"Baby It's Cold Outside"

[Cadenza]

"Baby It's Cold Outside" - calls for a little overkill ;)

http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=products&page=Sleeping%20Bags&cat=Gore%20Windstopper%20Expedition%20Series&ContentId=52


http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff143/61panhead/Camping/westerntmn-52_SM_zps20963db6.jpg




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwGrg8UPTY8

[bigcranky]

That might be a teensy bit overkill for a normal thru-hike. But I'd sure want it in the Whites right about now.

[colorado_rob]

Heck w/ that wimpy WM bag, I' wanna be really warm next April... here ya go:

http://featheredfriends.com/index.php/outside/sleeping-bags/expedition/snowy-owl-60-sleeping-bag.html

-60 degree rated. Just in case.

[Cadenza]

Feathered Friends also does good work, and no complaints here with my FF Winter Wren.
I actually looked at the FF Owl and considered it as well before buying.
I ultimately chose the Bison because of the Gore Windstopper. Hanging in a hammock high on a ridge with cold wind stripping away my heat made me a believer.

Seems to me that -40 should get me through anything in the lower 48. (And I have no plans to go anywhere else!)
I'm going out in the Unicois in January. Looking forward to trying out the Bison. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Tipi Walter]

I'm going out in the Unicois in January. Looking forward to trying it out. ;)

Is that your new bag? Wowie zowie. What will you be using underneath?

[Cadenza]

If in a hammock (and I most likely will be) I'll have my Underground Quilts 0 degree Zeppelin.

If I ever break down and buy a tent I'll get an Exped 9 downmat LW.

[Snowleopard]

That might be a teensy bit overkill for a normal thru-hike. But I'd sure want it in the Whites right about now.
I'd be too hot right now in the Whites.
Cadenza, did you really buy this for the southern AT this winter? It might be too warm 90% of the time.

[coach lou]

Heck w/ that wimpy WM bag, I' wanna be really warm next April... here ya go:

http://featheredfriends.com/index.php/outside/sleeping-bags/expedition/snowy-owl-60-sleeping-bag.html

-60 degree rated. Just in case.
What is amazing is...new stuff. I carried my dads down mummy for years. Outer cover, good to zero. Always warm, cover held up to lite rain.....10 pounds...no biggy i was warm. Now minus 60 4lbs....wow

[Christine_Runs]

Hi Everyone,

How do you choose a temp rating for a winter bag? I would like to buy only 1 winter bag but have no idea about temp rating. I am tempted to buy a very warm one but know that sweating too much is not good either.

Christine

[Cadenza]

I'd be too hot right now in the Whites.
Cadenza, did you really buy this for the southern AT this winter? It might be too warm 90% of the time.


No. I bought it for any place or any time that I'm looking at temps in single digits or below.
I've got other bags that are good for 90%, but there are always a few weeks in January when my 20 degree bag just doesn't cut the mustard.

A few years ago I had a friend invite me to hunt caribou on the Alaska tundra. If that ever happens again I'll be ready. LOL

Another strategy that I've been using is to combine my FF Winter Wren with a Hammock Gear 20 degree top quilt.
That is comfy into the teens! But still,....those zero and below nights call for a little overkill.

[Tipi Walter]

Hi Everyone,

How do you choose a temp rating for a winter bag? I would like to buy only 1 winter bag but have no idea about temp rating. I am tempted to buy a very warm one but know that sweating too much is not good either.

Christine

Go overkill and use it in the winter 80% of the time unzipped. THEN when the temps hit 0F or -10F you will have the zippered protection of an excellent bag. My -15F WM bag is good to about 10F unzipped, which I prefer for comfort---like a quilt. Then when the temps dip lower, and they will, you can zip up---get mummified---and stay cozy warm no matter how cold.

[Christine_Runs]

Hi Tipi,

Thank you. I would appreciate your help on defining overkill :)

Here is the temp ratings for where I want to camp : http://weather.sg.msn.com/daily_averages.aspx?wealocations=wc:CAXX0640&q=Algonquin+Park%2c+CAN+forecast:averagesd&weai=2

I am someone who gets cold easily.

I was thinking about this http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/SleepingBags/DownMummyBags/PRD~5025-642/mec-thor-windstopper-sleeping-bag-30c.jsp

Christine

[Tipi Walter]

Hi Tipi,

Thank you. I would appreciate your help on defining overkill :)

Here is the temp ratings for where I want to camp : http://weather.sg.msn.com/daily_averages.aspx?wealocations=wc:CAXX0640&q=Algonquin+Park%2c+CAN+forecast:averagesd&weai=2

I am someone who gets cold easily.

I was thinking about this http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/SleepingBags/DownMummyBags/PRD~5025-642/mec-thor-windstopper-sleeping-bag-30c.jsp

Christine

The MEC Thor looks like it's rated to -22F (I had to convert from C) which in the real world means 15 degrees higher---so it's a good -5F bag. The weather averages you posted and may encounter are between 10 and 20F so this bag should work well. Why -5F? Because every down bag will rarely if ever be as dry and as lofted as when at home. A long winter trip always dampens and reduces the loft of a down bag unless you're in very dry conditions.

When a down bag is sold it's very important to know the ounces of down inside the bag. This is a standard indication of real warmth. My WM Puma has 36 ozs of high-fill goose down. I'd like to see MEC put out their ounce numbers along with the other bag info. Can you find this number for the Thor??

And btw, you may want/need to replace the MEC bag stuff sack with a larger one---at least the WM bags are sold with sacks too small in my opinion. My go to stuff sack for the Puma is a 35 liter Sea to Summit silnylon roll top. It's great to have the extra room when stuffing, etc.

[Christine_Runs]

Hi Tipi,

Thank you very much. I asked online at MEC and he suggested a 20 degree C synthetic bag which just did not seem warm enough to me. The specs say the bag's down weight is 1090 g which converts to 38 oz. So I think it should be okay if I am understanding your question properly? I would love a Puma but that is something I will need to save for over time!

Christine

[Tipi Walter]

Hi Tipi,

Thank you very much. I asked online at MEC and he suggested a 20 degree C synthetic bag which just did not seem warm enough to me. The specs say the bag's down weight is 1090 g which converts to 38 oz. So I think it should be okay if I am understanding your question properly? I would love a Puma but that is something I will need to save for over time!

Christine

It looks like the Thor is their top of the line down bag? It will work. Then the question becomes---what's underneath?

[Christine_Runs]

Hi Tipi,

MEC does sell WM but yes this is their most winterized MEC bag. I have a Prolite Plus women's thermarest with an R rating of 4.3 for now. I know I may need to consider buying a second layer - like a foam pad underneath - we will see when I get a chance to try it out.

Christine

[Cadenza]

All this talk about temp ratings, pads, down weight, overkill, and gram to ounce conversion,........
......and not one word about the 1959 recording by Dean Martin and Doris Day!
I'm SOOOOO disappointed. :datz

[coach lou]

All this talk about temp ratings, pads, down weight, overkill, and gram to ounce conversion,........
......and not one word about the 1959 recording by Dean Martin and Doris Day!
I'm SOOOOO disappointed. :datz

Oh man! That was practicly subliminal. Dino Martino is awesome. On that same link was 100 Dean Martin songs. Looks like another music marathon tomorrow.:banana

[snowblind]

Christine,

Safe to assume you'll be tenting then, i.e.... out of any 'wind'? Wind is the factor that compromised my sleeping comfort in my 0degree MH bag...

[Tipi Walter]

Christine,

Safe to assume you'll be tenting then, i.e.... out of any 'wind'? Wind is the factor that compromised my sleeping comfort in my 0degree MH bag...

Totally agree with this. One time in '83 I was stealth camping next to an Episcopal church in the mountains of NC and found a spot at night under a big maple tree during a winter storm. I was too lazy and tired to put up my tent and anyway I was next to a church and didn't want to be obviously seen. I had a nice North Face down bag and the winter wind cut right thru the bag and made a -10F rated bag into a 40F bag. Wind eats right thru an unprotected down bag unless the bag shell is goretex or even better, the bag is inside a bivy shell.

[Cadenza]

Oh man! That was practicly subliminal. Dino Martino is awesome. On that same link was 100 Dean Martin songs. Looks like another music marathon tomorrow.:banana


At one time there was a great video of Dino and Doris doing that tune on youtube. My original intent was to post it, but it has now been blocked by the publisher for copyright content. I had to settle for the Dino/Martina version.

[coach lou]

Today, as the end of days begins....I will embark on The Dean Martin Marathon.