Sleeping bags

[fudge]

So looking to get more into pack hunting.. What are you using for a sleeping bag??
What ratting would your recomend when it comes to temperatures?

[PeakSeaker]

Hey Fudge. If you end up really getting into backpack hunting then I imagine you’ll have at least a few sleeping bags. For your first one, it really depends on the time of year and places you are planning to hunt. If it were me, I would probably get something that could take me into mid season and worry about a heavier bag later. The big thing when looking at the temperature rating of a bag is to remember that it’s not based on comfort but keeping you alive. I have a Kifaru Slick bag and love it. I’m perfectly fine a few below zero and could stretch it further if need be. The Kifaru bag is synthetic insulation, which I like because it retains its heat retention capabilities when wet. Down filled bags are lighter but you can get yourself in trouble if they get wet. A down bag would be a better purchase once you have figured out your seystem and have some trips under your belt.

[whitlers]

All I can say is do not cheap out on a bag. One of the most important pieces. I almost froze two seasons ago haha. Buy once cry once.

Also keep in mind the bulk and weight of your bag. You will pay more for a warm light and small packed bag. And as said above, remember to look at the comfort level not max temp .

[Jordan f.]

I use a down bag, kept in a water proof stuff sack. Works from september through to end of november here in Alberta. What type of tent you plan on using will change what bag I'd recommend.

[IronNoggin]

Best damn bag I've ever slept in.
All conditions.
Packs down to nothing.

http://www.valandre.com/sleeping-bags/shocking-blue.html

Cheers,
Nog

[fudge]

I have the hubba bubba

[BgBlkDg]

Buy a 0*F rated Valandre or Western Mountaineering bag and a Borah Gear bivy in eVent plus a light siltarp and you are set for about everything during hunting season.

[ditch donkey]

the advice from others about the insulation when wet or damp is bang on. make sure whatever you buy is suited for conditions if the bag isn’t perfectly dry. I like a bag rated for colder temp because it’s always colder in the mountains. i just got home today from a few nights on the mountain in the central interior and it was below zero at night and this was season opener in my zone. i’d rather unzip to cool off than shiver all night. like others previously posted look at the kifaru, valandre, taiga, and other quality mountaineer brands.

[BgBlkDg]

No offence intended, but, Taiga bags are not even close to Valandre or WM in quality and Kifaru Slick bags have lots of negative reviews on various sites concerned with such issues.

Yes, I HAVE owned/used gear from all of these and base my opinions on many years experience.

[Bchunt]

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!

[Sharpish]

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

[mmckimmi]

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.

[Seth]

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.

[Brew]

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

[shafty85]

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.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002770588-Layering-Sleep-Systems

[Bchunt]

It's they rye that does that

[Beachcomber]

[/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.

[Weatherby Fan]

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 !

[Weatherby Fan]

Best damn bag I've ever slept in.
All conditions.
Packs down to nothing.

http://www.valandre.com/sleeping-bags/shocking-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.

[huntfish]

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

[trail blazer]

I don't know if taiga quality changed or not over the years but myself and three friends bought ours more than 20 years ago and still using them, lots of backpacking also. Not a single problem and very warm. don't know how anything could be much better. My son just bought one so I guess we will find out about the quality of them now.

[AgSilver]

I'm about to experiment with an Enlightened Equipment -10F quilt (but, because we're not backpacking, I'm going to take a WM or Nemo bag as a backup). I have a WM Terralite (-4C) that is awesome if you're a side sleeper. Went on a trip last year and lent that to my step-dad and I used the Nemo Riff -9C. This thing is phenomenal....I can sleep on my side and have my lower arm under my head and up into the hood while still staying warm. It may be the holy grail of bags for my weird sleeping habits.

Paired with my new MEC Reactor 10 sleeping pad...I might as well be in my king size bed at home!

[SaintSix]

My first bag for back packing was a mountain hardwear Ratio, which I believe is a -7. The temp rating was fine for the mountains in sept even dropped down to -10 and the water in my nalgene froze. I had a fleece shirt, long johns and a balaclava on and I was cold but still able to get some sleep. If you can sleep in a mummy still it’s a good bag. But I’m a side sleeper so I wasn’t very comfortable. This year I bought the WM Terralite and it’s a -4 rating. I can sleep easy in the prone position with one arm up but I find you want to wear a balaclava because the hood opening is a fair bit larger. But I’m definitely better rested and wake up less. As for temp rating I’d aim to get something around -10. My -4 works but I also carry a high quality down hooded puffy I can wear inside it if the temp drops to much.

[twoSevenO]

Has anyone used a Marmot helium (-9) or Phase 20 (-7) bags?

I'm curious how they hold up since they fall in the lightweight category and the material they are made from does seem rather delicate.

It might be time to retire my aging Mountain Hardwear Spectre SL bag for next years alpine opener for something a bit lighter and more packable.

[AgSilver]

So I tried out the EE quilt this past weekend and only used it the first night and switched to my bag for the next night...I'd forgotten the straps to attach the quilt under the pad, so it slid around and off of me more than my thrashy sleep patterns enjoyed.

Slept better in my Teton Celcius XXL the second night. Funny how, in those conditions (admittedly, not backpacking, so not entirely germane), my $60 CAD bag was better than my $540 USD quilt. I can think of many scenarios where that wouldn't be the same, but in these circumstances...I slept much better in the bag. But neither as well as when I had my nemo.

A decent tip to improve the temp rating of any bag is a liner. I've used the Teton cheapy liner from Amazon a couple of times and it's okay but apparently the silk ones are quite light so may be good in colder conditions.

[twoSevenO]

MEC sells fleece bag liners for $50. I have one. That thing must take your -7 bag down to -20 ... crazy warm. Wouldn't wanna pack it though.

[Arctic Lake]

I have a Taiga down bag Semi Rectangular if I remember right. Gortex on the outer fabric . Mummy bags are just too restrictive for me .It's probably 30 years old, washed it a few times and it's held up just fine . It's probably not classed as real backpacking bag though . Not sure if Taiga still makes a good bag or not but my old has treated me real good ! .
Arctic Lake

[Biggestfish]

Sleeping on therm-a-rest pad will really help you stay warm. When it is really cold I even place a cheap old blue foamy matt under the therm-a-rest.

[mod7rem]

Has anyone used a Marmot helium (-9) or Phase 20 (-7) bags?

I'm curious how they hold up since they fall in the lightweight category and the material they are made from does seem rather delicate.

It might be time to retire my aging Mountain Hardwear Spectre SL bag for next years alpine opener for something a bit lighter and more packable.

ive been using a Marmot Helium every year for around 10 years on all my sheep and goat backpack trips. It has a 3/4 length zipper and I haven’t had any problems with it at all. I don’t use it on any trips other than backpack and always store it lofted so hopefully it will last a long time. I have other bags for when weight isn’t a concern. I’ve never used a WM or Valandre so I can’t compare.

[g2mike]

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.
Agreed on the MEC bags. They get overlooked but you get alot of bag for the money.

I've been running a Mec Draco -9C bag this year and have slept in it in just underwear with no baselayer down to about -4 comfortably. and with a baselayer on, im actually too warm at 0*C. I was sceptical on it enough to pack extra stuff to throw on if I got cold, but Im very confident in it to at least -5 or colder now. It doesn't have great specs on paper being 650 fill duck down, but it performs fantastic, regardless of its price point. Im 6' tall and got the Long, and it is wide enough that I can just about sleep on my side with knees bent 90*, it also has a long wide version available.

A friend of mine has a Mec Talon -10 800 fill goose down bag that hes used a ton down to -10* and swears by it. For under $400, you probably wont get a better bag unless you spend $650+ from a 'name' brand company

[whitlers]

The biggest problem I find with any of the colder bags unless your spending alot of money is weight and packed size. I didnt have the budget when I bough my last backpacking bag. It's a Marmot Scandium -7 that weighs 2 lbs 14 oz and compresses into the size of a rugby ball. Nothing special about this bag. Just a 650 down synthetic combo but has kept me dry and warm in the -1 area. I would like something warmer and lighter and smaller but I know I'm gonna pay for it.

[Frank grimes]

The biggest problem I find with any of the colder bags unless your spending alot of money is weight and packed size. I didnt have the budget when I bough my last backpacking bag. It's a Marmot Scandium -7 that weighs 2 lbs 14 oz and compresses into the size of a rugby ball. Nothing special about this bag. Just a 650 down synthetic combo but has kept me dry and warm in the -1 area. I would like something warmer and lighter and smaller but I know I'm gonna pay for it.
ive got the same bag. Only time I had it down to -7 yo -10. I needed my puffy jacket and a beanie. Great early season bag though. I’d be comfy down to -5 I think.

[whitlers]

ive got the same bag. Only time I had it down to -7 yo -10. I needed my puffy jacket and a beanie. Great early season bag though. I’d be comfy down to -5 I think.

That's good to know. Haven't tried it yet any cooler yet.

[Frank grimes]

That's good to know. Haven't tried it yet any cooler yet.

A reason to always have and pack a decent down puffy jacket. Those things are a real game changer.

[Muledeercrazy2]

A reason to always have and pack a decent down puffy jacket. Those things are a real game changer.

Yes, a good down jacket is a great addition to your gear.

[okas]

I all ways vacuum pack a real wool blanket on the way in . As on the way out keeps the flys off the meat . inside the bag its great wrapped around you by the fire clothes drying out great again

[Haydenmk]

Anyone ever try the Teton leef 0 (-18 ) bag? Got it off Amazon and used it in -3. Was perfectly warm. Very affordable bag too.

[Pemby_mess]

Typically there are three things people care about when it comes to mountain gear:

Quality(durability) (warmth)
price
weight

never is this more true than with sleeping bags. So you can unfortunately only get a bag that is two of those things at the same time, but not all three.

high quality bag, with good warmth to weight ratio, will cost a pretty penny. I reccomend the Western Mountaineering line.

[madcalfe]

i run a mountain hardwear mountain whisperer. its a 950 fill down bag. its good to -7*C and weights like 1 1/2 lbs. compresses super small. atmosphere has them on sale right now. i dont have any complaints on it yet

[Night Hawk 3]

Dang... old thread. Well, anyways, here goes...

Lots of different options mentioned here, and lots of price range too.

I've had many bags over the years and used to listen to all those who said you must have synthetic for our wetter climate, and down will get wet and it will be hard to dry and you'll get cold if it gets wet etc.

I gave up on my synthetic bag(s) ages ago and went to exclusively better quality down bags, and have never looked back - and they really are better in so many ways. Being truly cold at night on some wind-blown mountain, which I've experienced a few times, is really not a happy way to spend the night - lesson being that it really is worth spending the appropriately when it comes to your sleeping bag/sleep system.

Currently, I have a Marmot Plasma 15 (a 15F or about -9C rated bag) for most of my backpacking. It's been very good, and very comfortable for the past almost 6 years of use (I only have about 40-ish nights in it) in various conditions. It's held up great, and will get lots more use.

I also have a Taiga M30L since about 1994 which is their Morningstar line of bags, it's been amazingly durable, and long lasting. It's well made, I've never had a cold night in it though I've never really pushed it much past its -11C rating. It has a dryloft outer shell (Goretex type stuff that resists water). I'd highly recommend these as a great bag, and Canadian Made. These are not the lightest bags, and other higher end bags will have more features, but it's an excellent product.

Many sleep systems have been evolving over the past number of years, and quilt style sleep systems are very much worth considering if weight savings is important to you.

The other part of all of this is that the "foamy" or Thermarest that you sleep on is a super important part of your sleep system, and should not in any way be overlooked when considering what you're going to be doing with your sleep system.

I moved to the Thermareast NeoAir Xlite and then the NeoAir Xtherm for all my camping now and have never looked back. Great products, and noting that they should not be inflated by breathing in to them - get the inflation stuff sack with them. Some people may find other brands more comfortable, but I've been really pleased with this product - durable, well made, good insulation, light weight.

I've been considering other bags for much lighter weight options for sometime now, and will be looking in to brands like Feathered Friends, Enlightened Equipment, Z Packs and others.

~NH3

[northernguy]

^^^ How small does your Taiga bag compress down to? I'm looking at getting one...seems to be a pretty good deal for the money.

[madcalfe]

you should also check out nemos new sleeping bag the kayu it looks pretty nice. decent price and light!
https://www.nemoequipment.com/product/kayu/

[whitlers]

you should also check out nemos new sleeping bag the kayu it looks pretty nice. decent price and light!
https://www.nemoequipment.com/product/kayu/

Those look nice! Would be like to hear some reviews

[butterz]

I’ve got a Taiga cloud 9 -11. And its fantastic. Been on elk hunt in northern BC with it in a tarp tent with no problems. It ends up the size of a 4L milk jug all packed up. It might not be as good as a wm bag but for less money. Just my opinion

[keno]

It's hard to beat the milsurp sleep systems for the price. They can be a bit bulky however, but depending on weather you don't need to pack the entire thing.

[35rem]

I have a WM Puma (-32C) bag and have slept in it comfortably in at least -29.5C wearing only light merino underwear. I say at least -29.5 because that is where my Kestrel temperature logger decided to go on strike. Apparently lithium batteries cannot handle those temperatures. IMHO nothing spoils a trip quicker than a bad night's sleep due to the cold. I bought my WM bag after experiencing such a night...
It packs up amazingly small, does not weigh much and costs less than a decent rifle.

[Ohwildwon]

I have a WM Puma (-32C) bag and have slept in it comfortably in at least -29.5C wearing only light merino underwear. I say at least -29.5 because that is where my Kestrel temperature logger decided to go on strike. Apparently lithium batteries cannot handle those temperatures. IMHO nothing spoils a trip quicker than a bad night's sleep due to the cold. I bought my WM bag after experiencing such a night...
It packs up amazingly small, does not weigh much and costs less than a decent rifle.

Just a tip for people unaware, in regards to sleeping in a high quality down bag.

If you find yourself pushing the limits of your bag, the last thing you want to do is wear anything!

All that does, is restricts your body heat from radiating through to the down.

Your skin needs to be as close to the down as possible to, "ignite", its inherent properties.

Western Mountaineering bags are famously under rated.

I have the WM Antelope GWS, rated at -15c.

Was out in -20c in Dec, handled it no problem!

[Squamch]

Just a tip for people unaware, in regards to sleeping in a high quality down bag.

If you find yourself pushing the limits of your bag, the last thing you want to do is wear anything!

All that does, is restricts your body heat from radiating through to the down.

Your skin needs to be as close to the down as possible to, "ignite", its inherent properties.

Western Mountaineering bags are famously under rated.

I have the WM Antelope GWS, rated at -15c.

Was out in -20c in Dec, handled it no problem!

I don't know how many times I've climbed into my bag, and stripped to my underwear, and had a great night's sleep, toasty warm, while my hunting partner shivers in his sleeping bag wearing half his gear. Then in the morning, I can layer up and be toasty warm, while he is acclimatized to all his layers, plus the bag! But no one wants that first cold 5 minutes!

[Ohwildwon]

I don't know how many times I've climbed into my bag, and stripped to my underwear, and had a great night's sleep, toasty warm, while my hunting partner shivers in his sleeping bag wearing half his gear. Then in the morning, I can layer up and be toasty warm, while he is acclimatized to all his layers, plus the bag! But no one wants that first cold 5 minutes!

Yep!

Remember to put your water bottle, any clothes you care to put on first thing, in your bag.

Bloody forgot the water last time, ugh..

#checklist :wink:

[grantk]

^^^ How small does your Taiga bag compress down to? I'm looking at getting one...seems to be a pretty good deal for the money.

I just got the -18C 1001 Nights bag. I bought a 30L compression sack to put the bag and puffer coat into. With just the bag in the compression sack, I can bottom out the compression straps at about 10L. Could probably get it a bit smaller with the 20L compression sack. The thing feels like being inside a cloud.

[northernguy]

^^^Thanks. I picked up the -25 Morning Star. Packs down small enough to get into my pack without a fight. Ya, it sure does feel like sleeping inside a cloud! Happy with it so far and the price is very competitive!

[Salvie]

I have kuiu 15 degree bag long. Extra long in length helps. Retains heat great, only issue it’s awkward to get in and out due to the mommy style zipper.
Also Kifaru slick bag 20 degree
great synthetic bag, Center zipper is great the Velcro is a little cheese. Lots of extra room.
I have the regular wide,