Question for campers

[r11rs94]

My last two camping trips this year have been cold. My bag which clames is good to -10 is a joke. and is very bulky to back. What are you using. I am looking for warmth and small when rolled up. does one exit? Thanks in advance.

[Lee]

When you say bulky, I take it you're not using a down bag which packs into a small bag.

[sdpc2]

you are either not using the right insulation underneath you, the bag is so old that the insulation properties have given up the ghost, or BOTH!.

[OfficerImpersonator]

I have a custom-made down bag from "Feathered Friends" here in Seattle. The base model is called a "Raven", and it's rated to +10 degrees F.

It is an honest rating, because I've used it at the 12,500' level on Mt. Rainier with temps in the teens and I was cozy as could be.

Because I live in the Pacific NorthWET, I had my bag constructed with a Gore-Tex-like outer shell, as down doesn't work at all when it's wet. Because I am a big guy, I had my bag built larger than usual to accommodate my broad shoulders. I'm all about efficient heating and keeping weight to a minimum with a mummy bag, but I'm not into claustrophobia from a bag that's too tight and constricting.

It also cost $400 when I bought mine, and I see the bag with the water-resistant cover now goes for $549. If you insist on Wal-Mart bags and/or Wal-Mart prices, you'll get what you pay for. I know my sleeping bag will last me for the rest of my adventuring days. When the $400 is amortized over all the nights I spend in it, I'm down to pennies per night.

http://www.featheredfriends.com/frontpage.html

[arthurdent]

+1 for feather. Mine is OLD but packs into a tiny roll compared to my wife's new polyfill bag. While I don't do a lot of camping, when it comes to warm, can't beat down.

[beemeup]

I have a Western Mountaineering bag that I have been using for years, it's the
best. They aren't cheap, but they are the best quality and pack up very small with a waterproof compression sack. Here is their website:

http://www.westernmountaineering.com/

Good luck with your search.

[OfficerImpersonator]

I forgot to mention that transporting bags in compression stuff sacks shrinks them down to the smallest possible size.

I buy my "Granite Gear" compression stuff sacks through REI, but you can find them at Aerostich, Touratech, and other m/c gear retailers as well.

I can crank my +10 degree down bag, including my "Therm-a-rest" camp pillow, into a bag that ends up being about the size of a football when all the straps are tightened. Nothing - NOTHING - is more compressible than down - and nothing - NOTHING - provides more warmth per ounce than down.

[r11rs94]

Thanks for all of the replies. I do use an Ultralite cot, so maybe I
need a pad on top of that. The bag was from walmart, strike two. I will check out westernmountaineering and REI. The down sounds interesting. Thanks again.

[TED]

Hah - I had a Feathered Friends bag from way back when I was seriously into backpacking. It was a great bag, just don't get it wet!

I now use a Big Agnes bag - they eliminate the bottom insulation and just have a full-length pocket for a sleeping pad. I was after compact and very comfortable, and boy I got it. I was skeptical at first but after 10+ nights in frosty cold to steaming hot weather I am a huge fan now. With the Big Agnes Air Core sleeping pad (2.5" of awesome, warm comfort) I am quite comfortable to 45 or so, any colder than that and I put on a fleece and go back to sleep. This is a WIDE bag, plenty of room to turn over inside, and it packs down so small it will easily fit into a 16oz bottle. The pad packs down to about the same relative size (a little shorter, a little fatter.) It also has a neat pillow pocket for my tiny inflatable pillow. I was seriously considering the Big Agnes Silver Creek bag on sale at REI for $80 but I have no plans on camping when it is that cold out:
http://www.rei.com/product/815023/bi...ar-special-buy
They also have the Iron Mountain pad on sale for $50 - check it out, 9 separate baffle tubes!
http://www.rei.com/product/834365/bi...ar-special-buy

If you need a really cold-weather bag consider the Silver Creek and the insulated Air Core mattress, that should keep you toasty warm well into the fall.

[john1691]

Eric, I'd guess the cot has a lot to do with it, as your body weight compresses whatever material your bag is filled with, it reduces the insulating value to next to nothing, and on a cot, you have ambient air temp. under you. Try the sleeping mat first (any brand) and then decide on a new bag. Even down, when compressed, has little value against cold. What makes it so effective is the air it traps, allowing your body to warm the air closest to you.

Kind of hard to test now though, unless you turn the A/C way down in your house..........

[Rpbump]

A cheap and easy solution is to place a "space blanket" under your sleeping bag. I use an air mattress and in cold weather this keeps me warm. In really cold weather a micro-fleece blanket provides additional warmth. A queen size will wrap around your sleeping bag. Space blankets are small, light, cheap, and highly effective.

[AKBEEMER]

I carry a bag that is rated to 30 above; very light and compresses to a very small size. I also carry an Army poncho liner; a very light quilted nylon blanket. And I use a Big Agnes 2.5 inch thick air mattress. I've been camping many nights on our current ride to Alaska and have hit temperatures as low as the low 30s. Been warm every night, but I have slept with my Patagonia quilted jacket on a few nights.

[tommcgee]

+1 on Fat Agnes down bags. I was using mine with their inflatable insulated pad, but went to the Thermarest NeoAir instead, which packs to half the size -- think smaller than a 28oz. can of tomatoes. The two pads are equally comfortable in cold temps.

The Park series of Big Agnes bags is for the fat guys and my 15 degree version has kept me toasty warm many nights when temps got into the low 20's. Colder than that and I'm motelling it.

[beemeup]

I use my Western Mountaineering bag on a Luxury Lite Cot and I'm using a Thermarest Neo Air mattress on top of the cot and the combination works great. I also have an inflatable pillow that packs down very small as well. You have to blow up the Neo Air mattress, but it packs down to the size of a nalgene bottle and weighs about a pound. I put a rug pad on the cot under the mattress to keep it from sliding around as well. Good system, works well for me, I sleep really well.

[RINTY]

Roy:

I haven't read the replies above, but you have two choices:

1. Go to your local outfitter and get a quality -10C bag that packs down light;

2. Get a Gore-Tex bag cover for use on cold nights. The cover will give you 5 or 10 degrees more thermal resistance.

I have a -10 bag, and have used a rain poncho over it to good effect, on some cold Canadian nights.