GEAR: Sleeping Outside

Part of staying healthy in the backcountry is getting enough sleep to restore your energy and rest your muscles and bones. It wasn't until I found myself atop a volcanic crater, in the middle of the night, with a popped sleeping pad and aching hips, that I truly realized how crucial it was to get my sleeping situation dialed. My problem on the craters was that all the pumice and rough rock really puts delicate, light sleeping gear to the test. I had always known that a ground cloth was probably a good idea....but was it essential? Purchasing a lightweight footprint would cost me upwards of $50...and it's not even a fun piece...you see my struggle. Yes, I was being stubborn, I'll admit it. Feeling defeated after my sleepless night, I took a trip to REI and roamed the isles looking for a more moderately priced footprint...yeah right. What I settled on was the super basic blue tarp for $3.50! Duh...why did that take me so long? (http://www.rei.com/product/798413) When I got home, I was able to cut it in half (customized size) and enough was left over so Tim could have one too. Two ground cloths for the price of one...and super light! Problem solved.

Another wonderfully cheap and durable ground cloth is Tyvek Home Wrap! It's really light and can be even cheaper than your basic tarp...try free! Tim had this great idea just as a house in our neighborhood was undergoing a remodel. He asked one of the workers if he could have a small scrap of Tyvek and they were more than generous. The Tyvek now serves as our tent footprint and is on it's second season with no signs of wearing. Goodbye sleepless nights and sore hips...hello sweet sleep relief. That's just the beginning of my sleep secrets....stay tuned for more!