View Full Version : One bag
If you could only have one sleeping bag what would it be?
Whiskyjo
09-13-2006, 00:35
It's not made yet, but if you can fine one that keeps you warm in minus 15 degree winters and cool in 85 degree summer nights and is under 2.5 pounds Id buy it.
If you could only have one sleeping bag what would it be?
Well...., I've always had one bag, until they gave me another one just like it. 3 lbs. Then I'd use the old one for summer, and the new for winter.....or at least thats what I did when I was a hiker. Those were the days!:D
bigcranky
09-13-2006, 08:02
That depends on when and where I would live/hike. Around here (NC), a solid 30-F bag is usable year-round, except maybe in the coldest part of winter. I can drape it over me as a quilt in the summer, use it as a regular bag spring and fall, and wear fleece or down clothing inside the bag in the winter.
The "one bag" for me is my WM Megalite. It's a wide-bodied mummy bag, so it gives me plenty of thrashing room and room to wear clothing to bed in winter. I've had it out year-round in nighttime temps from 18 to 85, and been reasonably comfortable. It weighs about a pound and a half, and compresses into a very small stuff sack. When I bought it, I sold my 45-F summer bag and my 10-F cold-weather bag, so I kinda got into that "one-bag" concept.
(Then I went and bought a serious cold-weather bag on a terrific sale that I couldn't pass up. But that's different. Really. I can quit any time I want.)
I own and so far love my WM Ultralite 20-degree down bag. It's the 6' one. I'm a cold sleeper, but did get pretty toasty in it over Labor Day weekend when it got into the low 50's. I love it because it's a full zip, and only weighs 1 lb 10 oz. I did pay for that though...most expensive piece of gear in my pack. I plan on using it as my only bag for my thru next year, but I'm only doing this because I can use it as a quilt in the warmer months.
i own a WM Caribou. rated to 35* (plenty for here) and weighs 21oz.
assuming i lived back in TN or NY and did most of my camping up there again, i'd buy a WM Ultralite or Alpinlite. (they're both 20* bags. the Alpinlite's wider. never been in either, so i don't know which would fit.)
If you could only have one sleeping bag what would it be?
I would go with a quilt. Most likely a JackRBetter NoSniveller Quilt though I would also think about the NunatakUSA Arc Alpinist. Leave it loose in warmer weather, close it up in cooler weather, and if it's going to be really cold, I would have high loft outwearwear and would use with the quilt.
Today I use a nunatak ghost blanket for everything but the dead of winter when I switch to a westernern mountaineering versalite super. The ghost is a bit small and light if it was the only bag I had.
--Mark
Either a Nunatak Arc (http://www.nunatakusa.com/down_outerwear_sleeping_bags.htm) or a WM bag (http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=Products&page=Sleeping%20Bags) if you're really wanting a full bag. Temp depends on how hot/cold of a sleeper you are and when you normally want to camp. I made it, but I've basically got the WM ultralight and it's pretty much all I take. Then again, I mostly go in late fall through early spring. :D speedy
Do you guys think a WM Megalite would be enough bag for a northbound thru hike? I am not doing one just wondering? Would you take a WM Megalite in the Smokey's in say Feb-March? I like the WM Megalite but I wonder if a 20 degree bag might be a bit better. What do you think?
I have one.
I also have a bunch of lighter bags for warmer weather.
I just didn't know when to stop.:D
Btw: Jack Stephenson made the first retail down filled air mattress back in 1963, I believe. I bought a sleeping bag with one back in 1986. It just took a while to catch on.
Sorry, Exped. (Actually, I like the Exped filler valve much more than the Stephenson).
bigcranky
09-13-2006, 16:42
I used my Megalite at Roan Mountain on the first weekend in March, with temps into the mid-teens. The bag has enough girth so that I could wear expedition weight long johns, down booties, and drape my down jacket over my torso. I was fine, but I also sleep pretty warm in general.
I'd sure hate to recommend a 30-F bag for a February or March start. There's a lot more to being warm than the temperature rating of the bag. If the hiker had the experience and the skills using the Megalite in late winter weather, that's one thing. But I'd probably recommend a 15 or 20 to be safe.
I guess two bags would be nice lol
I have the 6' WM Alpinlite and love it. Bought it off ebay for $225 and it was practically brand new. I got the wider girth bag because of the same reason Bigcranky did, to layer up so I can push the temp rating a little bit more than the conservative temp ratings WM has on their bags. I know you roll the dice with each purchase on ebay, but with a savings of $150 on this bag alone, i feel some risks are worth it. It seriously only had a few days use. The bag has enough room for me to put a summer down bag inside without compressing the down in either bag for the really cold nights. Another reason for the bigger WM Alpinlite is to use it as a quilt for my HH. That is really the only bag I need!
springerfever
09-13-2006, 20:46
On a northbound thru-hike starting say, end of March/early April, you are going to need more than a 30 degree bag (even the megalite). Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. particularly at elevation, can get just downright COLD, easily into the teens and that doesn't take into effect wind chill, metabolism, food, or ground insulation.
In the interest of going as light as possible for the entire hike, I would plan on a two bag option. Start out with a 15-20 degree bag, mine would be a WM Badger and then after four to six weeks swap out to my quilt, a WM
Aspen (recently renamed the Alder). I don't know if I would need to swap again as the Whites and Maine got closer.
Just my personal opinion, but you can save considerable weight and be a lot more comfortable with two bags. I absolutely love the versatility of a quilt design but that is for the milder temperatures. Just my two cents...
springerfever
09-13-2006, 20:52
Sorry, back to the original question........If I HAD to choose just one bag I would probably go with a full-length zipper model such as the two-pound WM Alpenlite Super or a comparable down bag by the likes of Nunatuk/Marmot/Feathered Friends/etc.
My bag for the whole trip is going to be Campmor's 20 degree down mummy bag. I don't even think it has a name, but at $120 and 2.5 lbs its going all the way.
FanaticFringer
09-13-2006, 22:45
Thats 2.4lbs for the Campmor bag. Every ounce counts.:D
My bag for the whole trip is going to be Campmor's 20 degree down mummy bag. I don't even think it has a name, but at $120 and 2.5 lbs its going all the way.
I've used the same bag for two megamile hikes plus and counting. Tough to beat for the price. Just thrown over me quilt style, it keeps me warm even in below freezing temps.
ARambler
09-14-2006, 03:51
Sorry, back to the original question........If I HAD to choose just one bag I would probably go with a full-length zipper model such as the two-pound WM Alpenlite Super or a comparable down bag by the likes of Nunatuk/Marmot/Feathered Friends/etc.
I agree. So, the Marmot He and Hydrogen are out and I really don't understand how the quilt (no zipper) works. The bag must be down. Synthetics do not have nearly as large a temperature range. In theory you can unzip the bag and slowly move it down your body until you are completely out of the bag. In practice, I think a 30 deg bag will be more comfortable than a 20 deg bag in the late spring and early fall when the weather is getting warm. I recommend a silk liner for all conditions, especially in the summer.
Too minimize weight, you will chose the narrowest cut of the bag that is comfortable and the best manufacturer that you can afford. These are personal decisions, so not everyone will have the same best bag. A few people would want a bag with a waterproof breathable laminate such as Dry Loft or eVent. I have not tried this or seen many on the trail. Not only is it expensive, slightly heavier, but there are so many seams on a sleeping bag that you still have to keep your bag dry.
So for me the best bag for the AT is a 30 deg down bag. However, except for exceptionally late starts, you will need lots of sleeping clothes in the south. (either SOBO or NOBO). On the PCT or CDT the high altitudes and dry air can make it very cold in lots of places on the trail, so a 20 deg bag is probably more appropriate.
Note, there are other important factors that can extend the range of the bag. Your tent should supply good ventilation when you are hiding from mosquitoes but be very secure and not have much condensation in the winter. Also, a good sleeping pad is important in the winter to get the maximum warmth out of the bag.
Rambler
I looked at the Alpine lite and the mega lite today at an outfitter today (I did not get in the bags) they are both really nice looking. I like the weight and look of the mega lite but I am concerned if it would be enough bag for me. I am a warm sleeper but I have been out in the teens a few times?
bigcranky
09-14-2006, 19:26
look back at my post #11 in this thread. It's doable, but you'll need to experiment and have some experience using light gear in winter.
My only bag is a WM Versalite Super with overfill. Here in MT it's a perfect three season bag. For an AT thru-hike I'd use a WM Superlite or Alpinlite Super.