Deep winter bag

[sethd513]

The last two winters I’ve been layering quilts. I can get Down pretty cold into the negatives. But they are so finicky and when the snow and wind won’t let up the last thing I want to do is connect my quilts.

What do you use for cold wether mummy bags. I’m looking at a marmot col being the best option but there are so many options. North face inferno montbell Down hugger feathered friends. What do you use, what do you like what don’t you like?


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[LIhikers]

Until a couple of years ago I used to layer 2 sleeping bags for winter camping.
A couple of years ago I had some money available and bought myself a Western Mountaineeering Puma.
I haven't been cold since then.

[nsherry61]

Realistically, how cold will the weather be during your "deep winter" excursions, not the extreme, just the most likely 90%. Bundling up multiple quilts sounds like a pain, but so does paying for and carrying more insulation than you need.

I do a lot of winter trips with my 20 degree bag. If I expect frequent nights below 20 (maybe only 1/2 my winter trips), I'll take my synthetic over-quilt to make comfort easy to achieve. If I am expecting multiple nights below zero (F), I might consider taking my winter bag, but frankly, that hasn't happened in several years. If I didn't already have a winter expedition bag, I would not buy one for the few extreme trips I take these days. After all, with my over-quilt and a puffy jacket, I can manage -15 degrees F adiquately for a night or two. More than that and I expect my winter expedition bag would be easier and more comfortable.

[Feral Bill]

I have always use double bags in serious cold. In many years camping in temperatures as low as -35 F I have never been cold. A quilt over a fairly warm (10 F?) bag might work as well.

[sethd513]

I’ve been using a 15* and 40* quilt for winter. I’ve been warm in my pertex bivy with a vbl with an outside temp of -15 to -20. A few issues are the cramped space I feel In my feet, also having so many working parts. I feel like my summer bag just isn’t wide enough to cover my15* quilt. I was thinking about selling it and getting a wider synthetic but now I’m adding weight, lookin longevity and I have older EE quilts from before they blew up so I’m very happy with them. My feet get cold in that set up and by the time I have booties and socks and everything I just have no room.

If I went with the col I could leave my bivy at home or in the pack for anything that is winter weather. Like snow and wind. In this situation on 0 degree night I feel like I could leave things home that I may not need if I was using the quilts and bivy.

My biggest concern is going back to a mummy bag though. I left that space because I had no room. Granted I had a low end north face bag at the time. I went to quilts for the versatility and space. But when it’s cold the space fills up to quick. I’m 6’ 1” 185 with broad shoulders. I’m not huge but paired in a bivy everything shrinks.


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[sethd513]

I should add I sleep very cold. So those quilt temps for the average person are probably more 22 and 45


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[Decibel]

My WM Puma has never failed me.

[coach lou]

My WM Puma has never failed me.

I can't even zip my Puma all the way up!!!

[ggreaves]

I don't use down in the winter - wiggys all the way

[JoeVogel]

I have always been very please with using a good 20 degree bag/quilt and a bivy. I like this one because its super minimal and light weight (8.4oz) and also works quite well. I am very tall skinny person and I could see how it would be very tight for someone with a slightly larger build than I. I haven't used it more than 2 or 3 times but it did work very well the times I did. While I haven't had the issue of condensation building up on the inside it is a concern I still have. I have also never slept in anything colder than -2 F or so.

[JC13]

Slightly off topic but my quilt stacking plan was to leave them coupled when repacking, is this not a good idea for some reason? I guess perhaps the synthetic having moisture in it could be the reason?

[sethd513]

Slightly off topic but my quilt stacking plan was to leave them coupled when repacking, is this not a good idea for some reason? I guess perhaps the synthetic having moisture in it could be the reason?

I always want to just put my bivy with everything back in the pack when I wake up and my eye lids freeze while I’m making coffee. I personally think it’s better to separate. Best to keep as dry as possible from the get go. One time I went out for an over night my feet were soak and intern soaked my outer quilts foot box and the whole inside of the bivy. If I was stayin out for to nights I don’t know what I would of done as the quilt soaked everything when I unpacked that afternoon.


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[MtDoraDave]

A few years ago, I bought a Marmot Never Summer 0 degree down bag which I use if the temps could drop below freezing. It was my most expensive purchase for my hiking hobby! It is perfect at around 15 degrees wearing only my base layer.
It's 650 fill, so it's close to 4 lbs. Higher down fill means lighter weight and smaller stuff size, but also means higher cost - so buy what you can afford...
That said, there's a saying around here: buy once, cry once. Often we buy the less expensive option first, then later buy the more expensive one anyway...so save up a bit longer and buy the better one from the get go. An 850 fill 0 degree bag may be in the $500 range, but weighs around 2.5 lbs and will last decades. I thought I was very thorough in my research, weighing options and what not, but now wish I would have spent a couple hundred more and gotten the lighter and smaller bag with the higher fill power.

[VT-Mike]

I went through this process two winters ago. Had the bags you list plus a few others on my list. I ended up going with a Big Agnes Pomer Hoit. Been out from 20 to -5 F with various layers worn and been comfy and cozy every time. Between weight, warmth, features and cost it just edged out the competition.

[Tipi Walter]

Until a couple of years ago I used to layer 2 sleeping bags for winter camping.
A couple of years ago I had some money available and bought myself a Western Mountaineeering Puma.
I haven't been cold since then.

My WM Puma has never failed me.

I can't even zip my Puma all the way up!!!

I agree with these posts. My winter bag is also the Puma---and 95% of the time I use it unzipped like a quilt---until temps get around 0F or -10F, then I zip up tight. An overkill down bag allows me to sleep more comfortably without getting "mummified" and cocooned inside a zipped up tube---so I mostly use it unzipped.

[colorado_rob]

I've done a whole bunch of deep-winter condition climbing and camping and still do, I've owned many different setups over the years, including:

- my first winter bag was that marmot never-summer 0 degree. Heavy for its rating, but it worked. Demoted it to car-camping when I bought a lighter 0 degree bag
- bought a lighter 0 degree Mountainsmith bag maybe 15 years ago, worked great, saved about a pound, just as warm as the never-summer. I don't think MS makes bags any more, alas.
- for a very high, cold climbing expedition 13 years ago, I finally went all-out and got that famous WM Puma. Worked great, plenty of girth so never felt constricted, but it turns out it was overkill for Colorado in the winter. Used it for three high, cold expeditions and maybe a dozen times in CO in the winter, finally sold it last year to a pal for his Denali expedition. Kept using the Mountainsmith 0 degree for winter in Colorado

By the way, I looked REAL hard at that Marmot Col, tough call vs. the WM Puma, I went with the Puma, don't remember exactly why, might have gotten a good sale on the Puma, contrary to popular belief, WM bags do go on sale now and then. check bentgate.com

- my wife bought the -10 degree WM bag, the "lynx" for a high cold (Denali) expedition, worked great for her, not quite as warm as the Puma, but a tad lighter and less expensive

- Finally, when I went the quilt route for 3-season use, I now layer my 20 degree quilt with an old, but UL 40 degree MHW bag, works great so far down to about -10 conditions, this is my kit for the foreseeable future.

[DuneElliot]

I will concur with all others...Western Mountaineering bags are the way to go for quality and warmth that will last. I finally caved and bought one this summer after a very cold September trip in the Wind River Range where my same-temp-rated quilt just didn't cut it. They offer multiple widths and lengths in their bags.

[Tipi Walter]

The main selling point for me 10 years ago when I got my WM bag was the nifty MicroFiber shell. Tight weave; cool looking.

[sethd513]

I’ve been good at - 10 with layering quilts but I was suffering, barley sleeping eating every hour. I just received my col long in the mail. 40% off and 1000% stoked. There is so much room, down pants Rab parka and huge winter boots plenty of room and best of all I “don’t” need my bivy. My wife and I are much happier with me having this when I go into the whites this winter and have to leave her home.


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[sethd513]

It lofts up in between my legs when I’m in it. I hope for a long life from it.


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