what degree bag will i need
just curious if i am looking to begin the at on april 1st considering the time of year will a 30 degree bag due or should i just go ahead and get a 20 degree.
thanks
20..........
30........
In the spirit of White Blaze consensus.
Seriously though.. If you were starting on March 1st no question - 20*. April 1st a 30* bag is pushing it but doable if you don't mind wearing your jacket and a wool cap to bed - which I would do.
Or to put it another way.... I'd take a 30* bag but probably most everyone else will say 20*...
Should I be that guy and recommend a 25* bag?
I think 30* is fine. I used a 35* in '11 starting march 22nd and had no issues. As 10-k said, be ready to sleep in a hat + coat a few times.
IMO it depends if you have a good quality bag that will really be a 30*.Not all bags are made the same.I'd do a few tests if only in the backyard....A bag rated 30* might keep one person warm,while another person might be cold in the same bag.Other factors that will make a difference are tent or shelter or bivy sack...then there's the weather,windy or calm,snow or rain....just more things to consider among all the other things you have to do in preparing for your hike..try not to stress too much...
I have a 25° bag. But I would not recomend it to anyone camping in 25° weather. Where does that leave us?
More seriously, I have (also) have a 15° quilt that I would recomend. It is great at the lower temps and easy to vent when warmer.
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny..." Isaac Asimov
Veni, Vidi, Velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.
20 degree.....and hope you don't need it! Started April 1 in 2005. We saw around 10 degrees at night several times. You just never know what Mother Nature is going to give you that time of the year.
GA - NJ 2001; GA - ME 2003; GA - ME 2005; GA - ME 2007; PCT 2006
A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will.
—SPANISH PROVERB
20 degree. Better safe than sorry.
GoLite has a 50% sale on their bags/quilts. 800 down for $150-$200 bucks. I had to get a 20 degree bag and got it for $200. Came in the mail last week. Boy, did I make the right decision. It's nice!
"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth."
-Psalm 121:1-2
I've got an old trail register from Jerry's Cabin from several years ago,with the month of June.A lot of entries were from hikers that were complaining of the "cold".#2 complaint was from those who had various injuries from the rough going on the Big Firescald relo.....BTW did anyone know it took the girls (and others) from Konnarock 7 years to build that relo....(sorry for the drift)....
Good point about making sure is a quality sleeping bag with an accurate temperature rating for you.
I still think a 30° bag would be fine for April. You can very quickly better safe than sorry yourself into a 40 pound pack.
I am assuming he has base layers and a jacket and cap if needed.
Kinda sadly, I have a +20, +32 and +45 degree bag, in descending order of weight (32oz, 24oz and 18oz). I plan on starting a NOBO in mid April, probably with the +20, swap it out when appropriate for the 32, then the 45, and use that one for quite a while, then reverse the order up north. Though I'm a total rookie at eastern USA / AT backpacking, I don't see how this scheme can go wrong. Veterans, feel free to critique.
If I had to take only one, I'd probably try to get by with the 32, suffering the lack of warmth in the real cold and the slight extra weight in the warmth. Temperature ratings for bags can be very subjective, though the new "EN" ratings help.
If your sleep system is not warm enough you will be extremely unhappy.
"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss
Rob, it just depends on the weather and your risk tolerance.
April 1 is early spring. You certainly won't need a 20° bag in May. So there's a four-week window where you're rolling the dice.
In my opinion a quality 30 degree bag and my Montbel Thermawrap will take me to 20° in my tent.
I understand most people would takits 20° bag but would not.
So when they get to feeling safe,that's when they start leaving unwanted/un-needed gear at the shelter.You'd think they would leave it at a hiker box at the next hostel,which BTW is at about every 2-3 days apart here in the southern part of the trail..Originally Posted by 10-K
Just to add I might not be as snug as a bug in a rug and all toasty warm like I would be in my own bed. But I would be able to sleep through the night.
+1 for 20 degree
Good tip 10K, thanks. Since I, too, own a Mont Bell Thermawrap, this has to be solid advice! A 32 deg bag it is.
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