I have always used a sleeping bag when I am in the woods, but am interested in building my own wool bedroll. I am a big fan of natural materials when possible and wool in particular. I would love any advice on what everyone is using to make their bedrolls, including ground cloths, mats, etc. If you have one you are really proud of please post a pic or video, thanks.

Semper Fi

For a bedroll I carry a wool cloak. It's pretty much a large wool blanket with a hood and draw string. No, I do not run around like Frodo in the woods. It is carried like a "Hobo Roll" or in a roll around the shoulder and torso as seen in many pictures of Civil War soldiers. It leaves my left shoulder open for shouldering a firearm if I so choose to bring one and it itself can carry items like my mess kit and spare rations.

I will also use a straw mat as an insulator from the ground or as an extra blanket if I can insulate myself from the ground in another way.

Rereading my own post, it came through as "Hobbit Roll".... dangit.... lol

Where did you get the wool cloak? I have been thinking about getting the German Flecktarn shelter half like the one we reviewed and making a wool blanket copy that would attach inside giving me kind of a wool poncho liner. Thoughts?

That is cool. Does it open in the front like a cloak or is it enclosed like a long pullover? I am a big fan of pine straw myself, where available.

Chance Sanders wrote:

Where did you get the wool cloak? I have been thinking about getting the German Flecktarn shelter half like the one we reviewed and making a wool blanket copy that would attach inside giving me kind of a wool poncho liner. Thoughts?

That is a great idea. One of my other posts is about the German Flecktarn shelter half. I just ordered two of them today and that sounds like a good experiment for the second one!

Jarred Cooper wrote:

That is cool. Does it open in the front like a cloak or is it enclosed like a long pullover? I am a big fan of pine straw myself, where available.

Yea, it opens up. Imagine a cape that wraps around you with a hood.

Chance Sanders wrote:

Where did you get the wool cloak? I have been thinking about getting the German Flecktarn shelter half like the one we reviewed and making a wool blanket copy that would attach inside giving me kind of a wool poncho liner. Thoughts?

Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. If you look long enough you can find cloaks online. You could make one real easy out of a surplus blanket.

Bruce Pandoff wrote:

For a bedroll I carry a wool cloak. It's pretty much a large wool blanket with a hood and draw string. No, I do not run around like Frodo in the woods. It is carried like a "Hobo Roll" or in a roll around the shoulder and torso as seen in many pictures of Civil War soldiers. It leaves my left shoulder open for shouldering a firearm if I so choose to bring one and it itself can carry items like my mess kit and spare rations.

 

You should do a video on how to roll it, i like that configuration

Been using my light sleeping bag (the patrol bag of the USGI 3 part sleep system) and packing my 90/10 wool blanket as well for a groundsheet/mattress/extra warmth if needed this year, so far, I haven't been cold yet and the temps have gone down overnight into the 5-8C range Thats the low 40's for you non metric types. :) This pic is from last weekend, I had a thermarest under me and thats my kid's 20 degree Kelty mummy bag next to me.

I take it using a cloak or bed roll must be lighter if you back pack far.  I was thinking about doing that as well.  I hate carrying my sleeping bag, ground mat and

tent.    I was also thinking about the next time I back pack NOT taking a tent.  Just making a shelter.  I never made one before or slept in one.  In Colorad it get's pretty cold at night!  I would have t ouse my -10 bag or SlumberJack 25 deg bag.  I hope a bear doesn't mistake my shelter for a place to sleep LOL.  I would be warm though with all that fur.  I would wake up to a grumpy old bear with bad breath LOL.  Has anyone here slept in a shelter and what was it like?

I have slept in a military shelter half, there ok. I have also made a shelter out of two army ponchos, they snap together on the sides and make a descent little shelter. The army poncho liner can be used as a sleeping bag/cover too. And all lightweight. Cut some cedar limbs with green on them, lay them down, if your on rocky ground, it gives you some padding.  

Does anybody know of a really light sleeping bag, anything under 2 pounds?

Kevin Frier wrote:

I take it using a cloak or bed roll must be lighter if you back pack far.  I was thinking about doing that as well.  I hate carrying my sleeping bag, ground mat and

tent.    I was also thinking about the next time I back pack NOT taking a tent.  Just making a shelter.  I never made one before or slept in one.  In Colorad it get's pretty cold at night!  I would have t ouse my -10 bag or SlumberJack 25 deg bag.  I hope a bear doesn't mistake my shelter for a place to sleep LOL.  I would be warm though with all that fur.  I would wake up to a grumpy old bear with bad breath LOL.  Has anyone here slept in a shelter and what was it like?

yes, a wool blanket and SOL  heat sheet (survive outdoors longer...they should really of goten a better name...LOL)  in 9 degrees C is prety worm. they only problom is it collects a lot of condensation...unless you have air flow but with air flow the cold air gets in and the warm air gets out. you just have to play around with it and find what works for you. I make an A frame with a gap between the ground and the heat sheat and fill the gap with debree and just leave a spot without debree for my breath to excape. I also block of the back of my shelter with debree and I use my coat or sweater as a door at the front. my wool blanket is my ground sheat plus I have some debree under me. it was fun.

I'm going to bump an older thread, with what I feel is pertaining information.

I can't stand sleeping in a sleeping bag they are noisy, uncomfortable, and restrict freedom to roll around. I've tried many, and always end up using them like a giant blanket anyways. So, I went to Harbor Freight and bought a large canvas tarp. I chose canvas because it would be easy to waterproof, easy to work with, and was durable. I then folded in in half, and using canvas strips, attached five "D" rings and snaps. These rings and snaps allowed the sides to then be folded into the middle and secured to hold it all together. I've had it for four or five years now and have used it from summer trips with night highs of 80-90s and frosty nights below freezing. I mostly sleep either out in the open on a cot near the fire or in a vehicle cargo area. The ability to toss a few blankets inside and be able to sleep under or over blankets to regulate how warm I sleep is great! The trade off is that it is kinda heavy, but still managable.

Laid out with a single wool blanket for reference

folded about in half, just slightly under, with one "wing" folded in also.

The side "wings" now folded to meet in the middle and secured with snaps/D rings

Ken,

I used to carry something similar when I would take canoe trips, it just got too heavy to carry on my back. But mine was made with very thick canvas.