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Let’s face it: it can be tough getting a good night’s sleep in the backcountry. Despite the fact that I generally hike long days, averaging upwards of 20 miles with several thousand feet of vertical climb and descent, even the most comfortable UL sleep system will often fail to provide rest for the weary, particularly in my case when it comes to staying asleep. Such it is that while I’m something of a gram counter when it comes to keeping my kit as light as possible, lately I’ve been heading the other way with regards to my sleep system in an effort to bag more of those crucial ZZZs that can make a huge difference in both performance and mood especially when on the trail for six or seven nights. To that end, I recently purchased an item designed specifically to mitigate the biggest problem* I have when hitting the trail rack, and that item is the Monkey Pillow by HikeBikeDale.

The Monkey Pillow is actually a pillow case that attaches to your pad. Shown here without inflatable insert

The Monkey Pillow is in fact a pillow case with elastic straps for attachment to a sleeping pad, inside of which you supply an inflatable pillow (not included) or spare clothing. There are several sizes and colors from which to choose, which now includes a variety constructed from Momentum 50 fabric; the one I purchased, shown above, is the “Small Monkey Pillow for camping” in the white on white color that weighs precisely 1.60 ounces on my digital scale meeting the manufacturer’s stated weight spot-on. The printed fleece side upon which you will place your weary head directly is very soft, while retaining a sufficiently sheer texture such that the effect is more like a soft baby’s blanket (which I suspect may be the whimsically patterned material’s source) than a pile fleece jacket – something I’ve slept uncomfortably upon in the past.

The reverse side is a thin sheer nylon, with two elastic cords well sewn onto each of the short sides of the Monkey Pillow case, permitting attachment to your sleeping pad of choice: for this test mine was a NeoAir All Season (size Regular) pad suitable for the 23 degree snowy conditions in which I tested the Monkey Pillow last week, and the small sized Monkey Pillow attached to the relatively large NeoAir perfectly. Point of clarification: any pad will do, but pay attention to sizing if you’re using a closed cell pad to avoid bunching. In conjunction with an inflatable pad the Monkey Pillow is a champ.

Deep snow and sub-freezing temperatures in Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest, elevation 4300′

Attaching the Monkey Pillow to the pad is incredibly easy, which is where my biggest problem* when sleeping outdoors is remedied: this bit of kit will keep your pillow in place overnight. All night. This has been a constant issue for me, particularly when using a quilt: with a mummy bag, such as I used on this overnight, I’ve previously been somewhat able to keep an inflatable pillow in place simply by bringing the pillow into the bag’s hood with me – but that loss of space can lead to discomfort. With the Monkey Pillow, you’re free to roll about – I’m a side-sleeper only – while the pillow remains in place.

Klymit Cush inflatable pillow used for testing

Again, the Monkey Pillow is actually a pillow case – you still need to provide your own actual pillow, and I have several inflatables from which to choose; you could certainly use spare clothing as well, but as I rarely bring spare clothing particularly in winter (wear em if you got em) I’m unlikely in any season to prefer that route vs. a dedicated, inflatable pillow. Over the years I’ve been moderately satisfied with the stock of BPL FlexAir dual chambered UL pillows (0.98 oz.) I acquired before the BPL store went bye-bye, which are essentially “disposable” hospital pillows, and have been fairly happy with the also now-defunct Kooka Bay pillow (2.2 oz.) I’ve used primarily for the past few years, but I’ve wanted something bigger that would still be light. Enter the Klymit Cush.

The inflatable Klymit Cush is designed to be folded in half or even in thirds to provide maximum head lift

The inflatable Cush weighs in at 3.08 oz. and yet is significantly more versatile and substantial for the 0.8 oz. weight penalty than the Kooka Bay pillow or the highly similar Mont Bell U.L. Comfort System Pillow, inasmuch as the Cush design permits multiple configurations for either increased pillow volume under your head – such as we side sleepers enjoy – or for use as a simple camp cushion. In the past, I would have hesitated to employ something this big and oddly shaped simply due to the perceived impossibility of keeping the thing in place overnight. Enter too the Monkey Pillow.

Backside of a NeoAir All Season pad with Monkey Pillow pad straps, slid neatly within pad channels

Again, as a disclaimer I was using an ALPS Mountaineering Navajo 20 degree mummy bag and as such did not have my head or face in direct contact with the Monkey Pillow, so I cannot yet speak to that comfort factor directly. I can report however that I had one of the best nights of sleep I’ve ever had that very cold night, returning happily to my previously reviewed Rab Summit Superlite Bivi mountaineering shelter, with the Monkey Pillow/Klymit Cush combination working sweet lullaby magic upon me, nearly uninterrupted all night and with nary a pillow issue whatsoever.

An additional note about this pairing as a side sleeper: if you’re like me, at home you likely sleep with an arm under your pillow not only because that down-side arm needs somewhere to go, but because your head requires a little more lift than your pillow alone to keep your head and neck at right angles or better to the bed. Basic bedroom physics! In the backcountry however you probably sleep with your arm tucked in, due to space constraints, cold temperatures, or the simple insecurity of having your arm hanging out from the side of your tarp on the ground. With this combination, and the Cush folded in half and secured inside the Monkey Pillow, I was able to sleep properly on my side with my head level, without my down-side arm and shoulder being contorted into an awkward position. All night long. I’m not sure if the Cush would have remained folded on its own, and I’m quite certain it would have found its way off the similarly slippery NeoAir All Season pad.

Monkey Pillow attached to NeoAir All Seaon pad, containing Klymit Cush Pillow folded in half.

CONCLUSION: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
The Monkey Pillow is an intuitive and clever solution to a very old problem I’ve had as long as I’ve been backpacking, and designer Wallace Hunter provides the answer for much needed rest with excellent craftsmanship, and a bit of whimsy. Indeed I appreciate that the Monkey Pillow doesn’t match the generic tones the balance of my gear employs, and I expect it will continue to make me chuckle right before I crash for a night outdoors. I’m particularly excited to use the combination of the two, including the Klymit Cush, in warmer weather w/a backpacking quilt, bivy and tarp, when securing a pillow within a mummy bag is impossible. While a bivy like my favorite, the MLD Superlight Bivy, implicitly helps corral you, your quilt, your pad and your pillow, the pillow never stays precisely in place – mine tend to get wedged between my pad and any gap at the bivy’s head, ensuring an instant drop out of sweet, sweet REM sleep.

I may review the Klymit Cush (and perhaps my old pal diphenhydramine) separately but suffice to say I recommend that uniquely designed inflatable sleep aid as well, when used in conjunction with the Monkey Pillow. True, I’ve increased the weight of my sleep system with this combination by nearly 3 ounces, but after returning from a winter weekend fully rested, I’m embarrassed to have even mentioned it.

Note: the Author acquired this equipment at his own expense and was not compensated prior to review by the manufacturer in any way.

MONKEY PILLOW FOR CAMPING. MSRP $16. ETSY.COM/SHOP/HIKEBIKEDALE

How a simple pee bottle eliminated my most bitter winter elimination complaint

The following is a simply a Public Service Announcement from me to you, as the lone author of this blog who consistently and happily relieves his bladder in the winter without having to leave his shelter. Basically 1) if you’re a man (key to the physics, sorry), 2) if you tend to require relief during the night, and 3) you like to be warm and dry, I cannot recommend this simple addition to your winter kit highly enough.

Say goodbye to shivering Nature Calls. Well, one of them.

The winter pee bottle is hardly a new idea, but IMHO this setup works extremely well. For this project you’ll need:

1. One Nalgene Wide-Mouth Canteen. 32 oz should universally do the trick. I repurposed an old one as I’ve been using these for years as my SteriPEN container of choice. 2 oz.
2. One Photon Micro-Light II Pro LED keychain flashlight, red beam (for night vision). I’m able to operate the push button Photon II for illumination and simultaneously hold the Nalgene steady with a single hand. 7 grams.
3. One Sharpie and/or a strip of duct tape. The Photon Micro dangling from the lid strap should be enough for you to distinguish this from your WATER bottle, but one can never be too safe. Mark it with an X etc. on both sides and use duct tape for texture.

For just over 2 ounces of packed weight you, my friend, can take care of business quickly, comfortably, safely and securely once you’ve mastered the technique: personally I’m able to simply unzip my bag partially and roll over to one side/pad edge; a thick winter pad such as the NeoAir All Season helps provide a little needed height differential, and the Nalgene wide-mouth canteen will unroll itself as you go!

The Photon Micro-Light II LED light (red) ensures accurate delivery and bottle identification

Conclusion: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This setup is frankly a must when I’m snow camping in a bivy sack with a tarp, as it just plain sucks to get out of your bivy and bag when it’s dark and below freezing, put on your boots, and seek relief. This is a lot easier to use than you think. When I’m done I tighten the cap of course, put the thing in a safe, distant upright place where it won’t be mistaken for anything else, and unless you’re dealing with temperatures near zero° F you needn’t worry about the contents freezing in the hours before you get up – your body has been wasting energy keeping that liquid at 98.6 degrees. Resist the urge to use it as a hot water bottle, however. Empty contents outside using leave no trace principles in the morning, roll up flat, close lid tight, wash out in the laundry basin when ya get home.

While I’ve made the switch recently from bivy to a full mountaineering ultralight shelter for snow excursions, Indoor Plumbing™ will always remain a key component of my winter kit. You’re welcome. 🙂

Will these lightweight, insulated waterproof snow boots live up to the hype?

Disclaimer #1: I am an unapologetic, absurdly dedicated Vasque Fanboy. With high arches and narrow feet, as an ultralight backpacker I hike almost exclusively in trail runners, year-round. I’ve been moderately happy over the years with Salomon and pretty satisfied with The North Face, but in my experience absolutely nothing compares to the Vasque brand for comfort, fit, arch support, traction, and durability. I ❤ my Vasques so much that I own two pair of Velocity VSTs, with and without GTX, that sit safely in my closet only to be rocked exclusively on week-long 100 milers or if I might be postholing in snow; a third pair of the updated Velocity is reserved for daily/weekly training.

Such it was that I rarely if ever used my favorite pair of boots, the Vasque Wasatch GTX, except for snowshoeing because however comfortable they are, frankly boots are heavy and my pack is light. And then, ahead of a February excursion Vasque provided an early Valentine: the Snow Junkie. [Disclaimer #2: tip of the hat to Ploss who did in fact order em first. I’m sure he’ll share his own thoughts on his pair as commentary.]

The Vasque Snow Junkie UltraDry™

Overview
The Vasque Snow Junkie UltraDry was released last fall and quickly won a Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice Snow Award for 2012; needless to say they were immediately slotted into wishlist pole position, and I finally had the opportunity to acquire and test a pair last weekend on a 14+ mile snowshoe overnight near Mt. Hood, Oregon.

Stomping out a tent site in 8″ powder

Weight
The Snow Junkie UltraDry‘s value lay in the unique combination of weight, warmth, and waterproofing. Weighing in on my digital scale at a mere 2 lbs. 9.4 ounces (1174g) per pair (men’s size 10.5)  they’re in line with the manufacturer’s spec and consistent with a retail spec of 1 lb. 5 oz per shoe for a size 11.5M. They’re also significantly lighter than my aforementioned, comfortable Vasque Wasatch GORE-TEX boots that weigh in at 3 lbs. 5.3 ounces per pair. In the field, they felt highly comparable to the trail runners to which I’m accustomed and sans snowshoes I spent my time in camp essentially unaware of them in terms of weight on my feet.

Warmth
This, despite the addition of 200g of 3M Thinsulate™ Ultra insulating material that I can attest did an outstanding job of keeping my feet warm not only during a full day of snowshoeing in frequently deep powder, but more importantly back at camp in an evening when temperatures dropped into the upper 20s. This was key. I’m still likely in the market for a pair of Goosefeet Down Socks & over booties for winter camp comfort as I tend to run cold, but I was very impressed by how well the Snow Junkies kept me warm for several hours of standing around in camp, waiting for Franken to boil snow for my dinner. Perhaps I should have brought my own stove…

The author awaiting 2 cups of boiling water

Waterproofing
As for the waterproofing, I could not be more impressed. On neither day did my feet get wet whatsoever despite stomping out a tent area, time spent in camp and significant hours of snowshoeing in often deep powder. For clarity, full lower body compliment:

• Smartwool (merino blend) Mountaineer socks
• Mountain Hardwear Nut Shell high gaiters
• REI Polartec Power Dry long underwear bottoms
• GoLite Reed pants
• Atlas 930 snowshoes
• Hat Tip: Body Glide Anti-Chafe balm. BG + Merino wool socks + Vasque footwear = zero author foot issues spanning 3+ years/many hundreds of all season trail miles

How does the Vasque proprietary waterproofing technology compare to GTX? Per the manufacturer,  “UltraDry™ construction combines a moisture management lining with waterproof components for dry, long-lasting comfort and performance” and in the field, the results were impressive. The leather/GTX uppers found on the Wasatch and other GORE-TEX footwear I’ve owned do an adequate job of keeping one’s feet dry in wet conditions, but aren’t particularly breathable – after a full day of backpacking upwards of 15+ miles in winter conditions my feet can get pretty cold simply from being damp & clammy. While I didn’t do much postholing in the Snow Junkies, I was astounded to find my socks completely dry when I called it a day earlier than Ploss and Franken would have preferred. It’s a small sample size but for winter backpacking these are quite simply the most waterproof/breathable boots I’ve ever used.

Ploss rocking his Vasque Snow Junkie UltraDry boots with snowshoes

Conclusion: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
The Vasque Snow Junkie UltraDry boots are not only the lightest waterproof boots the author has ever tested, they’re the warmest courtesy of an ideal amount of thin, light insulation. They provide the ankle height and fit one would prefer in lieu of trail runners in deep snow (particularly with gaiters), exceed expectations for waterproofing and insulation, and perform extremely well with snowshoes in particular due to their crazy light weight. With a 21 lb. pack full of UL winter gear, food and water I was perfectly comfortable traversing 14+ miles of varied terrain, and was equally satisfied back in camp standing about in the snow and cold. Given that I have previously opted for the posthole route when backpacking at elevation in Fall/Spring with trail runners, I’ll update this review again soon as I almost certainly will be wearing my Snow Junkies again instead on my next snowy trip, snowshoes or not.

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Update: I did in fact have an additional opportunity to field test my pair of Vasque Snow Junkie UltraDry boots in deep snow in April, once again in the Mt. Hood National Forest, this time without snowshoes – postholing in fresh, often knee-deep, powder for several hours and miles per day over several days. Pretty much worst-case conditions that were unexpected, as my hiking companion Franken believed that warm weather the week prior would leave the trail consolidated, leading me to leave my snowshoes at home (fail.) As before I wore Mountain Hardwear Nut shell high gaiters, smartwool socks, and GoLite Reed pants with the Snow Junkies, and the results were outstanding.

Deceptively compact snow at the trailhead. D’oh!

The Vasque Snow Junkie is the best pair of winter boots I’ve either owned, or short of plastic mountaineering boots, that I’ve ever heard of. No amount of postholing yielded either damp or cold feet, and once again my feet were sufficiently warm standing about in camp that a dedicated pair of down/insulated camp footwear seems unnecessary. These remain not only an ideal pair of snowshoeing boots, but a perfect way to traverse any non-technical route in the deepest, wettest snow you can find.

Note: the Author acquired this equipment at his own expense and was not compensated by the manufacturer in any way.

VASQUE SNOW JUNKIE ULTRADRY MEN’S BOOT. MSRP $129.95. VASQUE.COM