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View Full Version : 100 Mile Wilderness - 45 or 20 degree bag?



Todd Heyn
05-12-2009, 06:49
I am planning a trip through the 100 Mile Wilderness between August 19th and the 28th this summer. I am wondering which bag I should plan on bringing. The 45 degree bag is half the weight of the 20 degree bag. What are your thoughts? What are the evening temperatures during this time of the year in this area?

Thanks in advance.

TJ aka Teej
05-12-2009, 07:46
It might get below 40, but probably not. If you stay dry you'll be fine with your 45. If it gets cold just wear a hat and all your clothes to bed. Great time to hike Maine!

Tinker
05-12-2009, 09:35
I used a 40 degree bag last year wrapped around my hammock. This was in early September. I think you'll be fine with the 45 degree and a warm hat.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 10:23
If i was you i would bring one for 30 if you have it,i have bags ranging from -40 to summer temp bags

Just a Hiker
05-12-2009, 10:52
August is a great time to hike the 100 mile wilderness! The insects aren't as bad and the fords are a bit easier, and you'll have plenty of company! The evening and nights will start to get cooler around that time, but the 45 degree bag should be fine.

Shutterbug
05-12-2009, 12:21
I am planning a trip through the 100 Mile Wilderness between August 19th and the 28th this summer. I am wondering which bag I should plan on bringing. The 45 degree bag is half the weight of the 20 degree bag. What are your thoughts? What are the evening temperatures during this time of the year in this area?

Thanks in advance.

I have used a 40 degree bag in August, September and early October. I got a little cold in October, but it was fine for August and September.

Shutterbug
05-12-2009, 12:24
I am planning a trip through the 100 Mile Wilderness between August 19th and the 28th this summer. I am wondering which bag I should plan on bringing. The 45 degree bag is half the weight of the 20 degree bag. What are your thoughts? What are the evening temperatures during this time of the year in this area?

Thanks in advance.

Which way will you be hiking? I am also planning to hike the 100 Mile Wilderness southbound about that time. If you are hiking northbound, we may meet on the trail.

I plan to use a 40 degree bag.

The Old Fhart
05-12-2009, 12:40
I've done the 100 mile wilderness about a dozen time in late August-early September. On one trip I ended up at the same spot at the end of the day as a hiker from Florida doing the section SOBO. He had watched the weather in Portland and it had been up to 80 degrees so he brought a 40-50 degree bag. The temperature that night went below freezing and he was not a happy camper. I was fine in my 35 degree down bag with some polypro on.

You might be ok with a light bag but personally I wouldn't chance it. If you have a tent and extra clothes that might make the lighter bag fine. The previous post recommending a 30 degree bag is a good one.

JAK
05-12-2009, 12:40
In theory, you can get frost in New Brunswick and Maine any day of the year. Just alot less likely in July and August. Also July and August tend to be the driest months, and with warmer winds mostly from the South. You can start getting them by August, but September is when you really start getting stronger and colder winds from the North. Even if you do get a cold night in August, or a wet night, the night is shorter, and you have longer and sunnier days to warm up and dry out. So you shouldn't need as warm a bag for July or August as for September or October, even if you did by chance happen to get the same temperatures. I always say prepare for the climate extreme, not the weather forecast, but you can push the envelope in July/August. As long as you have a layer of clothing head to toe, and a sleeping system of some sort, you should be comfortable most nights and easily survive any freak nights. You want to always test systems out though.

I think the real question people should ask is how cold it normally gets, and how cold it can get. They should already know for themselves what works for those conditions. For some maybe a 30F bag, for others a 45F bag, but depends alot on your clothing also. In the woods of Maine and New Brunswick in July/August I would be prepared to be comfortable to 40F, and someone chilled but still sleepable to 35F. Whatever bag and clothing system works for you, you always have to figure that out for yourself. Bringing a thermometer along on all your hikes helps develop that knowledge.

JAK
05-12-2009, 12:47
Also, if you get a particularly cold night, you can chose where to camp to avoid the coldest termperatures. If you did get a freak frost in August for example, it wouldn't be everywhere, and it would be very unlikely in woods. You would normally find a place like under a big spruce tree, not too low, not too high, not too wet, and not too dry. If you do that you should be able to avoid temperatures below 40F, even with frost in some places. I haven't hiked the 100 mile wilderness but I would imagine you can pick and choose good places and bad places. A good rule of thumb is to camp where you think a deer might. Using a tarp and light sleeping bag is a good way to develop a good sense of microclimates.

Shutterbug
05-12-2009, 14:31
They should already know for themselves what works for those conditions. For some maybe a 30F bag, for others a 45F bag...,


That is an excellent point. What is good for one camper isn't for another. I remember when I went through winter survival training in the USAF, we had a guy in the class who just couldn't zip the sleeping bag up over his head. He almost froze to death while those of us who completely closed the sleeping bag were relatively comfortable.

Another point to consider is that all 40 degree bags are not equal. Some 40 degree bags sleep a lot warmer than others. One needs to know the limits of their own bag.