Staying Overnight in the Wild

Staying overnight in the wild is for some a dream and for others the scariest thing on earth. Staying out for a night in the Alps can be a bit tricky at first. But with a bit of preparation and the right equipment, it is a very relaxing and remarkable thing to do.

Before staying outdoors overnight in your area of choice, please check with the local regulations and law. In most areas, it is not allowed without explicit permission. But be aware that these rules change fast, especially these days. Unfortunately, there is a rising number of violations and people leaving all type of trash behind. This results in further restrictions and pollution of the environment we all love and love to spend time in. So please take good care and leave nothing behind and take only good memories with you.

Preparation

Spend some time with your maps and ideally identify 2-3 flat spots with water close by. Expect to spend some time in the outdoors to find the perfect spot for your night's rest. Be assured you will not like the big stone under your pad once night has fallen upon you, so do your recon before nighttime.

Having a river or lake close by is really handy as you won’t have to carry water for extended distances. And it usually provides great scenery to spend the night.

And once again, don’t forget to check the local law on spending nights in the backcountry. Leaving no tract behind should be a no-brainer.

Equipment

The key equipment for spending a quality night outdoors is the so-called “big four”:

• Shelter

• Sleep System

• Cook System

• Pack

In this article, I will provide some background information and tips on shelter and sleep system. The cook system will be covered at a later point in time and for the time being, just chose a pack that will accommodate all your gear.

Shelter

For shelter, there are multiple types, from very basic to almost “palast” like. Based on my experience, I will cover tents and won’t go into details on tarps and bivi bags. Also, hammocks are left out in this article.

Tent

A good tent is key to spending quality sleep even in windy or rainy conditions. It may also protect you from insects at dawn.

A good tent (or shelter) provides protection from the elements, being that mainly wind and any form of precipitation. For tents, there are two main types: Single wall and double wall tents. The most common are double-wall tents. They usually come with a body and a fly. Some sort of poles are usually required to keep the tent in its upright form. Double-wall tents offer the benefit of being less prone to condensation but tend to be heavier than single-wall tents. They can also be a bit more complex to set up (depending on the model).

Single wall tents, on the other hand, are usually very light and easy to set up. They though can be prone to condensation and require some condensation management (i.e. ventilation). Single wall tents can also be less weather-resistant (i.e. some rain splash can enter the inner via the side walls) and are airier. Most single wall tents further optimize weight by not requiring specific tent poles, but rather your usual hiking poles for stability. This can be a major weight saving if you hike with poles anyway.

Some recommendations:

• Tarptent Stratispire 2: A palast for one person and good for two friends. Very stable and highly rated. Especially great for windier conditions above the tree line. There is also an DCF version (called Stratospire Li) which is even stronger and more lightweight.

• Zpacks Free Duo or Triplex: One of the best single wall tents you can get, especially if you hike with poles and like to go light. My go-to tent.

• Hilleberg: Any of the Hilleberg tents are great. Pick one of your required size, and you get some of the most bomber tents on the market. Good quality and very storm-resistant. They are not light and cheap.

• Nemo Hornet or Dagger: An interesting double-wall option with a reasonable weight. Solid option and you might get it for sale online.

Sleep System

The sleep system consists of usually two items: your mattress (or sleeping pad, providing isolation from the ground) and your sleeping bag (providing your warm cocoon to sleep in). For sleeping pads, there are foam pads or air-inflated ones. I would highly recommend air-inflated ones to anybody, they add so much comfort to your sleep. You will happily carry the few extra grams. I personally do watch for lightweight equipment - but when it comes to my pad, I rate the quality of sleep higher and gladly accept some extra weight in my pack for extra padding at night.

Some recommendations:

• Nemo Tensor: My personal favorite in 2020. Comfy and not too heavy. You can’t go wrong with this one.

• Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLight: Probably the lightest, still comfortable sleeping pad you can get. I personally like it a bit more plush than the UberLight can provide.

• Sea to Summit Ether Light XT: The newest addition to my gear closet and tested once. Great. It does add some additional weight (compared to the Tensor) but is even more comfortable due to the extra thickness.

For sleeping bags, there are two types: the classical sleeping bag (mummy style or other) and a quilt. Everybody probably has used or at least seen a sleeping bag - they are either down- or synthetic-filled. Down-ones are usually lighter and can be better compressed, but need care not to get wet. Synthetic ones are usually a bit heavier and absorb less water, resulting in more warmth when wet.

A quilt is a minimalistic sleeping bag or closer to a blanket. There is not “underside” to sleep on - this warmth is provided by the pad anyway. As such, you can save weight and some people prefer the mobility of a quilt compared to the constricted space of a mummy bag.

For sleeping bags or quilts, always take the recommended comfort temperature as first guidance. Over time and with experience, you know if you are rather a warm or cold sleeper and what bag to bring depending on the expected temperatures. You usually don’t want to bring something too cold, but also not too warm. Some people bring an inlet for multi-day trips to have more flexibility in varying conditions.

Some recommendations:

• Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30: A cottage company with probably the best sleeping bags in the world. The Hummingbird is my bag of choice, but there are lots of good options.

• Sierra Designs Cloud 20: A special type of sleeping bag as it comes without any zipper. It is my personal favorite as I simply sleep well in this bag. Not the warmest.

• Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20: One of the best quilts out there. If you are into quilts, you can’t go wrong with this pick. You can choose the color and down fill power on your order - marvelous.

Closing

I hope these tips will help you to plan and run your first “overnighter outdoors”. It is highly addictive…

Also check out some additional information on spending a couple of nights outdoors in one of our older blog posts.