Rack Hacks: How to Sleep Better on a Navy Ship

Rack Pad

The issued mattress is a thin foam pad on a steel tray. A twin memory foam topper, trimmed to fit, is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your sleep underway.

Extra Black Socks

Laundry day comes once a week if you are lucky, and socks disappear in the ship's laundry. Bring more than you think you need and rotate them so your boots stay dry.

Extra Tan T-Shirts

You will sweat through a shirt a day in the engine room or on the flight deck. Extras mean you are not wearing yesterday's shirt because laundry is backed up.

Beanie Cap

Berthing air conditioning has two settings: broken and freezing. A beanie is also the fastest way to get warm on a night watch topside, where authorized.

Extra Pillowcase

The ship will issue one to you but having a spare is nice to keep your pillow fresh.

One pillowcase and a weekly laundry cycle is a bad combination. Swap the spare in mid-week and your rack smells like a bed instead of a berthing compartment.

Blanket or Sleeping Bag

Do you really want to sleep with a wool blanket???

The issued wool blanket is scratchy and does not wash well. A lightweight sleeping bag packs small, unzips into a blanket and feels like something from home.

Ear Plugs

For uninterrupted sleep.

Berthing never goes fully quiet: watch reliefs, the 1MC, the guy above you snoring and the ship itself. Reusable ear plugs are the difference between six hours of sleep and three.

Sleep Mask

Great for sleeping in the top rack because you have no overhead covering to block out light.

Half the compartment is on a different watch rotation than you, so the lights are never all off. A contoured mask blocks it out without pressing on your eyes.

Disinfectant Wipes

Kill those germs! Give your rack a good wipe before moving in to start clean and fresh!

Someone slept in that rack before you. Wipe down the tray, the rails, the light and the locker before you unpack, and keep the tub for the inevitable crud that goes around the ship.

Phone Clamp

Great for holding your phone/tablet to watch movies in your rack. 3M Velcro tape works great also!

A gooseneck clamp on the rack rail puts the screen right where you want it, hands free. It is the rack theater setup every sailor ends up copying.

Rack Light

Berthing is often dark which makes grabbing things a challenge. Don’t turn the aisle light on, grab one of these and your rack mates will thank you.

A magnetic, rechargeable light sticks to the rack frame and gives you enough to read, get dressed or find your boots without waking the compartment. Get one with a red mode for the darkened-ship hours.

Combination Locks

Combination lock removes the need to carry a key. WRITE THE CODE DOWN

You need one for your bunk locker and one for each foot locker, so buy a set that shares a combination. Keys get lost at sea and a locksmith is a long way away.

Clothesline Rope

Great for hanging wet towels.

Towels do not dry folded in a locker, they mildew. A few feet of paracord strung in your rack or the shop gives everything a place to dry.

Thermals (Men's)

Depending on where you are located or what time of the year it is, thermals will help you contain your body heat to keep you warm in the cold weather.

A winter North Atlantic or Pacific transit is cold in a way coveralls alone do not handle. Fleece-lined thermals under your uniform make a topside watch survivable.

Thermals (Women's)

Depending on where you are located or what time of the year it is, thermals will help you contain your body heat to keep you warm in the cold weather.

Same idea, cut to fit. Get a set that wicks sweat as well as it insulates, because you will go from a cold weather deck to a hot space in a single trip.