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Thread: Sleeping bags

  1. #11
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    832

    Re: Sleeping bags

    I've wanted to buy a nice bag for a while. But god damn they are expensive!

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Lower Mainland
    Posts
    64

    Re: Sleeping bags

    Don't overlook MEC bags. They make some pretty decent ones for a very reasonable price compared to WM or other top of the line brands. Especially if you're going to try out back pack hunting and don't want to fully commit.
    I've had a -2 mec bag for over a decade now. It's nearing the end of it's life but has seen many, many trips all year round. For winter stuff a sleeping bag liner will boost the temp rating by a few degrees.
    ig: mmckimmi

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    749

    Re: Sleeping bags

    Western Mountaineering Summerlite = 19oz & 0*c
    Marmot Helium (waterproof)= 36oz & -9*c

    Both have been great. Only reason I bought the Summerlite was for the significant weight savings and compactness going into this years early season sheep hunt.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    3,082

    Re: Sleeping bags

    Quote Originally Posted by Bchunt View Post
    Or you can take a slightly different viewpoint - no sleeping bag. I do yearly back pack hunts and gave up on sleeping bags many years ago. Now I just pack an extra layer of clothes that are warm and dry. Put them on before bed, have a fire all ready to go, and curl up and go to sleep. When the cold wakes me up about 2am, I start the fire and it makes me nice and warm and I'm back to sleep in no time. And then the fire is still going when I wake up in the morning. Works well for me for nights down to -10 or so.

    So why the extra clothes instead of a sleeping bag? I was already packing an extra jacket for glassing in the mornings anyways and figured I could just wear it to sleep in. I realized that I wasn't dying from cold during the early mornings so no need to think it would happen at night, especially with a fire. So I tried the no sleeping bag approach and it worked and has stuck.

    As you may have guessed, I also do the no tent thing. Just a tarp and a rope to make a lean to for staying dry. Radiates the fire heat back at me. And it all comes with me when I break camp in the morning so I am not beholden to go back at the end of the day. Wherever I end up is my camp for the night. Plus, if there are bear problems in the night, it is way easier to deal with from a lean to than a tent.

    One other learning - get a good balalcava. Keeps the nose and cheeks warm, which is the first clue to sleeping through the night. Boots off, warm dry socks and you will be fine.

    So take the plunge, give it a whirl. This approach to backpacking gives you way more room to pack the important stuff - like good food, and a mickey of rye!
    your a tougher man than I
    WSSBC Life Member
    WSSBC Monarch Member
    CCFR Member

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    8

    Re: Sleeping bags

    Another vote for Western Mountaineering. Yes, they cost an arm and a leg, but so worth it. I use their -7C alpine light bag plus a 0C quilt from Englightened Equipement. These 2 cover me for all conditions - quilt in the summer, bag in shoulder seasons, combine them in winter for about -25C rating. Saves cash and combined they pack down smaller than a winter bag.

    https://support.enlightenedequipment...-Sleep-Systems

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Posts
    63

    Re: Sleeping bags

    It's they rye that does that
    "You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks." - Winston Churchill

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    955

    Re: Sleeping bags

    [/QUOTE]So take the plunge, give it a whirl. This approach to backpacking gives you way more room to pack the important stuff - like good food, and a mickey of rye![/QUOTE]

    I reckon I would need at least a mickey of rye every night without a sleeping bag.
    Last edited by Beachcomber; 09-04-2018 at 10:44 PM.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Haney,BC and anywhere you can hunt in BC out of the rain !
    Posts
    8,649

    Re: Sleeping bags

    Quote Originally Posted by Bchunt View Post
    Or you can take a slightly different viewpoint - no sleeping bag. I do yearly back pack hunts and gave up on sleeping bags many years ago. Now I just pack an extra layer of clothes that are warm and dry. Put them on before bed, have a fire all ready to go, and curl up and go to sleep. When the cold wakes me up about 2am, I start the fire and it makes me nice and warm and I'm back to sleep in no time. And then the fire is still going when I wake up in the morning. Works well for me for nights down to -10 or so.

    So why the extra clothes instead of a sleeping bag? I was already packing an extra jacket for glassing in the mornings anyways and figured I could just wear it to sleep in. I realized that I wasn't dying from cold during the early mornings so no need to think it would happen at night, especially with a fire. So I tried the no sleeping bag approach and it worked and has stuck.

    As you may have guessed, I also do the no tent thing. Just a tarp and a rope to make a lean to for staying dry. Radiates the fire heat back at me. And it all comes with me when I break camp in the morning so I am not beholden to go back at the end of the day. Wherever I end up is my camp for the night. Plus, if there are bear problems in the night, it is way easier to deal with from a lean to than a tent.

    One other learning - get a good balalcava. Keeps the nose and cheeks warm, which is the first clue to sleeping through the night. Boots off, warm dry socks and you will be fine.

    So take the plunge, give it a whirl. This approach to backpacking gives you way more room to pack the important stuff - like good food, and a mickey of rye!
    I kind of chuckled when I read your post as my brother and I used to just take a -30 Synthetic fill mummy bag and just curl up under a fir tree at 5500 feet or so when Alpine Mule Deer hunting in Southern BC, if it was frosty/snowy out we would lay a emergency blanket over us, it works when its nice and dry in early season and you have a tree to sleep under...........not so much fun when it goes from dry and cold to -10 and a foot of snow overnight and your fighting with the mule deer for their bedding area...........yes been there done that.

    I certainly wouldn't recommend your process for a Stone Sheep Hunt in Northern BC !
    7mm PRC soon to be the most popular cartridge in North America

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Haney,BC and anywhere you can hunt in BC out of the rain !
    Posts
    8,649

    Re: Sleeping bags

    Quote Originally Posted by IronNoggin View Post
    Best damn bag I've ever slept in.
    All conditions.
    Packs down to nothing.

    http://www.valandre.com/sleeping-bag...king-blue.html

    Cheers,
    Nog
    As Matt says above The Valandre Shocking Blue one of the best bags I have ever used, I also have a Valandre Bloody Mary which is a touch lighter and more of a 3 season bag,

    one thing about better down bags they are usually black on the inside, when you get in them they heat up in seconds unlike a synthetic bag and if damp at all turn them inside out and with very little sunlight they dry quick.

    The other bag I have on order is the Western Mountaineering 6'6" Badger GWS Gore Windstopper Series, looking forward to seeing how it compares to the Valandre Shocking Blue.

    Feathered Friends also makes very good bags, comparable to Western Mountaineering.
    Last edited by Weatherby Fan; 09-15-2018 at 05:15 PM.
    7mm PRC soon to be the most popular cartridge in North America

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Posts
    79

    Re: Sleeping bags

    Here is a good site for sleeping bags, and its a Canadian company, https://www.wexgear.com/shop-canada

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