rethinking of the mss | Squat the Planet

rethinking of the mss

Killjoy

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A few days ago I got to thinking on ways to compact my bag, the proposed solution I had was to instead of using a intermediate sleeping bag and bivy. I would use two patrol bags and a bivy. Hoping to cut weight but at the least down size the kit to a more compressible set up and still maintain similar cold temperature rating. They seemed to weigh the same and take up the same mass. The upside to this is to be able to use the kit in drastic temperature shifts, (Hopping freight from north to south in winter) and to be able to give away or trade an extra bag when not needed anymore. It also solves the problem if one sleeping bag zipper breaks I have a back up, and if one or both bags get wet, theyll dry faster then the thicker intermediate sleeping bag in the mss. Im not sure if it'll be as warm though. Its what ill be using on the train to nola this winter. Anyone else do this before or have any opinions?
 
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Mankini

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Tha green one ain't worth a shit. Idk if two would be much better. If it were me I'd dump both and use a down one inside of the bivy. Down saves weight, and the mss is around 6 #s..... However if you're dead set on synthetic...yeah perhaps its not a bad idea.
 

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I scored a ww2 wool sleeping bag(basically a wool blanket turned into sleeping bag)to insert into the green bag.Should be ok done to below 32 I'm thinking.I need to give it a trail run.
 
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If it were me I'd dump both and use a down one inside of the bivy.

Down is Soooooo heavy when wet. I think that down has its place like in longterm camping situations but id hate to a heavy down bag in warmer climates & not enough insulation in colder environments. Atleast with the multiple lighter bags & your ability to acquire extra cheap blankets & sleeping bags at thrift stores or even those fleece emergency blankets that have replaced the old wool army blankets that homeless organizations & fire departments once gave out.

I too have carried the MSS since my days in the military & while hopping trains, hitchhiking etc. Its a heavy system but atleast the cost has come way down & with the amount of inexpensive military surplus available from the last 15 years of grounds war in the Middle east

I routinely get free blankets & towels from hospitals & motels if needed (just find the linen cart & help yourself). They are almost always in non tactical colors & unsuitable by themself but if you have a gortex bivy sack & the 2 lightweight sleeping bags in addition to having some other cheap/free blanket inside this "improvised & improved sleeping cocoon". Then when you get down south you toss the extra blanket.

Id hate to be on a train going 70mph in November with the wrong gear. I have had to lug heavy sleeping bags around the south & rarely need it every night. But then on the night I am flying through the night in a snow storm on a cold steel train I often with that I had even more insulation.

Hope my 2 cents helps. @Killjoy
 

Mankini

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Yeah I've been giving a lot of thought to the old wool blanket too....as tent floor liners or inner tent liners. Woolz tha shiznit.
 

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Perhaps a space blanket rubber cemented to the inside of the bivy? Might have some breath ability issues but who knows.
 
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Most likely since goretex is a breathable fabric any glued mylar would make it less water resistant as it was designed. I think I have mentioned this elsewhere on STP at times but I have learned that Goretex works best when clean. To wash them it is recommended that you wash/dry in hot water & high heat & that the fabric somehow is more waterproof, wind proof & breathable when its clean. I also think that the waterproofness definitely wears off. My bivy sacks are both mostly water resistant but are by no means perfectly waterproof.

EDIT. I have thought of the idea of sewing on extra sections of material to the bottom of the sack that would prevent holes from abrasions etc but never actually tried for fear of ruining 1 of my 2 bivy sacks.
 
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Killjoy

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Tha green one ain't worth a shit. Idk if two would be much better. If it were me I'd dump both anbebe
Down is Soooooo heavy when wet. I think that down has its place like in longterm camping situations but id hate to a heavy down bag in warmer climates & not enough insulation in colder environments. Atleast with the multiple lighter bags & your ability to acquire extra cheap blankets & sleeping bags at thrift stores or even those fleece emergency blankets that have replaced the old wool army blankets that homeless organizations & fire departments once gave out.

I too have carried the MSS since my days in the military & while hopping trains, hitchhiking etc. Its a heavy system but atleast the cost has come way down & with the amount of inexpensive military surplus available from the last 15 years of grounds war in the Middle east

I routinely get free blankets & towels from hospitals & motels if needed (just find the linen cart & help yourself). They are almost always in non tactical colors & unsuitable by themself but if you have a gortex bivy sack & the 2 lightweight sleeping bags in addition to having some other cheap/free blanket inside this "improvised & improved sleeping cocoon". Then when you get down south you toss the extra blanket.

Id hate to be on a train going 70mph in November with the wrong gear. I have had to lug heavy sleeping bags around the south & rarely need it every night. But then on the night I am flying through the night in a snow storm on a cold steel train I often with that I had even more insulation.

Hope my 2 cents helps. @Killjoy
That was beautiful. Before what you wrote i would of wished to afford a $600 down bag used off ebay, but the ability to toss and add has to be thought about more. Its true why would anyone want an expensive or thick bag of any material that is useless when in a different region or season. I love the idea of add ons you feel guilt free parting with.
 

Killjoy

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You could also put the patrol bag in the wool sack if near a fire pit. I think just a blanket with pins would be more versitile though. I dont want to be a buzz kill to your cool find xD
 
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I routinely sleep too close to fire pits & have suffered small burn holes in my bivy. Unsure where we got the wool sack from in this thread but I like the idea of a wool blanket lined goretex bivy sack but the patrol bag would most def be lighter & maybe warmer? But to each his own.
 

Mankini

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Some want light, some want warm, usually can't have both. May I say, as an old campaigner, that carrying heavy shit sux.
 
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I always tend to have a 50lb-60lb pack regardless of what fuckng season it is but I am always over prepared when it comes to my sleep system. I almost always travel in a circular fashion; starting out near Boston & then heading back to near Boston. Often I find myself in the south, south west, west where it is warm but I know that within a few weeks I will be in cold regions again. For those who travel more "full time" and hang out in regions for much longer that may be a pain to carry a complete 11-12 lb mss sleep system.
 

Mankini

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My setup is as follows: thermarest pad, goretex bivy with down bag inside of mil black sleeping bag. Fleece liner inside of down bag. Then i have wool socks, fleece mid layer, long undies, and a down jacket.inside of mini tent with camp tarp over roof. All of this is 50+ pounds- way too heavy to hitch with. But I'm at 8000 asl, so it gets chilly. If I need to move I just cache extra gear and move with the bare minimum.
 
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Desperado Deluxe

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this is what i got
45 degree synthetic.
a disaster blanket (those ones that look like dryer lint, 30 percent wool and free via a shelter) that ive sewn up the side like a sleeping bag and cut the excess off
a fleeece blanket
a blue camping pad
a tarp
and cardboard when im somewhat stationary
oh yes alcohol stove what would i do without you?
gets down in the 20s at night and it snowed six inches this week and ive been doin alright but ive just been chillin in town. but i kinda keep an eye out on the weather for good times to travel.
i like just having the small sleeping bag because when it gets warm all the other stuff is expendable and i add and get rid of things as weather permits.
 
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kecleon

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I ruined my last bivi accident set it on fire like fully on fire but since then I just use my 2 sleeping bags and one of those emergency blankets and its really been as warm. I definitely think having two bags is a good way to go. That way you're covered for big weather changes which can be pretty common traveling in winter.

I have one good quality bag that's rated to 0c then another cheaper bag rated to-5. Together I don't know but I'm happy if it works for -5 to -10 comfortably. In summer I'll just leave the cheap bag someplace but the state it's getting into there might be nothing left of it
 
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wombatt

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I don't know how all you heavy packers do it I hate it if my pack ever surpasses 30 lbs. I have done the two patrol bags together thing before. It's good but is wierd packing because to take up less space you have to have them separate and that means you have to put them back together each time you set up camp somewhere.
 

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