Sleeping Bag Rating

[insider2185]

Is a down 15 degree sleeping bag overkill to thru hike the PCT?

[Kookork]

Sorry, no PCT experience but are you a cold sleeper or not? is this bag your only one all the way? Is it possible to use it like a blanket?

[insider2185]

Sorry for the lack of prior info...

I do like to sleep cold, but my worries come from never been that far out west. The furthest I've been is Colorado and New Mexico. I do intend to use the same sleeping bag the entire way. When I hiked the AT, I used a 32 degree bag the entire way, but I started "late" in May.

For the PCT, I intend to begin hiking April/May again. I've heard that most pple use a 20 degree the whole way. But being from Louisiana, I am very limited on cold weather camping, which is probably why I am second guessing myself on this issue.

[Kookork]

Here you go. you are from Louisiana then lets give 5 degree more warmth because of being from warmer temperature. so if most use a 20 degrees then a 15 can't be an overkill.

Is there practically a sleeping bag that is perfect for every situation you may encounter on PCT? No, not because of the bag but because of the nature of the trail and being there for 3 season.
If this is the only bag you will use and you are from louisiana then seems a good choice to me.

[handlebar]

I carried a 15 degree down bag and a silk liner (to try to keep it clean) most of the way. Switched to a 45 degree summer bag somewhere in N California, but called support crew after a week to get my 15 degree bag shipped back to me at Etna. You'll be fine the whole way with the 15 degree down bag.

[nathan2]

I carried a 15 degree down bag and a silk liner (to try to keep it clean) most of the way. Switched to a 45 degree summer bag somewhere in N California, but called support crew after a week to get my 15 degree bag shipped back to me at Etna. You'll be fine the whole way with the 15 degree down bag.

This is great too know. I was thinking that because it was the desert that I could use my WM Highlite. The verdict across the board seems to be that it gets cold at night. I'm going to use my Marmot Helium which is supposed to be good down to 15 degrees. I have a silk liner... never considered using it to stay clean. Guess that's why my bag smells like @$$.

[Spirit Walker]

PCT is a hot trail. Although it can get cool at night, I think a 15 degree bag is overkill. I sleep cold and I used a 20 degree bag the whole way.

[nathan2]

Great. I froze on the AT because my bag wasn't warm enough. Now I'm going to sweat to death on the PCT because my bag is too warm lol!

[burger]

I used a 30-degree bag plus a silk liner (which is maybe good for 5 more degrees) the whole way on the PCT and would do so again. But most of my friend had 20 degree bags.

[StormBird]

I carried a 15 degree down bag and a silk liner (to try to keep it clean) most of the way. Switched to a 45 degree summer bag somewhere in N California, but called support crew after a week to get my 15 degree bag shipped back to me at Etna. You'll be fine the whole way with the 15 degree down bag.

I totally agree with handlebar. I just finished thru hiking the PCT a couple weeks ago and I carried a fifteen degree bag the whole way. Most of the hikers that I hiked with did the same.

[nathan2]

I totally agree with handlebar. I just finished thru hiking the PCT a couple weeks ago and I carried a fifteen degree bag the whole way. Most of the hikers that I hiked with did the same.

Congrats! Welcome back to the desert of the real.

[frisbeefreek]

I used a 25F with a liner in 2009. There were only a few nights where I had to wear a balaclava (best way to stay warm) and my cloths in the sack. If I did it again, I would carry a 35F bag (WM Highlite) everywhere but the Sierras, where I would carry a 25F.

Note that I used a tent (Tarptent Rainbow) that provided more shelter than many of the ultralite tarps and finished Aug.25th (before the Cascades get cold).

[BrianLe]

Another YMMV thing. Part of the question is what sort of clothing you have to wear inside the bag, assuming the bag isn't such a tight fit that no poofy clothing could loft inside it.
I used a WM 20F bag through the Sierras, then switched to a 32F WM (Western Mountaineering, i.e., good quality) bag for the rest of the NOBO trip, and these choices worked perfectly for me. In my particular year. It's what I would do if going again, FWIW.

[leaftye]

Your start date will be warm already. It'll still get cold in the Sierras. A big part of that is due to condensation, although that can be reduced by sleeping away from water if possible. If you're worried about weight, carry a quilt instead. Even a "cheap" zero degree quilt will probably be lighter and pack smaller than any 15 degree bag, and an zip/shockcord footbox can allow it to be comfortable on warmer too. By "cheap" I am going off an estimate I had once done that I can build a 0°F quilt with generous dimensions using cheap 1.1 nylon and 700 fp down that'd weigh somewhere between 33-36 ounces.