What do you sleep with?

[vagari]

I use an extra, extra large sleeping bag rated down to 0F. Too heavy to use when backpacking but dang comfy in my RV. Its 90" by 39" and is $80 on Amazon. Very highly rated bag.<br /><br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/Teton-Sports-...ods&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1326229015&amp;sr=1-7<br /><br />

 

[Willy]

She, I totally have a teddy bear my sister gave me, that lives with me in the van, he is such a cuddle monster, he ALWAYS is up for cuddles! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" />

<br /><br />&nbsp;I've got 2!! Okay, one of them's Coco, so technically only 1.. but she's sooo snuggly!&nbsp;

 

[josephusminimus]

Tank:&nbsp; I'm not sure cowboys do much sleeping in wool blankets these days, but they're still at a premium on the Rez.&nbsp; The preferred brands seem to be Pendleton and Hudson Bay.&nbsp; I've never had a Hudson Bay blanket, but I do have a couple of Pendletons I can testify are good and have held up well with a lot of use.<br /><br />However, I've been told by people who impressed me as knowing from experience that 100% Alpaca blankets are cheaper, lighter, warmer and a lot better buy for the money nowadays.&nbsp; The claim is that Alpaca's 5 times warmer than sheep wool.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.andeanart.com/catalog/Blankets+and+throws/100%+Alpaca+Blankets">http://www.andeanart.com/catalog/Blankets+and+throws/100%+Alpaca+Blankets</a><br /><br />

 

[sl1966]

+1 on the Alpaca blankets. Also you wouldn't regret having an alpaca poncho.&nbsp;<br /><br />

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;I've got one of those old grey wool blankets. have a denim duvet cover for it and it's heavy 'n warm; kinda like my first girlfriend, come to think of it but.. I'm much happier with the blanket and my dawg.

 

[karl]

Pretty sure that I could keep as warm with 4 Army blankets as one Alpaca at half the cost. Wouldn't feel near as bad if one disappeared or was damaged either. Probably not as sensual on the skin, but just as warm.<br />JMHO

 

[bk2valve]

Or you could go across the border to Mexico, buy 3 or 4 Mexican blankets, eat a few street tacos, make a stop at the panadaria for some empa&ntilde;adas, pick up your meds and a pair of glasses, come back and be warm, full, healthy and be able to see where you are going for about the same cost or a little more...<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Bri

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;I saw some 100% virgin wool army blankets going for $35 at an army surplus in Vancouver http://www.gorillasurplus.com/ultra-force-od-us-made-virgin-wool-blanket-p/uf9084.htm&nbsp;

 

[sl1966]

I saw some 100% virgin wool army blankets

<br /><br />They won't be after someone sleeps with them.<br /><br /><img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" /><br /><br />

 

[Willy]

<br id="tinymce" class="mceContentBody " />They won't be after someone sleeps with them.<br /><br /><img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" /><br /><br />

<br /><br />&nbsp;Just have to think of the Queen and they'll remain 100%.

 

[bk2valve]

Is anything less than 100% virgin wool still virgin wool? <br /><br />Bri

 

[peacetara]

Alpaca is AWESOME.&nbsp; it's also super super spendy.<br /><br />It's not 'better' than wool except:<br /><br />1) it takes less alpaca hair than wool , so the blankets are thinner for the same amount of warmth.<br /><br />2) they are 100% non-itchy.<br /><br />is #1 worth it to you? probably not, since wool is like 5000% cheaper, and it's not that huge of a difference.<br /><br />but #2 might totally make it worth doing.<br /><br />I have an alpaca blanket, (well the kids stole it from me) it's super thin, almost sheet like, but it's&nbsp; very warm.&nbsp; I love it when traveling on trains/planes/etc where you want to pack light, but also want to be warm (if like me you always freeze to death on planes/trains/etc).<br /><br />I have one that is 50% alpaca and 50% wool, and it's very very warm as well, it's WAY thicker (because of the wool), I found it at a thrift store in Seattle for super cheap.&nbsp; That one stays in the van, I don't let it out of the van, lest the kids try to steal it from me <img src="/images/boards/smilies/tongue.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />With Love,<br />Tara

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;Well, for #2, get a duvet cover. It also makes for less (possibly costly) cleaning of the wool blanket and there's nothing stopping a person from putting 2 (or more!) wool blankets in 1 duvet cover. One thing I've found, since I use duvet covers on all my comforters/blankets, is that large safety pins securing the corners keeps the inner blanket(s) from bunching. ..Willy.

 

[josephusminimus]

<p>Tank:&nbsp; I've always figured Otis for a Pendleton blanket man, but maybe not.&nbsp; Maybe it was Alpaca.<br /><br />Tara:&nbsp; Sometime early this century when I was scrambling hard to make a living a guy who'd been raising llamas and had a barnroom full of alpaca that had been there several years and who'd like to have the space offered it to me if I'd haul it off.<br /><br />At the time I was doing a lot of business wheeling and dealing on the Rez and knew some Navajo women who made rugs and blankets.&nbsp; I thought I was onto a gold mine.&nbsp; Went all over the Ramah and Pine Hill rezes trying to find someone I could sell that alapaca to if I took it from the guy.<br /><br />Still strikes me as strange not a one of them would touch it.&nbsp; Not at any price.<br /><br />I offered to buy the blankets from them at the going price I was buying wool ones, but they still wouldn't have anything to do with it.<br /><br />Maybe that guy still has it in his barn if he's still alive.</p>

 

[peacetara]

tank: I totally agree with the Duvet Cover idea, or just put it on top of your other blankets (which is what I do).<br /><br />josephusminimus: Back then it wasn't the "in fad" of the moment, and was not remotely common.&nbsp; You do have to treat it differently than wool.&nbsp; Personally I'd love to try my hand at it, but I'm still trying to learn how to knit!<br /><br />Myself, I'm not willing to pay remotely full price for alpaca blankets/clothing.&nbsp; I love alpaca, it's very very soft, and feels fabulous on the skin, but it's not worth the pricing. Eventually it won't be the "in fad" of the moment, and I'll be able to pick up a lot at thrift stores cheap, and I'll have awesome comfy warm winter clothes that will last me the rest of my life, for $5 a piece. I'm very very ok with that <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />I also think Alpaca animals are way cuter looking than sheep!<br /><br />With Love,<br />Tara

 

[sl1966]

Alpaca never costed me much. Then again my mom is Peruvian so we get stuff for cheap from that part of the world all the time.<br /><br />

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;Putting the wool blanket on top of the other blankets doesn't work too well given the ever present threat of the mud footed hound deciding to check things out.

 

[Rollin]

I have 3 wool blankets. Two of them come from&nbsp;pendleton (check e-bay). One is a&nbsp;Israeli military&nbsp;surplus.<br />&nbsp;<br />The&nbsp;military is buy far the thickest and&nbsp;cheapest&nbsp;but the&nbsp;smallest&nbsp;( in sq. area). &nbsp;<br /><br />Very&nbsp;happy&nbsp;with the&nbsp;pendleton&nbsp;products. One is thick and one is thin.<br /><br />Might look into a sleeping bag liner (extra large) but have been told that I'm a thrasher when I sleep. Never have enjoyed sleeping in a bag (too confining).<br />&nbsp;<br />Will&nbsp;Google both&nbsp;Alpaca and&nbsp;duvet cover as I am&nbsp;ignorant&nbsp;of both.

 

[MrNoodly]

I discovered a few years ago that I fall asleep faster and sleep deeper when I'm fully dressed, including shoes. In a van, it also means being able to jump up and deal with something in the middle of the night. I haven't needed to try it, but I suppose sleeping in something like a snowmobile suit would work in cold conditions.

 

[TnTravel]

Bodhi that's funny my wife does the same thing I call it her vampire sleep.