View Full Version : Hiking couples and mating sleeping bags
I guess I just took it for granted that all couples used and wanted mated sleeping bags when they hike together? We did the first few seasons, but we had the cheapo WalMart bags, rectangular, etc. - was simple.
Then last year before our section we upgraded to mummy types and they do hypothetically mate together (got a left and right zipper version), but its really kind of a pain with the shapes. Especially to "spoon" lol.
Just curious on others' takes on this? I was surprised to hear we are apparently the real minority on wanitng to sleep like this? Maybe its just the comfort issue, but I know it'd be like sleeping all alone (not to mention alot COLDER!) if we were each in our separate bags. Maybe after 10 years more or so, we'll be more tired of each other lol, and cherish the space, but somehow I doubt it!
saimyoji
01-16-2005, 17:16
May not be helpful for thru-hiking, I (with female) use a double bag, not two singles that 'mate' just a larger bag that two people can climb into. There are various styles of these. When hiking together, its easy to divy up the weight/bulk between the two of you. And totally worth it. :banana
Not sure, but could one double bag be lighter than two mating singles?
Ya know, I considered that - AFTER I spent the $120 on the new bags last year, lol! I bet there are pretty lightweight double bags out there indeed - and yeah, the divying up of weight is never a problem, nor the fact that only one of us would have a bag n their pack (like we are gonna get lost from each other or separated?)
I agree on the totally worth it part tho hehe - count it among the "advantages" of having a partner who enjoys the same things as you! And that fresh mountain air... (and lack of kids or worries!!!) :D GOTTA take advantage! Thanks for input - I bet if I found a good lightweight one, I could sell these I got last year for close to what I paid for them, pretty decent bags actually!
Hmm, so far can't find any double or oversized ones for less than 13 lbs! Yikes! I bet it exists tho - it HAS to!
Youngblood
01-16-2005, 18:50
If you got the money...
Look at Western Mountaineering's summer coupler ( http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=Products&page=Accessories ) and semi-rectangular bags ( http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=Products&page=Sleeping%20Bags ). I've never tried one but it looks like it has possibilities.
Youngblood
Spirit Walker
01-16-2005, 19:42
We mate our mummy bags together and have for the past 12 years. Both sets of feet go into one side, but otherwise there is no problem. He keeps me warm, and he enjoys having more shoulder room than he would have in a mummy normally. If it is really really cold, there is a bit more air leakage, since I snug my hood around my head and he doesn't, but the heat his body produces makes up for the small amount of air leakage.
Some couples have the habit of spooning, others like lots of space between. Find what works for you.
grrickar
01-16-2005, 19:47
If anyone sucessfully mates a pair of Western Mountaineering bags, I would like to be the first one to step up and offer to adopt the offspring:D
On a serious note, my wife does not hike, but we camp from time to time. I find sleeping bags fairly constricting - especially the mummy variety. I do feel that it is the better design to retain heat properly. For that reason I do not think that bags which mate together would be very efficient in colder weather. I could be wrong - after all you have two bodies producing heat instead of the usual one. Rectangular bags seem to mate together more easily, while I can seem mummy bags being a bit more awkward.
Even if there were a good solution (and there very well may be), I sleep better in my own bag. Sharing an air mattress with my spouse results in each of us squirming and waking the other up, and I can only guess the issue would be much of the same with sleeping bags zipped together.
DangerPea
01-16-2005, 19:50
Gravity & I have the western mountaineering semi rectangular mitilight. It is a 40 degree bag (I think) and it works wonderfully in summer months, even down in the 40s when it is wet out. We had this system on the long trail this summer. It was acool wet summer & we were toasty. We made a coupler out of some 1.8 oz ripstop that couples our therma rests & then has a zipper all the way around that mates to the bag. So, it works like a top quilt. We had to special order the zipper directly from WM cause getting the mating zipper is tricky otherwise.
For colder weather we have the 10 degree WM versalight that mate. Usually one of us will end up with feet in the other's bag & that makes it easier to spoon.. if you are interested in details of making a coupler, you can PM me...we made a pattern first from the shape of our therma rests together then from that made the coupler. I is like a sheet & coupler in one & since the "quilt" zips down to is there is less air flow around you & neither one of you can roll over with the quile & bring it with him/her...
tarbubble
01-16-2005, 20:32
we use a mummy-type bag zipped into a homemade fleece doubler. we sleep on the doubler and the bag lays on top of us like a blanket. i don't think we've ever used this system down to freezing temps, but we like it very much. the doubler is just a big triangle of fabric with zippers along the sides, nothing fancy and very easy to make. for a professional version, look at this to get an idea of what i'm talking about:
http://www.functionaldesign.net/about.htm
they show the doubler being used on top, but if i was buying one i would get the summer-weight and use it underneath. if you have a really nice down bag, why crush it underneath you?
each couple is different and some don't like this arrangement. but if it works, awesome! it's much lighter than carrying two full sleeping bags.
superman
01-16-2005, 21:58
We use rectangular LL Bean down sleeping bags. Unless we are winter camping we only use one sleeping bag. We bought a matching zipper and Pat sewed it onto light weight rip stop material. We use thermarest under the rip stop material. It's a light weight comfortable way of sharing the space. We have 0,20 and 40 degree bags. We usually use the 20 degree bag. The purpose of the rip stop material is so Pat doesn't do that cacoon thing and leave me with no sleeping bag. :clap
MommaDoebs
01-17-2005, 01:03
The only issue I had hiking with my partner Scree was that there was a draft between our heads in the mummy bags when we zipped together. We stuffed extra clothes between us to keep the chill mountain air out. Otherwise, I loved our Feathered Friends Swallow bags and mating the bags really increased the body warmth in the High Sierra.
Almanac and I USed to always sleep with "mated" bags. However we found we selpt much colder than when we hiked solo. It took some time (we are not always the sharpest knife...). It was simple. It was also mentioned before. Air seepage.
After discovering this we went to sleeping seperate. we also started asking other couples with long hiking experiance what method they use. We found about 1 in 4 sleep "mated". And everyone had discovered what we did. When you sleep at night if you sllep on each other it is great if you do not then you lose heat. the above suggestion about putting cloths in between is OK but most couples I know carry very little extra to stuff in the gap.
(also we both turn alot during the night which compounds the problem)
My suggestiion is when it is cold sleep seperate when it is cool sleep togather and when it is hot we open one bag lay on it and use the second open like a blanket