OregonMouse always gives excellent advice. I enjoy reading her posts.

I have a recommendation that you might find interesting. Cascade Designs (the company I rep for in the Rocky Mtns) last year introduced a new sleeping bag for side sleepers. Working with ex-Feather Friends designers, they came up with a unique bag that they felt wasn't currently being addressed in the outdoor market. According to their research 70% of people prefer to sleep on their side, not their back. Most mummy bags would have you move with the bag which can be quite claustrophobic. In my past backcountry sleeping experiences I would wrestle with my Marmot Hydrogen which resulted in me sliding off my pad. I had to figure out how not to move at night or if I did move and finally got into a position I was comfortable in, I would find that I had slid off the pad again. I would then have to fight my way back on thus losing, again, my comfortable position. It was frustrating and made a tough sleeping arrangement even tougher.

The new sleeping bags have "SynergyLink" bands that hold the pad to the bottom of the sleeping bag. Unlike a 'sleeve' found in other bags, these bands allow for 20" or 25" wide pads (sleeves only allow for 20" wide pads for most backpacking sleeping bag models), but yet allow the user to move like they would in a normal sleeping bag, meaning you can bend your knees, sit up, etc. However the best part of these bands is that they accommodate side sleepers better than any other bag/pad combination currently available. By having the bands attach about 6 inches underneath the bag, as the person moves to their side, the side of the sleeping bag moves up towards the body thus eliminating any dead air space. A 'sleeve' system creates a 'teepee' effect which creates dead-air space, the enemy to the design of a mummy bag. As result they simply cannot maintain their temperature rating.

The other great thing is the pad doesn't ever slip out from underneath you. The sleeping bag also stays in the exact same position as when you first got into the bag with the zipper in the same place as well (I hate sleeping on the zipper). This bag allows you to use a 20" wide pad without worry of falling off. It also allows for a 25" pad if you prefer. I found that it's really easy to get the pad through the bands. The 20 degree bag (Thermarest Antares) weighs in at lb 15oz for the regular size and packs down super small. It has 750 down fill.

As far as a pad goes, the NeoAir Trekker could be an option. It's comfortable, light, packs small, and retails for $129. Cascade Designs does make it in a 25 X 48" size. I personally would love to see a 25 X 72 size. The other sizes are regular (20 X 72) and large (25 X 77).

You can check out the rest of the bags and pads on www.cascadedesigns.com and click on the Thermarest link.

I hope this helps you in your search to find the perfect solution for sleeping in the backcountry.