re: Camping in single digit temps

Some good replies:
1. drop the coin on a very good mummy sleeping bad. My first winter campout we hit about 2 below the first night. Luckily my dad forced me to take his old Navy wool sleeping bad liner. That inside my montgomery ward bag saved me. That same night a kid put the space blanket over him instead of under him and melted a hole down thru a foot of snow. Woke up in a lake. The newer bags are pretty awesome but $$$
2. getting up the next morning was brutal at that temp. Just starting a fire was like in slow motion.
3. good mittens! or layer system. The OR mutant mitts are my favorite with wool us army liners tertiary.
4. good boots! I use the usgi bunny boots.
5 a good hat or head system. I use a poly balaclava and a british army mtp goretex covering.
6. the smarts to know what to do if you fall in something and get wet. Your feet will be fine with bunny boots but its your legs freezing solid that gets you. Have firestarters with you and the means to ignite it several ways.
In deep snow an igloo is way warmer than any tent but gotta stay away from the wet flor. Need some serious mats or skins for that. Some tents are a bitch to set up in thsoe temps. I love snow shelters or even hemlock or spruce bows in a lean too with a fire going.
Quite honestly training and experience helps alot. Theres a reason guys go to the SERE schools for this