PDA

View Full Version : Sleeping bags for Couples



jh24463
11-30-2004, 10:13
Do you have any recommendations for sleeping bags for couples. This is for my father and mother in law. They have made the jump to ultralight(primarily due to age) but are lacking this one piece of gear. They would prefer to use a couples quilt or two sleeping bags that zip together. They also are hesitant about down due to some bad experience back in 1970's. Hey, its hard to let go. They are looking for something in the 20 to 30 degree range. Any ideas?

My wife and I use a quilt that we made ourselves, but my parents in law would rather just purchase.

Thanks alot, Josh

Tha Wookie
11-30-2004, 10:22
Go to RayJardine.com

java
11-30-2004, 10:28
We (my husband and I) personally used Sierra Designs bags, they all 'mate' together. Just be sure to buy them with right and left zippers, so they connect properly. Sierra Designs bags aren't the lightest, nor do they compress the best, but they aren't very expensive (I have the Rosa, it cost under $100), and we've always had good luck with them.

I have also seen a sleeping bag extender called the Sweetie Pie http://www.functionaldesign.net/about.htm Although I've never used it, I would consider it in the future if my husband and I were going on another long-distance hike together.
Hope this helps!

tlbj6142
11-30-2004, 11:13
If you've got the case, I believe Western Mountaineering makes a "coupler" for several of their down bags.

The biggest issue with sharing a bag is the large drafts that enter between each person. Make sure whatever setup you choose offer some means to close-off that space. This is typically done with a rather large draft tube (or flap).

For that reason, you might want to consider two bags that mate. On real cold nights each person would sleep in their own bag. On warmer nights the bags could be mated.

tarbubble
11-30-2004, 15:26
top bag - a synthetic bag of their choice. bottom - a zip-in doubler like this one:


http://www.functionaldesign.net/about.htm

they offer a winter-weight and a summer-weight doubler, but for using underneath them all they should need is the summer-weight. i use a homemade doubler that i made of fleece. it's very, very comfortable and we like this setup year-round (but in the winter we go to the desert, so that's not true 4-season use).

tlbj6142
11-30-2004, 15:45
I don't see how they close the large gap between occupants? That has to be resolved, otherwise it won't be good for anything below 50-60F, no matter how thick the top layer is. You'll end up with sweaty feet, but your back/stomach will be frozen.

Alligator
11-30-2004, 16:08
I don't see how they close the large gap between occupants? That has to be resolved, otherwise it won't be good for anything below 50-60F, no matter how thick the top layer is. You'll end up with sweaty feet, but your back/stomach will be frozen.
If two people are sleeping in one of those, there shouldn't be any gaps between them;) . The purpose of the system is body heat...

TDale
11-30-2004, 16:51
Fanatic Fringe has some nice synthetic quilts.

tarbubble
11-30-2004, 17:27
I don't see how they close the large gap between occupants? That has to be resolved, otherwise it won't be good for anything below 50-60F, no matter how thick the top layer is. You'll end up with sweaty feet, but your back/stomach will be frozen.
we have used this system at over 10,000 feet in September, when i can be fairly certain the temperatures dropped below 50 overnight. we didn't even set up our tarp. we were just fine.

i know from discussions with others that it doesn't work for everybody. we usually sleep spooned together and with hats on. but if somebody wants to tryi it, they just may find it works great for them.

tlbj6142
11-30-2004, 17:38
That's the key. You have to be spooned together all night. Which may not work for everyone.

The couplers that have a draft-tube thingy offer more options for positions.

The Will
11-30-2004, 18:51
If you can convince your in-laws that down is worthy of consideration, than Feathered Friends makes multiple options for couples including ground sheets that can be zipped into a bag, hooded/unhooded options, draft collars/no collars etc...

www.featheredfriends.com (http://www.featheredfriends.com)

gravityman
11-30-2004, 19:19
We use a Western Mountaineering mitylite as our summer quilt (32 oz). We made a coupler for it since the one from WM was so heavy. Our coupler is 4 oz. We have take the bag down to freezing with some cloths on and have been fine. If we are expecting temperatures below about 40 or so, we bring bags that zip together (WM super versalite). That way we can zip together, but if it gets too cold, we can go for seperate bags. Zipped together bags definitely aren't as warm as a single bag because, as was mentioned above, you can't seal the air in around you. You get the "billows" effect every time one of you moves. The super versalites have the best collars with velco attachments, so you could probably get those down pretty low zipped together.

Still, I would say the WM mitylite is the best quilt out there (the feathered friends ones are just too heavy in this catagory - 50 oz vs 32 oz for WM) for this. At least that was my conclusion after looking at all the other options out there. Forget synthetic. Too heavy and loses its loft after 5 years.

Gravity

jh24463
12-02-2004, 10:24
I will have to get the inlaws to take a closer look at down. These are all great ideas. It looks like most of the doublers are a bit heavy. If it comes to it my wife and I could always break out the sewing machine and call it a christmas present. Thanks. Josh

Ridge
12-02-2004, 21:57
My 3D Cats Meow can zip together with another like bag. These are very good synthetic bags. 15deg rating.

hikeswithwine
02-17-2005, 18:20
My wife and I use one of these with a down Marmot bag, the peregrine. We have the summer weight version, although I might get the other version as well. Really helps with the weight. She carrys the doubler, which ways like nothing, and I carry the Marmot. We are both small people(hafling sized!) and this combo is by far the best for people who like to snuggle....
We have used it down to below freezing, and neither of us get cold. However, YMMV

top bag - a synthetic bag of their choice. bottom - a zip-in doubler like this one:


http://www.functionaldesign.net/about.htm

they offer a winter-weight and a summer-weight doubler, but for using underneath them all they should need is the summer-weight. i use a homemade doubler that i made of fleece. it's very, very comfortable and we like this setup year-round (but in the winter we go to the desert, so that's not true 4-season use).

The Solemates
02-17-2005, 18:35
My wife and I drape a bag over us as a quilt on top and have a fleece liner that we zip to it for use on the bottom. This works best for temps that range between 40F and 60F at night. We used this method for the last full month of our thru. The whole thing weighs in at around 3lbs, which we split between the two of us, so there really isnt that much weight savings. But if we bought lighter bags I guess there would be.

The Weasel
02-17-2005, 19:03
I hope I'm not off-topic here, but my wife and I used a Sierra Designs and Mountain Hardwear bag each, and when we want to be together, they both zip easily without any adapters. Most bags use the same YKK zips, these days.

For our ground pad, we bought a coupler, really a big rubber band, from ThermaRest. Rubber bands cut from tractor tires would work as well.

The Weasel