WOMEN'S SPECIFIC SLEEP SYSTEMS: CONSIDER MAKING THE SWITCH (REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU IDENTIFY)

Sea to Summit

a woman sits on her sleeping mat in a sleeping bag in the middle of the forest in the sunshine

Because maybe you could be sleeping better in the outdoors.

When pack space is at a premium, your camping gear needs to be as space-efficient (and light) as possible. This is particularly true of your sleep system: of your gear, it may take up the most room in your pack, Having When the right equipment is essential for a good night’s sleep.

Our women's specific sleep systems, were designed to be different from the ground up. End-users (and reviewers) have noticed the difference.

a man and a woman lie in nature on their sleeping mats and sleeping bags and read a book and enjoy nature

ONE SIZE DOESN'T ALWAYS FIT ALL

(And ‘shrink it and pink it’ doesn’t work for anybody)

As with a lot of other outdoor gear, the default choice for women’s sleeping gear has been ‘unisex’ models. In the real world, women tend to sleep a few degrees colder than men, and their height, weight distribution and metabolism can differ, too. Women also tend to sleep on their side, frequently in a ‘figure four’ position.

"When a woman carries a standard mummy-shaped sleeping bag, designed around a typical man's physique, she is carrying extra length and shoulder width," said designer Brendan Sando. “The bag’s insulation will be suited to a male sleeper, and the shape of the sleeping bag and sleeping mat are often too narrow for side sleeping”, he added.

These may sound like minor points, but they can add up to mean chilly feet or cold spots at the hips or knees.

MORE WARMTH, BETTER ERGONOMICS, BETTER SLEEP

a woman blows up her sleeping mat with the air stream while standing

WOMEN'S SPECIFIC SLEEPING MATS

Our women's specific sleeping mats are shorter, narrower at the shoulders and wider from the hip to knee. This lowers the weight that has to be carried, and provides more space for side sleepers to roll over comfortably.

Women's specific Air Sprung Cell sleeping mats have extra THERMOLITE insulation, and thus higher R-Values compared to the unisex versions

The women's specific Self-Inflating steeping mats have different body-mapped Delta Core and Delta Core-V patterns to create Comfort Warmth Zones for women, while saving weight and reducing packed size

a woman lies covered up to her eyes in her sleeping bag in an open inner ten

WOMEN'S SPECIFIC SLEEPING BAGS

Like our sleeping mats, our women's specific sleeping bags are shorter, narrower at the shoulders and wider between the hip and knees. This thermally-efficient shape allows a natural position-on your back, side or in a 'figure 4' —without knees or hips flattening the insulation. Most women (and some men) will find this more comfortable and warmer than narrower mummy—shaped designs.

Extra insulation is added using body-mapping data. Some of our down models also have a layer of THERMOLITE in the footbox for extra warmth.

The most important thing is to think of these items as components in a sleep system. You can buy a great sleeping bag, but lose warmth into the ground by using an inadequate sleeping pad – so the two pieces of gear should both be appropriate for the anticipated conditions. And – you absolutely should use a liner with your system:

a woman sits in an inner tent in her liner and sleeping bag and looks towards nature

SLEEPING BAG LINER

Sea to Summit’s technical liners (Reactor, Breeze) are so incredibly stretchy, that a women’s-specific shape isn’t necessary.

You can find the complete line of sleeping liners here. Whether you choose a thermal boost liner like the Reactor or Reactor Extreme; or a moisture management liner like the Breeze the liner forms a next-to-skin layer that will enhance your comfort.

(It will also reduce the frequency with which you will have to wash your sleeping bag, which is a great side benefit.)

a man lies on his back in good weather with his legs on top of each other on his sleepin mat

PILLOWS

Like choosing the right sleeping liner, pillow choice often comes down to personal preference. Consider size, weight, feel and shape (the last point is important for side sleepers). Maybe you like the feel of a down pillow. Or perhaps a Premium Pillow will feel more comfortable for you. Either way, our Pillow Lock System (supplied with our sleeping mats) will secure your pillow to your mat.

Sleeping well can make all the difference to your adventures. It gives you the energy and focus to climb higher or run longer. And it can make the difference between enjoying the outdoors and counting down the hours until you get home.

a woman sits in her tent and sleeping bag and laughs while drinking a drink from her camping cup

IS A WOMEN'S SPECIFIC SLEEP SYSTEM RIGHT FOR YOU?

Not all women should use a women's specific sleep system and not all people who use a women's sleep system are women. Regardless of how you identify, you should choose a women's sleep system if:

You're a cold sleeper
You're a side sleeper
Mummy-shaped bags feel too restrictive to you (please note: our unisex mummy bags are a more generous shape than most)
You're not taller than 5'10" / 178cm and want more insulation

If you would like suggestions for sleep system components that fit together and fit your adventure? Try our Sleep System Finder.