PDA

View Full Version : Looking for advice on sleeping bags



SummitSistah
01-06-2017, 14:11
I have a Northface Cat's Meow 20 degree bag and wonder if it's good enough for my NOBO thru hike. I have done some backpacking but never more than a couple of days at a time. I'm considering down but want to keep the cost down. Any suggestions?

Huli
01-06-2017, 14:28
I had no trouble with my North Face Blue Kazoo 20 (down version of your I believe) in Maine in the winter. Keep in mind though, everybody likes different sleeping conditions and current weather really changes up the game. I was in 20 inches of snow but no wind and comfy, on a thermarest ridge rest in a tent. I was wearing wal-mart poly pro to sleep in.

daddytwosticks
01-06-2017, 16:23
If it were me, I'd go with a high quality down bag, such as a Western Mountaineering product. True temperature range and compacts way better than synthetic. Many here will suggest a quilt. Not for me in colder weather. I toss and turn wildly in my sleep. :)

MuddyWaters
01-06-2017, 16:29
Your bag is perfect for april 1 start, if you dont mind the wt , and bulk, and sleep normal

Hosh
01-06-2017, 16:32
If it were me, I'd go with a high quality down bag, such as a Western Mountaineering product. True temperature range and compacts way better than synthetic. Many here will suggest a quilt. Not for me in colder weather. I toss and turn wildly in my sleep. :)

Not a very good way to keep costs down.

Engine
01-06-2017, 17:09
The NF Cat's Meow was a very popular bag among thru-hikers a few years back and the climate hasn't changed much since then. There are better options from a weight and compressibility standpoint, but if I already had a bag which worked and was trying to watch costs...I'd stay with what I have.

HooKooDooKu
01-06-2017, 21:31
Your bag is perfect for april 1 start, if you dont mind the wt , and bulk, and sleep normal

The NF Cat's Meow was a very popular bag among thru-hikers a few years back and the climate hasn't changed much since then. There are better options from a weight and compressibility standpoint, but if I already had a bag which worked and was trying to watch costs...I'd stay with what I have.

These are the things I was thinking regarding the Cat's Meow.

I've occasionally considered the Cat's Meow when I would find them at a really good clearance sales price.
But I lucked up at the time and found a great clearance on Mountain Hardware Ultralamina sleeping bag (at the time, the most expensive synthetic bags available).

The weight of a Cat's Meow 20º is a few ounces ligher than the Ultralamina 15º.

But the big downfall of the Cat's Meow is the stuff size. The specs say it comes with a stuff sack that is 9"x16", or ~1,000 cubic inches.

By comparison, my Ultralamina comes with a stuff sack that is 7"x12", or ~460 cubic inches (which is about the same for comparable down bags).

But on the plus side, the Cat's Meow if free, since you already own it.
So if you can deal with the bulk, save the cash until you NEED to replace the sleeping bag.

ScareBear
01-06-2017, 23:16
It's pretty bulky. It's also quite light for a synthetic 20F bag. It's also free. Only you can put a price per ounce on weight savings that you are comfortable with. Remember to factor in the weight of a compression sack...just sayin!

Venchka
01-06-2017, 23:51
Not a very good way to keep costs down.

In the long run it's very economical. The cost per decade can be quite reasonable.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hosh
01-07-2017, 00:10
In the long run it's very economical. The cost per decade can be quite reasonable.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Perhaps, but there are many options. I didn't think the OP was looking for an opinion on FV, rather was concerned about initial cost/cash outlay.

MtDoraDave
01-07-2017, 08:47
I have a Northface Cat's Meow 20 degree bag and wonder if it's good enough for my NOBO thru hike. I have done some backpacking but never more than a couple of days at a time. I'm considering down but want to keep the cost down. Any suggestions?

I tried to save money - didn't think an "expensive" down bag was worth spending money on, so I made do without. I had the walmart bags - the ones that stuff down to about the size of a football; the 40* synthetic for summer and the 32* down for winter. I brought both of them on a Thanksgiving week hike, and when the temps dipped into the teens, I was uncomfortably (possibly dangerously) cold inside BOTH bags. That was when I decided to spend some money on a warm down bag, and I don't regret it.

Suggestion: Watch for sales, end of the year model closeout sales, and get the best quality down bag you can afford on sale. I gave myself a $300 budget, and ended up getting a 650 fill Marmot Never Summer 0* down bag on sale for $215. It is a bit heavier and bulkier than the higher priced, higher fill power bags, but I have slept several nights in the low 20's and several nights in mid to high teens wearing only my base layer, and have been completely warm.

To me, my sleeping bag is my refuge; my safe place, my last resort... etc. They say you shouldn't go cheap on a mattress (at home) because you spend a third of your life on it and the quality of sleep you get is worth spending the money on. I feel the same way about a sleeping bag/pad/ system for hiking.

However, I'm a cold sleeper. If you are not a cold sleeper and don't mind carrying the extra weight and/or bulk of the 20* synthetic bag, then give it a shot. Lots of thru hikers that I have seen both here and on the trail have used 20* bags, layering up on cold nights.

garlic08
01-07-2017, 09:19
When I finally bought a decent down bag (the Marmot Helium 15 I've used for 10,000 miles and counting), I kicked myself for waiting so long. It's true, money spent on a good down bag will make you happy for decades under normal use, and for many miles under abnormal abuse like thru-hiking. Money saved on a sleeping bag might be a false economy, and could lead to expensive town nights waiting out an April blizzard in the Southern Appalachians.

Best thing is, I got the Marmot for around $200 on steepandcheap.com. If you have time to shop sales, do so.

Cheyou
01-07-2017, 09:53
And a good high R value pad or pads.

Thom

DanTaylor
01-07-2017, 10:04
I have no experience with these, but might be a lower cost alternative: https://outdoorvitals.com/
That said, since you already have a bag, I would use it and put that money toward something else

Venchka
01-07-2017, 10:04
Perhaps, but there are many options. I didn't think the OP was looking for an opinion on FV, rather was concerned about initial cost/cash outlay.

See posts #11 & #12.
Buy quality once.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bigcranky
01-07-2017, 10:19
All of the "buy quality" stuff is absolutely true, and at the same time can be an impossible purchase. I'm very lucky now to have the money for a good bag, but it wasn't that long ago that I was buying the REI no-name synthetic bag on sale for $80 because even that was a stretch.

DeerPath
01-07-2017, 13:40
If it were me, I'd go with a high quality down bag, such as a Western Mountaineering product. True temperature range and compacts way better than synthetic. Many here will suggest a quilt. Not for me in colder weather. I toss and turn wildly in my sleep. :)

DOTTO...I have the WM Alpinelite because it has a lot of room.

Engine
01-07-2017, 13:53
See posts #11 & #12.
Buy quality once.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree and I'm sure the creator of this thread does as well, but that isn't the question which was originally asked. They aren't asking whether they should purchase a quality bag, they're asking if the bag they already have would suffice...which it would. Just not at the level of performance a higher quality bag would.

garlic08
01-07-2017, 18:17
I agree and I'm sure the creator of this thread does as well, but that isn't the question which was originally asked. They aren't asking whether they should purchase a quality bag, they're asking if the bag they already have would suffice...which it would. Just not at the level of performance a higher quality bag would.

Actually there are two questions in the OP. Reread the last two sentences.

Hosh
01-07-2017, 18:50
See posts #11 & #12.
Buy quality once.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Easy for some, not so easy for others. I interpreted that the question was if you don't think the NF will work, what inexpensive option might work if down was necessary.

Most people on a budget don't worry about 20 year overall life time cost.

Your bias to WM is well documented. It's a no risk suggestion, buy IBM, but not suited to every situation.

Engine
01-07-2017, 19:00
Actually there are two questions in the OP. Reread the last two sentences.

I don't read that as a question. It reads to me as a statement of an option the OP would rather avoid if possible.

swjohnsey
01-07-2017, 19:04
Will it work? Sure. Can you save some weight? Absolutely. I used a WM Highlite, weighed a pound. How much is carrying a couple of pounds 2,000 miles worth to you?

Venchka
01-08-2017, 23:56
All of the "buy quality" stuff is absolutely true, and at the same time can be an impossible purchase. I'm very lucky now to have the money for a good bag, but it wasn't that long ago that I was buying the REI no-name synthetic bag on sale for $80 because even that was a stretch.

I'm beginning to wonder myself after reading the recent post from a person in a Kelty Cosmic 21 at 9 degrees and I had just spent a night in my WM 20 degree Alpinlite at 12 degrees. I doubt that I was much more comfortable.
Frankly, in those conditions, I would have preferred the WM Antelope. [emoji106][emoji41]
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Venchka
01-09-2017, 00:14
I have a Northface Cat's Meow 20 degree bag and wonder if it's good enough for my NOBO thru hike. I have done some backpacking but never more than a couple of days at a time. I'm considering down but want to keep the cost down. Any suggestions?

Your questions are unanswerable. We need more information.
When are you starting?
Do you sleep warm or cold?
What clothes will you have to sleep in?
What is the R-value of your sleeping pad, mat, mattress?
What shelter will you use?
The REI Joule is a down bag with similar specs. as the Cat's Meow, approximately a pound lighter and costs about $180. I'm sure there are other bags that might suit you, but the Joule came to mind first. REI gives you a year to decide if you like the bag or not. You can get your money back or an exchange no questions asked within one year. I believe you must be a member for this privilege.
That's all I can think of at the moment.
Good luck and plan ahead in the future. You could have saved 20% on a bag from REI before Christmas.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SummitSistah
01-09-2017, 00:39
Thanks so much for the advice/suggestions and information. I really appreciate it! I will spend some more time researching down bags and looking for sales.

Venchka
01-09-2017, 00:42
The sleeping bag is only 1 piece of a larger puzzle. All of the pieces have to fit together.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SummitSistah
01-09-2017, 00:44
Thanks so much for all the advice/suggestions and information. I really appreciate it. I will spend some more time researching down bags and looking for sales.

rocketsocks
01-09-2017, 02:02
I had an older cats meow, that thing was good to well below 32...don't know about the newer ones.

kevperro
01-09-2017, 09:51
You will do just fine in a 20 deg. synthetic bag as long as you don't carry the same weight decisions to all your other gear. The North Face bag would be fine for me in that weather (I carried a 30 deg. down bag) but everyone sleeps differently. If you are going to be a long-term hiker a down bag is a good investment. Personally, I would focus on saving more money. Penny pinching your way north is no fun and I prefer to have good equipment. You will spend a lot of time with it so it is an investment well worth getting right. That doesn't mean you need to spend top dollar on every item but choose wisely.

Water Rat
01-09-2017, 10:44
I have a Northface Cat's Meow 20 degree bag and wonder if it's good enough for my NOBO thru hike. I have done some backpacking but never more than a couple of days at a time. I'm considering down but want to keep the cost down. Any suggestions?

Many have used the North Face Cat's Meow 20* on their thru-hikes. Yes, it can be done. I have the same bag and used it often until I realized it was just too confining for my needs and I was not comfortable. It's a decent bag, but a bit on the bulky side.

If you sleep cold, you might want to reconsider and find one that allows you to sleep comfortably in lower temps. My bag (bought in 2012) was fine until around 30*, but I found myself uncomfortable below that temp. You might have a different experience with your bag depending on how cold you sleep. Sleep is very important to staying healthy (& healing injuries) in order to complete a thru. This is an area where it pays to make sure you are comfortable.

If you can get it in your backpack with all your stuff, then go for it. It doesn't cost anything to start with that sleeping bag. If you find it doesn't work for you, you can always order another bag from the trail. Make a list of things you like & don't like about this bag and come up with a back-up plan for the "just in case."

la.lindsey
01-09-2017, 12:04
Fwiw, I just spent some very, very cold nights on the trail with some thru hikers. I was in a WM 5F or so bag (whatever the green one is) with an X therm pad. The guy next to me had a 0F north face bag he got for $200 and slept on two ridge rests (mine and his).

He was much warmer than me, and probably a couple hundred dollars cheaper. But he's also a much warmer sleeper. Know thyself. I doubt I would have been warm in anything short of a -20F bag.

The only way to know if your sleep setup will work for you is to try it out on cold nights a few times. And no matter what Tipi Walter says, it's ok to go to town if it's too cold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

kevperro
01-09-2017, 14:21
Fwiw, I just spent some very, very cold nights on the trail with some thru hikers. I was in a WM 5F or so bag (whatever the green one is) with an X therm pad. The guy next to me had a 0F north face bag he got for $200 and slept on two ridge rests (mine and his).

He was much warmer than me, and probably a couple hundred dollars cheaper. But he's also a much warmer sleeper. Know thyself. I doubt I would have been warm in anything short of a -20F bag.

The only way to know if your sleep setup will work for you is to try it out on cold nights a few times. And no matter what Tipi Walter says, it's ok to go to town if it's too cold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I'd also say that what you are comfortable in changes. Once you have been on the trail for awhile I'm convinced you sleep warmer. You can speculate it is conditioning, circulation or whatever but I'd expect to be able to sleep warmer than you currently do once you have hiked for 5-months. One thing is for sure.... you will be much more comfortable because you work out your system as you go north.

Venchka
01-09-2017, 17:49
I'd also say that what you are comfortable in changes. Once you have been on the trail for awhile I'm convinced you sleep warmer. You can speculate it is conditioning, circulation or whatever but I'd expect to be able to sleep warmer than you currently do once you have hiked for 5-months. One thing is for sure.... you will be much more comfortable because you work out your system as you go north.

True. Happens everywhere. Your internal thermostat switches gears after a few days to a week. Believe me, I know after traveling from New Orleans to Brussels to equatorial west Africa. I always froze in Brussels because my body was set to tropical mode.
If possible, test your sleep system over several days.
Good luck.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

K2 Travels
01-10-2017, 11:49
Check the for sale bags on here and backpackinglight.

I recently added one ; )

rustmd
01-10-2017, 16:08
I got wicked lucky & bought a WM bag--alpine lite I think, the red one...was up for sale right here on WB!
.com

Tinker
01-10-2017, 16:27
Fwiw, if you have extra room in your sleeping bag, you can wear clothing in it for extra warmth. A draft-free tent and a mattress with a high r-value should be considered part of your sleep system, as they will affect the efficiency of your bag, too. Trying to wear too much clothing in a bag may compress the loft of the bag and actually make it colder. A bag, with everything you intend to wear in it should not be too tight nor too loose (extra space inside requires extra body heat to warm). Consider a female specific bag, if you are going for a new one. The insulation is distributed differently, and the dimensions are designed around the female anatomy.

Christoph
01-10-2017, 16:38
This is what I used on my thru attempt and I'll use it again this year. It claims 30-50 degrees so I tried it when it was around 30 degrees, in my tent, in a t-shirt and shorts as a worse case scenario. Kept me pretty warm that night and that was without a sleeping pad of any sort, just on the tent bottom itself. Costs around $30 online, maybe less if you search a little or go to an Army surplus store or something. Has a polyester type insulation and weighs 2.3 pounds. Not bad for 30 bucks if you sleep warm. There's an inner part that goes to it (I don't have that part) but I don't know of any specs on that part. Rolls up nice and tight, about a 6 inches around by a foot long and fluffs right back up fairly easy.

poolskaterx
01-12-2017, 17:22
I know that when I switched from my synthetic bag to my down bag I felt the cold when using my "less desirable" sleeping-pad I had at the time and I bumped up to the xtherm with a higher R-value and am toasty warm; not a cheap upgrade considering. Down is lighter and compacts much better with same warmth rating as my synthetic, however the down compressed more under my body weight when sleeping than the synthetic and didn't insulate as well against the ground.

This was just my experience.