Summer Sleeping Bag

[Small Steps]

I am looking at doing a section hike this summer (mid-August through early September). I am planning to start at Springer Mtn and hiking to Fontana Dam. It has been about 10 years since I did any hiking and I want to get back out there. I miss the peace and quite and being un-plugged…..

I am looking to get a new summer sleeping bag but have no idea on what to get. In the past I have always used a cheap/heavy Walmat express bag. :eek: I also know that some summer night you are on top of the bag because it is so hot and some nights you are trying to find a hot rock to put in the bag to help keep you warm.

Any one want to provide some advise or through out ideas…

[bigcranky]

Inexpensive, but decent -- the Kelty Light Year 45, your choice of down or synthetic. The Marmot Pounder is good. The Mountain Hardwear Phantom 45 is great, but pricey. REI sells a 45-F down bag, too.

Any bag in the 40-45F range ought to be fine, as long as you have some sort of warm layer you can wear to bed. A fleece jacket ought to be enough, even just a 100-weight pullover. You'll want the jacket in camp in the evening anyway. Oh, and bring a light warm hat -- I love my MH MicroDome hat. It'll add a lot of warmth in a bag.

[RiverWarriorPJ]

You may need a lil more.....but during that time frame in the area you mentioned, I just use my fleece bag liner...

[peter_pan]

Stealth quilt under 15 oz....

But I'm biased.

Pan

[TurkeyBacon]

I'll second big cranky completely. Budget bags do just fine for summer. I would add a pair of poly glove liners to the hat and fleece. Slumberjack has some bags that would work too.
TB

[DawnTreader]

I agree with Pan.. Stealth Quilt. The Shennendoah quilt worked well as an overquilt in my hammock, but some nights it dropped below 40, so I carried a silk liner that I crawled into.. worked well.
Pan,
When can we expect that closed cell ground pad system for the quilt to hit the market?? Before Summer :)???

[neo]

Stealth quilt under 15 oz....

But I'm biased.

Pan


:D yep we know that:cool: neo

[maxNcathy]

If you can afford this bag, get it. So soft so light so warm, so COOLer than cool.

Marmot Hydrogen

You're welcome, Sandalwood

[Chaco Taco]

Right now one of the bags on clearance at GOP and my local trail shop is the Kelty Stratus, selling it for about $50. I have one and love it. I got a fleece insert for winter camping. Good luck!

[hammock engineer]

I agree with Pan.. Stealth Quilt. The Shennendoah quilt worked well as an overquilt in my hammock, but some nights it dropped below 40, so I carried a silk liner that I crawled into.. worked well.
Pan,
When can we expect that closed cell ground pad system for the quilt to hit the market?? Before Summer :)???

Check their site. They have a ground system up.

[LIhikers]

When hiking in the heat of summer I use a fleece blanket. I think it was about $15 a couple of years ago and weighs about a pound.

[Jim Adams]

If you go to Trail Days, check out the Chinook bags. Last year there was a vendor selling 50* synthetics for $22.00. Less than a pound. I bought one and consider it one of my best buys ever. I use it mostly for bedding at work (24 hour shift paramedic) and have used it probably 15 nights outside and 100 nights indoors as a blanket. It never left me cold down to about 45* outside and it seems to be holding up VERY well, showing no signs of wear. I am buying another this year just to have for the future.
geek

[Buckles]

Check out the Frog Sac, available through Mountain Crossings (at Neels Gap).

http://www.mountaincrossings.com/Sleeping_Bag.html

[TurkeyBacon]

Buckles that bag is way cool... Ironic that I had some Ocean Breaths Salty by Modest mouse floating through my head too.
TB

[hammock engineer]

Check out the Frog Sac, available through Mountain Crossings (at Neels Gap).

http://www.mountaincrossings.com/Sleeping_Bag.html


If those are the same frog sacks that Ed Speer sales, he has some for sale on his website.

http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/Sale.htm

A little heavy compared to some other options.

[insure ants]

WM Caribou. Rated to 38 degrees, and is soooooooo comfortable. Crawl in and it's like you're in the clouds. Also handles temp ranges well, so if it's in the 50s it won't suffocate you.

[smokymtnsteve]

cheap fleece slumber bag from wal or K mart