Sleeping Bags

[Turner]

I'm thru hiking SOBO leaving in late June. I'm searching for my sleeping bag but I'm very hot-natured. Would love advice on sleeping bags that I will be comfortable in.

Thanks!

[JAK]

You can save alot of weight by making sure the fit is just snug enough, so you don't have more surface area than you need. You want to be able to move around a bit though, especially in summer. I like the idea of quilts, or bags with more insulation on top than bottom. I also like the idea of summer bags without a hood, as you could flip them to have more insulation under than over on warmer nights. Very important though, even in summer, that you have adequate insulation in the head and neck areas for the coldest nights, so you would want some sort of separate hood for those nights, or use a bag or quilt with a proper hood. Also, a light wool hat and neck tube is good to have even in summer, to save clothing and sleeping bag weight for the coldest conditions. The skin temperatures of the head and neck and chest and groin cannot cool down as much as the rest of the body, like say 95F versus perhaps 85F, and this can mean a significant difference in summer. Also to stay cool on warm nights, you can simply take your hat off, and be half out of the bag if neccessary, but it is easier if you have a hat and neck tube because your bag can be lighter which will be cooler on warmer nights.

I like to be prepared for the historical low, for the month I am hiking in. In the freak event of frost in summer, you can usually avoid the worst of that by choosing a better site. Avoid low areas where cold air can pool. Avoid open areas that are exposed to clear night skies. Still I like to comfortable for 40F, and survivable at 30F, even in summer. I think that translates to a 40F rated bag, but again, I would want it to have a good system for the head and neck area, like a proper mummy, or a quilt with a decent hood, or an external hood, and I bring a light hat and neck tube even in summer. Also, I always use a blue foam pad, even in summer, as it has the best warmth for its weight. I go with a smaller one in summer though, and use my bag for my lower legs. Hope that helps.

So bring a hat and neck tube, so your bag can be lighter, and you will be cooler on warm nights when you take your hat and neck tube off.

[gsimp18]

I am SOBO in June as well. I currently have a Mountain Hardwear ultra-lamina 32. Its one of the lightest synthetic bags I could find at 1lb 15oz and it packs up to about the size of a small football. Not to mention it kept me nice and toasty when I hiked in GSMNP in october.

[Transient Being]

WM Summerlite seems to be very nice, claimed 19 oz. but closer to 20.5 oz. I stayed nice and warm at 29 deg. but had to stuff my jacket around my feet.

[RyanK817]

I was SOBO last year, started June 14, and I took a Marmot Never Winter 30 with me. I'm also a hot-natured sleeper, and most nights the bag was completely unzipped and often I was still a bit too warm (had an ExPed UL7, 3.1 R-value). It was downright miserable some nights during that New England heatwave. If I had it to do over I'd have looked at a 35-40 degree bag, and you can get bag liners made of CoolMax material that can give you just a few extra degrees and a comfy layer inside the bag. I think 35-40 degree bags get light enough that carrying a liner like that wouldn't create weight issues, and you'd have options for sleeping comfortably.

[Blissful]

30 degree would be good. I went with 25 on JUly 1 and was hot hot (very hot anyway in Maine in '10) but it got cool by the end of ME and NH with the mtns. But if you sleep hot, 40 degree might do fine for you.

[4eyedbuzzard]

I'll throw in the WM Caribou. 35°F rated. I've had it to the high 20's wearing a thin baselayer and stocking cap without feeling cold. It is cut a bit bigger in girth than the Summerlite or Highlite, room which I appreciate as many mummy bags just feel too confining for me. It is a thru quilted bag like the Highlite whereas the Summerlite is baffled. I don't like half zip bags (like the Highlite) as they aren't flexible enough for summer IMO. You could also go with a quality quilt.

[Bags4266]

Quilt......Weighs one pound, packs small and you can open it up like a blanket when it warms up. Cheaper than a quality bag.

http://www.hammockgear.com/cart/inde...&products_id=1

[leaftye]

Hammock quilts are generally smaller due to the nature of sleeping in a hammock. For ground sleepers, I'd get a quilt from EnLIGHTened Equipment. It is longer, wider, has more down and more loft. It also costs less.

http://enlightenedequipment.com/revelationx.html

[lemon b]

Hell, I got 7 or 8 bags lying around. Figure SB just need to worry about the rain and them there people got them sheilters built up eacept for early when the ground will work. My way of thinking is keep moving and hang a hammack, but the tired factor mean proect from that here northern rain so me here run a tarp over the hammack. Down until rangley then there. I just run with it until I hit the Long Trail then I shelter until down there in the South Side of Jersey, Then I walk it out. Cause that there gets rocky and my worries about rain are reduced cause I wanna feed on some of that ther Pa Pork and beans with white rice and brown gravy.

[Bags4266]

Hell, I got 7 or 8 bags lying around. Figure SB just need to worry about the rain and them there people got them sheilters built up eacept for early when the ground will work. My way of thinking is keep moving and hang a hammack, but the tired factor mean proect from that here northern rain so me here run a tarp over the hammack. Down until rangley then there. I just run with it until I hit the Long Trail then I shelter until down there in the South Side of Jersey, Then I walk it out. Cause that there gets rocky and my worries about rain are reduced cause I wanna feed on some of that ther Pa Pork and beans with white rice and brown gravy.

What the heck!!!

[Panzer1]

I use a 20 degree goose down bag with a large cut so I have extra room inside.

Panzer