Looking for a winter bag

[srestrepo]

Well, i've done a lot of 3 season backpacking this year. not enough of course but hey we'll make do with what we did.

Anyway, being the in the northeast obviously it gets cold. now i've got the tent, the pad, not the boots (yet) but i'm looking for a decent winter bag. something "rated to -10 or lower.

i was looking at the mountain hardwear lamina -15 on sale right now for 150 at campmor. anyone have any input or recommendations for me with regards to this or another bag.

i have pretty wide shoulders but i fit in a cats meow which is 64 in wide at the shoulder so i'll use that a base measurement. and also i fit in a regular 6'0 bag but i prefer the long sizes as it allows me to cram crap in the bottom.

thanks all in advance

[Raul Perez]

I have the ultra lamina 32 degree bag.... I guess Im a cold sleeper because I was cold when it hit down to 50 degrees. I ended up swaping it out for a Marmot Hydrogen bag.

I also have mountain hardwear Lyell -15 degree down bag and it is awesome

[tammons]

Almost every review I have read about the ultralamina bags said they were over rated. You can always supplement with clothing, but I like my bags to be honestly rated.

Extreme cold weather synthetic bags are just way too heavy for me and are bulky. Nice that they dry so fast though and you dont have to worry so much about inner bag condensation.

Primaloft or climasheild are the best synthetic insulations around and are roughly equal in weight to a 650 loft down bag of the same rating which is not too bad.

The problem is after continuous commpression cycles they deloft.
I have read you can use downy (I think) in the wash and it will revive them but I have never tried it.

If I needed a true -20dF synthetic bag, I would probably just get a -40 bag to be safe.

More $ but if you want a roomy super warm down bag try out a Montbell SS 800 down bag, just get a long. Very very roomy inside. Probably the most comfortable sleeping bag I have ever used.

Other than that you will probably have to go used to save some $. I have an
older -40 snowlion down bag, but no DWR. Its overkill too as it is really a true mountaineering bag. Really too hot at 15dF.

FYI there is an outside company that make the lamina bags for MH. Think they are made in China ?? Cant remember the name, but you can get the non ultra from them, same thing supposedly for a lot less. MH is the only place to get the ultra lamina.

[Feral Bill]

I prefer double bagging. Get a bag that goes over or inside your three season bag. Make sure the outer is large enough not to compress the inner. More versitile, probably a bit heavier.

[white_russian]

Anything below freezing I use down. It would take a big synthetic bag to get to -10.

[buz]

If you are not going to use the heavy bag that much, I would also espouse the double bagging method. If winter camping is going to be a simple hike somewhere, set up type thing, taking two bags is OK, weight and size wize. Then you can have two bags that are multi use for other times and temps. Lowest I have camped at was -8 with two 20 degree bags, (one was real good twenty, other not so, maybe 30 rated) and was fine. Just have to make sure the two bags fit correctly. Also, if it is not so cold, you can just quilt the overbag, much more sleep comfy.

Spending big $ for a -10 bag is fine, and I would spend that if I was going to use it much. IMO, down is the only way to go if you are buying a bag like that.

I have the Montbell ulss #1 and really like it, the ss feature is very unique.

[cphobes]

Well, i've done a lot of 3 season backpacking this year. not enough of course but hey we'll make do with what we did.

Anyway, being the in the northeast obviously it gets cold. now i've got the tent, the pad, not the boots (yet) but i'm looking for a decent winter bag. something "rated to -10 or lower.

i was looking at the mountain hardwear lamina -15 on sale right now for 150 at campmor. anyone have any input or recommendations for me with regards to this or another bag.

i have pretty wide shoulders but i fit in a cats meow which is 64 in wide at the shoulder so i'll use that a base measurement. and also i fit in a regular 6'0 bag but i prefer the long sizes as it allows me to cram crap in the bottom.

thanks all in advance

This past weekend I used a 20F synthetic (tested prior to 17.5F by itself) combined with a fleece liner. Wearing light thermals I was comfy at -0.2F.

I've not tried a 0F or lower bag but have found that the addition of a liner has really helped me out. Might want to investigate something along those lines to save weight/cost.

-Stephen

[Chaco Taco]

The Mtn Hardware ultralamina bag is the way to go. Its warm and goes to the rating stated. It also can withstand some moisture as well. Highly recommend these line of bags.

[srestrepo]

thanks chaco

[Wags]

there's a -10 down north face bag in the 'for sale' section right now for $200

[sixhusbands]

I have the Kelty -15 thru hiker model , synthetic bag. It weighs about 6 lbs and I can get it compressed to fit in the bottom of my Gregory backpack. I camped in the snow 2 days this past weekend in the Adirondacks where the temp dropped well below the bag rating ( -24). I was very comfortable with just my underwear and a ski cap on a ridge rest inside the tent.

[srestrepo]

well i've adopted the double bagging technique. i have a sierra designs arrow rock flex long and then i can fit this inside of a marmot sawtooth 15 degree bag long and wide. both of these bags are 600 fill.

does anyone know how cold i might be able to take this with an exped synmat 7 and maybe a foam pad on top??

like how cold could it be and me still be comfortable?

thanks in advance,

[tammons]

I would guess 0dF or a bit more if the inner bag insul is not getting crushed.

That depends if the bag ratings are accurate.

A 45dF outer bag or quilt will extend an inner bag about 15dF

[tammons]

Oh a synmat 7 is really warm.
The entire rig sounds heavy though, as the symat is about 2# + the weight of 2 sleeping bags.

[srestrepo]

Yeah i know its pretty heavy BUT i'll be the king of the town laughing my (warm) fanny off when its freezing out and i'm just sitting there... i'm sure i'll come up with a better option sooner or later but for now it'll do when its wintertime... at least until i become an architect and can afford good stuff...

[tammons]

Oh I know what you mean.
There are just lighter ways to do it.
Your setup sounds fairly versatile though although I would use a lighter outer bag..

A good one is like a 15dF down bag with a 45dF Climasheild over quilt built to fit the bag.

That will take you down to 0dF and work in sumemr too and is not too heavy if the 15dF bag is a top bag. A climasheild 45dF quilt weighs about 12-14 oz and is pretty easy to make and cheaper than a bag.

That said even a campmor 20dF down bag and a climasheild over quilt would weigh just over 3# and would take you down to 5dF.

Those down and Syn mats are way warm and lack of proper under insul is a major problem in extreme cold temps. I had a synmat 7 and although nice is was way too warm for me in spring summer and fall.

I prefer something like a R2.5 inflatable, IE thermarest prolite 3 or a neoair on a blue pad or two, for more versatility, IE you dont need a synmat in the summer or the blue pads.

Interesting, I am an architect. Graduated in 84. Its a tough profession but enjoyable if you are cut out for it. After 25 years my thoughts are it is tied to much to the economy and its absolutely a feast or famine profession with a lot of versatility and options. Never boring that's for sure.

Right now its pretty rough though.

[Egads]

What? No one recommended a Montbell SSDH #0 or a Western Mountaineering Kodiak yet? I have the MB & my son the WM. Both are great bags

[srestrepo]

well i've heard nothing but awesomeness from those two bags but money's tight as you can imagine and i had only the option of returning the above-mentioned bags. what i'm planning on doing is using my hammock most of late spring, summer and early fall. and then everything else accomodate using my 30 degree sierra designs arrow rock flex and when it gets colder using my marmot sawtooth extra wide, long. and then if it got colder than that i'd use the sierra designs bag inside the sawtooth becuase it allow plenty of space for both bags to fully loft...

[Tiny]

Have you found a bag yet, I have one for sale, I don't need a bag that heavy in Florida.

[The Unknown Hiker]

Not sure how warm a bag you want - but if you want a zero degree down bag I swear by the Mountain Hardware Phantom 0 down bag. It is EXPENSIVE (around $350) but great quality 800-fill goose down, full length draft tube; neck cinch; etc. And it weighs under 3 lbs - very good for this type of bag.

The bag comes in the normal regular and long (6'6") lengths but it also comes in a shorter length for folks who are under 5'8". I was able to use that size and the bag weighed several ounces less.