Sleeping System Checklist

Track & Canopy · Updated 2026-10-16 · Tick items as you pack — print or save as PDF from your browser.

Shelter

The shell sets the airflow, the draught line and how much warmth the rest of the system can hold.

  1. Double-wall tent with a mesh inner and adjustable vents Essential
  2. Swag with a ventilating canvas and a raised groundsheet
  3. Rooftop tent with the ladder clear and the mattress rated for cold
  4. Footprint or groundsheet sized under the sleep area Essential
  5. Second groundsheet or tarp under a swag, sized past the bed
  6. Repair tape and a patch kit for the mesh and the fly

Bag and liner

Chosen for the design night with a margin, and stored loose rather than crushed.

  1. Sleeping bag rated to the trip's design low, minus five Essential
  2. Fleece or silk liner adding a small warmth step
  3. Two bags that zip together for a shared cold night, if the crew fits
  4. Loose storage sack rather than a compression strap, all off-season Essential
  5. Waterproof bag holding the sleep set in the vehicle or pack

Insulation under you

The ground steals heat all night. The mat is the part that loses the argument least often.

  1. Insulated mat with the R-value for the season, not just comfort Essential
  2. Second mat or a blanket as a ground layer under the swag or tent Essential
  3. Gear bag or spare clothes packed along the bag's edges as a draught seal
  4. Patch kit and the valve spare for inflatable mats
  5. Beanie or spare layer under the head for the cold ground line

Pillow and head

The neck is the fastest way to wake grumpy in a warm system.

  1. Camp pillow sized for the shoulder, or a stuffable case
  2. Clothing bundle in a bag as the backup pillow system
  3. Ear plugs and a sleep mask for shared camps and bright dawns

Sleep layers

The kit you change into at the tent door. Dry, warm and never worn hiking.

  1. Dry base layer reserved for sleep, never the hike layer Essential
  2. Fleece or light down layer for the cold camp and the bag top
  3. Beanie for the head loss, kept in the bag's foot or hood
  4. Clean socks in a bag, sealed and dry, one pair per night
  5. Hot water bottle for the bag's foot, on genuinely cold nights

Night routine kit

The small items that turn the system on and off the same way every night.

  1. Head torch with a red mode, on the same hook every site
  2. Flask or jug of hot water beside the bag, capped and secure
  3. Vent-open checklist and the dew forecast habit on the tarp line