Looking for a nice sleeping bag

mark greenman

mark greenman

Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
662
Hey everyone, I'm on the lookout for a nice sleeping bag to last me the rest of my life. It needs to have the following features:

-Is a traditional, rectangular bag, not the 'mummy' style
-Can go down to around 0-10 degrees F.
-Comfortable
-Under $300 (hopefully under $200)

After that, everything is extra, but non-essential. Ideally, the more compact and durable, the better. Waterproof if possible.

The bag will live the back of my SUV for camping and earthquake preparedness.

Thanks!
-Mark
 
I'm doing some searching and it's difficult to find something rectangular for anything below 32 F.

So far all of the mummy bags are ideal for the temperature rating that you requested. I'll keep a look out, J.
 
Just one suggestion. If you are opposed to a mummy style because you feel to confined then I would recommend trying one of the xlarge bags. I did this and it gives me all the room of a rectangular and I can still cinch the hood down for colder weather. My personal bag is a slumberjack and my next bag will probably be a snugpak. I would recommend looking at both of these. Also if you want water proof maybe add a military surplus bivy to your kit. The only problem is that those are mummy shaped.
 
Yeah, I second the notion of trying a long mummy bag. If you go for the fast and light type, then they are made to be tight, since extra space means extra weight and extra air for your body to heat, defeating the whole purpose of the bag. The larger ones have a LOT more room in them. Try the North Face Blue Kazoo in long. It's rated for +15F, but a liner will get you down to 0-5F and make it more comfortable at the same time. I picked one up recently and it was way too big for me (and going on ebay soon), so you might like the extra room. That model has been around for a couple decades for TNF, so you can probably find one pretty cheap.

Also, head to an REI if you have one nearby. They started their super clearance last month and had a ton of sleeping bags as part of the sale. Most of them got snatched up pretty quick, but I still see them in some REIs when I go see what goodies they have. I picked up their Sub Kilo bag, which is a +20F 750 fill down bag for around $80. They had 0-15F bags as well.
 
There are plenty of rectangular bags rated down to o°F and below. The problem is that they will weigh a TON. Check out Cabela's and Sportsman's Warehouse. Here is one example that is in your price range.

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There are several other options.

-- FLIX
 
I hate constricting mummy bags but I found a large wide-cut one called the Lost Ranger, made by Big Agnes. Best bag I've ever had. Has the sleeve on the backside for sliding in your air pad, which is slick for preventing you from sliding off it.
Look at Big Agnes bags, they are made quite a bit roomier than the others.
 
As Flix said, if you stay away from light alpine climb / expedition gear and look arround in hunting stores you will find rectangular shaped sleeping bags that suit your needs. Not having to haul it arround you don't need to focus on high loft low weight down insulation, which is the most expensive.
Mikel
 
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0016260515606a&navCount=2&podId=0016260&parentId=cat20144&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat20075-cat20144&catalogCode=UJ&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20144&hasJS=true[/URL]

I happened to pick this bag up around Christmas for about $40 and took it camping in MN about a week ago and it was a a great bag.
 
Look at the Wiggy bags. I have one of there rectangle bags and just love it. I have used mine now almost 20 years and it is still going strong. I am going to use it this weekend. I think mine goes down to -15.

Bryan
 
I'm a big guy, and I use a Army ECWS sleep system. It includes a Gore-Tex bivy and 2 sleeping bags. You can use the sleeping bags individually or combine to get a -30 degree bag. It can be a little heavy if you carry everything, which I only do in subzero weather, but you don't have to carry a tent (I carry a lightweight tarp).

Here is a link for a surplus one, but check the auction site, because I bought a new one for under $200 (be careful of fakes).

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ZWB144-1.html
 
Can I suggest a North Face "Cat's Meow".

I am 6'5" and weight about 260. I fit VERY comfortably in their LONG bag. They are about 150 dollars - rated at various ratings and received the GOLD standard from backpacker this year.

It has been a great bag for me - and if I fit comfortably in it - you would likely be even more roomy in one. Go to an REI and try on out. They have them hanging up there for you to peruse.

TF
 
http://www.westernmountaineering.co...cat=Microfiber Series&viewpost=2&ContentId=39

http://www.featheredfriends.com/Picasso/Bags/Product/10Degree.html

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40072


First two = best of the best reputation

campmor= has a following for its quality for the price

Look around those sites as I think they all carry semi rectagular and rectangular designs. As far as lasting the rest of your life , stay away from the ultra lite gear if your going to be hard on it. The first two manufacturers are very well renown for thier build quality, but to get to the ultra light weights, some judicious care must be used.

I have a wesernmountaineering alpine light. And while I find it very durable, its a purely backpacking bag, I.E. not something Im going to lay over a bed of spruce limbs. They bothe FF and WM have catagories with more durable shells. They are also semi custom, I believe and may taylor an existing design to suit your needs better if you give them a call.

Thier temp rating are also pretty generically accurate, as oposed to being understated as most other companies seem to do.

A few others that deserve an honorable mention...
http://www.montbell.us/products/index.php?cat_id=1
http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?top=1624&prod=2597&cat=1679&viewAll=False

And just for a little something different....http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Rectangular Quilts.htm
 
What you want is a down bag, very compactable and warm, however they suck if you get them wet or dirty (oil from your skin) so what you do is get an inner linner to put inside the bag (mine has a mossie net built in) and ad a bivvy bag to your kit which the bag goes in, if you then add a thermarest you can sleep outside in the whole thing very comfortably!

Fairyd0wn, macpac and mountain hard wear are all good brands!
 
mark greenman said:
The bag will live the back of my SUV for camping and earthquake preparedness.
Click to expand...

Thats a good Idea but dont leave it in its stuff sack, compressing a bag indefinitely will squish, and eventually compromise your bags insulation, weather it be synthetic or down. Leave it in a medium sized breathable bag. It should come with one.


I missed(somehow) That you wanted to leave this bag in your SUV! I might have taylored my answer better, since your probably not to concerned about weight.


I would go with a synthetic for you purposes I believe. You can get one cheaper ( a good one) than down, and they retain more of thier insulating
value when compromised by moisture or just dirty.

If you go with a bag less than $200 ish dollars I would suggest shooting for a temperature rating at least 5-10 degrees lower than what you think youll need.
For example I have an old Kelty cleer creek 20* that ona good night is comfortable at 30*ish.

I think sometimes the mean the bag rating to mean the temp at which youll survive not sleep comfortably.

Also if your a cold sleeper subtract up to 10 degrees from temps your likely to face. If you sleep warm you may like the less expensive bags at thier specified ratings. The rectagular cut will also be less efficient because of the greater volume of air your body must heat and the "bellow" effect of the absense of a draft coller or hood so take these into consideration when deciding on a temp rating.

Ill quite blabering now..:D Let us know what you end up with!:thumbup:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___45331
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___64394
 
Thanks everyone, as always, you've all been incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. I hope I can repay the favor sometime.

Big thanks to Bryan and Fraser for the Wiggy's tip- I've decided to go for the hunter superlight, in purple :)

You guys are the best!
Mark
 
mark greenman said:
-Is a traditional, rectangular bag, not the 'mummy' style
-Can go down to around 0-10 degrees F.
-Comfortable
-Under $300 (hopefully under $200)

After that, everything is extra, but non-essential. Ideally, the more compact and durable, the better. Waterproof if possible.
Click to expand...
Since you plan to keep it in your truck, weight is little object, so it is probably possible to get a pretty cheap bag with high thermal rating.
The US sleeping systems is pretty cheap, warm and versatile it is too heavy but in a vehicule it's not really relevant, comes with a bivy. Only problem is it is mummy shaped.
 
I think one problem here is, that a fiber bag looses some of its insulation if its kept constantly in its pouch. So if youre planning to keep the bag in you car stuffed in its pouch, that migh cause some problems.
 
attej said:
I think one problem here is, that a fiber bag looses some of its insulation if its kept constantly in its pouch. So if youre planning to keep the bag in you car stuffed in its pouch, that migh cause some problems.
Click to expand...
Good point, you shouldn't store a sleeping bag compressed for too long.
 
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