0 degree or -20 degree?

[KayakDan]

We have been using 0o bags with Polartec liners for years,in conditions to -15,and always stayed warm. Fleece liners make a big difference,and good ground insulation is really as important as the bag .

Our lightweight Walrus Rapide tent is pretty tight for space. If we used -40 bags,there would be no room for us in the tent!

 

[sardog1]

When it comes to sleeping bag ratings, I'm with Justice Black: "I know it when I see it."

I need to look at the bag, examine its zipper system for draft, fiddle with its draft tube(s), lay it out and watch it loft, get in it and seal it up, see how it feels around all the parts of my body, etc. I'm at the point now where I can discard the wannabes fairly easily. The tougher choice comes when a manufacturer understates the warmth with their tagged ratings, as does Mountain Hardwear IMO.

This is tough to accomplish without some experience sleeping at various temperatures. There's a bigger difference re: sleeping comfort between 0 and -20F than between -20F and -40, IMO. YMMV, which is exactly the most important thing to keep in mind when buying a bag.

 

[DougPaul]

When it comes to sleeping bag ratings, I'm with Justice Black: "I know it when I see it."

I agree with sardog1's comments on how to check out a bag. When it is <0F any small weakness in the insulation will lose an enormous amount of heat. Also any small air leakage path (pumped by your breathing) will lose a lot of heat. (This is a place where the double bag system with a down inner excels--the outer bag constrains the inner so that it has to expand inward and fill up all the interior empty space. This is very effective at preventing the pumping.)

Once the localized heat leaks are fixed, the insulation value (and thus realistic temp rating) is determined by the thickness of the insulation. I posted a (US Army Quartermaster) table of temp ratings vs thickness in
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8069.
This thread also has some other good stuff--well worth a read.

The following threads include a table of lofts measured from my sleeping bags as well as add'l info. Also well worth a read:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14481
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6164.

Doug

 

[hikerfast]

I took my own advice and just bought another -40 bag at ems on sale. I like who i go with to have as good of equipment as I do, if they don't already. Life is fun.

 

[charlos]

long or regular

I recently bought a new bag for my wife and was suprised that the guy at campmor steered us towards a long bag. im close to 5.8 and my wife an inch or so taller.
I always assumed that long bags were for long people six feet or so, but according to the sales person reg bags are for 5.6 and under.
just wondering how everyone feels about that?
the bag is a marmot womans teton 0 degree, we are intending it for 4 season use for her as the only winter camping she will do is in harriman when it will be 20 or warmer at night.
i on the other hand still use a 20 degree campmor bag, when it gets real cold i throw on a bivy and in a trash bag vbl.

snow tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NYBRAD]

It Depends on the bag.

I agree I would want to get in the bag a feel it out. Over the years I've found temp ratings don't mean much. I've got a $500.00 Dry Loft TNF 0 bag that I've been cold in when in hovered well above the bags rating. On the other hand, my Western Mountaineering Puma is rated at minus 10 I think, and have been comfortable in much lower temps than that. The Puma at-10 is all I need with a cheap synthetic summer liner bag when it's below minus 20 or so. A 3/4 closed cell foam mat, as well a standard full size type inflatable mat is pretty standard. For winter I like the heavy duty inflatable mats, and leave my superlite mats for summer.

I also would go with a longer bag for added room to stuff gear that I don't want to freeze(batteries,food,water,boot liners, lighters,clothes, ect..) Not to much extra room though, or it's dead space that can decrease heat. I'm not a big fan of a VB in a bag, I just don't like the way they feel, but liners can really help.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[TomD]

"When it comes to sleeping bag ratings, I'm with Justice Black: "I know it when I see it."

Minor correction-It was Justice Potter Stewart, writing about pornography in a famous opinion.

 

[sardog1]

Thanks for the correction. I knew the context but failed to check the citation. Guess I should go off and flagellate myself with the Blue Book for a while as penance, huh?

 

[Mike P.]

If you're under 6' I'd say a regular length would be fine unless that particular mfg makes them short. Try it out.

Con on the bigger bag, you have to heat it
Pro - more space below your feet to keep things warm.

 

[miehoff]

Done

So I got the -20 long. Turns out I got it for a much better deal (kind of a fluke-pricing thing). Walked out spending 225.00! Super happy, and I will try it out soon, maybe next weekend. Thanks a bunch for the replies.