View Full Version : Good cheap 0 degree bag
Earl Grey
11-25-2007, 19:59
Whats a good down bag under $200 in this temp range? Weight isnt too much of a concern but too heavy isnt good.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
11-25-2007, 20:01
Campmor 0* Down mummy bag (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=86902)
Appalachian Tater
11-25-2007, 20:02
Apparently the Campmor down bags are good quality for the price and aren't ridiculously heavy. It's hard to find a good quality bag that is both light and cheap. A bag is the absolutely last place you want to cut quality in favor of price.
Oh, with the bag F.D. linked to on sale for $140, you're not going to do better than that price for a new 0 deg down bag. You might pick up a used one at a similar price.
Javasanctum
11-25-2007, 23:52
Campmor 0* Down mummy bag (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=86902)
Thanks, I missed that one. Great deal!
If I'm out in zero degree weather, cheap ain't on my priority list!
About the campmor bag:
No offense mudhead, but I knew the posts on the Campmor down bags would come up, it was just a matter of time. Zero rated, $150!! Sounds too good to be true? It is.
People I have known who have used this bag in cold temps tell me to forget about it, not warm enough when out in the low digits. How many people have been out in Zero degrees night after night? IT'S COLD! Even a good zero rated down bag like the Marmot Couloir might not keep a majority of people warm, and it has 800 fill. And on a trip when the wind starts blowing and the snow swirling, a reliable rating usually goes out the window as you sit shivering in your new zero bag.
Another approach is to look at a rating and raise by 20, at least this way there's no disappointment. The best way? Two things: Fill power and fill weight. 800/850 plus fill power: Very Good. 35 oz or more fill weight? Very very good. These two numbers will mean a hot furnace when the temps dive to minus 10 or worse.
Nightwalker
11-26-2007, 04:55
About the Campmor bag:
I agree. You need 8" of fill for that temp, and the Campmor doesn't get it.
On temp ratings: My MountainSmith is rated at 30F, but I have been comfortable in it to 20F many, many times. I've been safe in it down to 0F twice, though not very comfy! MountainSmith apparently rates their bags quite conservatively. I wish they still made them!
Frolicking Dinosaurs
11-26-2007, 10:17
The Campmor 0* bag has 6.5" of loft so does not meet your 8" criteria - nor did any of the others I checked:
Marmot Never Summer 0* - 7" loft - $249
Marmot Coulior 0* - 7.7" loft - $339
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0* - 7.5" - $420
Mountain HardWear Banshee 0* - 7.4" loft - $440
Sierra Designs Flash 0* - 7.2" loft - $389
Big Agnes Storm King 0* - 7.1" loft - $239
Big Agnes Stillwater 0* - 7.4" loft - $359
Slumberjack Baffin 0* - 7.5" loft - $239
REI Kilo Plus 0* - Unknown because fill weight is not given, but given total weight of bag cannot be more than about 6.5" - $289
BTW, the MountainSmith site no longer contains sleeping bags so I was unable to determine the loft.
Midway Sam
11-26-2007, 10:32
Regarding building mountain bikes, Gary Fisher once said:
"Strong, light, cheap. Pick two."
When it comes to sleeping bags, it can be said:
"Warm, light, cheap. Pick two."
NICKTHEGREEK
11-26-2007, 10:44
Apparently the Campmor down bags are good quality for the price and aren't ridiculously heavy. It's hard to find a good quality bag that is both light and cheap. A bag is the absolutely last place you want to cut quality in favor of price.
Oh, with the bag F.D. linked to on sale for $140, you're not going to do better than that price for a new 0 deg down bag. You might pick up a used one at a similar price.
I'd put the savings into a pretty good bag liner, socks and thermal underwear if you expect to use it comfortably at 0 degrees.
Tipi Walter
11-26-2007, 11:58
For the impoverished backpacker, here's the solution for staying warm in zero degrees: Bulk and Weight. Pick two.
What does this mean? You get a cheaper down/synthetic bag and throw another cheap, heavy bag over it(like an old Army feather bag). Or take some thick quilts along with the down bag. A person can get thru some mean temps with this system but you gotta be willing to carry 10-12 pounds of bedding along with a good pad. But it can be done.
I've cowboy/bedrolled camped many times where the temps never got above zero, I'd wake up with my little pinhead sticking out of the snow-covered bags but I was warm due to the sheer weight of material on top.
Eventually, when my piggy bank got large enough, I gleefully dumped the Big Load and got the best down bag I could find as it's CHEAPER in the long run. The best for zero temps? It's gonna cost you around $500 if you're serious about staying warm in frigid conditions. And you don't want to haul two cheaper bags or sleep in some tiger cage casket with all your clothing along with a bag liner and a bivy sack. It's hard enough to sleep in a zipped up mummy as it is, comfort is also part of the equation.
The only complaint I have against the Campmor 20* down bag is girth and it's about the same as a WM Alpinlite Super. It has a decent rating. If their 0* bag is made equally well, it should do fine. Paying big bucks for bags isn't all that necessary unless you want high loft down and water proof/resistant outer shells.
For the impoverished backpacker, here's the solution for staying warm in zero degrees: Bulk and Weight. Pick two.
What does this mean? You get a cheaper down/synthetic bag and throw another cheap, heavy bag over it(like an old Army feather bag). Or take some thick quilts along with the down bag. A person can get thru some mean temps with this system but you gotta be willing to carry 10-12 pounds of bedding along with a good pad. But it can be done.
I've cowboy/bedrolled camped many times where the temps never got above zero, I'd wake up with my little pinhead sticking out of the snow-covered bags but I was warm due to the sheer weight of material on top.
Eventually, when my piggy bank got large enough, I gleefully dumped the Big Load and got the best down bag I could find as it's CHEAPER in the long run. The best for zero temps? It's gonna cost you around $500 if you're serious about staying warm in frigid conditions. And you don't want to haul two cheaper bags or sleep in some tiger cage casket with all your clothing along with a bag liner and a bivy sack. It's hard enough to sleep in a zipped up mummy as it is, comfort is also part of the equation.I'll second this great advice. Paying for the highest quality sleeping bag designed for single digits and lower will be cheaper in the long run. You can bet that ANY problems with the bag will be adressed by the manufacturer even years after the purchase date. This is because few people use their high end gear often enough to wear it out. The manufacturer recognizes this and will go to great lengths to keep the active user happy. The extra bucks will give you a product designed to last for many years of tough use and a bag that will meet your expectations. Tipi has done the time out in some tough weather (check out his pics).:sun
Funny how some of us justify and defend our big bucks gear. If you're on a budget and an inexpensive Campmor works, why go without?
Funny how some of us justify and defend our big bucks gear. If you're on a budget and an inexpensive Campmor works, why go without?I've got nothing against the Campmor bag and it's probably adequate. If someone is interested in actually staying in single digits and below on a regular basis, odds are that the extra cash spent on a big bucks sleeping bag would be well worth it. I've got a 15 deg Marmot bag that is almost 10 years old. I've been comfy in it down to 0-5 degrees. If I had an issue with it even now I'd wager that Marmot would be pretty good about helping me out. Not trying to be funny, just throwing it out there for consideration.
Regarding building mountain bikes, Gary Fisher once said:
"Strong, light, cheap. Pick two."
When it comes to sleeping bags, it can be said:
"Warm, light, cheap. Pick two."This sums up my experience.
It a stated 6.5" of loft, the Campmor bag is probably only good to 5*-10*F, but it would still be a bargain of a bag if it worked to those tempretures. I hear lots of good things about the Campmor 20* bag which has 5" of stated loft which seems in line with most premium 20* bags loft.
I personally am a Western Mountaineering Fan, but they are expensive and the Campmor bags do seem like great deals. I would try it out at home before I did a long trip with it.
leeki pole
11-26-2007, 16:13
Funny how some of us justify and defend our big bucks gear. If you're on a budget and an inexpensive Campmor works, why go without?
I'm a cold sleeper and my zero Campmor has kept me warm down to 15. I wouldn't want to push it to zero, though. A good bag for the bucks.
I'm a cold sleeper and my zero Campmor has kept me warm down to 15. I wouldn't want to push it to zero, though. A good bag for the bucks.
What's your experience with a better brand 0* bag?
leeki pole
11-26-2007, 18:00
What's your experience with a better brand 0* bag?
Regrettably, none. My warmest bag before this one was a 30* WM Megalite. Mostly used for bike trips. But I'm open to suggestions. I'm pretty happy with this Campmor, though. Two kids in college can limit your resources. :rolleyes:
I picked up a Thermolite 0 degree mummy bag at Dick's Sporting Goods for $50 this past weekend. It listed at $120. I haven't actually slept out in it yet, but it seems really nice.
i think why they can get away with 0 degree ratings is that very few really sleep out at that tempeture. O degrees is not just cold its F-----KING COLD
IMHO, the economists in this crowd are probably right. A good sleeping bag is a good investment. My Dad shelled out big bucks in 1968 for Gerry sleeping bags (I have no idea how big the bucks were, but he called it an investment, so I gotta think they were equivalent to expensive bags today).
The bags are still going strong after almost 40 years of use, and still perform better than their original rating.
So I'm just passing along advice I've heard elsewhere: buy the best you can afford, it's cheaper in the long run.
cheap 0 degree= mountain hardware lamina 3d synthetic 0 degree. $130 off campmor 6 months ago. probably can find similar. good all around, friend used it in the yukon and alaska all summer (in mts and on glacier)
Dirtygaiters
11-27-2007, 01:38
For the impoverished backpacker, here's the solution for staying warm in zero degrees: Bulk and Weight. Pick two.
What does this mean? You get a cheaper down/synthetic bag and throw another cheap, heavy bag over it(like an old Army feather bag). Or take some thick quilts along with the down bag. A person can get thru some mean temps with this system but you gotta be willing to carry 10-12 pounds of bedding along with a good pad. But it can be done.
I've cowboy/bedrolled camped many times where the temps never got above zero, I'd wake up with my little pinhead sticking out of the snow-covered bags but I was warm due to the sheer weight of material on top.
Eventually, when my piggy bank got large enough, I gleefully dumped the Big Load and got the best down bag I could find as it's CHEAPER in the long run. The best for zero temps? It's gonna cost you around $500 if you're serious about staying warm in frigid conditions. And you don't want to haul two cheaper bags or sleep in some tiger cage casket with all your clothing along with a bag liner and a bivy sack. It's hard enough to sleep in a zipped up mummy as it is, comfort is also part of the equation.
This is really good advice. You know why? because when somebody has the gear to stay warm, they can go out and have a great time backpacking; meanwhile the other people are recovering from dropping $500+ on a sleeping bag, they don't have enough money left over to even drive to the trailhead to get out on a trip with their new bag. Of course, for people who have the money, this doesn't apply...I just know that I've "recovered" from expensive gear purchases and instead of heading to a really cool trail 2 hours away one weekend, I just stayed home :eek: :eek:
This is really good advice. You know why? because when somebody has the gear to stay warm, they can go out and have a great time backpacking; meanwhile the other people are recovering from dropping $500+ on a sleeping bag, they don't have enough money left over to even drive to the trailhead to get out on a trip with their new bag. Of course, for people who have the money, this doesn't apply...I just know that I've "recovered" from expensive gear purchases and instead of heading to a really cool trail 2 hours away one weekend, I just stayed home :eek: :eek:You obviously have never met Tipi Walter.
Tipi Walter
11-27-2007, 21:11
IMHO, the economists in this crowd are probably right. A good sleeping bag is a good investment. My Dad shelled out big bucks in 1968 for Gerry sleeping bags (I have no idea how big the bucks were, but he called it an investment, so I gotta think they were equivalent to expensive bags today).
The bags are still going strong after almost 40 years of use, and still perform better than their original rating.
So I'm just passing along advice I've heard elsewhere: buy the best you can afford, it's cheaper in the long run.
Kind words, ed bell.
And for Deadeye, here's a link to a fantastic gear history site with some Gerry info:
www.oregonphotos.com/Gerry1.html (http://www.oregonphotos.com/Gerry1.html)
Doughnut
11-27-2007, 22:16
Maple,
I bought one too, used it Veteran's day Weekend in NC, got cold enough to put ice in my water bottles, and I was very warm, along with the stray hound that wandered into my camp.. He was shivering so I put him in the tent with me! Just as I was finishing up my weekend, the owner showed up and took my trail hound from me.
I don't know if you are a cold sleeper or not, but the words "cheap" and "0 degree" caught my eye. There are many things I look to find deals and bargains on for backpacking, but my sleeping bag is not one of them. If you are, in fact, a cold sleeper and you are, in fact, headed out into very cold weather, I would suggest you reconsider the cheap and invest the extra 100 plus dollars in a bag that may actually be responsible for saving your life in a storm. We were caught, last October, in a day that appeared to be a windy 30-some degree day. By the evening, the wind had picked up dramatically and temperatures were well below 20 degrees with windchills near zero. I am so very very grateful I had 1) layers and 2) my WM 20 degree bag. Without that i am sure I would have been a popscicle by morning.
Blackmath,
I recommend that you try to pick up a Western Mountaineering / Montbell bag on Ebay, a WB GFS post, or on clearance in Feb / March. I agree with Gumball and a few others that a winter bag is not the place to try and go cheap.
I picked up an unused MB SSDH #2 for only $60 last spring:D Gave it to my son for his birthday.
I picked up a new 2006 MB SSDH #0 for $300 for myself. BTW I love this bag.
I have seen "new" WM bags for 1/2 retail (20* bag for $175) on Ebay.
You will need to keep your eyes open, be patient, and jump on the bargain when you find it.
Egads
I have a 20* Campmor down bag. I bought it for my first section on the AT back in November of '03. It kept me toasty warm at Muskrat Creek shelter on a night that froze my washrag solid as a rock. It still keeps me warm, but I don't get out in real cold weather much anymore. If I were to ever have the opportunity to do a thru, I wouldn't hesitate to get the 0* Campmor. I'm sure it'd be plenty warm enough for a mid March start.
another good bag is the 15° Marmot Helium..you can catch those on sale and on ebay
copythat
12-04-2007, 22:20
The Campmor 0* bag has 6.5" of loft so does not meet your 8" criteria - nor did any of the others I checked:
Marmot Never Summer 0* - 7" loft - $249
Marmot Coulior 0* - 7.7" loft - $339
etc. (edited)
on this topic ... i'm pretty sure i've seen it here somewhere, but i can't find it now ... isn't there some kind of guide to the correlation between loft and temperature rating? (and does the loft/temp correlation work for synthetic, too?) i mean, these things are really only trapping warm air, not generating it, so it should be fairly straight forward, right?
I picked up a Thermolite 0 degree mummy bag at Dick's Sporting Goods for $50 this past weekend. It listed at $120. I haven't actually slept out in it yet, but it seems really nice.
Don't know if you folks read this string properly...true it is not a Down, but it wasn't exactly a cheap bag...I just got it for what I think is a good price...and I don't really plan on being out in temps much lower than 20 so I figure this gives me a 20 degree cushion.
Maple,
I bought one too, used it Veteran's day Weekend in NC, got cold enough to put ice in my water bottles, and I was very warm, along with the stray hound that wandered into my camp.. He was shivering so I put him in the tent with me! Just as I was finishing up my weekend, the owner showed up and took my trail hound from me. Dough