Which Sleeping Bag

[parshal]

I have two Feathered Friends bags. One is the Lark (10) and a Wigeon (-10). The Lark weighs exactly 32 ounces and compresses to next than nothing. The Wigeon weighs more and takes up quite a bit of room compressed. I use the Lark 90% of the time when backpacking. I apparently get cold and felt the extra 10 degree rating was a bit better than the more common 20 degree bags.

They're not cheap but are well made and will last a long time.

 

[Wisconsinvette]

Hello all,

I am looking for your experience and opinions with backpacking sleeping bags. I am looking to get a new bag for next year and have been researching an ok amount, but want to hear what you all have to say about which bag you use and why. Do you use down or synthetic? What temp rating? Brand preferences?

Thanks in advance for your input!
John

Can't go wrong with WM bags. Monbells spiral DH is nice as well.

 

[22nut]

I use the marmot 0. Works fine for what it's is. Light too.

 

[Mike 338]

Some folks throw top dollar into their bag and ignore what goes between themselves and the ground. Because it's so important, I rate a very good sleeping pad as important as the bag you crawl into. Spending top dollar on a good pad isn't like top dollar on a good bag. You can easily get away with a decent bag atop a very good pad but when it's cold out, a poor pad under a great bag is just a poor night's sleep, followed by some buyers remorse.

Thermarest makes some very good rated cold weather pads. As for bags, I'm going with a 0 degree down quilt and a down hood. I can increase that rating with a down coat and insulated pants. I've also put boiling water in a nalgene bottle and stuffed it at the bottom of the bag or between my legs for warmth. That's good till about 2:00 a.m. All that said, so long as I'm well insulated from the ground, a synthetic Slumberjack 0 degree bag served me well for years.

Note: Down bags/quilts aren't so great if your soaked from rain or sweat and you crawl into the sack, hoping your body heat will dry things out. Best have dry bed clothes.

 

[Cutback]

Marmot Helium, 15* less than 2 lbs.

 

[one crazy kid]

I use a Big Agnes Lost Ranger Dri-Down bag paired with a Big Agnes insulated 3 season air mattress. Down is light which I like, and the Dri treatment allows it to maintain its loft when wet. In December I carry an isolite pad to place underneath my sleep system for extra insulation from the ground. I grew up in the north cascades near Stevens pass and have spent many comfortable nights in all types of weather conditions with this system.

 

[Bernie Crump]

M1949

 

[Sflutes]

I have 3 bags I pack with & 3 for camp or extras now.
Marmot- endless summer ,-15 deg. down.
Kelty -never summer synthetic ,5 deg +
Kit bag down ,-30 & been down to -40 in it and was warm.
I will sleep at home under down comforter or a motel if I need a bed to sleep while hunting. And if I really need a bed I will stop hunting and go home to bed,I over did it big time!

 

[elkhuntingnut]

I'd strongly encourage a Western Mountaineering bag as well, but don't skimp on the sleeping pad. I'm a big fan of the Big Agnes Q Core for comfort and performance.

 

[JohnWess]

Thank you all for your input. For those who are curious, I did a lot of research and I have recently decided on my system. I will be using a Nemo 20 Degree Banshee Quilt with a Nemo Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad. I will have a folded over 5'x7' tarp under both to protect my pad and bag. This will give me the versatility to be comfortable in a wide variety of temp ranges, which the fall in the western US certainly has. If anyone wants to look into this system, I was able to get a screaming deal on the pad and quilt from Camp Saver with the "SPRNG20" coupon code they have going right now. Got both for under $400.

 

[packgoatguy]

In case anyone is making a similar decision, I will second those who recommended a "quilt" design vs a sleeping bag.

Ive used a "quilt" (essentially a bottomless sleeping bag) for many years for both summer backpacking and fall backpack hunting. The key is a quality insulated pad underneath you. I have also recently found that using some sort of a clip/strap system to hold the quilt to the pad makes for a much more comfortable sleeping situation. The best I have found is the Enlightened Equipment system.

Then as the the question about synthetic vs down... I do both... I have a lightweight down quilt and a lightweight synthetic quilt that I layer together. This helps me moderate my temperature, avoid sweating, and then I have the redundancy if things get wet. However, I do use a "treated" down in my down quilt, so it would have to get REALLY wet before it was a total catastrophe. Between the two quilts, my weight is less than the lightest weight down sleeping bags, and their combined warmth could take me about 10-15 degrees colder than a comparably weighted single quilt or sleeping bag setup.

 

[Swampr42]

The Enlightened Equipment Convert bag has been pretty dang good to me. I went the 10* regular wide. I tend to use it as a quilt in the warmer season and then I run it like a regular bag in the colder season. Best of both worlds.