A good sleeping bag

TwinBlade

TwinBlade

Joined
Aug 1, 2008
Messages
491
I am looking to get a good sleeping bag for colder weather. This one has caught my attention. Down filled, great price too. It will only see a few nights a year. I have a lighter one for better weather. :D

http://www.sunnysports.com/prod/DWNV0.html?srccode=cii_13736960&cpncode=25-26332541-2

Anyways, $100 or less. If I have to wear an extra layer of clothes when inside it, I don't really care. I am looking for reasonable durability and warmth, not top of the line.:thumbup:

Links will help too.
 
I'm glad someone started a thread on SLEEPING BAGS :) I've heard that North Face is a good one but it's honestly a subject I know very little about.

I have recently heard to stay away from the "Down" sleeping bags.

Also it would be nice if someone knows the rating system on them.

Being it looks like I might be homeless within the next year or so; it's definitely a subject I would really like to know more about myself.

Also I would guess that some of the backpacking and camping forums would probably be a great place for good info on sleeping bags.
 
What were the drawbacks to down? See, this is what I like. You hear a lot of viewpoints. I heard that down has better "loft"...whatever that means. :D
 
The biggest drawback to down is you most keep it dry. Moisture of any kind will kill the insulating properties of down.
 
TwinBlade said:
What were the drawbacks to down? See, this is what I like. You hear a lot of viewpoints. I heard that down has better "loft"...whatever that means. :D
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Not all down is created equal, and the same applies to synthetic insulation. Down is generally a much better insulator than most synthetics, It also takes longer to dry out if you get it wet. Down clumps and loses loft (fluff) when wet. Most synthetics do not. Down is generally lighter and compacts better for carrying than synthetics of comparable warmth. It is also more expensive than synthetics.

Here is some reading on the subject from Sierra Trading Post.
 
I have a few Western Mountaineering bags a few Marmut bags. My goto bag for most spring and fall conditions is a Marmut Helium

http://marmot.com/fall_2009/equipment/sleeping_bags/ultralight/helium_eq_reg

For very cold conditions I go with the Westen Mouintaineering Bison.

In the summer I use a synthetic sleeping bag from MEC.

Sorry I missed the $100 or less. In that case I would recommend a good synthetic bag such as

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...older_id=2534374302865703&bmUID=1264785030600
 
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There is always much made about "the dangers" of down bags, but you know what? Your synthetic bag will be pretty miserable when soaked too, even if mathmatically, it still retains SOME of its insulative properties.

Loft is the "thickness" that a sleeping bag has as a result of its fill. Of late, some manufacturers give a "total" loft measurement, which includes the top and bottom of the bag. This is less than helpful, because your body weight will flatten out the loft below you, eliminating any insulative value.

Down is rated by "Fill Power", which the amount of volume it has per ounce. Better quality down takes up more space per ounce than lesser quality down. The lower the Fill Power, the more down must be added to achieve the desired loft. I believe it works like this: An ounce of 550 down fill 550 cu" of volume. An ounce of 650 will have another 100 cu" of volume per ounce. Higher Fill Power down is also said to compress much better as well.

The bag you inquired about has 30 oz of 550 down. It is 32" at the shoulders and 21" at the foot. This seems pretty narrow and may make wearing additional insulation a problem. These would be good numbers to compare.
 
I hear the down argument on getting wet and clumpy. We have a solid goose down comforter on our bed. After washing it, which gets done as little as possible, it takes a few weeks for it to get back into non clumpy order, even after shaking it and kneading it.

bcornelis, that last link is a great one. I am 6'00" on the nose. does that mean my toes will be on the verge of just being jammed if I get a 6' bag, or is there a couple inches of give in them?
 
Pritch said:
There is always much made about "the dangers" of down bags, but you know what? Your synthetic bag will be pretty miserable when soaked too, even if mathmatically, it still retains SOME of its insulative properties.

Loft is the "thickness" that a sleeping bag has as a result of its fill. Of late, some manufacturers give a "total" loft measurement, which includes the top and bottom of the bag. This is less than helpful, because your body weight will flatten out the loft below you, eliminating any insulative value.

Down is rated by "Fill Power", which the amount of volume it has per ounce. Better quality down takes up more space per ounce than lesser quality down. The lower the Fill Power, the more down must be added to achieve the desired loft. I believe it works like this: An ounce of 550 down fill 550 cu" of volume. An ounce of 650 will have another 100 cu" of volume per ounce. Higher Fill Power down is also said to compress much better as well.

The bag you inquired about has 30 oz of 550 down. It is 32" at the shoulders and 21" at the foot. This seems pretty narrow and may make wearing additional insulation a problem. These would be good numbers to compare.
Click to expand...

Prime post. Thanks.:thumbup:
 
In Ray Jardines book "Beyond backpacking" He prefers a camping quilt to sleeping bags for a number of reasons. I won't go into all the details but it is a very good book. Basically it's a home sewn quilt from the proper fabrics and fills, with a "foot pocket" at the bottom. It can be made as a one or two person quilt and is lighter and more comfortable in his opinion.

If you're dead set on a sleeping bag, he has a lot of good advice on picking one out as well.
 
I read somewhere recently that you should only wear a single thin layer of clothing inside a cold conditions sleeping bag. Something about allowing your body heat to get into the insulation. Good bags are rated in degrees fairenheit 10 20 etc. and can cost up to $700 or more. These are made to keep you alive in the coldest conditions i.e. sub-zero high up on Everest. I'm sure good bags can be had for much less. Unfortunately I don't know anything about the ratings system other than what I wrote but it doesn't sound like it's too complicated. Good luck. -DT
 
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Manufacturer ratings are a mixed bag. Good news is that manufacturers are beginning to use a system developed in Europe to make ratings more consistant for apple to apple comparisons.

Consistent Ratings: EN Methodology
Enter the European Norm (EN) 13537 testing methodology. This testing protocol, already in European use for several years, was adopted in 2009 by REI and some other U.S. sleeping bag manufacturers seeking more consistent, reliable temperature ratings for their 3-season backpacking bags. (Most remaining manufacturers are following suit in 2010.) EN testing is performed in independent (third party), internationally certified laboratories and ensures that sleeping bags are subject to a standardized test.

The result? EN methodology produces temperature ratings you can trust and compare head-to-head with the EN ratings on other brands' bags. If you know the temperature range you'll encounter on your overnight trip, you can compare EN-rated bags and confidently choose the one that will best ensure a comfortable night's sleep.
Click to expand...
 
Codger_64 said:
Manufacturer ratings are a mixed bag. Good news is that manufacturers are beginning to use a system developed in Europe to make ratings more consistant for apple to apple comparisons.
Click to expand...

I saw that because it says "0" degrees, does not necessarily mean it will be good to even 15 degrees. Is this true? Or an example of what you are talking about?
 
I don't think you are likely to find a real 0° F bag for $100, at least if you are looking for a backpacking bag. If you will only be using it for car camping, places like Cabela's will have several options. Big, roomy, comfortable and HEAVY!

You may get lucky and find something on clearance, but just remember, just because the MFR says their bag is rated to a certain temp, doesn't mean that it will work for you. As an example, the bag you inquired about has 30 oz of 550 fill down, making a total volume of 16500 cu" of insulation in their 0° F rated bag. Conversely, the Marmot Lithium, which also is rated at 0° F, has 28 oz of 850 fill down, which gives a total insulation volume of 23800 cu". A disparity of 7300 cu" for two bags rated for the same temp!
 
TwinBlade said:
I hear the down argument on getting wet and clumpy. We have a solid goose down comforter on our bed. After washing it, which gets done as little as possible, it takes a few weeks for it to get back into non clumpy order, even after shaking it and kneading it.

bcornelis, that last link is a great one. I am 6'00" on the nose. does that mean my toes will be on the verge of just being jammed if I get a 6' bag, or is there a couple inches of give in them?
Click to expand...

The bag in that link has 5 size options. If you are 6.00 feet I would recomend the size up (large) that goes to 6.5 feet. Otherwise your toes will be jammed or the head part won't work well.
 
TwinBlade said:
I saw that because it says "0" degrees, does not necessarily mean it will be good to even 15 degrees. Is this true? Or an example of what you are talking about?
Click to expand...

It can be. Some people sleep cold and some sleep hot. It is as individual as, well, individuals. They are trying to standardize it but some people sleep cold in certain parts of their body also.

Down is most useful, if you can afford it in conditions where the temp will not go above freezing. Its advantages are great compressibility and loft. As have been mentioned. There are different values for down. From around 550 to 850 though there are industry people that say there is no such thing as 850.

I can tell you I had my synthetic bag soaking wet once. Slept in a hollow and a huge storm blew in. Before I knew it my bag was soaking wet. After the storm, this was at night. I picked up the bag and moved to a better location and the bag had virtually drained of all the water. The synthetics simply WILL NOT HOLD that much water. So it is not a case of you won't feel wet. You won't be wet because the synthetic won't hold the water. I was also soaking wet from the move in the rain and when I got back in the bag it wicked the water off of me as well. If you get the down bag wet. You are screwed. Absolutely, totally, screwed. I would recommend a down bag for only moderate temps, above 40F or cold temp below 20F. They start to get expensive when you get the really good bags though.

This is very important. Make sure the interior of your bag is big enough to fit you and the clothing you intend to wear. People often make the mistake of getting the inside too small. You want some room inside the bag in case you need to add some layers. If the bag starts off too snug and you add layers you are compressing the bag. You buy the bag for loft. Compressing it with extra layers reduces the loft you need and payed for to keep you warm.

By the way, this goes double for shoes and socks for winter use.

Just my $.02,
KR
 
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Pritch, thanks for the volume explanation and to bc for the size thing.

Seems like I have it all backwards here. I have a synthetic for warmer weather, but wanted a down for colder. In actuality, especially with the weather we can get at ANY time in WI, I need to reverse my thought process here.
 
TB, what is your intended use? Car camping? Backpacking? What temp range? Additionally, what is your sleeping pad? This component can be critical to staying warm in cold weather yet it is often overlooked.
 
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