Sleeping Bag Recommendation

imported
#1

I hope some of you can find the time give your advise regarding the minimum temperature rating and required for a sleeping bag to be used for a 2006 PCT thru-hike, starting next April. I am an average to warm sleeper and I need a large bag - width-wise. I want to use only one bag for the entire hike and I want this bag to be under 2 lbs if possible. I have an old North Face Ibex, which is heavy by todays standards and doesn’t compress very well, but otherwise is still in perfect shape.

Tom (Nitnoid)

Tom

#2

Good question. I think that most people bring bags that are rated (with true ratings) between 15-30F. My guess is that more people go with 15F but I’m not sure of this. I’m inclined to buy a new bag at the 30F end of the spectrum but I’m not sure if that’s a wise choice. Hope some veterans chime in on this.

Marmot’s bags are pretty darn wide and I know that Western Mountaineering has some models that are wide too.

JackH

#3

Another option if your not sure about a 15 vs 32 degree bag would be to go with the 32 degree bag and also use a bag liner. The liners give you three benefits:

  1. Add about 5-7 degrees warmth
  2. Help keep the interior of your bag clean
  3. Give you greater versatility with your bag

Drawbacks:

  1. Costs extra
  2. Weight may be an issue

jaws

#4

Consider getting a quilt. A Nunatak USA Arc Alpinist will keep your warm down to 20 degrees and the girth is adjustable. In warmer conditions it can be opened up as a quilt. In colder conditions, you can sintch it down tight so there is less volume to warm up. And because of the adjustable girth, it is easy to wear your jacket to bed if it gets really cold. And weights in a 20oz with a Pertex Microlight shell.

http://www.nunatakusa.com/Sleeping_Bag_Arc_Alpinist_Sleeping_Bag.htm

Bob

Bob

#5

I second the quilt suggestion. I made one from Ray Jardine’s kit for Matt and I to use on the trail next year. So far, we have loved it, but I plan on bringing along some super lightweight liner to keep it a bit cleaner and add some extra warmth when needed.

I purchased the ‘Alpine’ version which is rated to 10degrees, but with two people in it - it can get pretty toasty. Otherwise the standard Ray Jardine quilt is 40degrees (I think).

Kate

#6

Take care. I’ve always questioned those “adds 5 (or 7 or 10) degrees to the bag’s rating” squibs. They’re usually quotes from somewhere else. Try it out yourself on a cold night and make your own comparisons.

Personally, my Jag-bag silk bag liner kept my bag’s interior clean, and that was about it! But, that was worth alot.

Jan LiteShoe

#7

I’m going to be the balancing voice with Jan here.

Quilts: I too have a Jardine quilt but I don’t like it. I hate the feeling of cold air coming from the sides on a windy night. Keeps me awake. It’s fine if I’m in a bivy sack though.

Liners: I don’t think that my liner makes my bag noticeably warmer. If my sleeping bag isn’t warm enough, the liner isn’t going to tip the scale toward a comfy night. It usually ends up somewhere around my waist anyways. I do like it because it keeps my bag cleaner but I doubt that I’ll bother with the extra weight on my hike.

JackH

#8

Thanks to all for your help.

The Nunatak Arc Alpinist caught my eye too. I tend toward claustrophobia, and don’t usually cinch up the hood around my head in my Ibex, even when really cold. I camped a couple of weekends ago in Anza-Borrego desert, and the temperature dropped to about 35 deg. I used the Ibex as a quilt and stayed warm in a tent using a Thermarest and a fleece cap.

The only downside is the cost of the Nunatak. I don’t sew, so home-made is not an option. Will need to sell some old gear and toys to gear up for next year. I am finding that it is expensive to gear up for lightweight backpacking, but I do take care of my equipment so should last many years.

I like the liner too. Once summer arrives, I could send it home to save weight, however, that is when I really start to stink, so I may need to keep it to save the bag. Time will tell. Is silk the material of choice?

Tom

#9

I use a 3oz. Jag-bag with a homemade down quilt and feel it’s well worth it’s weight. I do agree that the liner is not as helpful when used in a good bag. The liner seems to moderate the leakage from the bottom edge of the quilt.

cliff