Light weight sleeping bag

[SmokeEater]

Looking for a light weight compact sleeping bag for doing secion hikes on the A.T. Im 5'9 and try to hike mostly in march,april and may. I use a therma rest pad also. Not sure on Down or Synthetic. Ty

[Phreak]

Mtn Hdwr Phantom +32 is 1lb 5 oz, +15 is 1 lb 15 oz. I use both of these bags.

[leaftye]

Have you considered making a quilt?

[SmokeEater]

Have you considered making a quilt?

I havent but I will look into it. Do u have any good sites for homemade quilts?

[leaftye]

Do u have any good sites for homemade quilts?

Hammockforums.com seems pretty big on quilts.
Thru-hiker.com has a kit.
Rayjardine.com has a kit.

I've seen one guy that made his out of cuben fiber with a strip of eVent fiber.

[Many Walks]

We have Western Mountaineering Highlite down bags, 35 degree @16 oz. I also have a Caribou MF down, 35 degree @ 20 oz. Both are nice bags and have done well to ratings winter camping with a tent in the Northern California Sierra. Western Mountaineering is a bit pricey, but very well made in San Jose, CA, with great service. Can't go wrong with WM, worth looking into. Feathered Friends bags may be comparable. Some folks are also happy with their down bags from Campmor for around $120.

[Connie]

I got help to design a quilt at the Homemade Gear Forum right here and at bpl (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/display_forum.html?forum=38&id=be6yABzx:71.245.110.136) Make Your Own Gear.

Between all the help listed in this thread, you should have all the help you need.

I am making a 15-20 F (2 layers) Climashield Combat synthetic in Cuben, with a drawstring zipped footbox and only using one corner in Momentum 90 so I can 'stuff and fluff' the synthetic.

The only thing: I might hold out for Climashield Apex.

I understand a nice feature of Climashield Combat and Climashield Apex is that it is only necessary to sew the edge of the fabric: no quilting.

I got information and encouragement at all the links listed in this thread.

[Snowleopard]

Looking for a light weight compact sleeping bag ... Not sure on Down or Synthetic. Ty

Light weight compact means a high quality (i.e., $$$) down bag. Down compresses to a smaller size than the synthetics.
A synthetic quilt can be pretty light and reasonably compact.

Feathered Friends sleeping bags are one of the very high quality bags; I have one bought when I had more money and like it.

Two down bags that are bargains, but not as compact or light as more expensive ones are campmor's house bags:
20 degree, $120, http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40065
0 degree, $150 http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40067

[leaftye]

Dang, that zero degree Campmor bag looks tempting. It's almost a pound less than my synthetic, and packs 2" smaller in diameter and 4" smaller in length. Their 20 degree bag is downright tiny at 7x14" stuffed.

[Connie]

enLIGHTenedequipment (http://enlightenedequipment.webs.com/products.htm) synthetic or down.

I am waiting for the weight estimate, because I do not have Microsoft Excel to use their weight calculator.

When I first inquired, they did not offer anything for my size.

I think my 71 inches length 7.4 oz. Climashield Combat in cuben I have described above in Short Half Taper would run 1 lb. 8 oz. However, I will have to wait for a reply in the bpl forum about weight and stuffed volume.

At any rate, some people sew-and-cut their own sleeping bag, making it into a sleeping quilt because the "loft" you compress under your body has limited insulating value.

For the weight, any quilt should weight less than a comparable sleeping bag if synthetic or down.

Pair a great sleeping quilt with a really well made sleeping pad and it makes a great sleep system, I feel.

I know I am going for it.

[bflorac]

Love my Mont-Bell Ultra-lite Super Stretch Down 800 (in any °) but if I was buying a new one I'd look at there new Spiral Hugger...They are pricy but the abilty to move my legs is worth it. I can even reach down and scratch an itch on my foot if needed.

As for pad, since I have been only hiking in June-July, warmth is not and issue for me. I typically sleep in shelters and have found the Thermarest Neo Air to be a god send. I just wish it was 2" wider.

[bigcranky]

Section hikes on the Southern AT in March, April, and May? A good 20-F down bag is your friend. By mid-May you'll be using it as a quilt most nights, but in mid-March you'll be happy you have the 20-F bag.

(If you are section hiking in New Hampshire in March or April, you need a whole different set of gear.)

[Raul Perez]

Marmot Hydrogen compresses fairly small and weighs 25 ounces with a stuff sack.