High Sierra Topix

and the "wear clean socks" part. I prefer to sleep sockless. enough sock during the day. lets the feet rehydrate, so to speak.

Longri wrote:

I was right with you until the "bathe before bed" part.

That's why a bag liner comes in handy.

Rlown wrote:

and the "wear clean socks" part. I prefer to sleep sockless. enough sock during the day. lets the feet rehydrate, so to speak.

Use a silver lined sock liner or other silk liner, it feel like nothings on your feet.

but, with nothing on my feet it already feels like there's nothing on my feet.

TJ, just buy one of the recommended bags. You won't be sorry other than dropping the dimes to do it. It might come in handy this winter at your ice fishing spot. That is if winter happens again.

maverick wrote:

Longri wrote:

I was right with you until the "bathe before bed" part.

That's why a bag liner comes in handy.

I was kind of joking. I always try to wash the dirt, salt and sunscreen off at the end of a day, in part to minimize dirt and oil penetration in the sleeping bag, in part because it feels better. And unless it's really warm at night I wear long johns and a dry pair of socks. So my clothes are my liner.

I just don't "bathe". I don't carry soap and I sure don't get into the cold water.

I find most degree ratings pretty flakey. I am a cold sleeper and I have had two bags that I use in the Sierra - a 0-degree and a 10-degree. Both are 750 down because that was about the best you could get when I bought the bags. One bag (Marmot Aguille) got stolen. I am now using a WM Super Antelope. I am not fond of their "draft collar" as I prefer a standard draft collar. I now have a 5 oz down sweater that I stuff around my neck that supplements the WM pseudo-draft collar.

Bags do wear out. That is not to say you cannot use them. They just gradually become less heat efficient. Even with heavy use a bag should last 10-15 years. When you say a "lifetime", well, I started backpacking at 16 and have been at it almost 50 years. Using a bag 50-100 nights a year for that many years, is more than what most consider a "lifetime". I think it has to do with the number of times the bag gets stuffed and how long it stays stuffed as well as normal wear and tear. I hesitate to wash a bag much. I washed the WM bag once (after 4 years use) and it did loft as new, but the loft is not staying as well as it did when original. Zippers can be replaced. If the bag is still good, and you do not sew, just take it to a seamstress. You can buy the proper zipper on the internet. And I think most manufacturers will also replace zippers. I think the reason most of us replace bags is that we want the much lighter new improved bags of today!

Fit is really important, particularly the hood-collar system. If I ever buy another bag, it will be a woman's bag. They did not have gender specific bags when I bought mine. My bag has too much shoulder room (drafty), too much of the down is upper body (we women need more hips and downward). No matter what you get, try it out before buying.

And no matter how many $$ you spend on a bag, it is all wasted if you do not also invest in a equally suitable insulating sleeping pad.

If you want something warm and light weight check out zpacks.com. I have their 30deg quilt and love it. It kept me warm these past couple of days up at 10,000+ in the Big Pine Creek backcountry.

I enjoy my WM Apachie, 15 degree bag. The bag weighs 2lb, with overfill. I have had it for over 6 years now. Now its my go to bag. You can't go wrong with a WM product.

markskor wrote:Never take the down bag out of its stuffsack unless you are inside the tent

On a cold morning the sleeping bag is often moist with condensation. I think it is better to take it out of the tent and dry it in sunshine. Or, if leaving before sun hits the camp, take it out ad let t dry at an early sunny stop.

TJ. What did you decide on?

I ended up with the WM Apache. The bag really served me well for 4 nights in Deso last week (report to follow). Thanks for all the good advice and lively discussion here! A VERY special thanks to Mav for his PM, but I had to make other arrangements.