Summer Sleeping Bag

[MtnBikerGuy]

I was thinking about buying some thin fleece and adding a zipper for a simple sleeping bag for summer use. Should be light and cheap. Any ideas or pitfalls I might be missing. Suggestions are welcomed of course.

[TN_Hiker]

Wally World carries exactly what you have suggested making. I bought one for my daughter's slumbering parties, etc....not sure about the weight but it cost about $25 or so....

[Just Jeff]

Walmart has a Coleman version for about $15. It's pretty thin, though. I was thinking about sewing a layer of DWR to it for wind resistance - that would probably add several degrees of warmth to it for ~3oz. I don't think I ever weighed it, but it's probably around a pound.

[Alligator]

I tried using one of these http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=7708578&memberId=12500226
as a summer bag. It was July in NJ and I was cold. I had warm clothes and a sleeping pad too. It works for some, but I wouldn't go to too much time or expense here.

[Footslogger]

I use a bag sold by REI called the Travel Sack, or something like that.

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47985810&parent_category_rn=4500518&vcat=REI_SEARCH

Rated at around 45 - 50 degrees. Carried it on my thru hike in 2003 from Pearisburg to Glencliff and it worked out well.

[Ewker]

I have a Kelty Lightyear 45° down bag. If you check around you can always find it on sale for under 100.00

[QHShowoman]

I have one of the Coleman fleece bags described earlier (I bought it for $5 at an odd lot store). I get cold using it inside, so I am not sure I would head out into the wildnerness with it. It also takes up a lot of space ... considerably more than a better quality bag with a more reliable temperature rating would.

For summer use, I have a Slumberjack Tour Lite (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=38505758&memberId=12500226) synthetic bag. I think its rated to 40 degrees but I used it in southern Missouri in August once and froze my butt off (I was wearing fleece pants AND a fleece pullover). I don't know what the temperature was, but man, I couldn't wait until daylight. The pros are that its light and affordable, but if you get cold easily, this probably isn't the bag for you. I do like the zippered foot box and the cut (no hood which is nice for humid nights). I did successfully use this in VA last September while car camping. It was balmy and humid (my guess around 70 degrees) and I was comfortable sleeping in a t-shirt and shorts.

[Alligator]

Maybe consider sewing a quilt.

I bought the above mentioned Kelty but the synthetic version, it weighs 4 oz. more (2 lbs). It was on sale at Campmor last year for $60.

Something in the 45-55 degree range is a good bet for summer mountains IMO, without knowing too much about the rest of your sleep system.

[Just Jeff]

When compared against the fleece bag, I'll second the REI Travel Sack. I got the 55F half-zip one on sale for $20 a while back...this weekend they were on sale for $40. I think regular is like $50.

Anyway, compresses quite a bit smaller and is a lot warmer than the fleece bag. Has a hood and zippered arm holes, too. I like it.