View Full Version : Does anybody just skip a sleeping bag in the summer?
dessertrat
10-06-2007, 12:29
I'm talking about areas where there is no real chance of weather below the 50's. Does anyone just carry a sheet or something (or nothing), and leave the bag at home? It seems to make sense to me, but then I sleep very warm.
max patch
10-06-2007, 12:50
Seems like a good idea, doesn't it. However....
On my thru when I reached Gettysburg (in the middle of summer) I got the great idea of buying a bedsheet at the local dollar store and using that instead of my bag. I mailed my bag ahead a week or so.
Worked great for 3 or 4 days until an unusual cold front moved thru and it got COLD at night. I was very happy to catch up to my bag.
I ran into another hiker in Gettysburg who also thot my idea was great. He left town a couple days after I did. I learned later he hitched ahead to get his bag after the cold front moved in.
hopefulhiker
10-06-2007, 15:26
I carried a liner along with a back country blanket and on really hot nights I just used the silk liner, very comfortable.
Once in a while when I absolutely KNOW it is going to be hot, I will just take a silk liner instead of a bag. When it works it works like a charm. Just be prepared to sleep in all of your clothes if the temp drops.
Great idea in the tropics; a bit dodgy in the temperate zone.
Cheers,
PKH
Route Step
10-07-2007, 12:32
In high summer last year I carried a sheet thru Maryland , Penn and NJ. A few times I had to fold it over to stay warm. My summer bag weighs about as much so I guess it was six one way an half dozen the other.
Appalachian Tater
10-07-2007, 13:05
I'm talking about areas where there is no real chance of weather below the 50's. Does anyone just carry a sheet or something (or nothing), and leave the bag at home? It seems to make sense to me, but then I sleep very warm.
You can die of hypothermia at temperatures well above the 50s. Always make sure you have some way of getting dry and warm.
chiefdaddy
10-07-2007, 14:39
I agree Tater I have used my bag to dry myself out and warm up too many times.
toddhiker
10-07-2007, 17:47
Good point about hypothermia.
I have, however, used my JRB Weathershield top as a warm weather solution. The foot box makes it especially nice.
Jim Adams
10-07-2007, 20:29
in 1990 I used a sheet from Harpersferry to Conn. One time I had to wear my fleece to sleep in but all was well for the most part.
As far as hypothermia , yes it can definitely be fatal at 50* however at 50* the weather is usually not too harsh to just keep hiking to warm up if it comes to that.
geek
shelterbuilder
10-07-2007, 21:21
I've gone with just a liner, and there were a couple of nights when I slept in every piece of clothing I had - and was still cold. The point about hypothermia is valid, though - and a sheet is not enough to use if hypothermia is even a remote possibility. You might get away with it in "flatlander country" (PA, NJ, NY, etc.), but at elevation, I'd want something more substantial - just in case.
I've gone with just a liner, and there were a couple of nights when I slept in every piece of clothing I had - and was still cold. The point about hypothermia is valid, though - and a sheet is not enough to use if hypothermia is even a remote possibility. You might get away with it in "flatlander country" (PA, NJ, NY, etc.), but at elevation, I'd want something more substantial - just in case.
I carried a 25-year-old North Face, down sleeping bag liner from Springer to Katahdin in 1993 -- and on most hikes between April and November before and since.
I was chilly a few nights in Georgia and North Carolina and in Maine, but not seriously so. However, I also carried a one pound down jacket the whole walk because I've experienced many chilly nights over the years -- and many chilly moments -- especially in chilly shelters after a long day in rain and drizzle.
All and all I find a down jacket, augmenting a down sleeping bag liner is a good combination for me. But only you can decide what works best for you. I left Amicalola State Park on April 13 and summitted Katahdin on October 16. Once or twice in Georgia and on several nights in the 100-mile wilderness in October, I burned every scrap of downed wood I could find to stay warm.
Weary
For about $70 I bought a Lafuma Extreme 800 synthetic that was supposed to keep me warm down to 40dF. I'd say it's more like a 50 degree bag. Anyway, since I was disappointed with it, I chopped off the hood and cut out the zipper and draft tube and some of the sides, but left the footbox. The sewing is a little rough, but I'm not entering it into a beauty contest. Weight is 15 ounces on my digital scale.
Basically it is a cheap synthetic quilt that i don't have to worry about getting wet. I love my down bags (Marmot Ptarmigan-1990's era 25dF, REI Sub Kilo 20dF, REI Kilo 35dF, Marmot -20dF Gopher) for the extra warmth they give if needed. But in the heat of the summer, when drenching thunderstorms can crop up with little warning, I prefer the extra safety margin of the synthetic.
Reason being: I've camped down to sub-zero in many mountain ranges around the country, but the coldest I've ever been was in Georgia on the Chatooga River Trail in July after hiking in a 5-hour downpour...yes, I was somewhat hypothermic...and exhausted from the hiking and trying to stay warm. Made camp, changed into dry clothes and my fleece jacket, got in my bag, cooked soup and hot chocolate...and finally got warm about 4 hours later. My bag was a little wet, because I had it in a garbage bag in a stuff sack in the bottom of my pack. It had rained so hard, my pack turned into a rain barrel, and the bag was sitting in an inch of water. It was wet, but it still worked. If it had been down, I would have been "down" on my luck.
So I like the idea of a synthetic bag in the summer. And I've gotten even more cautious about gaurding all things from moisture. FWIW.
Also, a couple of weeks ago, I was thrift-shopping for bargains, and for 4 dollars I scored a synthetic North Face TourLite, which weighs in at 34 ozs. It has more loft than the LaFuma, so I'm thinking it's about a true 40dF bag.
Anyone with any knowledge about this bag, I'd appreciate it.
I was thinking I'd turn it into a quilt, also, since that idea worked so well with the LaFuma.
Fiddleback
10-08-2007, 10:17
My personal approach has always been that sleeping bags are supposed to keep you warm (but not necessarily dry). Within the past few years my attitude has been that sleeping bags are not necessary to keep you warm.
Sleep systems are a very individual thing hugely affected by the specific climate in which they are being used. First, and foremost I think, is how does the camper sleep? Is he/she a 'warm' sleeper or a 'cold' sleeper? Closely related to that issue is, how does the camper define cold/to what cold temps is the camper adapted? I've seen postings that complained of supposedly cold temps that were warmer than what my open-window bedroom is some mornings. The climate and the current weather play a major role too. Is it windy or humid? Is there precipitation? What's the temp swing from high to low during any 24-hour period? To prevent carrying too much or too little, the camper must have a good idea of what weather conditions will be experienced on the trail. And the longer the trip, the less confident the camper will be about weather conditions, e.g., one-day forecasts are generally more accurate than seven-day forecasts. For me, the final consideration is what can be done...what resources are available...if things go wrong and the sleep system fails to keep me warm.
So...with all that in mind...my current sleep system is a Hennessy hammock with a 60X40X1/4" pad, and cold weather clothing. Because of where I live/camp, the cold weather clothing is always carried but virtually never worn when moving on the trail (because I haven't been caught in frigid, day-time weather yet and because I'm a very hot, sweaty hiker). The clothing (fresh long underwear and socks, balaclava, booties, fleece gloves liners, and insulated pants and jacket) replace my sleeping bag. On the trail, this sleep system has kept me comfortable to 25F in good weather, i.e., light breeze, no precip. I could go lower if I upgraded the pad or slept on the ground. Again, there are two important consideratons: 1) my trips are short and usually close to an easy bail out and 2) I generally don't go out if a bad weather system is forecast. My own backpacking season in this area is May-Oct and I don't think I've gone much above 7000'.
I've added a quilt to the above system but I have yet to use it in cold weather. While tent camping, I used the quilt and added an old ThermaRest pad but dropped out the insulated pants and jacket...I was toasty at 40F.
At some point, staying warm is no longer a comfort issue and becomes a safety issue. The more sleep systems are minimalized, the more care the camper must take. Ya' have to know your system and what conditions you're going to face. Backyard experiments are a great idea...
So, my bottom line is, 'No, you don't need a sleeping bag' depending on who you are where and when. Afterall, sleeping bags themselves have only been around for 150 years... But remember, there comes a point where less gear (any gear) increases risk.
FB
Footslogger
10-08-2007, 10:28
I'm talking about areas where there is no real chance of weather below the 50's. Does anyone just carry a sheet or something (or nothing), and leave the bag at home? It seems to make sense to me, but then I sleep very warm.
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I carry a lightweight mummy bag called the "Travel Sack" sold by REI.
http://www.rei.com/product/731835
Half zip and has draw string closure at foot. Rated at 50 degrees and weighs about a pound. There are still cool nights, even in the summer, if you camp at higher elevations.
'Slogger
FWIW, there are (relatively) inexpensive, lightweight down bags for the summer conditions you describe. Eg., Mountain Hardwear Phantom 45, weighs about 20 oz., stuffs down to the size of a Svea stove. I got mine new for about $160 from campsaver.com.
the goat
10-08-2007, 10:38
you can get a really lightweight/ inexpensive fleece bag that will be more than enough for you in the summer.
i got one for $18, and used it most of the time in 2003.
mine was similar to this:
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0022801516244a.shtml
Footslogger
10-08-2007, 10:44
FWIW, there are (relatively) inexpensive, lightweight down bags for the summer conditions you describe. Eg., Mountain Hardwear Phantom 45, weighs about 20 oz., stuffs down to the size of a Svea stove. I got mine new for about $160 from campsaver.com.
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REI has a lightweight 45 degree down bag too
http://www.rei.com/product/746296
Not sure how it compares with the Mtn Hardware bag but it's priced a bit lower ($109)
'Slogger
The Solemates
10-08-2007, 10:48
on the AT, no, Ive always carried at least a fleece liner. on other southern trails in the summer I have taken a cotton sheet only.
Not sure how it compares with the Mtn Hardware bag but it's priced a bit lower ($109)
The REI bag is about half the price of the MH Phantom 45. The main diff seems to be the grade of the down used (REI=600, MH=800.) The REI bag is somewhat heavier.
you can get a really lightweight/ inexpensive fleece bag that will be more than enough for you in the summer.
i got one for $18, and used it most of the time in 2003.
mine was similar to this:
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0022801516244a.shtml
What does the Cabella fleece bag weigh? The site doesn't give a clue. My down liner weighs 1.75 pounds. The fleece bags I've seen don't offer a significant weight saving over that.
Weary
Appalachian Tater
10-08-2007, 12:00
A fleece bag is much heavier than a high-quality down summer-weight bag.
the goat
10-08-2007, 12:31
What does the Cabella fleece bag weigh? The site doesn't give a clue. My down liner weighs 1.75 pounds. The fleece bags I've seen don't offer a significant weight saving over that.
yeah, there's not much in weight savings (my fleece bag is 1.5 lbs).
but there is significant cost savings (my fleece was $18). down is pretty damn expensive, especially when you're on a budget.
Blissful
10-08-2007, 13:20
I was very happy with my Marmot pounder for the summer months. Marmot makes great bags, IMO. I'm also a firm believer in synthetic for the AT. Too many damp and unpredictable conditions.
If you plan on being out west though, down is great.
I'm also a firm believer in synthetic for the AT. Too many damp and unpredictable conditions.
Hmm. :-? 30+ years of tromping thru the woods with down bags; never had a problem in this regard. Use a kitchen-garbage bag to line the stuff sack. No worries!
dessertrat
10-08-2007, 13:36
I actually have a Slumberjack tour lite (40 degree) that weights 2 pounds 1 ounce. That is not much more weight than some of the very expensive "lightweight" bags, and it is synthetic fill. I was just wondering about dispensing with that sleeping bag weight altogether, in favor of something like a silk liner, maybe?
I found that in the 100 mile wilderness at the end of September, with the 40 degree bag, I ended up sleeping on top of the bag or half out of it most nights, rather than in it.
middle to middle
10-08-2007, 13:56
the US army poncho liner and poncho work fine and serve many other uses.
Jim Adams
10-08-2007, 14:09
dessertrat,
you may have had decent weather w/o a sudden drop in temp overnight and this led to thinking that your bag was not needed. at the end of september in the 100 MW you could actually hit snow at anytime.
also, if you were completeing a thru hike you have to realize that you had been sleeping outside for 6 months and had become used to ambient temperatures. at the 6 month point 50* nights seem pretty warm.
geek
dessertrat
10-08-2007, 14:14
No, geek, it was just the 100 mile, and I was not finishing a thru hike. I know the weather could get cold in September in Maine, but it got no lower than 40, and all was fine, and would have been fine with an even lighter bag. But if you check the forecast, and it just isn't going to get that cold, it seems like it might be worth going without, so long as some extra clothes are handy.
(By the way, I don't turn my heat on at home until it gets below freezing outside, if that means anything).
LIhikers
10-08-2007, 14:28
My wife and I each have a fleece blanket that we use instead of a sleeping bag during the heat of summer. This past August that's what we brought with us to hike northern MA into southern VT and there were 2 or 3 nights we weren't warm enough even with all of our clothes on.
Jim Adams
10-08-2007, 14:51
dessertrat,
I just didn't know how long you had been outside. I know that I have been outside long enough at times that 40* is comfortable in shorts and T shirts.
the heat thing is also cool. I usually only have my heat on from the end on November until March 1st.
geek
the US army poncho liner and poncho work fine and serve many other uses.I don't use the poncho but I have a couple of poncho lines (double 'em up) sewn half way up the one side, after folding in half. Makes a great, cheap, super-light-weight summer bag. I would definately recommend two of them though. :banana