Sleeping Bag Help

[Lady Grey]

I plan on doing a long stretch of the AT starting in March 2013. I'll start in Georgia and go north for 4 months - just approved for a leave from my job at a high school so am very excited.

I'm in the early gear planning stages and have the luxury of time, so am looking for sales. I'm looking for a lightweight down bag and have read many good reviews of the Marmot Helium 15, but when I look at the women's bag specs it looks as though it's only 66 inches long. I'm 5'8" so that would be too short. Can't seem to find the same bag in a long women's version. Ideas? Recommendations for other bags?

Thanks in advance!

[Mountain Mike]

Find a decent outfitter, go there & tell them about your plans. Then try display models out in the store. Get in them & see how they feel. Many outfitters such as EMS rent bags. So ake one out & take it on a test hike. Your bag is probably the most important piece of equipment on your hike.

[J. Foolery]

I've also been looking at Marmot's bags. I'm not sure if you're left or right handed, but here are some links to a large Helium:

http://www.sunnysports.com/Prod/MRMBHEL.html?&&

http://www.sunnysports.com/Catalog.aspx?op=ItemDisplay&ProductID=MRMBHEML&Pag e=1&Term=marmot%20helium%20women's%20sleeping%20ba g&Hit=1

Also, I've been looking into Big Agnes bags. They have both full and half size sleeping pad sleeves to prevent slipping off your pad. Their women's bags all seem to have amazing reviews. Their Peggy bag is probably what I'll end up with:

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Agnes-15-D...=2FYZSB7CSG2P7

Other 15 degree bags I've looked into that have pretty good reviews are Mountain Hardwear's Phantom and Marmot's Pinnacle (both available in women's). One final bag that I'm considering is Montbell's U.L. Super Spiral Down Hugger #3 (This is a 30 degree bag- but Montbell has a 15 degree super spiral as well). This bag is not available in women's, but I know a couple of people who have used it and it comes VERY highly recommended.

Hope this helps!

[J. Foolery]

Sorry Vtdeb, I think I sent you links to a man's Helium. (I've been looking into both men's and women's bags) When I went back and searched, I couldn't find the Helium in a large women's either (bummer b/c I'm too tall for a regular, too!) I hope some of the other bags I mentioned will help you in your search.

[bigcranky]

Not sure about long women's sizes in Marmot bags. You might check the Montbell #1 super spiral UL down bag, which is comparable in quality and has the stretch feature that many hikers (including my wife) appreciate.

Sounds like a great trip.

[J. Foolery]

You might check the Montbell #1 super spiral UL down bag, which is comparable in quality and has the stretch feature that many hikers (including my wife) appreciate.

Good to know that women appreciate super spirals, too! I wasn't sure, because I only know men who have had them, but those guys were in love with their bags. Thanks!

[Moose2001]

Western Mountaineering bags are the best you'll find.

[Lady Grey]

Thanks, everyone. J. Foolery, thanks for confirming what I'd found... no luck with a woman's Helium bag. It's strange that Marmot hasn't accounted for the fact that many women are over 5'6"! I've read a lot of positive comments about the Montbell Super Spiral series so will look into those as well, and I'll check out the Western Mountaineering bags too.

[redheadedhiker674]

I'm 6ft and am having trouble finding a women's sleeping bag that is a good length. I might just go ahead and get a men's bag although I heard that wasn't a good idea due to warmth. What's a girl to do..

[leaftye]

redheadedhiker674, look at the EN temperature ratings for any bag you look at. One easy way to look at it is that the "comfort level" (for men). The will be the lower level for women.

[Hoop]

The OP mentioned looking at the Marmot Helium. Yesterday F-Stop bumped his thread, has that same bag for a good price.

[Creek Dancer]

I'm 6ft and am having trouble finding a women's sleeping bag that is a good length. I might just go ahead and get a men's bag although I heard that wasn't a good idea due to warmth. What's a girl to do..

Don't worry too much about using a "womens" sleeping bag. Sure, the bag might be designed to fit the female shape, but I honestly don't think it's that big of a deal. I use a men's Marmot Helium (15 degree down) bag and I am plenty warm down to about 20 degrees. I think that the size and fit of the bag is more important than the "gender" of the bag. If you find a mens bag that fits you, i.e., not too big, not too short, not too long, etc., then the bag should work for you.

[eatapeach]

Your post reminded me of a review of sierra designs pyro on amazon. It's a 15 degree bag, and a woman reviewed it and apparently liked it. I'm a man and got one for myself. The prices on amazon can fluctuate wildly. I paid 150 for the regular.

[4eyedbuzzard]

I'm 6ft and am having trouble finding a women's sleeping bag that is a good length. I might just go ahead and get a men's bag although I heard that wasn't a good idea due to warmth. What's a girl to do..

Well, you'll notice that Western Mountaineering doesn't make gender specific bags, yet they are pretty much the bag against which all others are judged. The big difference is that many companies cut bags a little bigger in the hip area for women's models, but larger in the shoulder area for men's models. If you are a wider person to any degree, you would be advised to look at the girth measurements of any bag as well. Some company's mummy bags can be a tight fit. Women tend on average to "sleep colder" than men as well, but this is by a few degrees - not a lot. There is a wider range of comfort difference within the same gender (one guy may be comfortable in a bag at 20, while another will be cold in the same bag at 30) than there is between the genders. Different people just sleep colder or warmer than others.

[leaftye]

I thought the difference between male and female bags was 13°F or 17°F. That's a pretty big difference.

[Creek Dancer]

A big difference in what? I guess I don't understand your post.

[Blissful]

The fill is placed differently in the bags for gender specific and the zipper is sometimes the opposite side (not always, though, esp if there's a choice) - not the overall temp rating.

[leaftye]

A big difference in what? I guess I don't understand your post.

The exact same bag would be rated at 20°F for men, and 33°F or 37°F for women. That's the big difference I'm talking about.

The fill is placed differently in the bags for gender specific and the zipper is sometimes the opposite side (not always, though, esp if there's a choice) - not the overall temp rating.

I've heard that the fill might be placed differently, but I haven't seen proof of this yet...not that I've looked. Some bags just change the rating and offer a shorter bag for women.

[Tinker]

It would be nice if all of this useful information was posted in the "general" forum, even though it applies directly to women.

How many guys know the difference between a male specific bag and a female specific bag? I only know because I used to sell them. This thread is informative, and, though not actually hidden from male forum users, seems, at least to me, to imply that only women can have answers to the OP's question.
Having only 3 posts, the OP logically decided to post here.
I wonder if the moderators have the freedom or authority to create a "duplicate post", in other words, leave the post here and also copy it into the "general" category.
This information would benefit the "general" audience of this forum, imo.

[leaftye]

Tinker, I agree. I didn't know the difference until a few weeks ago when someone pointed out a sale on a womans bag at REI. It was rated at 20°F, but had a note in the specs that said it was rated for 3°F for men. As a 20°F bag for women, the price was okay, but was a steal as a 0°F bag for men. I wish I could find that bag again, but it was in their outlet and seems to have sold out.