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Post by Coolkat on Jul 24, 2022 6:44:34 GMT -8
I realize that there probably some threads that already talk about this but new stuff is coming out all the time.
My nephew and his wife are just starting to purchase backpacking gear and he came to me for recommendations. However, it's been years since I've had to look into this since I've been using the same bag now for over 10 years.
So I'm hoping that you good people can help me out and make some recommendations. I'll see if they are brave enough to join this forum but in the mean time here are really the only stipulations.
1) under $350 (if possible. cheaper is always better for the wallet) 2) they are side sleepers. 3) 20o rated or lower
I told them if they do this right in the beginning they won't have to "upgrade" in the future like I had to when I first got into backpacking.
What are your thoughts?
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jul 24, 2022 7:18:27 GMT -8
At REI right now, there are a number of bags on sale at the outlet, for well under $350. I looked at some of the ones not on sale that were from the better brands: Big Agnes, REI, Mountain Hardware, Marmot, etc... What I gleaned from that is we need more info. A 15º bag is comfortable to about 25º as there is a difference between surviving the night and being comfortable. Shoulder girth, hip girth, length, all play a part of choosing the correct bag. Weight may also be a concern, or should be. The same bag in down will be more costly, but lighter by as much as 8-10 ounces. Long way to say, I'd personally be leaning towards the Mountain Hardware Bishop Pass 15 $305, given that price range. ETA: Also, steer them away from the idea of zipping 2 bags together, unless they really don't mind being awakened by the other one rolling over, or getting up in the middle of the night. It sounds tempting, but doesn't seem to work out well in the field, in my experience. Only advantage is if one of them needs the body heat created by the other one.
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Post by burgesan18 on Jul 24, 2022 7:33:42 GMT -8
Hey Zeke! I'm the nephew being discussed. Thank you for your response! Just to answer a couple of your question, we're both about 5'9" and weigh 130-140 lbs. Will check out the one you recommended.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jul 24, 2022 7:49:31 GMT -8
burgesan18 Welcome! This can be a useful source of info,but it is most often a community that enjoys the same thing: teasing newcomers and making fun of their goofs. With that in mind, how do you feel about: brussels sprouts? Single malt? kilts? bacon? I know there are more questions we could use for an introduction, but I'll leave the rest for others.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jul 24, 2022 8:11:37 GMT -8
burgesan18 I'll mention another bag, which is a quilt. EE Revelation Quilt Within your budget, a full pound lighter each bag (That's 2 pounds you won't be carrying!!), better down, you get the option of choosing your own colors inside and out, and you will never need to upgrade EVER! OK, so i am sold on quilts, and have been using them for over a decade. Like at home, the quilt covers all of you not in contact with the pad. Sleeping bags don't insulate the part of you that is on the pad either. That insulation merely compresses down to nothing. If you decide to go this route, try to live with one bright color that can be used in case of an emergency as a brightly colored flag for SAR. I have one side in Hunter Orange, and a friend has one side in Yellow. Easy to spot either of us when we use that as the outside fabric. My other side is black, so I can be muted normally.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Jul 24, 2022 8:29:48 GMT -8
^ Enlightened equipment makes the Revelation and I have a similar Enigma. The idea is you need a separate sleeping pad anyways and crush a traditional sleeping bags loft that’s under you anyways .. so why carry the latter? Katabatic also has these and are highly rated.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Jul 24, 2022 10:02:47 GMT -8
A top quilt will also serve you well if you decide to go the hammock route.
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Post by paula53 on Jul 24, 2022 11:01:52 GMT -8
Try the sleeping bag out in the store. Some bags are cut very narrow to save weight. This will be confining to a side sleeper. As Zeke suggested, check the bags EN rating. This rating is set for a man. Women sleep colder, so the comfort level of the bag will be about 10 degrees colder. This was taken from the Section Hiker: There are three ratings that you need to pay attention to when evaluating a sleeping bag rated using EN13537: Comfort, Lower Limit, and Extreme.
The comfort rating is for women (I don’t know why they didn’t just label it women.) Women need more insulation when they sleep than men. The lower limit is for men and designates the lowest temperature at which a man can remain comfortable in the sleeping bag, provided he’s wearing long johns and sleeping on a 1″ pad. The extreme limit designates the coldest temperature you could survive without freezing to death. I find this an odd thing to put on a consumer tag, but it is what it is. Beware of this rating. Online retailers sometimes quote it as the lower limit or the comfort rating of the bag (#2) because they don’t understand what information to print.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 24, 2022 11:07:44 GMT -8
A couple of other thoughts: sleeping back-to-back in separate bags still offers extra warmth, and can make a real difference. I’m another quilt fan, as a restless side sleeper (actually, the restless part is maybe a negative for a quilt, as I disrupt the “seal” quite often). My BiL/SiL got an Enlightened Equipment double quilt and are loving it. It apparently is designed to solve the problem of the air gap between sleepers. YMMV; I don’t think it works so well for side sleepers, not to mention those who thrash around a lot
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Post by trinity on Jul 24, 2022 11:54:18 GMT -8
Welcome, burgesan18 ! A few more thoughts: I love topquilts, but if you are truly going to be out in temps close to 20, a sleeping bag is a lot more forgiving than a quilt, in my opinion. I have come to prefer a quilt for warmer temps, but below 30 I usually switch to a bag. For a quilt, the EE Revelation is a good choice. For an even better buy, I'd look at the Hammock Gear Economy Topquilts. This is an economy line from one of the best quiltmakers out there. I agree with zeke 's assessment of the REI offerings, I think any of these would be a good choice. If you aren't in a hurry, you could also wait a bit to see if anything goes on sale. The REI Magma line is very highly regarded, but a bit out of your price range.
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Post by leadbelly on Jul 24, 2022 14:21:41 GMT -8
Marmot bags used to run roomy; Patagonia bags are pretty spacious.
comparing measurements for the foot box, hips, and shoulders is worthwhile.
Buying a bag with 600/650 fill power down vs. 800/850 can save you some money; the lower fill power means the bag will take up marginally more space and be marginally heavier. When i say ‘marginally,’ it’s a pretty small difference - a half dozen ounces or less.
I’m currently using a Patagonia bag - it’s new, center zip on top, which is a little unusual. Every time i slept out this summer, temperatures were warm, so i slept with the bag almost fully unzipped.
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Post by burgesan18 on Jul 24, 2022 14:57:24 GMT -8
burgesan18 Welcome! This can be a useful source of info,but it is most often a community that enjoys the same thing: teasing newcomers and making fun of their goofs. With that in mind, how do you feel about: brussels sprouts? Single malt? kilts? bacon? I know there are more questions we could use for an introduction, but I'll leave the rest for others. Thank you everyone so much for all your advice! I'll start off by answering your questions so you can know what to pick on me for lol. I don't like Brussels sprouts but when something is fried and with enough salt it can fix about anything! I don't drink alcohol so I guess I can't give a good evaluation on single malt. Kilts are awesome. They look like they'd be super cool to wear in the summer, and definitely are a sign of confidence! I personally do not have to confidence to wear a kilt XD. I don't eat bacon, I try to stick to being a vegetarian most of the time. Thanks for wanting to get to know me!
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Post by burgesan18 on Jul 24, 2022 14:57:53 GMT -8
Marmot bags used to run roomy; Patagonia bags are pretty spacious. comparing measurements for the foot box, hips, and shoulders is worthwhile. Buying a bag with 600/650 fill power down vs. 800/850 can save you some money; the lower fill power means the bag will take up marginally more space and be marginally heavier. When i say ‘marginally,’ it’s a pretty small difference - a half dozen ounces or less. I’m currently using a Patagonia bag - it’s new, center zip on top, which is a little unusual. Every time i slept out this summer, temperatures were warm, so i slept with the bag almost fully unzipped.
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Post by burgesan18 on Jul 24, 2022 14:58:48 GMT -8
Marmot bags used to run roomy; Patagonia bags are pretty spacious. comparing measurements for the foot box, hips, and shoulders is worthwhile. Buying a bag with 600/650 fill power down vs. 800/850 can save you some money; the lower fill power means the bag will take up marginally more space and be marginally heavier. When i say ‘marginally,’ it’s a pretty small difference - a half dozen ounces or less. I’m currently using a Patagonia bag - it’s new, center zip on top, which is a little unusual. Every time i slept out this summer, temperatures were warm, so i slept with the bag almost fully unzipped. Thank you for the advice. Had not considered these brands much yet! Will definitely look into it
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Post by burgesan18 on Jul 24, 2022 15:00:24 GMT -8
Welcome, burgesan18 ! A few more thoughts: I love topquilts, but if you are truly going to be out in temps close to 20, a sleeping bag is a lot more forgiving than a quilt, in my opinion. I have come to prefer a quilt for warmer temps, but below 30 I usually switch to a bag. For a quilt, the EE Revelation is a good choice. For an even better buy, I'd look at the Hammock Gear Economy Topquilts. This is an economy line from one of the best quiltmakers out there. I agree with zeke 's assessment of the REI offerings, I think any of these would be a good choice. If you aren't in a hurry, you could also wait a bit to see if anything goes on sale. The REI Magma line is very highly regarded, but a bit out of your price range. I Have considered the magma line. I hear rei will be having a sale in September so maybe I can wait till then! Might get impatient though lol
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