womens sleeping bag

“Ok ladies that pack light. I'm looking for a +15 ar below bag that is light and will pack small.
We got her a Osprey Aura 50 pack this weekend at REI (after fitting up every pack in the store this is the one she loved) and now we are looking for a sleeping bag that will not only keep her warm but pack small enough to not take up a whole lot of space in her pack.”

“Go with as high a fill of down that you can afford. I like Big Anges, lots speak very highly of western mountaineering and feathered friends. Try them out, get in them and see how they feel.”

“Also not sure how many backpacking couples are on this site but does anyone know will one stay warmer in their own bag or zipped together with another person?”

“Would the Big Agnes Roxy Ann +15 Sleeping Bag work with a Thermarest Pro lite 4 pad?”

“I own the REI Kilo -5 womans bag and love it. I sleep cold. I bought it for winter camping though. It weights 2.8 lbs and I just stuff it in the bottom on my bag without the stuffsack so it takes up a lot less room. In the stuff sack it's like 8 x 18 or so. Here's the specs.
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47978817

I own a "Moonstone" "Lucid" which is a 20 degree, that I use for warmer seasons. This one packs down to the size of a loaf of bread.
specs here:
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/moonstone/800-lucid/

Looks like the Moonstones are discontinued so if you find one it would be a great price. I remember paying close to $300.00 for mine a few years ago.”

“Moonstone and "Lucid" are mutually exclusive, or should be.”

“Yeah, I didn't see one on any of the sights. However, here's one listed on Ebay. Same one I have.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Moonstone-Lucid-800-Fill-20-Degree-Sleeping-Bag-Reg_W0QQitemZ130069222647QQihZ003QQcategoryZ87101QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem”

“Thanks songbryd. If ya don't mind me asking what size pack do you use?

My wife sleeps cold by that I mean if its around 40 degrees a +20 bag is cold for her. I love the idea of packing the bag with out the sack. It would mean less empty spaces in the bottom of the pack which occurs with a compression sack.”

““Also not sure how many backpacking couples are on this site but does anyone know will one stay warmer in their own bag or zipped together with another person?”

I was always told by the reps that when you zip two bags together you loose a bit of the efficiency. Two 20° bags zipped together do not make a 20° bag any more.”

“Thanks Mtsteve that may be a problem we are having then. We always zip the bags together. I sleep so warm I can't tell any difference.”

“I use a Western Mountaineering down bag and I love it. Packs down small, lightweight and I find that it is true to the rating.”

“““Also not sure how many backpacking couples are on this site but does anyone know will one stay warmer in their own bag or zipped together with another person?”

I was always told by the reps that when you zip two bags together you loose a bit of the efficiency. Two 20° bags zipped together do not make a 20° bag any more.”
mtnsteve
9:38:13 AM
1/16/07



The heat loss from the hoods not being completely around the heads tends to make the combined bags less effective.

Still, it's worth it to me for a cuddle pardner. ;-)”

“I can answer that. If you take two perfectly good 20 degree bags and zip them together, you make one crappy 40 degree bag.

CS and I decided to zip them together one time and both of us damn near froze to death.”

“Wow I'm glad I posted this thread.

Todays lesson

1. Don't zip your bags together if you want to stay warm.

2. Try stuffing your sleeping bag into your pack with out the stuff sack.”

“flasher,
During the 3 season and when not carrying the Bear Vault I use the Gregory G pack. besides the main cavity, you can get a ton of stuff (if needed) in the outer mesh tub. Plus, I find this pack very comfortable.
Specks:
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47881121&parent_category_rn=4500574

During the winter or when doing an extended day trip with the bear vault I use my ULA P2 which is no longer called the ULA P2. I think they have improved this one. The replacement is here:
http://www.ula-equipment.com/catalyst.htm

On the ULA pack, you order all the parts separately so that you get a good fit. Also, you can get the hood or not which also can be turned into a fanny pack. Came in good use when I did Whitney in '05. ;)”

“We got a Big Agnes down bag for my wife, and she likes it. She is pretty picky about, well, everything. Later I got a big agnes pad at an rei garage sale ($5).

I have very warm and very light (two different bags) Western Mtneering bags. They are great.

However, the Big Agnes having a sleeve for the pad is a very good idea, because you never slip off your pad. I was in a snow cave with my son the past weekend, and he was Mom's big agnes, and I in my super lofty WM, and my feet got cold because my thermarest pad shifted under me. It was too cramped in the snow shelter to rearrange it. I'd buy a WM bag that had a pad sleeve, if they made one.”

“songbryd,
Which pack do you carry the REI Sub Kilo and which one for the Moonstone. I ask because her pack is the a 50 liter pack.

So far my options are the
REI Sub Kilo -5
Big Agnes Roxy Ann
Mountian Hardware Womens Cloud Rest (on sale at a local store for $184)
REI Mojave +10 Sleeping Bag
WM VersaLite Super (If I work a lot of overtime and save up)”

“REI makes pretty good bags but the zippers snag badly and the ratings are not true imo. I have two, a -5° and a 45°. I'd say they're about 10° off.”

“I bought a Wenger (swiss army) at Academy for about 80 bucks. It's a 0 degree bag and it is toasty. If it's above +5 you'll almost sweat in it if you wear thermals. Has a nice flannel covered unzippable foot box too. Weighs about 3.5 pounds though and is a big large in the pack. It's down too.”

“of course my last option is to keep her womens TNF Snowshoe and pack it with out the compression sack.

Chappy thanks for the post but If I do buy a bag I want it lighter and smaller than what she has already.

I have to say being a gear freak (in the making) its fun buying for my wife. She lets me pick out gear give her options and then make a purchase.”

“Sounds like you two got a good system going there for gearing up.....”

“I received a mountain hardwear phantom 15 woman's bag for Christmas... didn't like the three quarter length zip and the material was kinda crunchy... but it was light. I am exchanging for a Western Mountaineering bag (which was recommended to me in the first place by moutnainrunner). He loves his WM bag.”

“Flasher,
I can carry the REI Kilo -5 bag in either pack. My smaller pack is 44 liters. I just can't carry the Bear Vault in that pack with all my gear. My summer pack fully loaded ends up being around 30 lbs and my winter pack around 35. Remember also that I am carrying all my own gear (solo) where as you will most likely be sharing gear with your wife which should reduce her load. Just make sure to compare the weights of the bags to the down fill. I find that all those extra bells and whistles add on weight and get in the way when in use.
Also, I've never had a problem with the zipper in my REI bag as mentioned above. It works great.”

“Hey,
Here's another great site that has owner and tester reviews of most bags. If your willing you can also become a tester yourself.

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Sleeping%20Bags/”

“Grrr. One thing thats is kind of pisses me off is every companies website uses something different as far as stuff size for sleeping bags. Example on TNF website the womens snowshoe says a stuff size of 7x18. Now owning of of these bags I know this means in the compression sack TNF gives you.

Now go to Mountain Hardware and the Womens Cloud Rest shows a stuff size of 8x18. Well this is a down bag so do they mean in a stuff sack or a compression sack?”

“They always quote the size using the bag it comes with. i can usually get it smaller with a compression bag. Just remember though, you increase the weight with a compression bag because it has all the straps and buckles. That's why I just fill the bottom of my pack with the bag without a stuff sack. If your worried about moisture you can always line the inside of the pack with a trash bag.”

“I have the Sub Kilo and use it for all trips except for snow trips. Comfy, nice material that feels like silk, and is toasty warm! And it compresses down very small.”

“I bought and used a Woman's REI Kilo -5 this weekend expecting great things because the temps were only going to be in the low 20s, I figured on being toasty for the first time on a winter camp. Yes, I sleep THAT cold!

The first thing I learned is that a woman's bag is just too doggone short and narrow for me, and I'm tiny. I am 5' 4" 3/4 inches tall and only weigh 104 on my fattest days; 100lbs is normal for me. My feet were literally crammed down into the foot box when I stetched out on my tummy or back and that meant cold tootsies. Also, whenever I moved around in the bag, for instance rolling from one side to the other, either all the warm air wooshed out, or all the cold air rushed in; leaving me cold cold!

The next night I was forced to sleep in two sets of long underwear and one wool sweater just to be warm, this did work.

This bag would probably be fine for a shorter woman who doesn't sleep as cold as me, but it isn't for me. I'll be looking again next month.

Btw, when did sleeping bags get so slick? OMGosh I was sliding all over the place on a very slight incline, it was actually quite hysterical, I woke my son up by laughing because I turned over in the middle of the night and went slip sliding across the small tent face first into the side and tried desparetly to gain purchase and crawl my way back to the middle without any success at all, just kept sliding back, and back again!!! :O) LMAO!
last edited: 1/29/07 7:56:39 PM”

“Thanks Pamela I'll now have to do some more thinking of buying a bag as I was set to get this one for my wife.”

“Anytime flasher. How tiny is she? Back, tummy, sidesleeper, or all three like me? Does she sleep as cold as I do?”

“Subtract about 15-20 degrees from any REI down bag rating.
I too returned the REI SubKilo I bought.”

“Laurie is 5'6 135 lbs and tries to sleep only on her back but winds up on her tummy and side in the morning. When we both had 20 degree bags zipped together and the temps got down to the low 40's high 30's she would get cold while I'd still be comfy. Both bags where identical TNF's Cats Meow. I was on a Prolite 3 pad she was on a Prolite 4 pad. Thats when I got her the Snowshoe bag and it worked great the one time we went out with it. But with her new pack space is what we need to worry about hence why I'm looking for down bags. So right now the MH Phantom 0 bag has my interest. I keep going back to REI to look for the bags as the 20% off sale is coming up and I should have around $55 in dividends coming back So I'm looking around 100 bucks off a bag if I buy there.”

“Pamela: "does she sleep as cold as I do"?

Looks like a contrast study is in order. Or, is there something you're not telling? How does flasher know this? Huh?”

“Hmm this presents a delemia as my wife probably wouldn't like the idea of me sleeping in the same sleeping bag as another woman and vice versa.”

“ok ok! excuseeeeeeeeeeeeee me for the duh factor!!!!”

“Good to know Pamela...

I have the sub kilo +15 bag and really like it. I thought about buying the -5, but wasn't sure if it would keep me warm enough in below freezing temps. I am only 5 ft tall, but sleep really cold. I used my +15 in the desert last weekend and it was perfect, but the temps only got down to the low 40s i think. So maybe I should reconsider my choice for a warmer bag now?”

“you know stovey you bring a good point. I was looking through Backpacker magazine Gear guide and The REI bags were filled with 750 down and weighed less than a Western Mountaineering bag that had 850 down. But both bags were rated the same temp. That got me thinking the bags aren't as warm as they promote.”

“Agreed Stovestomper! My 20° BA bag is toastier than my -5° REI down bag. The construction is far superior too. Baffles are placed better and the zip is much smoother.

IMO, REI bags are a good value if you get them on sale and plan to use them for temps around 15-20° warmer than they're marketed for.

Pamela, if you sleep on all sides, back and tummy and have issues with sliding around you should check out the Big Agnes sleep system. It's roomy, and the bag stays put on the mat. I have the 20° zirkel and it's temp rating is spot on. I've been comfortable down to 17° in it.”

“I think REI rates their bags with the "you will be alive the next morning at our rated temp" temp rating.”

“Maybe. I still use my REI 45° traveldown but I hate it with a passion. Someday I'll have that Horsethief...someday!”

“Quick - I have my REI dividend burning a hole in my pocket (and it is a lot because I use an REI credit card) plus the 20% off ends tomorrow. I decided to get a new bag. I now have a Cat's Meow +20 and have always been if anything too warm. But I rarely backpack when it even goes below freezing at night. So I am looking into a lighter bag which can be rated warmer. Today I was looking at the Mountain Hardware Phantom +32. An 1lb 6oz it was about a pound lighter than my Cat's Meow and packs much smaller. It also costs $270, so I would ahve to let go of some cashola even with the dividend and discount. Am I being a total gear whore? I only have one sleeping bag (to go with my 3 tents, 2 sleeping pads, 3 stoves, etc). I admit that I am being suckered into the "I'm using my dividend and getting 20%off" justification. The store didn't have the one I wanted in stock so I would have to buy it on line. I guess the pressure isn't really on because the sales associate said they would be having another 20% off deal in May and I'm not likely to need a new bag by then.

Any advice would be appreciated.”