Sleeping Bags > Feb-Mar

[NakedSasquatch]

Hello all,

Should be an easy question...

Would a 30 degree bag with a vapor barrier liner be warm enough going NOBO starting late Feb? I plan on tenting and am a cold sleeper. Should I go ahead and invest in a 0 degree bag or does it seem likely that I can get by without it? I am trying to do this thru as cheaply as possible and plan to rely on used/homemade gear so any solutions besides buying a new bag would be appreciated as well.

Thanks so much!
Naked

[taildragger]

whats the coldest its been with you being able to comfortably sleep in you're bag?

I'd think that if you're a cold sleeper that you might want something more along the lines of a 15* bag, but you might be able to pull it off with a few frigid nights.

[Kirby]

I have a 20* bag for a March 1st start, and I think this will suffice to get me through the cold weather.

Kirby

[Frosty]

Hello all,

Should be an easy question...

Would a 30 degree bag with a vapor barrier liner be warm enough going NOBO starting late Feb? I plan on tenting and am a cold sleeper. Should I go ahead and invest in a 0 degree bag or does it seem likely that I can get by without it? I am trying to do this thru as cheaply as possible and plan to rely on used/homemade gear so any solutions besides buying a new bag would be appreciated as well.

Thanks so much!
Naked

The question is easy; it is the answer that is impossible to provide.

The problem is not just that everyone has a different comfort level, but that all bag ratings are not the same. My 30* Western Mountaineering bag is warmer than my 20* North Face. The only way to tell if your setup is okay is to try it out.

I see you are in Maryland. The easiest way to find out is some weekend drive out to Washington County (or anywhere west in the mountains) with your present bag system and a thermometer. Sleep out when it is no warmer than 15*.

If you don't say, "Screw this!" and get back into your car and turn the heater on, or it you don't like waking up dripping wet (vapor barriers are warm, but very clammy), then buy a 10* or 15* bag.

If you are okay with spending 10-12 nights this way in order to save some cash, then don't buy anything new.

That is the only real way to tell IMO.

[JAK]

Really depends on the hiker, and his/her clothing system. Something to be said for an early start though is some people are more likely to have extra body fat on them at the beginning. As long as they still have a good metabolism to go with the fat they might get by with an under-rated bag, but still find the bag useful in the warmer months and not have to switch. You would want to test before you go, and it takes a few days out in cold weather to really feel the cold. Another approach to avoiding changing bags on a thru-hike might be to bring a set of wool long underwear or a wool blanket and drop them off at a thrift store when the warm weather comes.

[Kirby]

I plan on using my 20* bag the whole way, wearing extra layers to sleep when it is cold, and wearing regular sleeping clothing and using my sleeping bag as a blanket when it is warmer.

Kirby
30-5-2??

[dockaos]

Naked,

I'm starting in late February with a Western Mountineering Ultralight 20 degree bag, silk liner and insulated pad. I've used the combination at 15 degrees and was quite comfortable. As for the single digits that are likely, I'll just keep a spare set of dry layers / socks to change into for sleeping.

One man's comfort is another man's misery, so as others have suggested, try your gear on a few cold nights and see how it performs.

Scott

[nitewalker]

is the bag down or synthetic? if you have a down bag rated for 0* it will be plenty warm if you keep it dry, so i would recomend a 0 to 20 degree down bag just air it out when you have the chance so that it stays as dry as possible.....if you are using a synthetic bag i would go with the same temperature range as the down bag. the thing with the synthetic is that if it gets damp it will keep you alot warmer than a down bag would. basically you need to regulate your sleeping temp buy using an extra clothing layer if your cold and to use less clothing if it is going to be warmer, unzip bag if getting to warm.. there is nothing worse than waking up at night with the sweats in 10* weather.open the bag close the bag, open the bag close the bag you get the drift..........i used a 0* ems mtnlt last yr at the end of feb in and around the hot springs area and some nites i sweat my butt off and other nites i was just rite.......test your stuff to be sure.......peace , nitewalker

[stranger]

Probably not if you are a cold sleeper. I left Springer on March 2nd and it got down to about 10F one night, and in the upper 20's twice, other than that the weather was not very cold - this was also a warm year.

There seems to be a myth about wearing more clothing and whether or not this makes you warmer - common sense would say yes, but I've talked to a number of designers with sleeping bags and they all say that the less clothes you have the better, this of course means with a sleeping bag that if sufficient. I would imagine wearing something like a down jacket would help, but not sure about other items. When I've been cold in my bag no amount of clothing seemed to bridge the gap, but that's just me.

If I was leaving the end of Feb I would take a 0F bag, and I'm an average sleeper. But if you are staying in your tent, eat well that night, are hydrated, have good insulation from the ground and wear a wool hat you might be fine...who knows.

[taildragger]

The issue with wearing clothing would be to provide higher insulation and less air space while insulating your back as well. If your bag is tight to begin with, this will not work. However, if you have room in your bag, then the extra clothes might cut down on any drafts that could occur. I don't think wearing much more than a balaclava is any good, assuming that you have a good sleeping bag with draft tube and collar (those might be the wrong terms, what I mean is that you have a well sealed bag). The balaclava will insulate the only exposed parts of your body and possibly help the seal.

Just my .02

-Ramey

[take-a-knee]

Sasquatch, vapor-barrier liners don't work too well in a temperate climate. They are of more use in a high altitude, cold-dry climate, and their main benefit is the reduction of water loss, not added warmth. I would definetely spend several nights with that combo and see how well it works for you before you depend on it for a trip. Does your VBL have a zipper? If not it will be a major PITA to use.

[floyd242]

The simple answer is if you're a cold sleeper, a 30deg bag will not be enough for a Feb start.

[gravityman]

Started March 1 in 2005 and 2001. Had a 20 deg bag the first time and regretted it as there just wasn't enough warmth, even with all my clothes on. In 2005 I was smarter and started with WM Versalite (5 deg bag). Well worth it.

Plenty of people in 2001 and 2005 with the WM Ultralight bag. You will have a number of uncomfortable nights out with it, but you will live.

Gravity (and Danger) GAME2005, GAWV2001, LT2004

[Kirby]

Can a march 1st starter get through with a 20* bag until it warms up?

Kirby
30-5-2???

[Appalachian Tater]

Can a march 1st starter get through with a 20* bag until it warms up?

Kirby
30-5-2???

Is it really a twenty degree bag? Do you sleep hot or cold? Do you have a liner? What kind? How insulating is your pad? What clothes do you have to wear while sleeping? A warm hat? What sort of tent or shelter will you be using?

Kirby, you should have some cold weather this winter. The best thing you can do is to test your equipment even if it's in the back yard. I had a good 15 degree bag and a ThermaRest ProLite 4 but at that shelter in the highlands north of Damascus where the spring has a fence around it to keep the ponies out, I just about froze wearing a hat, socks, long underwear tops & bottoms, and a fleece jacket. This was in the attic of the shelter and I started March 16 and tend to sleep hot at night.

[rafe]

Can a march 1st starter get through with a 20* bag until it warms up?

Do you feel lucky, kid? Seriously, you gotta realize it's a crap shoot. I'm guessing the answer is, "Sure, on most nights." It's those other nights you need to think about...

[Kirby]

Is it really a twenty degree bag? Do you sleep hot or cold? Do you have a liner? What kind? How insulating is your pad? What clothes do you have to wear while sleeping? A warm hat? What sort of tent or shelter will you be using?

Kirby, you should have some cold weather this winter. The best thing you can do is to test your equipment even if it's in the back yard. I had a good 15 degree bag and a ThermaRest ProLite 4 but at that shelter in the highlands north of Damascus where the spring has a fence around it to keep the ponies out, I just about froze wearing a hat, socks, long underwear tops & bottoms, and a fleece jacket. This was in the attic of the shelter and I started March 16 and tend to sleep hot at night.

I tend to sleep better in the cold, if that answers your question, so I suppose I am a warm sleeper. For the start, I will have long underwear, tops and bottoms, gloves, hat, I kight buy a sleeping bag liner for the start, does not hurt. I have a therma rest ridge runner sleeping pad.

Kirby

[Appalachian Tater]

I tend to sleep better in the cold, if that answers your question, so I suppose I am a warm sleeper. For the start, I will have long underwear, tops and bottoms, gloves, hat, I kight buy a sleeping bag liner for the start, does not hurt. I have a therma rest ridge runner sleeping pad.

Kirby

What kind of bag is it? If it is a brand that doesn't exagerate the rating you'll be safe even if you have a couple of chilly nights. You can always wear every dry article of clothing you have and if you are in a shelter, use your tent or tarp as a cover on top of your bag. Probably unless you have a zero degree bag you may be chilly a couple of nights regardless.

Long underwear is more useful than a liner because a liner is good only for lining your bag. Starting March 1 you should probably have some pretty heavy long underwear instead of silkweight.

Eating a lot of food before you go to bed helps keep you warm, too, and I liked those little disposable handwarmers as a treat on a cold night, or a nalgene full of hot water if you carry a nalgene. Probably the hat is the most important, even in the summer I put my hat on in the middle of the night a lot.

Best thing to do is try it out in December!

[Kirby]

What kind of bag is it? If it is a brand that doesn't exagerate the rating you'll be safe even if you have a couple of chilly nights. You can always wear every dry article of clothing you have and if you are in a shelter, use your tent or tarp as a cover on top of your bag. Probably unless you have a zero degree bag you may be chilly a couple of nights regardless.

Long underwear is more useful than a liner because a liner is good only for lining your bag. Starting March 1 you should probably have some pretty heavy long underwear instead of silkweight.

Eating a lot of food before you go to bed helps keep you warm, too, and I liked those little disposable handwarmers as a treat on a cold night, or a nalgene full of hot water if you carry a nalgene. Probably the hat is the most important, even in the summer I put my hat on in the middle of the night a lot.

Best thing to do is try it out in December!

My sleeping bag is an EMS 20* mountain light.

Kirby
30-5-2???

[Blissful]

A silk sleeping bag liner is a smart idea. Paul Bunyan used his when it got in the teens (and it will get that cold). He had a 20 degree NF Cats meow. And wear your hat, even with the hood of the bag. A tent also keeps you warmer.