View Full Version : One bag possible for thru hike?
Looking at early April start. Is it practical to take 1 bag for entire trip, say 20*, or best to start with winter bag and move to summer bag later on? If so what degree bag would you recommend?
Get a quilt with a footbox that can open up completely. You'll have a solution that as light as a summer sleeping bag, but still rating to whatever you want. 20°F sounds good.
garlic08
11-19-2011, 21:26
I started in early April, too, and I had several nights in the teens with blowing snow. I used an excellent 15F bag to start and switched to a 45F bag in the summer, and was happy with that choice. If I'd had a 20F bag, I probably would have bailed out to town for those storms (most did). If you go with a single system, Leaftye has a good suggestion. I would add that you test your 20F system before your hike and make sure it's a true rating, and be ready to bail if you get some late winter weather.
Start with your 20 degree bag and a second 20 degree down bag (like a western) to use as a down liner when it's cold - send this home and keep your 20 degree the rest of the hike - in June and July in Maryland, PA, NY, NJ, you may want to just use it like a blanket - in New Hampshire, you may want your liner bag back -- this gets it done comfortably carrying one bag the whole way (which is what you asked about) -- Garlic and Leaftye's suggestions are good too.
stonedflea
11-19-2011, 23:05
i started mid-late april and had a 20* bag the entire trip. my dog hiked with me and she and i used my 20* unzipped as a blanket for the both of us. i was never fully zipped up in it. there were a handful of nights where it was too hot to sleep with my bag, but not enough that would financially justify (for me) buying a second bag. i tented 85% of the time, with a few rainy nights spent in shelters.
Spirit Walker
11-20-2011, 00:04
I used a 20 degree bag the whole way with no problems. I started April 1 on both AT thruhikes and finished in September.
Hmm --- I started in late Feb 2010 with a (good quality) 20F bag and quite warm clothing to augment it. In early April I switched to a 32F bag (at Pearisburg) that I happily used for the rest of the trip (finished in July). At the same time & place, my hiking partner switched to a 40F rated synthetic (Lafuma) bag. He was a bit on the cold side for a while after that, but on the whole he seemed happy with his too as the trip went along.
So unless it's a particularly cold spring, my inclination starting in April would be to use a (full zip) good quality 32F bag for the whole trip and augment at the start with warm enough clothing to wear inside it, perhaps swapping to lighter "warm" clothing at some point rather than changing bags along the way.
WMMV of course (!).
Kerosene
11-20-2011, 10:27
If I had to limit myself to one bag, I'd definitely bring something rated to 20F. I've run into too many sub-freezing nights atop mountains to trust my 35F bag, even with additional clothing to augment the rating (both bags are high-quality Western Mountaineering bags). I'd probably explore the idea of a 20F quilt to provide a bit more flexibility during the summer months.
Lone Wolf
11-20-2011, 10:30
Looking at early April start. Is it practical to take 1 bag for entire trip, say 20*, or best to start with winter bag and move to summer bag later on? If so what degree bag would you recommend?yes. i've done 6 thru hikes and always had 1 bag
Lone Wolf
11-20-2011, 10:30
yes. i've done 6 thru hikes and always had 1 bag i meant 5.......
Kerosene
11-20-2011, 11:08
i meant 5.......Memory is the first thing to go...
I hiked from Bear Mt., NY to Kathadin with a 45* bag (left May 15, finished June 25) and never got cold.
In weather that's too cold for my 20* bag I also take my 45* bag and use it as a liner. Good down to 0*, I know.
If you can find a 20 degree down bag without a side block baffle, you can shake the down from the middle of the top to the sides by holding the bag parallel to the ground, top side up, and shaking it for all you're worth - presto! 40 something degree bag (you will have shaken the down to the sides and bottom, making the insulation over you thinner, thus raising the minimum warmth of the bag). For nights when it may be colder than your bag is designed for, you can supplement the bag with down clothing, which can be worn around camp or in town (very good "laundry wear" until the heat of summer arrives).
You can't do that with a liner bag unless you're willing to cut arm and leg holes in it.
About the only thing that's worse for down than overstuffing it for long periods of time is washing it too often.
To minimize washing, make sure that you wear some clean "night clothes" inside the bag with a hat or bandanna to keep the inside of the hood clean.
Also, watch it when wearing down garments around campfires. The sparks can make neat exit holes for the down plumules.
CornerCreek27
11-20-2011, 13:35
any suggestions on 20 degree quilts?
Im also looking for one bag for the whole thru preferably one that I can zip my feet out of
max patch
11-20-2011, 13:41
yes. i've done 6 thru hikes and always had 1 bag
i meant 5.......
5 bags are too many for a thru. When you get more experience you'll be able to reduce that to either 2 or 1, depending on when you start.
Memory is the first thing to go...
What is supposed to be second? I can't quite remember. :confused:
any suggestions on 20 degree quilts?
Im also looking for one bag for the whole thru preferably one that I can zip my feet out of
How much do you want to spend?
Here's a place to start: http://www.seatosummit.com/sleepingbags/micro.php
I think Kelty makes reasonably priced down bags that have foot zippers, however I've read reviews that say they don't quite live up to their temperature ratings.
Here's a nice, light summer bag http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=795&p_id=2321806 it keeps me warm down to about 45F on a still night. I have two bags, both very light, which I have used down to 5 degrees F. with clothing and a hot water bottle. The other one, no longer available, is a Golite Feather-light rated to 40 F. (good for me, a warm sleeper, down to 30F.). It has no zipper and a foot opening, which makes it perfect for my hammock system.
any suggestions on 20 degree quilts?
Im also looking for one bag for the whole thru preferably one that I can zip my feet out of
http://enlightenedequipment.com/ <-- got my custom made cuben fiber down quilt from here
www.hammockgear.com <-- great reviews and will do some custom work
I think that you CAN thru-hike with one bag -- I think you could probably even do it with a 32 degree bag and a down jacket -- a 20 degree bag would of course be better -- the problem is that you are not going to be comfortable - remember that bag ratings are basically survival ratings -- if it is 20 degrees and you are in a 20 degree rated bag (lets say you are wearing long johns and a cap), you are going to be cold -- a 5 degree bag or a 0 degree bag is actually comfortable at 20 degrees -- now, it probably won't get to 20 degrees on an average thru-hike, but if you get cold wet nights in GA and NC or some windy autumn weather move it in CT, MA NH (esp) , VT, and ME, it's going to feel like 20 degrees -- if you are dead set on one bag, you are going to be more comfortable adding an extra lightweight bag as a liner (or at least use a liner). Cheers.
I started March 1 2010 with a 20F bag and never switched out. In the worst of the snow and cold I was wearing a lot of clothing and while at a safe temp not exactly happy. When it got hot I just unzipped it and treated it like quilt.
Looking at early April start. Is it practical to take 1 bag for entire trip, say 20*, or best to start with winter bag and move to summer bag later on? If so what degree bag would you recommend?I think that a lot of thru-hikers who may have the extra money will opt to have available two bags for their hike. I think the main reason for this is because they can reduce the weight they will have to carry by switching out to a light summer bag during the middle of their hike. However this is not really a requisite. You can most likely get by with say a high quality bag rated for about 20 degrees for the whole trip (leaving around April 1st Northbound). Others have successfully done this. This is something you must decide wether it is worth it to do or not:-?.
Memory is the first thing to go...
What is supposed to be second? I can't quite remember. :confused:Your drive:D.
stranger
11-21-2011, 01:51
Looking at early April start. Is it practical to take 1 bag for entire trip, say 20*, or best to start with winter bag and move to summer bag later on? If so what degree bag would you recommend?
Not for me, I would need 2 bags
swjohnsey
11-21-2011, 09:15
Depends on you. If you are willing to spend a couple of chilly nights and maybe have to put on all your cold weather clothes to sleep you can do it. I started with a 40 degree bag, plenty for me. I gonna carry a Western Mountaineering Highlite (35 degree) bag this time for an April 1 start.
SassyWindsor
11-21-2011, 22:05
If you're tent camping and using a good pad just about any rating will work under 35 deg. Bag ratings will need to drop if staying under tarps or in shelters where wind/exposure is greater.
Here's a nice, light summer bag http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=795&p_id=2321806 it keeps me warm down to about 45F on a still night. I have two bags, both very light, which I have used down to 5 degrees F. with clothing and a hot water bottle. The other one, no longer available, is a Golite Feather-light rated to 40 F. (good for me, a warm sleeper, down to 30F.). It has no zipper and a foot opening, which makes it perfect for my hammock system.
I should've mentioned that both bags together weigh 2-1/2 lbs. Not quite as light as a top of the line 5 degree bag (which is the low end of the comfort range for my combination), but less expensive and more versatile.
Shop wisely and you may be able to get two bags that can nest together, so you'll actually have three different bags for your hike. Granted, the extra fabric will add some unnecessary weight, but the versatility may make it worth the extra few ozs.
Creek Dancer
11-22-2011, 10:43
What is supposed to be second? I can't quite remember. :confused:
The second thing to go is your whatchamacallit.