For a seamlessly integrated system that delivers lightweight performance and optimum warmth-for-weight, look to the SEA TO SUMMIT range.
Sleep is essential for effective recovery. That’s why, along with your shelter, your sleep system is the most crucial element of any kit set-up for camping and backpacking adventures. Get it right, and it can ensure a comfortable and restful night after a long and tiring day on the trail or in the mountains, ensuring you’re ready to go again the next morning.
What is a sleep system?
A sleep system refers to all the kit required to spend a night outdoors, whether you’re in a tent, under a tarp or cosily zipped up in a bivvy under the stars. The vital elements of a sleep system are a sleeping mat or pad and a sleeping bag, along with a sleeping bag liner and a lightweight camping pillow. Together, these bits of kit provide optimum comfort and warmth. By selecting them carefully and using them in conjunction with one another as required, you can build a versatile sleep system.
This means having a system that will work for different conditions and varying temperatures across the seasons. So, whether you’re out on a damp and cold winter’s night or spending a dry and humid night outdoors in high summer, with the right gear you can tweak your set-up to boost warmth or create extra ventilation as needed.
Lightweight warmth, comfort and versatility
The most innovative sleep systems on the market also focus on lightweight performance. That’s because modern-day campers, backpackers and other outdoor adventurers are increasingly weight-conscious, seeking to minimise the packed size and weight of all their gear.
Sea to Summit is one outdoor brand that has embraced this ethos. Inspired by the fresh air, fresh challenges and fresh thinking, it’s built an enviable reputation for its high-performance, lightweight sleeping mats and bags. Using the highest-quality down and synthetic insulation in conjunction with superlight technical fabrics, they deliver superior warmth for weight.
In addition, it offers a wide range of compatible sleeping bag liners and packable camping pillows, enabling you to build a full sleep system that is designed to work seamlessly together.
Here are four critical bits of kit for your sleep system:
The Spark sleeping bags are multiple Trail magazine award-winners. Newly redesigned for 2024, they’re now available in four different temperature ratings to suit different seasons, as well as gender-specific cuts and regular or long lengths. Spanning everything from an ultralight down-filled summer bag to a mid-winter fast-and-light sleeping bag, they offer best-in-class ultralight performance, with tiny pack sizes. Ultralight does not mean ultra-tight either: these mummy-fit bags are snug for maximum thermal efficiency, yet still give wiggle room for added comfort.
At under 500g, the Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat is the lightest insulated mat in the Sea to Summit range. However, it still provides essential comfort and warmth for variable conditions. A unique Air Sprung Cell design creates a stable sleeping surface, with an inflated thickness of 5cm (2 inches). Thermolite and Exkin Platinum insulation gives an R-value of 3.1 (ASTM standard), which is just perfect for use from late spring through to early autumn. Made from lightweight yet durable 30D/40D face fabrics, it’s built to last, and comes in small or regular sizes.
One of the best ways to boost the warmth of a sleeping bag is to add a liner, which also has the benefit of protecting the inside of your bag from sweat and trail grime. In exceptionally warm climates, Sea to Summit’s Breeze Coolmax liners can even be used as a standalone option, offering breathable, fast-wicking overnight comfort. On chillier nights, add a Reactor liner for extra warmth – which can boost the thermal performance of your sleeping bag by up to 22%.
Weighing as little as 60g and with a minuscule pack size, a Sea to Summit Aeros camping pillow adds virtually nothing to your overall base weight but can make a huge difference to comfort. Far more effective than a dry bag stuffed with clothes or a rolled-up puffy, these packable pillows combine a soft fabric top with a cushioned air bladder for restful sleep.
With these essential bits of kit, you can build your own sleep system, ready for epic adventures at every altitude, from sea to summit.