View Full Version : Sleeping bag for early February start
I know the temps every year are different, and everyone sleeps different, but I'm interested to hear from those who started early to mid February the following:
1. Degree rating of bag you took?
2. How did it work out?
3. Would you take a different temp rating if you where to do it all over again?
Thanks for the help.
Last minute plans, opportunity opened, and probably heading out on a thru-hike early to mid Feb. All i'm missing is a sleeping bag.
Thanks for the help.
Also forgot to ask:
4. Do you sleep hot or cold?
Thanks.
Jim Adams
12-17-2008, 01:30
Take a 0* to start and then switch to a 32*-40* after the Grayson Highlands. You should be fine.
I use a 0* for early March starts. 99% of the nights it is overkill but when it is truely needed...it is great. I use it as a quilt until it is cold enough to zip up.
geek
only bag i own is marmot never summer
The Solemates
12-17-2008, 09:58
i took a 5 deg bag, my wife took a 0 deg bag. we started 1 feb. we had a handful of nights below 0. i had a full length zrest, my wife had a 3/4 zrest (although it was more like full lenght on her since she is only 5'2"). i was only really uncomfortably cold one night. i sleep normal I'd say. My wife was cold more than that, but not too much more and it wasnt unbearable. she sleeps a little cold.
Thanks for the replies. Please keep them coming.
I took a 20 degree on a March 15 start in 04. I thought that maybe I could get away with a 15 for early to mid Feb, and put all my clothing on if needed.
double d
12-17-2008, 13:14
Campmor has a nice, 0 degree bag for about $160-$180, 550 down material.
FWIW, from our experience with campmor 20 degree bags, and our scout troop has about 10 of them, they are overrated by about 10 degrees. I would call their 20 a warm 30 degree bag. If this follows, the 0 bag is not a true zero, IMO. That being said, still a good, lighter weight bag, for good value, just not true 0 bag most likely.
Blissful
12-17-2008, 16:08
Thanks for the replies. Please keep them coming.
I took a 20 degree on a March 15 start in 04. I thought that maybe I could get away with a 15 for early to mid Feb, and put all my clothing on if needed.
If you go 15 take a silk liner for sure. Also, your pad and sleeping in a good tent makes a lot of difference.
I think I'm going with a zero. Better be warm than cold. After all, my trail name is Freeze. I wake up cold everyday at around 4am, no matter what season. Looking at the Mont-bell down hugger #0. Quite expensive, but sleeping bag is the one thing I don't mind paying for. I like to get good sleep, and I can live with the extra 9 oz for the zero.
I hope I don't cook in it.
Ramble~On
12-18-2008, 05:36
Bingo. I guess you've read some reviews about this bag.
I don't have one but am in the market for a 0* and the Montbell #0 ul ss is top of my list.
I'm waiting to see what kind of sales develop after the holidays.
I'm a cold sleeper. To start a thru in Feb...I'd want a 0* bag and I'd carry a liner.
If this were more bag than I needed I'd have a buddy bring me another bag....which is one nice thing about living where I do.
Another thought for spending strategy is what do you own already in bags. If you have a so/so 20/30 degree bag, maybe a low cost campmor 0 is the way to go, and also upgrade your warmer weather bag to a real nice light 800 fill power one. Then swap out when needed. Or get a real nice 15 or 20 degree one, like WM, FF, Marmot, MB, and bring/buy nice warm down jacket. A new 0 bag is a lot of $$, and if u aren't going to be using it for much real cold camping, because its' too hot for warmer times, maybe don't buy one. Get a good 15 or 20 and buy some real nice, parka, like MB alpine light down parka, FF, or WM equivalent. IMO, with good layering, you can push a quality 15 or 20 bag down a lot of degrees, and have nice layering stuff, instead of a 0 degree bag that you can only use on a limited basis.
Then you can use your layering stuff elsewhere. Just another thought process.
My other bag is a Marmot Pounder (40 degree). I plan to switch to that when the weather gets warm enough.
I hear you with the layering strategy. That's what I usually do. I've done plenty of winter day hikes in VA, so I know what works for me as far as clothing, but have never spent the night out. I was stationed in Korea back in my younger days, and remember those cold nights in the field. Can't remember what those Army bags where rated to, but I remember stripping down quite a bit not to sweat too much.
With an early Feb start, I'll be in Pennsylvania early April. I'm thinking the zero is the way to go, just to be safe. I can always sleep in light clothing, or zip open the bag if I get hot. I'm kind of hoping the weather will remain cool until I get really far up north.
I was hoping to hear from previous Feb starters, and see how their choice worked out for them.
Well, booked my airline ticket a few minutes ago. Flying out Feb 14. $74 bucks for a one way ticket to Atlanta. Starting a week later than I wanted to, but the wife wants me to leave Valentine's weekend. Will celebrate on the 13th because of the awesome airfare on the 14th.
I'm truly blessed with an amazing understanding and supporting wife.
I've got a cat's Meow 20 degree bag for my Feb 20 departure. If i bring a liner, plus have warm clothes, should I be fine? I sleep warm.
The Solemates
12-18-2008, 15:56
I've got a cat's Meow 20 degree bag for my Feb 20 departure. If i bring a liner, plus have warm clothes, should I be fine? I sleep warm.
you'll live (uncomfortably).
I've got a cat's Meow 20 degree bag for my Feb 20 departure. If i bring a liner, plus have warm clothes, should I be fine? I sleep warm.Most nights you'll be fine. There will be a couple of nights you will be cold, but so what? You can't bring so much gear so that you are never uncomfortable. Balance weight against utility. Some days you'll be too cold and some days you'll be too hot. The colder/hotter it is, the better will be your memories (and stories). And why carry an extra pound mile after mile, day after day to avoid being cold a coupla nights and rob yourself of, "Jeez, I remember back in '09 in the Smokies. This one night, my shoes froze solid. I shivered all night and then the next day ...."
I've got a cat's Meow 20 degree bag for my Feb 20 departure. If i bring a liner, plus have warm clothes, should I be fine? I sleep warm.
How old's the bag? A duddy of mine used to have the same bag, and at 6 years old, had downgraded to probably a 40 degree.
I took a 20 degree on a March 15 start back in 04. Woke up cold everyday at around 4am, hence my trailname Freeze. If i were to start in March again, i would take a 15. From all the replies, I'm thinking I'll get the 0. I'de rather be hot than cold. I'll carry the extra 9 oz.
Cooter,
Between now and then I would advise practice sleep outside in your bag in cold temps if possible. Use your planned warm clothes set up and see what happens. Sleep temp is almost unique to each person, so you may be good, may be not. But you have time to figure that out now, better than on the trail.
For instance, I have a Montbell ULSS #2, which i knew was a conservatively rated 25 for me, personally. 12/5-7 i slept in shelter at scout campout, knew it was going to be cold to test my bag/system. Morning temps were 8 and 11 when I got up. I was toasty warm, and now know that I am good to go with this bag for lots lower temps than its' rated. I bet it could have been 10 degrees colder and I would have been fine.
Cooter,
Between now and then I would advise practice sleep outside in your bag in cold temps if possible. Use your planned warm clothes set up and see what happens. Sleep temp is almost unique to each person, so you may be good, may be not. But you have time to figure that out now, better than on the trail.
Winner of the best advice in 2008 post.
A really big part of whether you're warm enough on any given night is how warm you are when you get in the bag. Your body is the only heat source for your sleeping bag (unless you make yourself a hot water bottle or two, but that's another subject) so don't get chilled before you get in the bag. If it's going to be below your bag's temperature rating on a particular night, the best you can do for yourself is to hike as long as you can, stop, change into dry clothes, get in bag, lie down on your sleeping pad (so you start warming that up), cook hot food and drink while lying in your bag on your pad, eat lots of hot food, and go to sleep. If it's really, really cold, you can warm yourself up during the night by cooking yourself another meal and/or hot drink while in your sleeping bag.
PS--This totally flies in the face of the not-attracting-animals-to-your-campsite advice, but it will help you keep warm.