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2009ThruHiker
05-19-2007, 09:46
Is there any way to say how much temperature rating you can add to a bag with clothing on? We are hoping to use 30 degree bags for the beginning and end of our AT thru hike with the proper winter clothing worn inside the bag if need be.

Condor
05-19-2007, 10:57
I think that depends on when you start the trail and how you sleep! I started on march 13th with a marmot helium 15 degree bag and was glad I had the 15 degree bag. the coldest it got was 9 degrees I was fine then with all my extras on. but the days it rained or snowed all day and I was wet and exhahsted even with all my extra clothes on I was cold with temps just around freezing. I switched to a forty degree bag in harpers fery and was just fine the rest of the way(i finished in mid august). So I guess if you leave in mid aprill you may be fine all the way with a 30 bag and your extra clothes. A thirty degree bag wiil be way too much in the summer but you just sleep on top of it or get a fleece bag if your short on cash. there are some very afordable lightweight summer bags out there! I think kely makes one under $100

Chache
05-19-2007, 12:24
I think that depends on when you start the trail and how you sleep! I started on march 13th with a marmot helium 15 degree bag and was glad I had the 15 degree bag. the coldest it got was 9 degrees I was fine then with all my extras on. but the days it rained or snowed all day and I was wet and exhahsted even with all my extra clothes on I was cold with temps just around freezing. I switched to a forty degree bag in harpers fery and was just fine the rest of the way(i finished in mid august). So I guess if you leave in mid aprill you may be fine all the way with a 30 bag and your extra clothes. A thirty degree bag wiil be way too much in the summer but you just sleep on top of it or get a fleece bag if your short on cash. there are some very afordable lightweight summer bags out there! I think kely makes one under $100
What was the brand of 40 degree bag did you switched to. I have both the Marmot Helium 15 degree and the Atom 40 degree. I only recently dicovered that I can move the Down to the top or bottom to regulate temperature. I wonder if you can do this with the Marmot Hydrogen 30 degree bag.

Condor
05-19-2007, 16:01
Cache

It's a western mountaineering 40 degree I think its called a highlight? or ultralight? the tag has worn off. it has sewn through quilted construction so you cant move the down. I bet you could shift the down on a hydrogen though.

fiddlehead
05-19-2007, 22:28
to the original poster: sometimes, too many clothes can take away the warmth. You don't want to wrap up in so much that you can't move a bit.
If you use Frogg Toggs, i would say that sleeping in them adds about 10 deg. to a bags rating (5-10 anyway)
A better idea might be to add a micro fleece sleeping bag liner (that fits your bag to a tee, make your own if necessary the same shape as your bag) They generally weigh about a lb and add 10 degrees of warmth. Anyway, that's what i do.