Cold weather sleeping bag recommendations

[Jim D]

I packed a Wiggy's bag into the woods once... then I bought my own. That thing was enormous and just devoured my pack. I swore those things off after that experience.

I have used TNF, Marmot, EMS, and a few other brands. I used to work for EMS so a lot of my gear I got while I worked there. My winter bag is a 0 degree 775 down fill EMS brand bag. I sleep cold (usually go 20 degree warmer in a bag than expected temps), but I've found when I use a good ground pad an a bivy sack I'm good to go down to the true bag rating.

The brand of the bag matters very little to me. I shop weight and features primarily. There are lot of quality brands that offer comparable, good quality bags.

My method was to pack my down bag in a waterproof compression sack, then drop that into my gore-tex bivy that I lined my pack with. I used it like a big garbage bag inside my pack.

My own preference was to use a tarp and the bivy instead of just a tent. I used to teach and lead trips, so the bivy could be lent to a cold student, or if the campsite sucked and there wasn't room under the tarp I could go off on my own, etc. The gore-tex bivy didn't weight much more or take up more space than a nice thick contractor grade liner bag for the pack, so once I bought it I almost always took it with me.

The tarp was more multipurpose for my needs and lighter than a tent.

In addition to the tips given... hot water bottles.

Boil your water before going to sleep, then fill your Nalgenes or whatever with the hot water, use them to preheat your sleeping bag before you climb in. Make sure you re-tighten the bottles a couple mins after filling them. Once the bottle gets up to temp it will leak as the cap won't be as tight (heat expands), so make sure you check it and crank it down a little more after a couple mins.

I usually parked one between my thighs (femoral arteries) and another by my feet (common cold spot) when I was winter camping. I kept my base layers for the next day inside the bag (wouldn't be cold as shit in the morning) and slept on top of my shell layers (under my sleeping pad) as the radiant body heat usually kept them from freezing solid (and it provides more insulation from the ground).

What I tended to do was throw a fleece over my face when I slept. I used a Patagonia R2 which is highly wind permeable, so it didn't restrict breathing, but it retained a little heat and kept my face from feeling like it would freeze. The outside of it might gather some frost, but it's easy to knock frost off of fabric in the morning.

Also, if you use double boots, rock your liners inside your sleeping bag at night. Frozen boots SUCK in the morning.

Last bit of advice, let your bag breathe when possible. If you get to camp early, or stop for a long break... bust out your bag in the sun and let some of the moisture escape while you can.

[nineteenkilo]

Just out of curiosity, what will it be used for?

[Tortuga]

Any experiences with big agnes or marmot?

I've been fielding a Marmot +20 down for a number of years as my spring and fall bag. I'll take it down to 0 as long as I have deep enough snow for a snow trench or Quinzee. I'll throw in the MSS bivie if the weather is soggy.

Once the temp goes below that, I go to the issue MSS. The system is good and proven. Paired with a good shelter, it'll be warm and dry well into the negative numbers.

[HES]

My experience is limited and living in Florida, well about the coldest it gets when I go camping is in the low 20s. Last weekend I bought and used for the first time a Snugpak Softie Elite 1. To be honest, it was almost the best sleeping bag I have ever used. Light, small, and kept me very comfortable. The expanda panel system was great for giving me enough room to feel comfortable. The only negative I had to say on it was that the zippering can be a bit bitchy. But by day three I had gotten most of the hang of it. Mind you the temps never got really cold (mid 50s). However by a bit of extrapolation, I am willing to bet that the Softie Elite 2 and 3 should get the job done for me at least. In fact I will be buying a 3 to get me through the coldest possible weather I will ever face in the south east. I did use mine in conjunction with a Big Agnes 2.5" thick air mattress. I switched to that from my REI self inflating 3.5" air mattress because I am starting to transition to more primitive outings. With my back I was concerned about that 1". That was much ado about nothing. The Big Agnes was more comfortable than the self inflating.

[soulezoo]

Kifaru slick bag. They make them in various ratings. 40-20-0-minus20*. With proper pad and wearing long underwear the ratings are accurate if not conservative. In the industry, they are usually over optimistic on the temp ratings-- kind of like velocity ratings on ammo. Kifaru is pretty accurate.

Very light weight and compressible bag. I love it... well worth the $$$

I don't have the regulator system.

[tacdrivrnc]

Marmot bags, they can usually be found on sale many places on-line. They have some great 0-degree synthetic fill bags and come with good stuff sacks, and occasionally storage sacks too. I have a Trestles 0-degree from a couple years ago and it had a sipper on each side for venting, and a nice thick neck and zipper baffles. Backcountry has them now for $140, which is a good price for a bag this warm. It's not the lightest, but it's hard to go real light in winter and still stay warm. You could go with something lighter, but far more expensive, with a down bag, but then you have to be vigilant about keeping it dry.

[Heavy Metal]

the booties and hood in this extreme cold weather system are a fantastic addition to whatever sleep system you use. My experience ( and I would imagine most people here) is that my feet and/or head are the parts that get cold. Used these on my last cold weather survival training, and it was the warmest and driest that I have ever stayed in severe weather. We were in temps ranging from -17 F to -30 F.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/2306463...=sbar&_lwgsi=y

Look specifically at the booties and hood, like I mentioned. They dont take up to much space.

PS: I was sleeping in a snow cave, not a tent. No cot, just a 1/2" air matress.

The Feet, Back (above the Kidneys) and the Head radiate more heat than anywhere else on your body.

[M4Fundi]

This is the best sleeping bag maker in the world in my opinion and many professional alpine climbers opinions as well.

I have their 0 degree and their minus 30 degree bags and they are bomber and warmer than their rating. I use a silk cocoon liner in all bags to protect the bag, increase warmth and act as a sheet in when warm weather makes you keep the bag unzipped. I also keep a warm beanie and down booties in both bags to wear while sleeping. The bags are works of art.

http://www.westernmountaineering.com/

I use synthetic fill bags for anything warmer than 0 degrees and am in the market for a replacement for my Sierra Designs 20 degree synthetic that has come to the end of its life cycle I think.

I also own 3 different types of Bivy Sack/Tents for certain occasions. Bivy sack, 2 pole Bivy and a Tripod Bivy.

I do like Gore Tex for certain applications. I was one of the testers for Gore Tex testing their Pac Lite back in the day. Arctic one is right in that most people do not really understand GoreTex as it works by a form of osmosis and is best in extremely dry climates (i.e. extreme cold) so that the dry air pulls the humid air thru... when they try and sell you GoreTex for wet climates it doesn't work much better than rubber for evaporation transfer... humid on both sides of membrane and there is little movement of moisture thru the membrane. GoreTex in hot weather is a plastic sack.

[TacticalTyler]

I highly recommend this bag:

http://www.military-sleeping-bags.com/defence6.html

ya know I been to that site before an they have great stuff and would love one of their sleep systems. But where do you buy it?! It's all European. I see no American distributors of those products.
Also does anyone Reccomend using a hammock in conjunction with any sleep system? Is that better then staying off the ground? Or does it get colder since air can flow underneath you?

[just a scout]

I have a Kifaru bag rated for 20F. Light, packs small, warm. Little too slick, but good. And ifi get too cold, I pull a woodie in with me.


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