Sleeping bags

“What is a good sleeping bag that is sinthetic, has a comfort rate of 5 degerees and can com pact verry small”

“slumberjack aurora. comes in both 5 and 15 degree bags”

“emberato, Slumberjack is a good bag, however every evaluation I have seen says that they are rather optomistic on their ratings (add around 20F)”

“i've used my aurora 15 in weather down to 10f and had no problems. thanks for the tip, though”

“Look for the synthetic insulation Polarguard 3D. It's supposed to be the synthetic that compresses and lofts best, other than a non-synthetic material like down. I'll bet that 5 degree bags will go on sale pretty soon as there won't be much interest in them until the cool weather of fall approaches and people think about winter camping again. Of course, that depends where you are located.”

“Check out TNF Snowshoe, it's rated at 0 degrees, but the 3D insulation makes it lightweight and small. Use a Granite Gear stuff sack to get it really small!”

“So You are plannin on camping in- 20 Deg weather?”

“I thought we were talking about 5 degree bags!”

“Skip 3D and spend your money on something worthwhile like down. 3D will dissipate in two or three years and you will be left with a bag that began as 5-degree rated bag and is now a 40-degree bag. Get down with down! Oh yeah, I have a SD Dream Machine (stretch) which I swapped for a Wild Bill after the 3D went limp. It's a pretty sweet bag for the price(about $200). I've had it below the 15-degree rating and it's comfortable in most temps above that.”

“Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, Quallofill is my choice for lighter, more compressible bags. Slumberjack is just fine, BP magazine dumps on anything that's available at a reasonable price (DON'T GET ME STARTED).
Happy trails.”

“A little off the subject, but has anyone tried putting their pad INSIDE their bag? All that insulating value of the pad seems to be going to waste except for the area you are in contact with. My Z-rest 3/4 fits in my mummy bag without trimming. And it seems the most dead-flat location for my tent always has just enough slope that I am sliding downhill all night, maybe the pad inside would help that too, but it has gotten too warm now for me to check this out.”

“Not 3 hours ago I bought a Slumberjack Superpacker 0 degree for $99....wifey has a TNF Thunderhead 20 deg..........whaddya bet we end up swappin'?.....bags that is”

“I got a Slumberjack Everest Elite. Microloft fill. 3 lb. 5 oz. It's supposed to be a 5 degree but that's a load of s#!t. I use it to about 30 degrees, After that I got some kind of Kelty that keeps me good down to around 0 deg.”

“Bear in mind that what is comfortable to one person at 0 degrees won't be comfortable for another until it gets to 20 degrees. Also, one company's 20 degree rating is not the same 20 degree rating as another company. There is no universal standard. You're not really "comparing apples to apples" unless your staying within a certain brand.”

“Uphill is right. I have a friend who has the old style TNF Snowshoe(5 degree). He has stayed comfortable at 0 with just a base layer. I used his bag one night and got cold at 20. The temp is also dependent on what you had to eat, your sleeping pad,and how well you hydrate.

I personally use down. I have yet to even come close to getting my bag wet. If you must have a synthetic, I would stick with TNF, Marmot, Mountain Hardware, or SD. The ratings on these bags will be reasonablely accurate. if you don't already have one. Get a Backpacker Gear Guide. Pick you out 2 or 3 bags that you think you might like. Then post here to see if any of us has experience with that bag. That way you can ask about real world conditions and about wether that person is a warm or cold sleeper.”

“If it is down you want, I can't say enough good things about my Western Mountaineering Antelope bag! (right guys?) >;oP

The temp ratings are more than accurate and the quality is extremely high...
(on the downside, so is the price...)

Well worth the investment thought...nuff said.

There are quite a few threads on the subject...do a search (at the bottom of the screen.) Should find quite a bit of commentary on sleeping bags there...

Good luck!
:o)”

“So, AmyG, you have a WM bag...? ;)

toothpic, kudos on being very lucky, or very good at picking out a good site. My synthetic has bailed me out of more than one soggy, sloppy night. That being said, I'm sick of it and am soon going down. Maybe I should consider WM. If only someone could vouch for thier effectiveness........”

“Theres not a better bag made than Western Mountaineering. I also have the WM Antelope and the new Hilite(weighs only 16 oz). I'm with you G, WM ROCKS!!! o>--<”

“I hate it when I cut my legs off o>--<

tommy, I consider myself a very cold sleeper. As I stated above, I've used other brand named bags and I have to add at least 15 degrees. With the WM, I can get within 5 degrees without a base layer on. The construction is top notch and they have a soft hand(I swear, I do not work for WM). Take a look at their new ExtremeLite fabrics. Very light. They would be great if you are like me and take better care of your gear than your hiking partner. o>--<”

“I know, they look so good... and I also am a very cold sleeper. I also am a broke little monkey, saving all my $ for 6 weeks in Europe (leaving in 18 days, but who's counting).

I saw REI's Sub Kilo the other day--mmm that microfiber interior feels good! 2.2 lbs, 20 degrees, $209. Anyone know of any bad juju on it?”

“Question? How are the Kelty Clear Creek 0 bags? Normally I sleep OK in cold weather, but last weekend was just too much to handle.”

“I have a Kelty Clear Creek 20 degree hollowfill and am not too impressed. That's why I'm looking for another bag, preferably down.”

“How about the Slumberjack regular zero degree bag for $69 from Campmor?

Size 82 in. x 32 in. x 21 in.
Fits To 6 ft. 1 in.
Fill Weight 3 lbs. 4 oz.
Loft 6 in.
Avg. Total Wt. 4 lbs. 10 oz.
Stuff Size 9 in. x 21 in.
Temperature 0 F
Mateable Yes
Insulation Hollofil II®
Inner Shell Taffeta Nylon
Outer Shell Taffeta Nylon
Zipper Type #7 YKK
Color Navy Blue:Shell
Silver: Lining”

“Get the 20 degree MH Talic, or the 20 degree TNF Thunderhead. They are both light, and warm!”

“My fiance has a Kelty that's rated to 15 deg. I wouldn't sleep in it in temps less than 30 deg. Poor construction and lack of inslulation has created a lot of dead spots where there isn't any inslulation left.

If you're looking for a zero deg. bag, then you're obviously looking to spend some time in some nasty environments. Don't skimp on the gear (especialy gear that will treat hypothermia, etc.) because if something goes wrong, it might help save your life. Just my 2 cents.”

“Good cents Rep! I'm not sure how much time will be spent in REALLY cold conditions, but after my last outing, I truly see the benefits of good gear in something as important as this.”

“Get a bivy and a down 20 degree bag!”

“Lonestar, I have the Kelty Ridgeway 0 degree bag. I paid $43 for it at the warehouse club. The bag rocks! I couldn't ask for a warmer, more snuggly bag for three times the price. It doesn't get used a whole lot though as we do most of our hiking in summer. I used it 2X and Hyper used it once last year. The only problem with it is that it's too damn fluffy and difficult to pack. Kelty isn't the best brand but some of their products are really nice.”

“WC, does a bivy really help keep you warmer? curious.”

“Yes, and it will keep your down bag dry!

I have an OR bivy and it is the second best piece of gear I own. The first is my PUR hiker filter!”

“Ridgeway by Kelty is not.

Ridgeway products are not associated with Kelty. I think there was or is some litigation on this, but beware of Ridgeway by Kelty products. Kelty has a reputation for quality. Ridgeway has a reputation for poor quality.

I have a Slumberjack sleeping bag and it is a piece of crap. I would avoid their products as well.”

“Check out Sierra Trading Post. The booklet I just got today has some great sleeping bag deals.”

“I like my Slumerjack. If it's real cold I use a fleece liner.”

“Bivies do, I think add some warmth, but can also cause some moisture problems. They will inhibit the breathability of the sleeping bag. Some sleeping bags breath better than others, be it down or synthetic. Ever person will put off different amounts of moisture as well, be it from breathing or just body prespiration/vapors. Bag designers, probably don't take it to consideration, at least not that often, that their bags maybe used with a fitted goretex bivy sack. Just a thought!!!

In other words, it may cause condensation to form on the inside of the bivy that as contact w/your sleeping bag. Depending on the temp, that moisture will not freeze completely and may cause your bag to get that wet/damp feeling on the outside. This is really prevelant if your exhales don't make to the outside flowing air or if you are not breathing thru a neck scarf of something like that. Placing a wrap around the mouth and nose area will catch some of the moisture from your exhales. Just another thought.

A bivy sack maybe just maybe also inhibit the loft of a fluffy down bag. Something to think about.”

“My 2cents;
Synthetic bag ratings are WAAAY off! Even using the minus 15deg.to the conditions you'll be in rule.
Buy a GOOD down bag, why skimp on one of your most important pieces of gear. B-Rabbit makes good points to consider.”

“I have a slumberjack 0 bag. I'm a cold sleeper. I slept fully clothed in it in September. I wasn't hot. I'm making a fleec liner for it. If you think you'll do a lot of cold weather camping, I would get a better bag. If you're just going to go out once in a while, you might get a fleece liner which would make a good, light summer bag. :o)”

“Dare I ask, but could there be a bag at a local discount store that claims to have a 0 or 15 deg rating that could be any good with a fleece liner added? Also, I've seen high priced fleece liners and ones at Target and Walmart, what's the difference, if any?”

“Quality of fleece. The higher the price generally the higher the rating ie: Polartech 200, 400, etc. vs. plain ol' polyester fleece. The polartech stuff is way warmer. Also said to pill less and last longer.”

“What ever sleeping bag SARboy has is warmer than the one I have...Zipped together...I always end up on his side...I do know his is a 0 degrees down and mine is a 15 degrees synthetic...and his has him in it...which of course means it is warmer than mine!”

“Lonestar, sure you can buy a pretty cheap bag at the local discount store and it might keep you warm at the temp rating it has....but I think it's sorta chancy. I think the advantage to buying a 'name-brand' bag is that they've got a reputation built up over several years. You'll probably hear SOMETHING from somebody here if you ask about a TNF or WM model, but who knows what you're getting with a JohnDoeSport bag?

I also think that you're gonna find more compressability, durability and lighter weight with a name-brand bag, cause it's a competitive market out there.

Go over to Outdoor Review and read up on what owners of lots of different sleeping bags have to say about their likes and dislikes.”

“any body have the New Marmot stretch Bags?”

“I just got the Mont Bell stretch bag (30F) so I gotta wait till it actually GETS cold to test it.”

“Marmot stretch bags? Never heard of them, do you have a link. Marmot EN rates all of their bags and posts it on the website so you can get a "true" temp rating (not always the same as their ratings)”

“Mocs I missed it...its not Marmot but Mont Bell as XL stated. Was wondering when the fabric streches what about the down? Do you have dead zones?”

“Mont-Bells Supper Stretch Bags get good reviews. They do have a problem with some baffles being under filled though so check that and exchange it if there is a problem. I have had quite a few pieces of Mont-Bell clothing that I have been extremely happy with (down and synthetic insulating layers), but I have never tried their sleeping bags.”

“thanks Mocs...I am looking to maybe buy this Bag for AK.”

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last edited: 11/12/09 5:16:44 PM”

“Ok...over the weekend I took the Mont Bell super stretch (30F) bag for the REAL test. Now to start with I sleep cold, for some reason I have never had a bag that I could be comfortable in even close to the rating.

So I was in a tent, with a lightweight liner in my bag. the Mont Bell (30F) took me down to 25F and I only started getting cold at about 5.30AM when my energy ran out. NO Kidding I popped a couple of pieces of chocolate and BAM I was back snug as a bug in my bag.”

“You sleep cold? Never thought you might be one of those.
I think I am a fairly warm sleeper.”

“My bag has room for one of those.”