Cold Sleepers?

For some time I have been told by many customers that they are cold sleepers. When I hear the statement I always ask if in fact they are sleeping; they always answer no. So there are no cold sleepers, but rather people who want to sleep but aren’t because they are cold.

As a rule people who go camping regardless of the reason; hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, etc. they all have a sleeping bag. They are generally in reasonably good physical condition, and have knowledge of what they are doing. However, over the years the majority have found that when it is time to go to sleep the bag they use hasn’t performed as the manufacturer has advertised. That is until Wiggy’s bags have come on the market. All of the people who have told me they are “cold sleepers” not sleeping do now stay warm and sleep because they are using a Wiggy’s bag.
Another physical occurrence that people experience when they are cold is the frequent need to urinate. Lots of older men think they have some sort of problem as can be the case, however when you are cold and not sleeping you do urinate more frequently. I was hunting with a fellow a few years ago who spent an uncomfortable night not sleeping because he was cold. He got up 14 times he told me to urinate. Recently I discovered the reason; it was because he was cold. The first nigh he was using a bag rated to +20 degrees, I know it would not perform at +20. The next night he used an Ultima Thule (-20 F) Wiggy’s bag and slept all night. The temperature at 12,000 feet on Fossil Ridge in November is as usual -20 F or colder.

The human body is quite remarkable as to how it takes care of itself. A common symptom of cold weather and its effect on the human body is to cause it to increase urine production. Exposure to cold causes a reduction in blood flow to the surface of the skin by constriction of blood vessels. This reduces the overall volume of the circulatory system so increasing blood pressure. The body’s response to this is to reduce the fluid volume by getting rid of water in the urine. So when you get cold, you want to urinate.
It does not make a difference what your age or gender is when you are trying to sleep and are cold you will not sleep and you will be urinating.

I wonder if the geniuses who are working at trying to produce a sleeping bag for the military are cognizant of this type of information; no, unless of course they read my articles. The military is making an effort to get industry to make a bag for them that will perform at +20 degrees and weight less than three pounds and fit into a space that is maybe 6 x 6 x 6 inches. Unfortunately what they want can not be made, however some in industry will show them something they will claim will work. Its performance capability will be supported by the copper man who does not urinate but if the same bag were to be used by a real live human who does urinate they will because they are cold and the will not sleeping.
I read where Natick has given I believe a contract to a company in Washington or Oregon to make a copper man that sweats, now they need a copper man that pees.
I am told that a new cold weather sleeping bag is going to be asked for from industry for the military. The temperature rating that they will be looking for will be about -25 or there about. I am quite sure the weight and stuffed size will be such that it will not be able to be made. But the geniuses who write the specifications they would ideally like to have will probably not listen to someone with knowledge. Again they will probably look at the copper man to support them. Again if they give these bags to humans the humans will not sleep and will be urinating often, more often when the temperature is below zero than above zero.
Imagine issuing these bags to soldiers serving say in Afghanistan where the temperature is below zero and not getting sleep while in a combat zone. Doesn’t that have a direct effect on ones physical capabilities; of course? It will also be some what demoralizing to the individual soldiers when they constantly have to get up and urinate.

The problem as I see it is a lack of desire on the part of those who want to make sleeping bags and in the case of those who work for the military who buy bags, they too do not realize the importance of understanding how the body works, nor in my opinion do they want or care to learn.
If you know what you want to accomplish then you have to learn about the materials that can be fabricated to facilitate an end product that will do what you want it to do. Knowing and understanding how the human body works will lead you to being better able to chose materials that will not inhibit the body from functioning as it is supposed too. It is equally important for an individual to have this understanding of their own body so they can be better able to acquire a sleeping bag or even an outerwear garment that will actually perform as they want.
I read an article about the delay that congress imposed on the military with respect to ordering hummvie’s that were made IED proof as bets as possible. As a result of the delay I believe two years at least 100 lives were lost. Maybe if we lose soldiers to hypothermia there will be a wake up call to order sleeping bags that actually work in the field vs. on a copper man.