sack with a down orPrimaloft jacket. Or for even more comfort and a soft feel against yourface, use a microfleece as the pillow case and fill with down clothing.Or more fleece. Or spare kit.Finally, if you're feeling spartan, boots - or in winter

This week's Monday Tip is about choosing a sleeping bag for bivvying in the UK – should you go for down or synthetic filling is the looming iceberg of a dilemma...In general terms, the differences between down and synthetic are relatively

because it seems benign in the valleys, don't assume it'll be the same higher up the hill.Temperature DropIt's not automatically the case that temperatures get lower the higher you go - in some conditions, cold air can pool in the valleys - but generally

, can save valuable time fiddling with straps.If the snow is soft and your boot bites into it and gives decent grip, you definitely don't need crampons, they'll simply slow you down. Ditto if hoofing great steps have already been kicked into the slope

position to plan a day onthe hills. If the country was flat and paved, everything would bedead easy. Fortunately it's not and it's the bumps, lumps and changesof surface that make route-foinding skills crucial. If you're notsure what a map symbol means

at least slow it down...Block That Neck Hole!The poor basic design of the human body and the need to breathe and see where you’re going means that all waterproof jackets have a fundamental flaw - there’s a whopping great hole in the top to accommodate your

escapes down towards the top of the Devil's Kitchen path, down Y Gribin, down the steep scree beside Bristly Ridge, further round down the Miners Track either down to Bwlch Tryfan or on the other side to Pen y Gwyrd or you could follow the ridge all

. You can wrap your core in layers of down or fleece or synthetics and various high tec fabrics, but if your neck is exposed, you'll still be leaking heat unnecessarily. Seal That Neck OpeningWell-designed outdoor clothing may well give you

that it willkeep the lining of your sleeping bag cleaner and mean you don't have towash it, which with down in particular, can be a right hassle. Finally, when you're out on the hill, take the time to air your bag inthe morning, particularly if you have a bag

and eventually the foam’ll flatten out. Under your bed is an ideal storage space, or upright against a wall with the valve open at the highest point.For carriage, pack the mat down by rolling it up with the valve open before closing it - you may have to do