View Full Version : Sleeping Bag for CT
Graywolf
04-01-2010, 04:55
I have been to Colorado (Collegiate Wilderness) in July and get stuck in a snow storm/blizzard..(July 1995) I remember the sleeping bag I had then was an old coleman sleeping bag but I was warm..Cannot remember the rating but I do remember the temps droping to well below freezing..So that said, Now I am more experianced but have not been on an extended hike in Colorado since, I am looking at what would be an optimum rating for a Mid/late summer thru on the CT..Mid August to September..Any suggestions?? I am trying to keep my base weight down to 10# ..If that helps any..
Graywolf
butts0989
04-01-2010, 08:40
Western mountaineering summerlite + Sea to Summit silk liner. has kept me warm easy into the teens but only weighs 24 ouces.
Graywolf
04-01-2010, 16:23
Western mountaineering summerlite + Sea to Summit silk liner. has kept me warm easy into the teens but only weighs 24 ouces.
Cool!! Thanks..I was actually looking at that bag..Good omen..
Hole-In-The-Hat
04-02-2010, 00:11
Temperatures at the higher altitudes on the CT can easily be down to 30-35 degrees in August and especially September. I was quite happy with my Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 bag (rated 32 degrees) -- weighs in at 24 ounces. Of course it depends on how warm you sleep, and what you use for a pad...
ChrisFol
04-07-2010, 16:47
I have been to Colorado (Collegiate Wilderness) in July and get stuck in a snow storm/blizzard..(July 1995) I remember the sleeping bag I had then was an old coleman sleeping bag but I was warm..Cannot remember the rating but I do remember the temps droping to well below freezing..So that said, Now I am more experianced but have not been on an extended hike in Colorado since, I am looking at what would be an optimum rating for a Mid/late summer thru on the CT..Mid August to September..Any suggestions?? I am trying to keep my base weight down to 10# ..If that helps any..
Graywolf
I have thru-hiked the CT twice and section hike the trail quite often during the 3-seasons, and I would seriously consider a more well-rounded +20 degree bag. So if you have money to spend, then look at WM AlpinLite or the Ultralite. Montbell also have some good quality bags: SS #1 which is a +15 degree bag. Marmot and Golite also make great bags and are worth a look.
All of these are sub-3LB bags which will help to get your BW to 10Lbs.
FWIW I use a Feathered Friend's Swallow and love it.
As others said, a 20F bag should do the trick. It is what I use for almost all my Colorado backpacking/camping.
butts0989
04-08-2010, 17:40
I have thru-hiked the CT twice and section hike the trail quite often during the 3-seasons, and I would seriously consider a more well-rounded +20 degree bag. So if you have money to spend, then look at WM AlpinLite or the Ultralite. Montbell also have some good quality bags: SS #1 which is a +15 degree bag. Marmot and Golite also make great bags and are worth a look.
All of these are sub-3LB bags which will help to get your BW to 10Lbs.
FWIW I use a Feathered Friend's Swallow and love it.
+1 on the ultralight. because i live on the east coast i decided to go with a good 32 degree bag, but i would trust your opinion over mine.
ChrisFol
04-09-2010, 19:59
+1 on the ultralight. because i live on the east coast i decided to go with a good 32 degree bag, but i would trust your opinion over mine.
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that a +30/+35 degree bag won't be enough on the CT; you would just need a more robust sleep system. The weather here is unpredictable to say the least-- a foot of snow could dump on you one day and the next you will baking in 85 degrees.
Overnight lows during the summer co-inside with a a warmer weather bag, but you must also be prepared for those colder lower-to-mid-twenty nights too. Don't forget that a lot of the CT is above treeline and shelter is sometimes difficult. This is why I recommended a +20 degree bag and if you can afford a WM, FF, Montbell bag then the weight difference between such bags is minimal.
Last August I woke to frost in the mornings at 10 - 11 K ft. I am a cold sleeper and slept ok in a WM Alder bag. Nice and roomy, but alot of space to heat up for me. +1 on a solid 20 degree bag for a summer bag in the rockies. June & Aug is a gamble for me, so I take my winter clothes just in case.
Regards,
John