What is your sleeping bag lineup?

Tystevens

Tystevens

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Jul 18, 2016
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I'm looking to add another bag to my sleeping bag lineup. Or, probably, two bags over the next couple of years and retire my current one, as it is kinda heavy and I seem to be turning into a bit of a weight weeny type. I presently have a Montbell Down Hugger #1 (nominally rated at 15* in the 650 down version, weighs just under 3 lbs according to the website), which has been my 'all arounder,' I guess, since it is my only bag. I am wider than average, also, and need something at least 64" around the shoulders. I'm not sure I'm sold on the quilt idea, although I am considering one of the hybrid type things that fully zip (ie, Feathered Friends Flicker, EE Convert or something like that). But I do like hoods -- I stuff my jacket in the hood for a pillow that stays put, I like them when its cold. I'm probably an 'average' temperature sleeper -- my Montbell bag has a 24* EN rating, and I've slept in the open in about 27* in it, being none too warm, but not quite cold. I pretty much always sleep in a tent when out in the back country. Also, I don't like to sleep in a lot of clothes if I can help it, at least as a pre-planned idea. I have done it in a pinch, but pants and a down jacket is just about as uncomfortable as being chilly.

I live in SLC, so every year I have a couple high elevation Uintas trips (camping around 10k feet, usually), and a few Southern Utah spring/fall desert trips, several Wasatch Front overnighters with the kids. I'm planning either a Teton Crest or Wonderland trail trip for early fall, and would rather not tote the 3 pound bag I currently have on that trip.

Obviously I want to get the least overlap and best bang for my buck. I am willing to spend some $$ on good products that will last a long time -- mostly only considering Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering for this next purchase.

So, what is your lineup? What do you find yourself using or not using out of what you have or had?
 
I've got 2 bags that cover everything I need. Mostly use my Western Mountaineering Sycamore 20 for almost all my trips. For colder car-camping trips I have a Kelty Coromell 0, but this bag rarely gets used. My WM Sycamore is an almost year-round workhorse for me
 
I have three.

Mountain Hardwear Lamina Z Spark 34F @ 2lb 1oz, synthetic

REI Magma 10F @ 1lb 14oz, 850 down

WM Puma MF -25F @ 3lb 7oz, 850 down

The lamina hasn't seen a night in a tent since I moved to Colorado. I bought it and used it a lot in the midwest, particularly on rock climbing trips to Kentucky. It was cheap, relatively light, very durable.

The magma is excellent and I've used it all over the place out here. Highly compressible, seems to be the goldilocks temp rating that keeps me toasty in a canyon bottom or at 12,000 feet, feather light, durable.

Haven't taken the WM out yet (well I took it out but had to abort). Hard as hell to jam in to a stuff sack and gives me a reason to use my 75L backpack is all I can say about it to date.
 
IntrepidXJ said:
I've got 2 bags that cover everything I need. Mostly use my Western Mountaineering Sycamore 20 for almost all my trips. For colder car-camping trips I have a Kelty Coromell 0, but this bag rarely gets used. My WM Sycamore is an almost year-round workhorse for me
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Do you not get way too hot in the 20* WM bag in the summer (say, 45 degree nights)? I guess that is my concern about a bag like the WM Megalite or the FF Kestrel (both nominal 30* bags). I spent about 5 minutes in a Megalite trying it on and I could tell it was a really warm bag. I've always heard that they were pretty accurate, if not conservative, on their temp ratings. Because of that, I'm picturing being pretty comfy in a Megalite down to the mid 20's at least. But maybe I'm off there.
 
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Wanderlust073 said:
I have three.

Mountain Hardwear Lamina Z Spark 34F @ 2lb 1oz, synthetic

REI Magma 10F @ 1lb 14oz, 850 down

WM Puma MF -25F @ 3lb 7oz, 850 down

The lamina hasn't seen a night in a tent since I moved to Colorado. I bought it and used it a lot in the midwest, particularly on rock climbing trips to Kentucky. It was cheap, relatively light, very durable.

The magma is excellent and I've used it all over the place out here. Highly compressible, seems to be the goldilocks temp rating that keeps me toasty in a canyon bottom or at 12,000 feet, feather light, durable.

Haven't taken the WM out yet (well I took it out but had to abort). Hard as hell to jam in to a stuff sack and gives me a reason to use my 75L backpack is all I can say about it to date.
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Thanks. Unfortunately, most of the big brands tend to be a little too tight for me. The Magma does look like a nice bag. How accurate do you find the temperature rating?
 
Tystevens said:
Do you not get way too hot in the 20* WM bag in the summer (say, 45 degree nights)? I guess that is my concern about a bag like the WM Megalite or the FF Kestrel (both nominal 30* bags). I spent about 5 minutes in a Megalite trying it on and I could tell it was a really warm bag. I've always heard that they were pretty accurate, if not conservative, on their temp ratings. Because of that, I'm picturing being pretty comfy in a Megalite down to the mid 20's at least. But maybe I'm off there.
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Not usually, and if I do get too warm I can always unzip the bottom of the bag or open it all the way and use it as a blanket. It’s very versatile.

I used it as a blanket in Death Valley in August a few years ago when the temp finally dropped enough at night that I started to feel a chill.
 
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Tystevens said:
Thanks. Unfortunately, most of the big brands tend to be a little too tight for me. The Magma does look like a nice bag. How accurate do you find the temperature rating?
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I sleep cold. I've been fine in it down in to the 20's, but I do keep on a base layer at that temp. I've also used it around 50 degrees, but just wearing shorts and having it mostly unzipped.
 
Now I have several bags personally. They are all more on the heavy side of things and are all synthetic. Personally I refuse to take down, and prefer polarguard. The reason is many many years ago was hiking in the San Juan Mountains late in the summer. i had a down bad on the trip. During the day it rained - misted some. My bag just got a very very tad damp. Then that night I froze and shivered the rest of the night. Since evn though heavier, I prefer polarguard. I have been in many a storm with some lasting like 3 or 4 days constant, and the polarguard has kept me warm.

My main bag is a tundra bag with good to slightly below zero, polarguard, 4 season bag. Now heavy with near 4lbs. plus. Always keeps me warm. The next bag have had for years. It is good to the 20s and about 3 pounds, polarguard. Good for the summer and when warm.

Then bought from a friend cheap some years ago and hardly ever ever used. A very serious super cold winter bag. Heavy. It has an 8 inch loft and good to like 50 or 60 Below.It is the Antarctica bag made by Wiggy's.

For Whatever it is worth
 
20F Feathered Friends Hummingbird, 10F Western Mountaineering Versalite. Just got the Versalite last week so no intelligent thoughts on it yet. I also have a 40F synthetic quilt that I can layer over either bag during the winter.

Wow, that's kind of embarrassing. I've got a thousand bucks worth of sleeping bag sitting on my couch. Probably worth more than my car.
 
You mentioned that you need at least 65" around the shoulders. I have a Western Mountaineering TerraLite down sleeping bag (25F, 6'6"L, 65"/68"/42", 1lb.15oz.) that I use for Spring, Fall and Winter in the desert. It's nice and roomy and does not feel like a lot of the mummy bags + it lives up to it's 25F rating. It also unzips all the way down to the feet and folds out so it can be used as a quilt. Super high quality.
http://www.westernmountaineering.com/sleeping-bags/extremelite-series/terralite/

When it's colder temps, I sometimes bring a cheap thin down quilt that I drape over the sleeping bag for extra warmth. I have taken the bag down to ~18F with that combo.
 
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I used to run a 3 bag line up: -5F 15F 30F

The 15F is a Marmot Pinnacle which actually tested for 10F. Thought I'd use it a lot for shoulder season trips but ended up using my Marmot Phase 30F more since its so light. If its going to be a particular cold night, then I usually bring a light down sweater and/or down pants to use with it (below freezing night trips). The sweater I'd already bring in that weather and the down pants make great camp wear and boosts the bag down below 20F. If it's any colder, I'll use my -5F bag (Marmot Snow Goose). Drapes real well and I can wear my expedition-weight parka with it which has allowed me to go down to -20F with it.

Regardless of bag, I use a Xtherm sleeping pad (5.7r) and have been happy. Have you considered swapping out pads to see if that boosts the rating?
 
LarryBoy said:
20F Feathered Friends Hummingbird, 10F Western Mountaineering Versalite. Just got the Versalite last week so no intelligent thoughts on it yet. I also have a 40F synthetic quilt that I can layer over either bag during the winter.

Wow, that's kind of embarrassing. I've got a thousand bucks worth of sleeping bag sitting on my couch. Probably worth more than my car.
Click to expand...

Why so close in range? Are you looking to replace the Hummingbird with the Versalite? Also, I've never laid hands on a FF bag. I've heard they are every bit the product that the WM bags are. Is that true in your opinion?
 
Cool Danish said:
You mentioned that you need at least 65" around the shoulders. I have a Western Mountaineering TerraLite down sleeping bag (25F, 6'6"L, 65"/68"/42", 1lb.15oz.) that I use for Spring, Fall and Winter in the desert. It's nice and roomy and does not feel like a lot of the mummy bags + it lives up to it's 25F rating. It also unzips all the way down to the feet and folds out so it can be used as a quilt. Super high quality.
http://www.westernmountaineering.com/sleeping-bags/extremelite-series/terralite/

When it's colder temps, I sometimes bring a cheap thin down quilt that I drape over the sleeping bag for extra warmth. I have taken the bag down to ~18F with that combo.
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I can fit in the 64" WM bags comfortably. Well, the Megalite, at least, which I was really impressed with when I looked at it in a store. The Terralite is another one I've been considering. Sounds like a really comfy bag for a bigger person or someone who moves around a lot.

I'm kinda going back and forth between legit 20 and 30* bags (WM Mega or Terra, FF Kestrel or Swift). All are 64" shoulder bags, with the FF bags having a little more room in the body and a tad more fill. And a few oz heavier per comparable model. The lighter weight of the 30* bag is appealing, and I think it would be quite rare that I will get into temps that would be below the range of these 30 degree bags (particularly since if I expect colder temps, I'll have warm baselayer pants and a down sweater hoody with me). I would expect that I would be warm enough with clothes in the Megalite down to 20*, just based on how it feels -- that bag has a lot more loft than my 15* Montbell bag does. But I suppose no one ever had their trip ruined by having their bag be a few degrees too warm, right?

Do you have to wear a lot of clothes to be comfortable at 25*?
 
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KevinD said:
I used to run a 3 bag line up: -5F 15F 30F

The 15F is a Marmot Pinnacle which actually tested for 10F. Thought I'd use it a lot for shoulder season trips but ended up using my Marmot Phase 30F more since its so light. If its going to be a particular cold night, then I usually bring a light down sweater and/or down pants to use with it (below freezing night trips). The sweater I'd already bring in that weather and the down pants make great camp wear and boosts the bag down below 20F. If it's any colder, I'll use my -5F bag (Marmot Snow Goose). Drapes real well and I can wear my expedition-weight parka with it which has allowed me to go down to -20F with it.

Regardless of bag, I use a Xtherm sleeping pad (5.7r) and have been happy. Have you considered swapping out pads to see if that boosts the rating?
Click to expand...

I have a couple of insulated pads which are around a 3.5-4 r Value. Which I read should be good down to below freezing. But yeah, an Xtherm or equivalent is on my shopping list.
 
Tystevens said:
Why so close in range? Are you looking to replace the Hummingbird with the Versalite? Also, I've never laid hands on a FF bag. I've heard they are every bit the product that the WM bags are. Is that true in your opinion?
Click to expand...
To some extent, the Versalite is a replacement for the Hummingbird. I spend a lot of nights outside when the lows are in the 20s or low 30s - and my Hummingbird doesn't quite keep me warm below freezing. It's a great bag for summer, but for shoulder seasons it's just a tiny bit too cold (I sleep extremely cold).

And yes, FF is a top-notch bag. I haven't used the Versalite yet, but looking at their construction and loft, they're very similar.
 
Do you have to wear a lot of clothes to be comfortable at 25*?
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I would wear wool long underwear, T-shirt and wool beanie. Later in the night I put on a light down sweater.
 
I use the North Face Blue Kazoo, it has an EN comfort rating of 25. I'm not a fan of winter/cold weather camping, so this bag is perfect for my needs. I sleep in light synthetic long underwear, socks and a t-shirt...and am perfectly comfy in the mountains or southern Utah desert in the spring.
 
Too many bags to mention. I sleep warm. My go-to bag is a MH Ratio 15 Dri-down bag because it is lightweight and (contrary to what @Kmatjhwy accurately pointed out with conventional down bags) it insulates really well in damp or worse conditions. I am comfortable from about 20 degrees to 35 degrees.

I have a few bags that are for warmer conditions, and a few that are for colder conditions. Yes, I am a bit of a hoarder.

I used to comfortably sleep in conditions as cold as -40 (while hunting caribou) in my NF Tundra, which was rated to -20 when new, with a 100-weight fleece bag liner, but I have lost interest in camping in anything below about -10, and even that is less fun that it used to be.

I still use my Thermarest Ridgerest closed-cell foam pad, primarily due to its durability. It is thicker than the standard closed-cell pad and rarely do I ever feel cold on the ground-side of things, likely aided by the insulating properties of snow.
 
I have two bags. A 10 degree 850 fill Enlightened Equipment Enigma that weighs 23 ounces, and a 35 degree Western Mountaineering Highlight that weighs 17 ounces. The EEE is usually my go to bag. I love EE because of the price to weight ratio and the custom colors (i have a purple and green bag). In the dead of winter i can get away with using the 10 degree bag pared with a puffy jacket (montbell superior down) and beanie.
 
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