Lets Talk Sleeping Bags

MotoDave

MotoDave

Adventurist
Founding Member
I was surprised but a search for a general sleeping bag thread came up empty ... other than some specific reviews (Dave's Teton Sleeping bag review, Exploring Elements RV Superbag Review)

I'm thinking about a new bag, and though it might be a good resource for others too. Sleeping well can really make or break the camping experience, i've certainly come to value a good nights sleep for getting recharged for another day of adventuring.

I've used an REI 15 degree synthetic mummy bag for 10+ years. Its worked fine for me in the past, but I feel like its outlived its service life, and I'm ready to move on from restrictive mummy bags to something that gives me more room to move around. For my uses a 20-30 degree bag will works fine - if its colder, I'm probably in the camper and can use the heater, or I'll double up with my current bag. Weight/size isn't a primary factor, but i'm not that interested in bedroll type bags that don't pack down at all. Use will be when going solo in my Four Wheel Camper (can't be bothered to make up a bed with a comforter when its just me) and in a tent when the FWC can't come along. I have a great sleeping pad already (Exped DownMat) so something that integrates with that would be nifty, but not a requirement.

Current considerations are:
Nemo Strato Loft
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Big Agnes Deer Park 30
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Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed
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Since Dave got me interested in them, Teton Sports Celsius 20°F

What are you guys using?
 
I use a Sierra Designs Arrow Rock 30 mummy bag and love it. It is a narrow mummy, but the way it is made it has about 7 inches of stretch which means when you are in it there is not wasted space for your body to warm, but when you move, the bag stretches and does not restrict you. It is a similar design to what some of the Montbell bags do, but at a price point that I could afford it.
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@Blkwgn_wyfee has had a Cabellas 0deg bag for a while that she likes, but I just got her the Teton -25 and she used it for our DVX trip and she absolutely loves it. I should have gotten it for her a long time ago
 
I picked up a Military MSS setup cheap but I didn't like it all that much. Love the Teton stuff. I currently have a Teton XL -25F bag that I use with my OzTent and a SnugPak Jungle bag for a summer bag. Heck I even have a pair of Left/Right XXL Teton 0F bags I never even opened o_O . Though at Mountain Rendezvous I just used a klymit insulated static v lite pad and a kifaru doobie in my tent instead of a bag. And at Turf n Surf Pismo Beach in November I used a kifaru woobie in my roof top tent. Probably my go to setup now unless I need to pull the -25F bag out.
 
Thanks for the input everyone so far!

I came across and added wrinkle to the search, turns out my wife is allergic to down. I'd prefer to get a down bag for weight/packability/durability, but don't want to have her sneezing all night because of it.

Anyone have any experience with this? Do down sleeping bags 'shed' feathers like comforters do?
 
MotoDave said:
Thanks for the input everyone so far!

I came across and added wrinkle to the search, turns out my wife is allergic to down. I'd prefer to get a down bag for weight/packability/durability, but don't want to have her sneezing all night because of it.

Anyone have any experience with this? Do down sleeping bags 'shed' feathers like comforters do?
Click to expand...

I recommend investigating any product that offers the synthetic hypoallergenic material known as "Hollofil." Manufactured by INVISTA and sold under the brand name DACRON, it's a polyester hollow fiber with great loft and thermo-regulation capacity.
 
Well, I have a LOT to add to this thread. I'll chime in when I have more time folks.
 
I use a Western Mountaineering Kodiak because I needed more shoulder room, I'm a little claustrophobic.
 
I have a Feathered Friends -25 Bag. Great bag and i have a jacket and a vest. An American company out of Seattle, WA with great products.

It is worth looking at them as a resource.
 
So , long story short.... I almost died of hypothermia on a multi day springtime raft trip on the Rio Chama Wilderness a few years back. Once I made it home I immediately bought a MontBell Super Stretch 0 degree down bag. Super lightweight and stretches to not feel confining. Best sleeping bag I own by far . Seriously check them out.


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First off I'll say it. It's an unpopular feeling but I whole heartedly think the Teton sports are not as good as their temperature rating. They are not good bags in my opinion. They don't come close to achieving their supposed temp levels they claim. Simple as that.

My wife and I both use mountain hardware bags and love them. I have a zero and she has a -15. We used them for Death Valley last winter and were never cold. They think of the small things like built in breeze breaks around the opening so once zipped up you don't get draft past the opening.

Now some general statements on bags. They need to be clean or they lose their rating. So a regular cleaning regiment is needed. Yes as the OP stated they wear out and need replacement.

Synthetic vs down (the traditional thoughts):
Down is lighter and packs smaller but is more expensive. If it gets wet your screwed it will not hold its warmth.
Synthetic is bulkier and heavier to have the same warmth as a similarly rated down. It will hold its ability to keep you warmer if wet.
Since we truck camp and aren't back packing we went synthetic.

Mummy versus square bags:
Bags work by insulating between you and the outside environment. The heat comes from your body so a big roomy bag is harder to heat. Have you ever been warm in bed and you move out of that spot and are now cold until it warms up again? Think that but in a much more uncomfortable situation when it comes to open square bottom bags.

Things that help with warmth and hurt you. First what are you sleeping on? The ground will suck the temp right out of you. You want a good insulated type mattress to insulate you from the ground. Something designed for camping. Big Agnes has a system where their bags do not have insulation at all on the bottom because you slide in their blow up insulated mattress into a pocket in the bag and that's your bottom insulation. They are working on the theory that your bags insulation does nothing once crushed from your weight. There are pros and cons to this. First off I've read some bad reviews on that system and its ability to keep people warm. Other issue I think of is hard to just roll on my side and sleep as when I do I roll bag and all. This concept also brings me to one of the most common mistakes I hear people do when they say they are cold. "I throw some heavy blankets over my bag and I'm still cold" well you've just crushed your insulation of the bag taking all bag benefits away.

Bag Liners! These in my opinion are an awesome piece of equipment. We use slumberjack fleece liners in our bags. They accomplish two things. First you only need to wash them on a regular basis because they keep your dirty body off of your bag. Secondly they had about 10 degrees to the rating of the bag and give you more versatility. If it's warm you can unzip your bag but still be in your zipped up liner comfortably.

Lastly cold ratings on the bags are for men, not women! Not even on women's bags. Allow an extra 15 degrees for them.

I'll leave that info right there for now. There is a lot more involved info I've found when researching. Go online to the big bag companies and start researching. Mountain hardware and rei have great informational write ups on bags.
 
sfsmedic said:
First off I'll say it. It's an unpopular feeling but I whole heartedly think the Teton sports are not as good as their temperature rating. They are not good bags in my opinion. They don't come close to achieving their supposed temp levels they claim. Simple as that.

My wife and I both use mountain hardware bags and love them. I have a zero and she has a -15. We used them for Death Valley last winter and were never cold. They think of the small things like built in breeze breaks around the opening so once zipped up you don't get draft past the opening.

Now some general statements on bags. They need to be clean or they lose their rating. So a regular cleaning regiment is needed. Yes as the OP stated they wear out and need replacement.

Synthetic vs down (the traditional thoughts):
Down is lighter and packs smaller but is more expensive. If it gets wet your screwed it will not hold its warmth.
Synthetic is bulkier and heavier to have the same warmth as a similarly rated down. It will hold its ability to keep you warmer if wet.
Since we truck camp and aren't back packing we went synthetic.

Mummy versus square bags:
Bags work by insulating between you and the outside environment. The heat comes from your body so a big roomy bag is harder to heat. Have you ever been warm in bed and you move out of that spot and are now cold until it warms up again? Think that but in a much more uncomfortable situation when it comes to open square bottom bags.

Things that help with warmth and hurt you. First what are you sleeping on? The ground will suck the temp right out of you. You want a good insulated type mattress to insulate you from the ground. Something designed for camping. Big Agnes has a system where their bags do not have insulation at all on the bottom because you slide in their blow up insulated mattress into a pocket in the bag and that's your bottom insulation. They are working on the theory that your bags insulation does nothing once crushed from your weight. There are pros and cons to this. First off I've read some bad reviews on that system and its ability to keep people warm. Other issue I think of is hard to just roll on my side and sleep as when I do I roll bag and all. This concept also brings me to one of the most common mistakes I hear people do when they say they are cold. "I throw some heavy blankets over my bag and I'm still cold" well you've just crushed your insulation of the bag taking all bag benefits away.

Bag Liners! These in my opinion are an awesome piece of equipment. We use slumberjack fleece liners in our bags. They accomplish two things. First you only need to wash them on a regular basis because they keep your dirty body off of your bag. Secondly they had about 10 degrees to the rating of the bag and give you more versatility. If it's warm you can unzip your bag but still be in your zipped up liner comfortably.

Lastly cold ratings on the bags are for men, not women! Not even on women's bags. Allow an extra 15 degrees for them.

I'll leave that info right there for now. There is a lot more involved info I've found when researching. Go online to the big bag companies and start researching. Mountain hardware and rei have great informational write ups on bags.
Click to expand...
This is great info @sfsmedic. We have 3 of the Teton 0 degree bags. They have not been tested down to 0 degrees. The lowest temp they have seen has probably been in the low 40s and they kept us warm in those temps. In all honesty we don't do a lot of extreme cold weather camping so the $50 Teton bags will probably work for us for a while. That being said if things change we will be looking at mountain hardware for new bags.

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