Baby...it's cold outside....

“I need advice on a winter bag!!!...
Enlighten me...”

“Its cold here too. I might have to think about breaking out some long pants and a jacket soon.”

“Divinity - down is costly, but is warmer, lighter, and lasts longer. It's worth the extra money. Add 20 degrees to a bags temperature rating and that's what it'll really be good for (ie a 0 degree bag is really a 20 degree bag).

And throw a Nalgene bottle filled with hot water into your bag before you turn in to help keep you warm and toasty.

looks around guardingly for "florida boy" comments”

“Don't listen to that Florida boy! what could he know about cold? Why I...what? Oh yeah, right. Ummm...I'm a Florida boy too.

Nevermind.”

“LOl..hehehhe”

“I am considering down....anything special I need to look for?”

“Stay away from 550 fill, and make sure that it's all down, and not a mix with feathers.

For a 0F bag, make sure that there's an extra draft tube sealing the head area from the rest of the body. Most of them have that though, even my my el-cheapo Campmor 0F bag has that.”

“Hi BIT!!!!”

“Getting one for Christmas?”

“Nope.....Not sure if Santa is bringing me anything....LOL....but buying myself one after......”

“Hi StoveStomper...”

“I really can't stay
(but baby it's cold outside)
I've got to away
(but baby it's cold outside)
This evening has been
(been hoping that you'd drop in)
So very nice
(i'll hold your hands, they're just like ice)
My mother will start worry
(beautiful whats your hurry)
My father will be pacing the floor
(listen to the fireplace roar)
So really i'd better scurry
(beautiful please don't hurry)
but maybe just a half a drink more
(put some records on while i pour)
the neighbors might think
(baby it's bad out there)
say what's in this drink
(no cabs to be had out there)
i wish i knew how
(your eyes are like starlight now)
to break this spell
(i'll take your hat, your hair looks swell)
i ought to say "no, no, no sir"
(mind if i move in closer)
at least i'm gonna say that i tried
(what's the sense in hurtin' my pride)
i really can't stay
(oh baby don't hold out)
baby it's cold out side
i simply must go
(but baby it's cold outside)
the answer is no
(but baby it's cold outside)
your welcome has been
(how lucky that you droped in)
so nice and warm
(look out the window at the snow)
my sister will be suspicious
(gosh your lips look delcious)
my brother will be there at the door
(waves upon the tropical shore)
my maiden aunts mind is vicious
(gosh your lips are delicous)
but maybe just a cigarette more
(never such a blizzard before)
i've gotta get home
(but baby you'd freeze out there)
say lend me a coat
(it's up to your knees out there)
you've really been grand
(i thrill when you touch my hand)
but don't you see?
(how can you do this thing to me?)
there's bound to be talk tomorrow
(think of my lifelong sorrow)
at least there will be plenty implied
(if you got namonia and died)
i really can't stay
(get over that old out)
both:baby it's cold
baby it's cold outside”

“Thanks Tarabull...love the song...what kind of winter bag do you have???”

“What kind of temps do you think you will be sleeping in and where?

Do you think a women's bag will fit you better? You need to climb into a few bags to see if they really fit.

Jan. here in the SE is much different than in the NE.
Temps on the ridgetops in the Smokies can be very cold.

Are you looking for a zero, ten, or twenty degree rated bag?

What kind of price range can you swing?

People on this forum have been known to give away good bags ever now and then.

Questions, questions, questions.....”

“OMG...where do I start..LOL”

“down is costly, but is warmer, lighter, and lasts longer. It's worth the extra money.

It's also much more compact.”

“Ok..I am trying to lighten my pack...I'm....5'3" I tend to have cold feet and I know NOTHING about down....what about getting it wet??
I would think 10 degrees would be ok....”

“best thing for cold feet - a nalgene filled with hot water”

“a nalgene filled with hot water - just make dang sure it ain't gonna leak!”

“What about those hand warmers???”

“Best thing for cold feet......a warm body...LOL..hehehehe”

“I think I'm gonna go see divinity.....”

“LOL..ya better hurry..I am going to drink a few beers with my friends tonight......”

“divinity - drink a couple for me!

I think I'll have a beer RIGHT NOW!”

“will do.....

now about that bag subject....

any ones to stay away from??

any ones to look into???

I want a bag that is going to last me awhile and good quality so I don't mind spending a little money....

and my next big investment will be a new pack..any suggestions there???/”

“My zero degree bag is good for zero degrees, and 20 is good for 20 and 40 is good for 40. Oh yeah, I'm not from floor e duh, I'm from Maine.

And when I use two bags together, I feel like they are good for 20 degrees lower, with of course, my favorite piece of...er gear... my sleeping bag warmer, my wife Skeetah Bait. (Smirk) She's gonna kill me, now.”

“Go with a lower temp rating then you think you'll need, at least 10°/15° lower. I've never meet a woman that complained that her winter bag was to warm.

If you got the bucks, go with a Western Mountaineering...Feathered Friends are good too, just a tad narrow for my tastes”

“Take a look at these:


Marmot Angel Fire +15 , 2 lbs. 10 oz. $199


REI Down Time +15 , 2 lbs. 13 oz. $169


Marmot Pinnacle +15 , 2 lbs. 9 oz. $289


Western Mountaineering Antelope Super MF/DL +5, 2 lb 10 oz $365

The Marmot Angel Fire looks like a good bag. Any of you ladies got one? Speak up!”

“thanks all...I will look in a bit..I am off to have a few beers...
hugs.....
I do love a good cold beer...”

“well be sure to give your cold beer a hug for me (GRIN)”

“Divinity - I have two winter bags:

-10F Sierra Designs something or other. Synthetic. Heavy

+10F REI DownTime. Down. Relatively light.

The DOWN vs SYNTHETIC debate:

Synthetic is usually less expensive, dry quicker when they get wet, are pretty bulky.

Down can be expensive, packs much smaller and weighs less.

That's all I know. Hope it helps.”

“also:


Marmot Teton +0 , 3 lbs. 8 oz. $249


REI Down Time -10 , 3 lbs. 8 oz. $219”

“Down lasts longer so it should be more cost efective in the long run.”

“Divinity, Most down bags have a water resistant shell now. Down is absolutely worthless when wet though so you really need to be careful with those nalgene bottles.

I have the REI downtime -5° bag. I think their rating is a little bit optomistic. The zipper catches often. It's a decent bag for the price.

Also have have a Big Agnes twenty degree down bag. It was more expensive but the zipper doesn't catch, the draft tubes are way better, the fabric is so much nicer, the fill is higher, and it's oh, so fluffy and warm. It's rating is right on, imo.

Check gearreview.com for opinions on stuff you're looking at. Sometimes there are some pretty helpful reviews.”

“I"m a really warm sleeper so take this for what it's worth. I use a 20 degree bag and have never gotten cold, even on a couple of 5 degree nights on high ridges in the Smokies. I've thought about putting a liner in it if I ever go where I expect real cold temps, but I'm in the SE so haven't done it yet. Mine is a synthetic fill, didn't want to spring the bucks for down, but down is a lot lighter and packs a lot smaller.”

“Thanks for all the imput....I had 3 beers....have to be up at 4am...so I'll see ya then...LOL..
Night”

“What about those handwarmers???....do they work...do they get too hot???...

are the thermarests better to use than my blue thingy in the winter??

and why???/

Off to work...y'all have a great day!!!

Oh another question....

what kind of winter camp clothes do you carry???

and do you wear the same boots to hike in winter and summer....( in my area)?
Thanks”

“I used those tosty toes warmers at Mount Rogers. They have a sticky side that you put on your sock. Then I put on another pair of socks. The only problem with them is they only last 5 hours. They are not as warm as the hand warmers maybe so they don't burn you. I would use the regular hand warmers between 2 pairs of socks in colder weather. There are some of them that last 12 hours! You keep warm now you hear.”

“Thermacare sore muscle pads last eight hours and don't get too hot. They're expensive though. I got one for free somewhere along the line and it was awesome. Not reusable though.

Winter clothes: windblock fleece pants and coat along with a down sweater, windbloc fleece glooves and regular quilted nylon overmitts. Fleece balaclava, down booties for around camp and capilene long undies along with layers of wicking clothes. Don't always wear all of it at once, has to do with how cold it is. I also have some Columbia bugaboots I wear if snowshoeing. If hiking I usually just stick to my gore-tex Montrails with fluffier thorlo socks. You could probably just upgrade your socks to warmer ones I bet.”

“ok...what does 600 or 800 down fill mean????

Sassafras....I was looking at Big Agnes ahwile back...do you really like yours???....doesn't it come with a pad too???”

“Man, I must be a hot sleeper cauz all I use in my Kelty 20 degree bag. If it is real cold, I put a hat on my head.”

“what does 600 or 800 down fill mean???? - divinity

Money, 800 down is a better quality than 600.

I believe it means 1 oz of the down will loft up and fill up 800 cubic inches of space.”

“I am hopeing that I can beat my low temp this year when backpacking.

-25 without a windchill.

Oh ya bring it on!!!!!


8)”

“That was in shorts, right dude?”

“17 degrees...not bad for Alabama..I did fine but got cold on way out....took me forever to get warm again.....”

“No it was not in was in the snow in Michigan.


8)”

“That was with Chris, Gary's nephew, right?”

“No Gary's.


8)”

“wrt 800 down vs 600 down - another thing to note is that in addition to using less down per unit volume the 800 down has fewer quills and as a result a lighter fabric shell can be used than the somewhat heavier down proof shells used lower fill power down”

“wow...so the higher the number the better.....”