Warmer Bag or Liner+35?

[Rayo]

Hey! I'm starting my thru nobo in mid-March and had a specific question about my bag.

A) I already have a MH 35 Lamina bag and was thinking of getting a +15 liner from Sea to Summit for 55$ to supplement it for those cold nights...

B) Or, I've considered returning the Lamina to REI and applying the credit to a warmer bag, like a 15 down.

Thanks for the help!

[Tinker]

Wearing puffy clothing to bed will probably be more efficient than a liner, and you will probably be carrying it anyway (jacket at least). Next cold night in Cleveland, take your clothing and bag outside, try different combinations, decide which items can function for multi-purpose, and take what you think you'll need. Keep the bag for summer in the White Mts. in New Hampshire, and buy a warmer bag if you think you'll need it after experimenting with sleep combinations.

[mountain squid]

Personally, I think every hiker should carry a sleeping bag suitable for the conditions they expect to have to routinely endure. You might have many nights below 35f in mid Mar. If you were leaving in mid Apr you might not have as many below 35f nights. Suffering through one or two miserably cold nights might be tolerable, but two or three weeks . . . If you are not warm in a 35f bag you might be forced to buy something on the trail.

As far as liners go, they may add some warmth, but if it doesn't, again you might be forced to purchase a new bag from the trail. I look at my liner as helping to keep my bag clean, if it helps to add warmth on one particularly cold night then that is a bonus.

Just my .02 worth . . .

Good Luck and Have Fun! (and stay warm).

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike
some observations

[garlic08]

I tried a liner once and it failed miserably. Others swear by them. It must depend on how much you toss and turn, and how well things fit together. My vote is a 15F bag on the AT in March, if you want to stay on trail. Another option is to spend a lot of time and money in towns sitting out the cold weather. My expensive 15F bag was well worth the few nights I did NOT spend in Gatlinburg in a blizzard when overnight temps were in the teens.

[swjohnsey]

I didn't spend the night in Gatlinburg when temperatures were in the teens and I had a 40 degree bag. Know how to use the bag, know how to stay warm and don't worry about bein' a little uncomfortable once in a while. Sufferin' builds character.

[mountain squid]

Glad you didn't freeze to death or get hypothermia, swjohnsey. But in my opinion, that is horrible advice. Just because you were fortunate doesn't mean someone else will also be fortunate.

I've seen many ill equipped hikers down in GA. They may suffer through one or two nights until Woody Gap (pickup from the Hiker Hostel) or Neels Gap, where they'll buy something new. I don't know if they are building character, but they are definitely lightening the wallet . . .

This year has been unseasonably warm thus far, but I wouldn't count on that. Tonight looks like a low of 28f here, which means probably about 15f on top of Roan . . . not sure if a 35f bag would suffice.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike
some observations

[Blissful]

B) Or, I've considered returning the Lamina to REI and applying the credit to a warmer bag, like a 15 down.

Thanks for the help!

20 degree would be good. My son took that with a March 5th start.

[Blissful]

Glad you didn't freeze to death or get hypothermia, swjohnsey. But in my opinion, that is horrible advice. Just because you were fortunate doesn't mean someone else will also be fortunate.

Absolutely.......

[swjohnsey]

Glad you didn't freeze to death or get hypothermia, swjohnsey. But in my opinion, that is horrible advice. Just because you were fortunate doesn't mean someone else will also be fortunate.

I've seen many ill equipped hikers down in GA. They may suffer through one or two nights until Woody Gap (pickup from the Hiker Hostel) or Neels Gap, where they'll buy something new. I don't know if they are building character, but they are definitely lightening the wallet . . .

This year has been unseasonably warm thus far, but I wouldn't count on that. Tonight looks like a low of 28f here, which means probably about 15f on top of Roan . . . not sure if a 35f bag would suffice.

See you on the trail,
mt squid


how to hike
some observations

I sent my cold weather gear home from Damascus (mistake). My clothing consisted of a polyester short, short sleeve T-shirt, Precip top and bottom. Got down into the teens on Mt Rogers. Got up the next morning and everthing was white. My hands were so cold I had to make some coffee and warm up to get my hands workin'. I was never in danger. Cold weather makes you want to get movin' to warm up.

I'm not gonna send my cold weather clothing home 'til after Mt Rogers this time.

[Rayo]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I found a MH 15 bag (same style as my MH 35). The 15 weighs will put my mind more at ease for those cold nights and even weighs a few ounces less. Tinker, the prospect of spending a night outside in Cleveland convinced me that the 35 won't cut it. I've decided I'll return the 35 to REI and use the credit for shoes or something and I'll buy the bag on sale from Altrec.com.

Again, thanks all for the juicy morsels of wisdom.

[Groundpounder]

Send your cold weather gear when you get to Atkins Va. They don't call it "White Top" for nothin bro!!

[MuddyWaters]

buy a 15-20 F bag from REI.
When the weather warms up around May, return it to an REI and get a lighter wt bag.

[Creek Dancer]

buy a 15-20 F bag from REI.
When the weather warms up around May, return it to an REI and get a lighter wt bag.

I really hope you are joking.

[Rayo]

I really hope you are joking.

I think it's a helpful idea. I recently met a guide for Outward Bound, with 20+ years of guiding exp., and he told me that when he did his thru-hike, he bought 2 pairs of shoes from REI and exchanged a worn out pair for a new one every 500 miles or so.

REI loves thru-hikers, we are living their mission statement. Furthermore, as a company, they are a behemoth and returning equipment is like throwing a snowball at a brick wall-they sell that used equipment we send their way anyways!

Use REI as a tool for making your adventures more feasible.

[Skid.]

On cool breezy nites I would rather have a fleece liner in a light bag than a heavier bag without one. When the wind's not blowing, it's a toss-up.

[Lando11]

I used a last model ems velocity 35 + a sea to summit 10 liner and was good to go on the trail in '11. I would also think hard about your sleeping pad too. I used a thermarest prolite 4 until va, and that thing is toasty as hell. But, I also sleep warm all year round. I do love my bag liner though. Not only keeps you a bit warmer, but keeps your bag MUCH cleaner over the course of months of daily use. Way easier to clean the liner then you sleeping bag, especially if its down. I think you are good to go with your setup
Happy trails buddy

[Creek Dancer]

I think it's a helpful idea. I recently met a guide for Outward Bound, with 20+ years of guiding exp., and he told me that when he did his thru-hike, he bought 2 pairs of shoes from REI and exchanged a worn out pair for a new one every 500 miles or so.

REI loves thru-hikers, we are living their mission statement. Furthermore, as a company, they are a behemoth and returning equipment is like throwing a snowball at a brick wall-they sell that used equipment we send their way anyways!


Use REI as a tool for making your adventures more feasible.

Oh please. This is the kind of entitlement mentality that many people speak about on this forum. You act like thru-hikers are doing REI a favor by simply existing. Do you really think it is ethical to return an item because you have worn it out or because you simply want something else after you have used the item for some time? Do you really think anyone would want to buy a thru-hikers sleeping bag with all its funk? Give me a break. I can see returning an item, unused, because you item did not work for you, or perhaps it was a faulty piece of equipment, etc. But to return an item that you have simply used up is simply wrong and self-centered.

As a member of REI, I find this type of attitude reprehnesible.

[rockerZ71]

Oh please. This is the kind of entitlement mentality that many people speak about on this forum. You act like thru-hikers are doing REI a favor by simply existing. Do you really think it is ethical to return an item because you have worn it out or because you simply want something else after you have used the item for some time? Do you really think anyone would want to buy a thru-hikers sleeping bag with all its funk? Give me a break. I can see returning an item, unused, because you item did not work for you, or perhaps it was a faulty piece of equipment, etc. But to return an item that you have simply used up is simply wrong and self-centered.

As a member of REI, I find this type of attitude reprehnesible.

I agree don't ruin their awesome return policy by taking advantage of it. If you wear out your shoes, buy a new pair.

[ScottP]

Wearing puffy clothing to bed will probably be more efficient than a liner, and you will probably be carrying it anyway (jacket at least). Next cold night in Cleveland, take your clothing and bag outside, try different combinations, decide which items can function for multi-purpose, and take what you think you'll need. Keep the bag for summer in the White Mts. in New Hampshire, and buy a warmer bag if you think you'll need it after experimenting with sleep combinations.

+1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Rayo]

Oh please. This is the kind of entitlement mentality that many people speak about on this forum. You act like thru-hikers are doing REI a favor by simply existing. Do you really think it is ethical to return an item because you have worn it out or because you simply want something else after you have used the item for some time? Do you really think anyone would want to buy a thru-hikers sleeping bag with all its funk? Give me a break. I can see returning an item, unused, because you item did not work for you, or perhaps it was a faulty piece of equipment, etc. But to return an item that you have simply used up is simply wrong and self-centered.

As a member of REI, I find this type of attitude reprehnesible.

There's a reason REI's business plan is studied in many MBA programs: even if people sometimes abuse it, the 100% returns ensures that REI maintains a loyal and steadily increasing consumer population. REI forms a strong allegiance with its customers, not because it has the same return policy as other companies, but because it provides assurance along with their products. I sleep well at night knowing that if need be, I can return that pair of shoes for another one.

REI's return policy allows for occasional abuse, yes, but it strongly promotes customer allegiance, and therefore, ever-increasing profits, period.

Agree to disagree.