Cheaper than Dirt.

I wasn't sure if the air mattress would help or not (sure is comfortable, though). I figured it would get me off the heat-sucking ground which is good, but since it's just several big air chambers the insulative effect seemed to be nil.

This is good stuff. Keep the info coming!

-Blast, who really should try to get some work done today.

In theory the big airmatresses sound great get you 5" off the ground but in reality the air circulates thus freezing your backside.
You had a closed-cell on top of your airmattress you said though so that should have helped. Next time ditch the 5" one.

It also sounds like your sleeping bag is very much sub-par as 40-45 is not that cold and i'm sure a $30 coleman from wal-mart would work better than what you have.

I think you simply need to retry it with a better sleeping bag and just the closed-cell pad.
The $80 Coleman from wallyworld has served me well as has the $80 MARMOT fromt Sierra Trading post. Both are poly bags rated to -15 I believe.
I've had them down to around 10 with 25+ mp winds and been toasy w/out a blanket ontop of me sleeping in boxers only (no beenie or socks yet).

The closed-cell foam pad should have offset the cold conduction of the air mattress. I think you were losing your heat from the top -- the cheap bag.

Changing to dry clothes is more important than you would think. Even if you changed everything except your socks, you would probably still be cold.

You might also consider wearing a wool watchcap under the bag hood. Or a baclava that covers your head and neck.

How was the meteor shower? I planned to watch and got sidetracked.

Sue

Yep, definately a better bag. Dry clothes help, but sleeping with less clothes on helps more. Clothes insulate your body from itself, skin to skin is best. Its like wearing mittens versus gloves.

I did have a wool stocking/watch cap but on my big melon it was stretched a bit thin. One size does not fit all.

Fog rolled in about midnight blocking my view of the stars. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> It did give everything else a really beautiful glow so I stayed outside by the glowing embers of fire. It was very peaceful. Cold, but peaceful. Sometimes fire therapy is vital.

-Blast