sleeping bag for march 28th start (springer)

[ketchup32]

I am planning a late march start from springer and have a mountain hardware pinehole synthetic bag rated at 20 deg. I am concerned with getting a down bag rated at the same temperature because I am cold when it reaches 30 deg. in my current synthetic bag. I heard that it could reach into the teens in the Smokeys and around springer in April. looking at purchasing Western mountaineering alpine lite 20 deg. . Don't really want to switch out bag for warmer months. Would this be a good set up with a neo air xlite pad

[Lone Wolf]

i went to springer 18 years in a row the 3rd week of march. i always had a 20 deg. synthetic bag. i also slept in a tent and never shelters

[Puppy]

i went to springer 18 years in a row the 3rd week of march. i always had a 20 deg. synthetic bag. i also slept in a tent and never shelters

Hi Lone Wolf - I know you are a very experienced backpacker - i am interested in why you like a synthetic bag (since I am learning about my options and doing some sleeping bag shopping right now)

[Lone Wolf]

Hi Lone Wolf - I know you are a very experienced backpacker - i am interested in why you like a synthetic bag (since I am learning about my options and doing some sleeping bag shopping right now)

price and keeps you warm when damp. never had a wet bag

[ShelterLeopard]

I like down, and I've never had a wet bag either. But I'm a sucker for comfort and just never liked synthetic bags as much. I usually carry a 15 degree down.

[MuddyWaters]

If you have a real double wall tent, it will add 5 f or so. Doesnt do you much good in GSMNP, but you will also be packed in 15 people or more in a 12 person shelter, with a tarp across opening, and that adds several degrees too even if you arent spooning. With clothing, a 20 f should get you by fine.

Down loses loft fast due to body oils and picking up body moisture and humidity. Plan on washing it every 2-3 weeks to maintain max loft. It actually needs it in as little as 7 days. Dry out/air out every chance you get, especially in town. Its good to have a little overkill with down in cold weather for this reason.

I love my down, but agree its probably not best suited for most new thruhikers in spring that aren used to caring for it, and keeping it dry. I know from experience how its affected by humidity, cowboy camping under clear sky, weeks of use, etc. Its not low maintenance.

[jimyjam]

I'm starting my thru hike end of March 2016 and plan on using my Sierra designs backcountry bed with 800 fill Dridown (got this year for Christmas) with a Sea to Summit bag liner which provides 25 degree extra warmth. I'm also a hammock hanger and not a ground dweller. No matter you should check out the bag. Many outfitters carry it. If you Google it you'll find many options.


Life is full of ups and downs! Hike on!

[frowland]

I started the AT 5 years ago, very short sections, anyway 2 night out from Springer it got down to 19 degrees with enough snow to make a snowman, we were in a shelter and I became borderline hypothermic...I would bring a warmer bag.

[brancher]

Bag ratings are interesting, and one of the mysteries of the universe. Mostly because many companies lie about ratings. In addition, folks sleep differently - some are 'cold' sleepers and some a 'warm' sleepers, and a given temp rating may work for me but not you. Some tricks I've learned are to be prepared to layer up at night, keep your head covered and warm, keep your feet warm (with FRESH socks, not the ones you wore all day), neutralize wind thru your shelter. I've found that my down quilt, coupled with a liner and proper layering, can get me to 20F easily, and I have spent nights down to 16F (not willingly I may add...).

I like down and I think the new 'dridown' is the greatest!

[Sanna]

Sleeping bags that are rated 15 degrees will not necessarily keep you warm at 15. Many bags that have been tested by the EN will give you a "comfort" rating for men and women on the bag that is generally 10 higher. So a 15 degree bag will keep you alive at 15 degrees, but would keep you comfortable at 27 degrees.

Many people look at sleeping bags as an independent item, but you need to consider your entire sleep system - adding an insulated pad that has a higher R-Value will add warmth. Also as Muddy Waters pointed out that a tent will add 5 degrees or so...

My advice is to take your set up outside one or two nights that the weather drops into the low 20's or teens and test out your gear. Everyone sleeps differently - a little warmer & some (like me) on the colder side. Then tweak your gear if need be.


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[Lyle]

I would recommend down, but that is a personal choice. It is not all that difficult, even for a beginner, to keep a down bag dry. I do carry some synthetic insulation (base layers, jacket) just in case catastrophe strikes, but it never has in 30+ years of wilderness travel.

Which ever you choose, check out this thread from a couple of years ago, it is very useful for a synthetic bag, even more so if you decide to carry down.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/59554-Keeping-your-Sleeping-bag-dry

Good luck and HAVE FUN!

[double d]

In late March at Springer, I think a 20 degree down bag is far better then a synthetic bag. Also sleep warm (have a quality tent), use a sleeping pad to sleep on and sleep in warm clothes during the night.

[Lyle]

Also, agree with Sanna above regarding the pad. Get a warmer one or add a second one. Simple blue foam is great to add to your three season pad during winter use, and very cheap, probably the most added comfort for the cheapest cost you will find.

[swjohnsey]

Nothing works better than down for keeping you warm. Nothing is lighter. Nothing is more expensive. Synthetic bags won't keep you warm when wet but they are better at it than down.

Much depends on the comfort level you require and whether you plan on using the bag as it was designed. I used a WM 35 degree bag for a 1 April start. I saw temps in the low 20s. I slept a few nights with my insulating lawyers, hat, gloves, etc. on. A tent and insulating pad will make your bag "warmer".

[squeezebox]

The quilt company I'm looking at, for every 10* difference, the weight difference is 3 oz. and the $$ difference is $20. Easy to go 10-20* overkill. I think that your sleeping bag/quilt should be a what if purchase. Here in St. Louis we seldom get into the teens, and rarely get to single digits, but it does happen. hypothermia kills!! The $40 in your wallet won't keep you warm, the $40 in your bag will.

[booney_1]

I have a solution that not many people in the South use. Use your 20 degree bag...the whole way. But for when you start get a set of quilted underwear tops/bottoms. Down is best (but $$), but synthetic would work also (check out hanks clothing, and check the web for quilted, or insulated underwear). These can double as extra layers for camp. But for sleeping they really extend the warmth of your bag. Think of it as a sleeping system. For the coldest temps...bag/insulated bottoms+top/...slightly warmer...remove bottoms...warmer yet...bag+base layer.
You probably just need them for the first month or 6 weeks, and then you can send them home.

Quilted/Insulated underwear is usually used by hunters or workers.

I started using them in the Boy Scouts many years ago near Syracuse NY, in the 70s'. We camped year round, in tents without floors, on top of the snow...it gets very cold..(below zero). I know they look dorky, but having the insulation close around you makes a big difference.

[pickNgrin]

Hi Lone Wolf - I know you are a very experienced backpacker - i am interested in why you like a synthetic bag (since I am learning about my options and doing some sleeping bag shopping right now)

Puppy- as has been said earlier, down is an awesome lightweight insulator. That makes it an excellent choice for a sleeping bag. But….its main drawback is that if it gets wet, it loses almost all of its insulating properties. Synthetic on the other hand retains enough insulating properties when wet that it could keep hypothermia away whereas down would not in the same situation. In this way, synthetic is insurance against unforeseen circumstances.

[RED-DOG]

I thru'd the AT three times and used a 30 degree Mountain Hardwear Ultra Lamina synthetic bag and i started in mid feb, on the AT synthetic is the way to go cause it rains so much out their the last thing you want to do is get a down bag wet, and don't change sleeping bags out get somethiong you can keep for the entire trail, in my oppinion it's pretty stupid to buy two seperate set ups a warm and a cold so i would suggest whatever you buy get SYNTHETIC and something you can keep the entire trail.

[Red Hat]

The MH Alpine Lite is what I have used for all my AT miles... keeps me toasty... use it as a blanket when it gets warmer, you can always toss it off.

[CalebJ]

I thru'd the AT three times and used a 30 degree Mountain Hardwear Ultra Lamina synthetic bag and i started in mid feb, on the AT synthetic is the way to go cause it rains so much out their the last thing you want to do is get a down bag wet, and don't change sleeping bags out get somethiong you can keep for the entire trail, in my oppinion it's pretty stupid to buy two seperate set ups a warm and a cold so i would suggest whatever you buy get SYNTHETIC and something you can keep the entire trail.
It's not difficult at all to keep a sleeping bag dry. Just take a few basic steps and you'll never have to worry about it. I haven't used a synthetic bag in at least a decade. The only time my down bag ever got wet was last year when my bivy sack wasn't properly protected in a torrential storm. Dried right out the next day though.

[Datto]

I used a Feathered Friends 20*F sleeping bag on my AT thru-hike -- started April 10th at Springer -- it worked fine.

If you're gong to compare degree ratings for down sleeping bags, my experience is that Western Mountaineering and some Mountain Hardware and Feathered Friends sleeping bags are the only brands that are near the actual rating. The rest of the brands are so far off that they're just mostly wild claims for advertising purposes.

If you want to get a tried and true sleeping bag and money is not an object, just get a Western Mountaineering sleeping bag at the temperature rating and pack weight you desire and move on to the next thing on your to-do list.


Datto

[CarlZ993]

A 20 deg synthetic bag w/ a late March start might be okay... it might be insufficient. In 2013, I started on 3/21 w/ a 15 deg down bag. A couple of nights it got chilly (around 15 deg). I had every stitch of clothing & managed to stay comfortable. I also used an X-Lite sleeping pad (love that pad!!). I think I would have felt warmer if I'd slept in a regular double-wall tent (I had a Z-packs Solo Plus; which wasn't any warmer than sleeping in the shelters).

Down or synthetic? I'm partial to down. Lighter, fluffier, compacts smaller, etc. You must keep it dry, of course. In 20 yrs of using down bags, I've never had a down bag compromised w/ moisture. Waterproof stuff sacks & pack liners (trash compactor bags) will keep everything dry. As the weather warms up, you'll sweat more & more into your bag. In the heat of the summer, I rarely slept inside my sleeping bag. I'd go to sleep w/ it at my feet. If I got cool at night, I'd drape it over me like a quilt. For my $0.02, I'd switch out to a warm-weather bag to save some weight. That's what I did.

Have fun in your planning & good luck on your hike.

[Scorpion]

I agree with the information about Western Mountaineering concerning temperature rating. I started my thru on March 10th, and have been out every year since in March. My bag was a Mega-lite rated at 30 degrees. I never have a problem with it, and sometimes the temps get down to 15 degrees. If really cold I would sleep with my fleece shirt on. Now I have replaced my fleece shirt with a lighter down jacket, and should be good to lower temperatures yet. The hood on the Mega-lite really helps keep my warm on those cold nights.
Scorpion GA-ME 04