Whats a good sleeping bag for a early march start in Georgia????

[yotarunner77]

I am planning on starting march 5th in GA and was wondering what temperature rating I should go with the start out....I have a 30°f and was thinking on adding a liner to bring it down to a 16° rating. Will that keep me warm enough along with a layer or two of clothing????

[ChinMusic]

If you are a warm sleeper yes, unless there is a serious cold snap. I would question a liner really bringing a 30° to a 16°. Personally I would go with a good 15 or 20 degree bag.

You live in Penn. Test your equipment in your backyard this winter.

[Bronk]

Sleeping temperature is highly individual and depends on a number of factors...the only way you will know is to test out your gear in your backyard...that way if its too cold you can just go inside.

I carried a 50 degree ten dollar Walmart sleeping bag and I started from Springer at the end of February. I wasn't cold. Some people have 0 degree bags and get cold.

A big factor is what kind of sleeping pad, clothing and shelter you have, so make sure when you are testing out your sleeping bag you wear the same clothes you will be wearing on the trail and sleep under the same shelter and on the same pad.

[max patch]

A liner isn't going to magically convert a 30 bag to a 16.

Early March? I'd go with a zero. 30 bag will turn you into an ice cube.

[nathan2]

I started on April 8 in 2006 with a Western Mountaineering Highlite (35 degree bag) and a silk liner and froze my ass off for my first 2-3 weeks on trail. Next year I will be starting about the same time give or take and using my Marmot Helium (15ish degree) until I am consistenlty sleeping on top of it! Then and only then will I bust out the summer bag.

[nathan2]

Now I remember lol: Trying to get comfortable in a silk liner inside of a sleeping bag on top of a pad in a hammock is one of the most frustrating experiences ever when you just want to conk out haha.

[ScottP]

depends on the liner and type of clothing.

If you have a down vest you'll probably be good to go.

I'm not sure how much warmth silk liners really add, but it's not 15 degrees

[ChinMusic]

depends on the liner and type of clothing.

If you have a down vest you'll probably be good to go.

I'm not sure how much warmth silk liners really add, but it's not 15 degrees

I know I am comfortable in the high teens with a 30° bag and a down parka (Nunatak Skaha Plus). 15 degrees might be pushing it. Past experience on the trail and in my backyard make this known to me. Everyone has there own esperiences and needs to test their gear when they can. The OP lives in Penn and can easily test his gear in such conditions. A poster from FL will be guessing sans trail experience.

[DapperD]

I am planning on starting march 5th in GA and was wondering what temperature rating I should go with the start out....I have a 30°f and was thinking on adding a liner to bring it down to a 16° rating. Will that keep me warm enough along with a layer or two of clothing????

If you have the money and can afford it, get yourself a good 0 degree bag with a full length zipper. This way, if it gets really, really cold you can just get in with added clothes if necessary, zip it up and be nice and toasty. And if it isn't cold and you get a little too warm, then just unzip it to adjust your temperature accordingly.

[Linesman]

I started March 2 and used a 32 degree WM Summerlite + Cocoon silk liner for the whole trip. i had one or two uncomfortably cold nights but nothing I couldnt deal with. Be prepared to wear all of your clothes while sleeping on the coldest nights. I think the temps might have hit the teens at times. A 0 deg bag would have been overkill for me and much less versatile

[buz]

Chin has it right on, you have all winter to test your set up. Sleep temp is individual thing, you will have to be judge and jury. Being cold at night sucks. For me, no way would I bring a 30 starting in early March and try to stretch it. But that is me. I can't do liners, flippy floppy sleeper, I look like bad pretzel in morning, they don't work. Perhaps nice down coat that you may bring, plus wool socks and long underwear, your bag could do. Pad is very important as well for insulating value. Try and be prepared. good luck.

[max patch]

Winton hopes you start with a 30 degree bag.

[Burklow]

I started March 2 and used a 32 degree WM Summerlite + Cocoon silk liner for the whole trip. i had one or two uncomfortably cold nights but nothing I couldnt deal with. Be prepared to wear all of your clothes while sleeping on the coldest nights. I think the temps might have hit the teens at times. A 0 deg bag would have been overkill for me and much less versatile

I am considering a similar early March sleep system of a WM Summerlite + silk liner.

Did you wear any kind of down jacket/vest in your summerlite? I have a Patagonia down sweater I was planning on using to augment the bag's temperature rating during the cold spells. Stay in mostly shelters, bivy, tent, etc.?

[Smooth & Wasabi]

I experienced 9 degrees at Hawk mountain on March 3rd. I was just warm enough in a 20 degree bag and clothes, My wife was freezing in her 20 with down jacket. She sleeps cold I sleep warm. Like folks said it is all individual. I would consider my 30 degree montbell ulss that time of year as long as I had a down jacket, down pants, down socks, and perhaps a breathable bivy.

[DapperD]

I started March 2 and used a 32 degree WM Summerlite + Cocoon silk liner for the whole trip. i had one or two uncomfortably cold nights but nothing I couldnt deal with. Be prepared to wear all of your clothes while sleeping on the coldest nights. I think the temps might have hit the teens at times. A 0 deg bag would have been overkill for me and much less versatile

I am considering a similar early March sleep system of a WM Summerlite + silk liner.

Did you wear any kind of down jacket/vest in your summerlite? I have a Patagonia down sweater I was planning on using to augment the bag's temperature rating during the cold spells. Stay in mostly shelters, bivy, tent, etc.?

If you are a warm sleeper then this would probably/evidently did work out OK. I believe that the main reason it would/did work is that a high quality and most likely accurately rated Western Mountaineering bag was used. If a low quality, cheap 32 degree bag was used instead, the results may not have turned out quite as well

[hikerboy57]

Im planning on starting march1, bringing my BA lost ranger15. I need warm.

[G-WALK]

I hiked Springer to Dicks creek gap last Mid april and was a little cool in a 32 degree bag, (with a thin linner). i was under just a tarp for some of it. I was never to cold to deal with. I shot some video on the trip.... there is a link below.... good luck.
http://youtu.be/oa9r8k90d0A

[q-tip]

I started in March--a 15 D bag was the right choice.

[slims]

For someone embarking March 20th would a 15 degree bag still be a good idea?

[buz]

Slims,

I would say, depends on you. I would take it, you can always change it out, suuuuuuuuuuuuuucks to be cold at night. If you can, practice sleep in it, is it an you really rated to 15? You should know the range of your bag/clothes set up, if you can, ahead of time. You will make a smarter decision then. But I doubt you will be hot/uncomfortable in that bag for at least a month.