Late Season Sleeping Bags

[MLHSN]

That's a good point Jack made.  The pad makes a big difference.  Exped makes some good pads.  I've used two different big agnes pads which I wasn't terribly pleased on the quality.  I currently have a Thermares Neoair which lacks as much insulation but is light.  It weighs less then a pound though.  If it gets really cold I'll roll out a thin closed cell foam pad on top of the neoair and use a a strap to hold them together.

[ribka]

I have been looking at Wiggys bags
http://wiggys.com/category.cfm?category=6


I have the Neoair pad and it is super comfortable

[swanny]

When it's cold out the pad like others said will help a lot. I also use the REI Stratos pad. My winter/cold season bag is the Marmot Helium +15 bag. It's +850 fill and has a great shell with a DWR coating over the top that really helps if you get condensation in the tent. I crawl in to that bag and drift off to sleep.

As others said spend money on your sleeping bag. It's worth it! Get a high lofted down bag and a good pad and you will be golden, sleeping away peacefully as your partner freezes all night long

[Bean Counter]

Check the Bargain Cave at Cabelas if you're willing to pick up a slightly used one. I saw a nice Marmot there last week. Seems like the better 0° ultra light bags run about $400 @ retail. I'd rather geta used one and save a few hundred.

[kentrek]

Go to REI or quality outdoors store to get advice and fitted for the correct bag series. I did that and found that a North Face Snowshoe zero degree bag would be good for me. Then I was lucky enough to find one barely used on Craigs List for dirt cheap.  So far I have liked it. Remember that no bag will overcome lack of insulating bearier to the ground. I now use an inflatable REI Stratus insulated air mattress and have been happy with the combintion.


-Steve

ive had the snowshoe for a hand full of years now,great bag for the first couple years,had it in some pretty crazy weather..but i dont know if its just at the end of its life span or what but its really lost alot of its loft and ive been geting cold even when its only in the high 20's..

also eating a bigger hot dinner just before bed realy helps hour body keep its heat...also those mt house make for great body warmers if your not to busy eating out of em..an then theres always the hot rock trick that makes shyty nights alot more cozy

an then it could be just me..but having a lit candle next to me sure goes along way in keeping me warm (mentally mostly)

[IBspoiled]

We got the Golite 4 seasons mummy bags this year and used them for muzzy season.  We were at around 5500 feet elevation and it was freezing the first few days.  They kept us toasty warm and we didn't have the wood stove, due to fire danger.  We are both very pleased with how these bags performed, other than feeling like you are in a cocoon!  They are lightweight also.  http://www.golite.com/sleeping-bags/4-season

[JackOfAllTrades]

but i dont know if its just at the end of its life span or what but its really lost alot of its loft and ive been geting cold even when its only in the high 20's..

Have you put your bag in a clothes dryer on cool/fluff to bring back some loft? Do you store the bag in a compression sack? I hang mine uncompressed, as should anyone with a cold weather down or synthetic bag to retain internal loft.
 
-Steve

[kentrek]

but i dont know if its just at the end of its life span or what but its really lost alot of its loft and ive been geting cold even when its only in the high 20's..

Have you put your bag in a clothes dryer on cool/fluff to bring back some loft? Do you store the bag in a compression sack? I hang mine uncompressed, as should anyone with a cold weather down or synthetic bag to retain internal loft.
 
-Steve

 i keep it uncompressed as much as posible..will have to try the dryer fluff tho, thankx

[coyote_out]

decided on buying a Kelty Cosmic down 0 degree bag.  Bought an extra sleeping pad too so I could double up.  Get to try it all out during late season archery deer! Mostly a price-point buy, as it is only 550 down, and weighs just shy of 4lbs. 

[ICEMAN]

We have been backcountry snow camping on snow for years, with some pretty inexpensive bags. We just double up on pads, sleep in heavy thermals, and also toss a thin sheet over our bags as be sleep. Been down to as low as 5 degrees in the tent over night on St helens...

The sheet we use is called a "neat sheet". It is a thin sheet, sort of like frog togs material, water resistant etc... We buy them in the picnic item area of Wally world, usually placed on the shelf once a year for folks heading to the beach or day hikes... Pretty cool stuff.

The sheet helps to retain any air loss around the sleepers and create a second area for heat retention...

I am a big guy and as I sleep my bag will continue to inhale and exhale air thru zippers and the head neck area and I find this simple sheet really does the trick to retain heat loss.

[Bean Counter]

decided on buying a Kelty Cosmic down 0 degree bag.  Bought an extra sleeping pad too so I could double up.  Get to try it all out during late season archery deer! Mostly a price-point buy, as it is only 550 down, and weighs just shy of 4lbs. 

Sounds great. I have lots of Kelty gear. Please post up a review post season.

[dad98684]

I spent some time in the military sleeping cold nights in the military sleep system.  I would HIGHLY suggest not buying one.  The only item good in the system is the gortex bivy bag which I still use on occasion.  One of the issues with the surplus sleep systems is that they have been compressed for a long time.  For instance, I was in an Airborne unit and we remained on 24 hr. recall for a couple months at a time.  This meant my bag had to packed and ready to ship out in 24 hrs.  My sleeping bag was fully compressed for three months straight out of every year which meant that the fill was squished and therefore loft sucked, which gives you all the warmth.   Being compressed like that causes irreparable damage to the bag.  Also, the weight is terrible.  The whole system together is also huge in size which takes up a lot needed pack space.  My Golite bag is about 4" in diameter and 8" long for reference.

Just my 2 cents, your mileage may vary.

noted,
it is heavy. i used the bivy and black bag this last weekend, i stuffed it into a dry bag. left the stuff sack and green bag at home. i did not weigh it but it was significantly lighter, i stayed dry and warm. i like the versatility of it, but if i could go back in time i, knowing what i know i am not sure i made that choice, but i will live with it.

[swanny]

but i dont know if its just at the end of its life span or what but its really lost alot of its loft and ive been geting cold even when its only in the high 20's..

Have you put your bag in a clothes dryer on cool/fluff to bring back some loft? Do you store the bag in a compression sack? I hang mine uncompressed, as should anyone with a cold weather down or synthetic bag to retain internal loft.
 
-Steve

Chances are this also just due to it being a synthetic fill bag. Synthetic bags will last you 5 or so years, where as a down bag can last nearly a life time. However, the down bag will most likely loose some of it's warmth value over the years. Most quality sleeping bags will also come with a storage sack, as mentioned keep it in this bag or hang it if you have the space available. Also, make sure it's in a good temperature and moisture free environment.

[HardCorpsHuntr]

My set up is a Mountain Hardware Spectre 20 degree down bag, with dry-Q fabric (the water repellent was a must for me).  My pad is also a neoair.  I like both, but am not in love with them.  This MH bag replaced a Northface cats meow.

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Spectre%E2%84%A2-20-%28Long%29/OU8477_L,default,pd.html

[MLHSN]

noted,
it is heavy. i used the bivy and black bag this last weekend, i stuffed it into a dry bag. left the stuff sack and green bag at home. i did not weigh it but it was significantly lighter, i stayed dry and warm. i like the versatility of it, but if i could go back in time i, knowing what i know i am not sure i made that choice, but i will live with it.

Sorry, didn't mean to dog your bag.  It is a good idea to cut out the green bag and I'm glad you got a good one that still stays warm.  The system is at least durable which is better then a lot of the ultralight bags which outer shells tare easy.  I do still use the gortex bag on occasion.  When it's really cold, but I still want to use a tarp, I'll use the gortex bag to keep the wind from stripping the warmth off my bag.  My post was directed more towards there being other lighter options available.