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Post by WoodChuck on Aug 17, 2015 13:37:58 GMT -8
Don't take this the wrong way but you're sort of all over the place in terms of "I like" and "I want". Yeah i know.... Just too many choices. All I have every really had was either an old army issue down bag and a 6 pound monster of a synthetic bag. So that is why I really don't know where to go. Really, anything I end up getting will be better than that 6 lb behemoth.
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jazzmom
Trail Wise!
a.k.a. TigerFan
Posts: 3,054
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Post by jazzmom on Aug 17, 2015 15:22:09 GMT -8
Do you have a good gear shop or an REI nearby that you can go to? Seeing the bags in person will give you a better idea of what it means when you see a 2lb bag vs one that weighs 3lb, or the loft you'd normally see in a 10-degree down bag vs a 30-degree one. There's a "size" aspect in sleeping bags, too - height and girth. Ultralight bags can be pretty narrow and maybe you'd rather have a wider bag, or a quilt. Note the specs - i.e. fill power (e.g. 600, 700, 800, 900+), fill weight, length/girth, EN-ratings (temperature), get a feel for prices. Not sure how much you want to spend but down sleeping bags can be a long term investment if you choose right.
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Post by WoodChuck on Aug 17, 2015 15:41:18 GMT -8
Do you have a good gear shop or an REI nearby that you can go to? Seeing the bags in person will give you a better idea of what it means when you see a 2lb bag vs one that weighs 3lb, or the loft you'd normally see in a 10-degree down bag vs a 30-degree one. There's a "size" aspect in sleeping bags, too - height and girth. Ultralight bags can be pretty narrow and maybe you'd rather have a wider bag, or a quilt. Note the specs - i.e. fill power (e.g. 600, 700, 800, 900+), fill weight, length/girth, EN-ratings (temperature), get a feel for prices. Not sure how much you want to spend but down sleeping bags can be a long term investment if you choose right. Yes, i have been blessed with living very close to an REI store. Now like i said i have been carrying a old synthetic bag that even in a compression sack (like a mountain to sea XL i think) still takes up most of my pack. i have spent a long time gathering better and better gear. i have now reached a point where i can get a new bag (most of my stuff was my fathers, from when he was probably my age). So in everything i really am looking for a bag that is at the very most 3 lbs and can get me through 20 degree temps comfortably. I backpack in pisgah and the smokies quite regularly. I am not exactly a cold sleeper (my wife says im a furnace when we sleep), but i really do not like to be cold when i sleep.
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Post by trinity on Aug 17, 2015 20:15:19 GMT -8
Post by Westy on [abbr data-timestamp="1439782192000" class="time" title="Sun Aug 16 2015 22:29:52 GMT-0500 (Central Standard Time)"]yesterday at 10:29pm[/abbr] TNF Blue Kazoo, Marmot Sawtooth are two mid-priced all-rounders that may meet you needs. Check out the specifications. Still have a Blue Kazoo I purchased in 1988 that my son still uses. We really don't know yet what you're wanting to spend on this bag, so I will second Blue Kazoo and Sawtooth, very solid lower fill down bags. If you can afford it, upgrade to a Marmot Pinnacle or Helium. I still think a quilt is a good choice, but at the least get something with a full length zipper. Sounds like you are doing some general upgrading of your camping gear, so be aware that your sleeping bag is the single most important purchase you will make in terms of potential weight savings and comfort. Unless you are buying from Western Mountaineering,Feathered Friends, or one of the cottage quilt makers, just go to REI and buy something knowing that you have a year to decide if it's right for you.
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Post by OddBall on Aug 18, 2015 19:31:52 GMT -8
I agree with a previous poster, forget buying a four season bag, you will cause yourself to suffer with more weight, volume and warmth than necessary during 3 seasons where you are most likely to be active anyway. A good sleeping bag is worth it's weight in gold as it is one of the larger weight savings you can achieve. If your going to spend money, you might as well knuckle down and spend good money to get a good bag. That is to say, if you really love backpacking or think you will in the future, you will eventually be buying a high-end sleeping bag at some point in your backpacking career, might as well do it early on instead of wishing years later you had done it sooner. I'll throw in a plug for Western Mountaineering. They are pricey ($500 range) but they are made in San Jose, California and they will service the bags if you need them to. They even have a service where for ~$30 they added a couple more ounces of fill to my bag. The "factory" is located just North of Down Town San Jose and it was very interesting to get a peek inside of the machine if you will on how these great products are made.
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amaruq
Trail Wise!
Call me Little Spoon
Posts: 1,264
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Post by amaruq on Sept 10, 2015 12:40:52 GMT -8
I wonder if you ever got your bag?
Regardless, I'll pop in with my take on it. You lose more heat more quickly to the ground than you will to the air around you. For this reason I suggest investing in a solid ground pad. From there, because you're a warm sleeper (per your wife), you can basically suss out what bag you want by using the given temperature ratings. Be sure to try them on while you're at it. If the bag is too small for you, you'll crush the loft and lose your insulation. If it's too big, why carry the extra weight? It's also good to make sure you're comfortable in a mummy bag before you have a sleeplessly claustrophobic night.
I've instilled a bit of modularity in my sleep system. Between a -7C (20F) down bag, a fleece bag liner, a heavy-weight wool base layer with a fleece thermal layer, an UL air mattress, and a closed cell foam ground pad I can cover a range of temperatures from bagless on the CCF pad in the summer heat down to around -20C (-4F) with everything together. I could probably push it a smidge or so lower, but I haven't had the chance to test that yet.
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