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Howdy

Just had a thought as I was stuffing some extra "emergency" layers into my pack, mentally weighing each piece as it goes in...

Ever thought about forgoing emergency layers (if you even bring em) and just taking a nice lightweight sleeping bag and emergency bivy sack? My 20* sleeping bad and SOL emergency bivy bag together only weigh about 2.5lbs... I'd have to think, if stranded at altitude in the wind/precip with a broken leg waiting for rescue, or even just snow-graving bad weather, I'd probably be overall warmer cozying up inside those than throwing a bunch of layers on.

Obviously the bags won't help much if you're trying to egress crappy weather, but for spring/summer climbing, any totally unexpected weather that rolls in will be violent but quick- thunderstorms, basically.

Anyway... just a thought that crossed my mind. Yours?

-Ben

I have done the 'shiver bivi' thing, extra clothes and a bivi sack. You can bring X number of pounds of extra clothes and it will not keep you anywhere near as warm as a sleeping bag of the same weight. The FF Vireo weighs 1 lb and stuffs to the size of a cantatoupe. Add 2 of overfill to the top 1/4 and you have a super light 20 degree bag. Add a 5/8 of a Z rest folded to fit the back pad of your day pack and a light bivi sack and you can stay warm and comfortable in pretty cold conditons for about 2 lbs.

When you keep moving, you don't need many extra layers. When you stop or are forced to, that's when you need warmth. Extra layers are far less important than good quality light bag, bivy sac and a short pad...