View Full Version : 30 degree bag
stickat04
10-25-2003, 14:41
Will a 30 degree sleeping bag be good for a April 1st start?
If not I need good idea's for a new one, Christmas is coming up has to be around 100 -120$
Thanks
max patch
10-25-2003, 15:21
I suspect that you will get both "yes" and "no" responses.
I left 5/1 with a new 20 degree bag and had several very uncomfortable nights despite wearing polypro uppers and lowers, a sweater, and a wool hat on those occasions. I wouldn't leave 4/1 with a 30 degree bag based on my previous experience.
Others comments will be interesting.
Youngblood
10-25-2003, 16:00
Originally posted by stickat04
Will a 30 degree sleeping bag be good for a April 1st start?
Maybe, do you fell lucky? Sleeping bag rating can be a tough one. It is not a good thing to have too warm of a bag. It is a real bad thing to not have a warm enough bag. I would probably use a 20 degree bag and switch to a 40 degree bag later in the season. If I were to use one bag, it would be a 30 degree bag and I would try 'shifting some of the down' from the top of the bag to the bottom of the bag as the conditions dictated.
Youngblood
stickat04
10-25-2003, 16:18
I think I will ask for the campmor bag for Christmas
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=86896&prmenbr=226
max patch
10-25-2003, 19:48
tracy, didn't you say you were using or planning to use a hammock? You may want to reconsider that if you are a cold sleeper.
That's the Campmor bag I use. Two long trails, the Long Trail, Gatherings, Trail Days etc. Many nights, still going strong and a great bag for the money!
Campmor also makes rectangular
Tracyam:
You might look at this bag:
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=86909&prmenbr=226
Hard to say if it lives up to its rating. Maybe a member would know. Price is pretty good. If it were filled with 800 down, there would be a weight savings of about 6.5 oz. Instead of 2 lb., 10 oz., it would weigh about 2 lb., 3.5 oz.
Footslogger
10-25-2003, 20:11
I started out on my thru-hike this year with a 20 degree down bag and was a little cold at first but compensated by wearing more clothing to sleep in when necessary . In addition to whether you sleep cold or hot, your departure date will make a difference. I started on 3/29 and we still had some fairly cold nights.
Just know that all sleeping bags begin to lose their so-called "comfort rating" from the very first use. A lot of that is due to compression of the filling material, whether down or synthetic.
All things being roughly equal, I would say to error on the low side and go with a bag that has the best rating and meets your price and weight needs.
max patch
10-25-2003, 20:14
stick, Sly has more miles than most of us here and if he has endorsed a 20 degree bag that is in your price range then you just might want to go ahead and get it.
LOL... I'm blushing.
Seriously it's a good bag. An 800 fill bag may save you a few ounces but will cost another $150 or more.
I'd rather save my money for food and beer!
smokymtnsteve
10-25-2003, 21:35
you can go with the 30 degree bag...or even a 40 degree bag
me I just carry a fleece bag and then wear my long underwear and fleece pants,,,dry fleece socks , fleece jacket ,vest,. hat, depending on the temp so I'm pretty comfortable into the mid 20's sometimes I don;t even unstuff the bag ..just use it as a pillow...real cold put on your wind proofs and nylon pants throw the fleeece bag around you and lay your tarp on top...you can get hot under there
if a couple nights it's kinda cold ...just get up and do a little night hiking early in the morning then take a nap when you get to the next shelter and it's empty ...or find you a good sunny rock out crop and take nap there...after you warm up...so you're little cold one or two nights . big deal..get up walk a little
Yeah you can do that.
Wolf (not LW) used to carry just a bivy, no bag and when it got cold around 4am, he used to start hiking and napped during the day.
Some of the best advice that I headed was to keep your cold weather gear until after Mt. Rodgers. In 2002 there was a heavy frost in the valleys of Tennessee and North Carolina the week before Memorial Day. I was glad that I kept my 20 degree bag with me.
Mike Drinkuth
10-26-2003, 20:16
between north georgia and northern virginia i've never had a night my 20 degree bag couldn't handle...just my 2 cents. If it's above 40 degrees i sleep with it unzipped.
I've just picked up a Big Agnes Cross Mountain. It's a Polarguard 3D rectangular bag. It's huge (my wife thinks they should call it a Big A**) in the shoulders, where I have trouble. This is the bag with _no insulation_ on the bottom, just a sleeve for your pad. Nice idea, you don't roll off and the stuff on the bottom just gets squished.
Anyway, it's rated 40 degrees. I've slept out on a 40 degree night and a 34 degree night, and was plenty warm both times.
By the way, I bought a Big Agnes Air Core Pad. Like sleeping at home. Bag and pad are not the lightest, but I value sleeping well over shaving every last ounce.
I think they're at http://www.bigagnes.com
RagingHampster
11-08-2003, 16:54
Well my current sleeping systems include...
Homemade "800fill" Baffled Down Quilt 45*F
TNF Dark Star (PG Delta) -40*F
TNF Flight (PG Delta) 35*F
TNF Blue Kazoo ("600fill" Down) 20*F
I'm a warm sleeper, and can tolerate cold well, so I have been using my TNF Flight and love it. Weighs just over 2lb, and is quite comfy. Slept in the 30's with just a t-shirt and shorts. I suspect I could go well into the 20's when I put my thick fleece jacket on inside it with my fleece hat.
The Dark Star is way to warm to use. I've used it twice. The other problem is, I think the shoulder girth is measured before the insulation is added, because I can't comfortably get into it. I recently bought a new expander panel that zips into the bag expanding the shoulder girth, but that insulation is equivalent to about a 20* bag. I'll be testing it out this winter...
Lumberjack
11-09-2003, 05:10
I am planning on using a Hennessy for my thruhike. I'm planning (at this point) to leave on March 18 and use an underquilt with the sleeping bag.
Quilts work well in a hammock and are much easier to get into then a bag but if your planning a lot of shelter time then stick with a top style bag like the rab.
YMMV
Lumberjack
11-09-2003, 05:14
I second steves opinion - get the lighter bag and take an extra layer of fleece - much more flexible and cheaper too.