Sleeping Bag Help

[nubus]

Down is going to have the most warmth per weight, but it's useless when wet.
I love my down bag, but also wind up sweating on most occasions.

 

[Gunner3456]

A little off-topic, but we long ago learned when hunting high and cold country (-30 degrees) that the ground would suck the heat out of us faster than anything. We had burros to pack in a wall tent, and we took bales of straw to insulate under the bags.

On overnighters, we always cut pine/fir boughs to keep us off the ground. I took garden pruners to get lots of the soft stuff.

$.02

 

[knuckle Head]

Well I have used the marmot pinnacle in +5 degrees in a lean too on a ridgeline with a wind coming in and never got cold, but I am a warm sleeper and was eating high calorie high fat food which processes in the body at a higher temperature in your body making you warmer. I know a guy who used in the Himalaya's same situation and was just fine.

My nephew swears by the sleep system, he used it iraq in the winter and in the alps, he keeps around for him and his wife just in case.

 

[kenno]

I'm a goof when it comes to bags except I know that down only works in deserts and artic condiions. I've had some expensive synthetic bags that did work well untill the fibers started to break down and matt.
My rule of t humb is that any bag that says that it is good to +32 is good to about +50
Good to -5? Good to +20
Good Long Johns, socks and cap will see you through cold nights with a bad bag better than a good bag, sleeping naked.

 

[Gunner3456]

One more time. The ground will suck the heat out of you for two reasons. It's cold and solid, and your body compresses the insulation. Try to get off the ground on straw or pine needles or evergreen boughs or something.

 

[kenno]

One more time. The ground will suck the heat out of you for two reasons. It's cold and solid, and your body compresses the insulation. Try to get off the ground on straw or pine needles or evergreen boughs or something.

^ This +100
I froze my ash off in the desert more than once, and when I moved from the Low Desert to the High Desert with a 80 degree swing in 12 hours, it's like living in the worst of 2 worlds, you sweat to carry a big bed roll and 12 pounds of water then you freeze at night and awake dehydrated!
It's a hard world there, HARD without water, look at the faces of the PPL that stayed and survived in E orygun. At 40 they look like 70. Decades without ease, comfort, or water

 

[knuckle Head]

A little off-topic, but we long ago learned when hunting high and cold country (-30 degrees) that the ground would suck the heat out of us faster than anything. We had burros to pack in a wall tent, and we took bales of straw to insulate under the bags.

On overnighters, we always cut pine/fir boughs to keep us off the ground. I took garden pruners to get lots of the soft stuff.

$.02

Excellent point, and extremely true, I started the A.T. with a rubber foam mat and did not sleep that well at night, I switched to a lightweigth hiker thermarest I slept like a baby at night after that, a little wieght than a foam rubber pad but the extrra weight proved well worth it in getting a much better nights sleep.

 

[Gunner3456]

If you buy a standard foam rubber pad, it has to be at least 4" thick to keep you from compressing it too much. Also, you have to hunt around for one that's closed cell so that it doesn't soak up moisture like a sponge. I've found them at upholstery shops and they cut them to size for me. They aren't cheap!! If you are camping near your truck or if you have pack animals, a 4" closed cell foam pad is HEAVEN.

 

[accurateone]

Great Info... specially about avoiding Hypothermia using a good under padding. Personally I like Thermarest. Having had a few sleep systems my "Go to" is a Browning -20. It dries and does not stink like down, Breathes so can be used in summer too, and is SO comfortable... not too heavy, and a good nights sleep under stressed circumstances is Oh SO worth it. OUT of the Mummy bags, Good Down bags and the Browning my teens always grab MY browning so the family is all being switched over. Got it on sale under $100 at Sportsmans.. Hope this helps.

 

[Gunner3456]

Great Info... specially about avoiding Hypothermia using a good under padding. Personally I like Thermarest. Having had a few sleep systems my "Go to" is a Browning -20. It dries and does not stink like down, Breathes so can be used in summer too, and is SO comfortable... not too heavy, and a good nights sleep under stressed circumstances is Oh SO worth it. OUT of the Mummy bags, Good Down bags and the Browning my teens always grab MY browning so the family is all being switched over. Got it on sale under $100 at Sportsmans.. Hope this helps.

+1 on the value of a good night's sleep. You're already tired from everything else you're doing.

 

[nitestocker]

i dont know what type of camping your going to do but if its here in wa.,or get something in the o-degree. i got a marmot and a Hennessy hammock setup dont get something in the 40 degree,s range or you"ll be sorry

 

[jimwsea]

You can also try craigslist.org if you don't mind a used bag. There are many people who go camping once or twice and stop going, or are upgrading their equipment. I've sold two tents that way.

I bought a very solid car camping tent last year for $40. I looked at two tents, setting them up and crawling around inside. I turned down the first and bought the second.

The important thing is that you can inspect before you buy.

 

[One-Eyed Ross]

Old Army adage..."Travel light, freeze at night"

I use a GI intermediate cold weather bag .... love it. Hope to replace it with the newer modular one soon.

 

[knuckle Head]

Old Army adage..."Travel light, freeze at night"

I use a GI intermediate cold weather bag .... love it. Hope to replace it with the newer modular one soon.

These are good bags i have a few, do not skimp here, you will pay for it as said above.

While doing the appalachian trail, myself and another hiker, put a third in between us in a lean too, one night. I and the other both in our sleeping bags, had the third guy between us because he sent his bag home to save weight and do more miles, but he quickle learned you never send your bag home on the A.T. not even in summer.

Anyways we were trying to keep the as much cold air off of him as possible lying between us and wearing all of his clothes, my rain gear, two survival blankets over him and a poncho.

Whatever bag you get, make sure you get one that is rated for at least +10 or 15, no less and talk to people and listen to the good and bad experiences of all.

As stated earlier, I use a Marmot Pinnacle down bag. But I put mine in a stuff sack and the stuff goes in a trash compactor bag inside the bottom of my pack, got wet this way, and then when I sleep in bad weather I am in a bivy sack, with a lightweight tarp or ponho over head so i can get in and out of the bivy sack without getting water inside.

 

[Buddhalux]

If you want really light weight do what us grunts did. Body bag turned inside out (single zipper handle), 1 or 2 poncho liners, and a space blanket on the bottom. Just don't zip it up all the way or you'll wake up soaked to the bone with condensation.

 

[Sabertooth]

What is the temp ranges you plan to use your sleeping bag in? Make sure the sleeping bag is rated for that temp at a min.
I have had a Army surplus down mummy bag since the early 60's. Got married and found out two don't fit.
I also have a roll of 6mill black plastic that is packed with the sleeping bags and tent. Unroll enough plastic out to cut the shape of your sleeping bag or tent. Lay out the plastic and put your sleeping bar or tent on top. Has not failed me yet. Even when setting camp on top of 4 feet of snow.
Warm and dry all night.
Been doing it this way since before Kennedy was pres.

 

[sadiesassy]

I would agree that you need to make sure you are comfortable with a mummy style. I sleep on my side and the mummy can be constricting. I use them when Hiking - but prefer a warm rectangualr bag that I have had for 18 years for general camping.
More importantly - you need to be realistic about how you plan to use and transport the bag.
Go look at some minimalist hiking web sites. Because you will find out that it is like clothing - you wear it in layers.
Some military bags are built that way/ .
I use a 3 season bag with a very light wieght tent. It covers everything from heat to snow. You can augment it with liners, use different pads - lots of ways to extend into winter

Might try the Cocoon out of Korea - Emergency shelter

Something very important to consider... a lot of the high end light weight super compact bags are of the 'mummy' style. DO NOT GET A MUMMY SLEEPING BAG UNLESS YOU SLEEP LIKE A MUMMY!!! I had a mummy bag once and I almost tore it because I kept going on my side and trying to bring my knees up and also stretching out again with my legs apart. I absolutely can not sleep restrained like those mummy bags force you to. Consider that.

I could only sleep for like 3 hours that whole night because I was so constrained in the mummy bag. I ended up unzipping it to get more wiggle room, but was super cold.

 

[x1hunter89]

best sleeping bag ever is a us army sleeping system coves with light heavy and a bivy cover that is rain proof and can provide a bit of shelter ebay is a good place for this also comes with a stuff sack so you can make it as compact as possible

 

[JGRuby]

I bought a cheap sleeping bag teh first year i went elk hunting - bad mistake - froze my tail - the next year went and spent about 150$ on a slumberjack that is large canvas bag but it fits me well - it was worth every penny as the second year we were out it got down to -7 at night. Here are seme free recommdations and what I have found to be true,
1) Its not good to lay on the ground but its also not good to lay directly on a cot as the cold air will get to you from below - either way you need something to insulate you trom the ground or the air. I use a Fred Meyer foam pad on top of a wool felt shipping blanket. Wool felt shipping blankets are also worth collecting for this time of the year. During the summer and early fall a tarp and a sleeping bag work great for scouting - no problems laying on the ground then except its hard.
2) Air mattresses suck for fall weather or cold weather camping. Stay away from them except for summer months.
3) That cheap sleeping bag really helps in cold weather - you put it on top of your good sleeping bag when it gets really cold out - also works during the day if you just want to take a nap.

James Ruby

 

[pokerace]

Look close at Estate sales.You can pick up some older very good stuff at a savings.