What's your temp?

Share your advice and personal experiences, post a gear review or ask any questions you may have pertaining to outdoor gear and equipment.
User avatar
Troutdog 59
Topix Expert
Posts: 649
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:11 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Clovis

Re: What's your temp?

Post by Troutdog 59 »

I don't recall the model name, but they've (have 2) got to be about 15 years old now and are synthetic. I was embellishing a tad at 7lbs, as they are just over 6 lbs, but with my Marmot being just under 3 lbs, I like the weight savings. I haven't used one in a few years, but they worked great on an 18 degree night at the campground at Saddlebag Lake several years back. Doubt my son would still go camping with me if we hadn't had them with us :)
Once in a while you can get shown the light
In the strangest places if you look at it right.

The Grateful Dead
User avatar
freestone
Topix Expert
Posts: 961
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:42 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: Santa Barbara
Contact:

Re: What's your temp?

Post by freestone »

- What is your ideal bag temp in the Sierra, that sweet spot, not including the shoulder seasons? My ideal temp rating is to 10 degrees.

- How many of you get a higher temp bags and combine it with a down jacket to lower cost/weight, or maybe a liner? I have done this with my summer rated bag in the alpine sierra, but prefer not sleeping with a jacket on, only long underwear.

- Has anyone jumped from a down to synthetic bags? I would only do this if i were sensitive to the humaneness of collecting down.

- How many of you have become colder sleepers as you have aged? Most definitely! I devote a lot of $ to staying dry and warm.

- By how many degrees have you increased you bag temp by? I have tried going the other way, but always return to the 10 degree rating. It's never really that warm above 10,500. For me, the comfort rating is "to" 10 degrees, with a large gray area approaching that temp.

- Who here cowboy camps most of the time? I cowboy it when I know the weather will not be a factor, but as I have aged, I have become more aware of the need to have a quality shelter for comfort and protection from the elements. I never rely on a tent to increase the temp rating of a sleep system.
Short cuts make long delays. JRR Tolkien
User avatar
sparky
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1029
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:01 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: What's your temp?

Post by sparky »

My 25° WM bag is perfect. Generally for summer in the Sierra high country my rule of thumb is a 20° bag. I do run hot though. Only on the coldest summer nights I wear long underwear. I sleep in a tarp tent.
User avatar
balance
Topix Regular
Posts: 200
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 12:26 am
Experience: N/A

Re: What's your temp?

Post by balance »

Greetings

My summer season (even into October) sleeping bag is a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 with 800 fill down insulation. But it's definitely not good enough to keep you warm when it gets to 32 degrees. I also have a Patagonia down jacket with hood, which works as a great insulating layer walking around after sundown, and then keeps me warm while sleeping when the temperature goes below freezing.
User avatar
alpinemike
Topix Expert
Posts: 437
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Re: What's your temp?

Post by alpinemike »

For the past 3 years I have been using the Western Mountaineering Summerlite.. A 32oF bag. It is without a doubt my favorite bag and has seem temps into the high 20's quite a few times. Last year in July when we had a major snow storm in Humphrey's Basin at 11,820 FT I put on my down jacket which kept me warm all night. Could I have made it without the jacket.. probably. But, I am a fairly warm sleeper. But as many have mentioned it is a rarity for temperatures to dip below freezing even in the highest places in the summer months in the Sierra. I consider summer to be late June - early September. Outside of that range it becomes a lot more common. This year since I'll be out till mid September I'll likely be pushing my luck with it but since I carry plenty of layers I should be just fine.
Never put off a backpacking trip for tomorrow, if you can do it today...
Alpine Mike-

http://mikhailkorotkinphotography.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6635
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: What's your temp?

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Wow. I have had lots of nights below freezing in the Sierra, even in August. I am not saying a majority, but fairly common. You can always "survive" a sub-freezing night in a lighter bag, so it is more a question of being willing to have a few bad nights to be more comfortable in more common conditions as well as save some weight. Since I sleep really cold, I appreciate my 10-degree bag (WM Super Antelope), even when above freezing. I am more willing to drop a pound of food, rather than take a lighter but less warm bag. I can stay plenty warm as long as I am moving, but when I stop, it's like my circulation system nearly shuts down. I have had to do the in-place jogging in the middle of the night a few times. One small item that really helps is a balaclava- weighs a few ounces. The one thing I do not like about my WM bag, is that it does not have a traditional draft collar- rather a cinch-collar.
User avatar
longri
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1082
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:13 am
Experience: N/A

Re: What's your temp?

Post by longri »

Wandering Daisy wrote:Since I sleep really cold, I appreciate my 10-degree bag (WM Super Antelope), even when above freezing.
My wife has a Super Antelope. It's her mid-winter bag and often is too much bag for late winter in the Sierra. She would laugh at the suggestion of carrying it in August. But she sleeps warm. A friend of hers has something similar to the Antelope or maybe even bigger for summer. Her friend sleeps really cold.

That's it in a nutshell: nighttime metabolism.
User avatar
balance
Topix Regular
Posts: 200
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 12:26 am
Experience: N/A

Re: What's your temp?

Post by balance »

I agree with Wandering Daisy. Ounce for ounce, a balaclava provides more warmth than any other clothing or gear. The only thing that provides more warmth per ounce is bread bags on the feet.
User avatar
paula53
Topix Regular
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue May 01, 2007 2:31 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: carson city nv

Re: What's your temp?

Post by paula53 »

I have used my WM Apache 15 degree bag almost every trip, in the past. The last 3 years I have used my old but reliable REI Sub Kilo claiming a 15 degree bag,but realistically a 25 degree bag. The Apache was too warm for me. I am in my 60's. For me, the weather in the Sierra has gotten warmer, with nights averaging above 30 degrees. Cold nights down in the high 20's still happen, but not as frequently as in the past. I hike usually at 7-8 thousand feet.
User avatar
sambieni
Topix Regular
Posts: 303
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 11:24 pm
Experience: Level 2 Backpacker

Re: What's your temp?

Post by sambieni »

sambieni wrote:I use a +10 REI UL Nooksack https://www.rei.com/product/700564/rei- ... g-bag-long
It is about 10 years old.
Described as a synthetic down.

While it is described as 10 degrees it is much warmer than that so I have run cold on somed nights - Glacier NP comes to mind (Have not really tested in Sierras save 1 SEKI night) - to really layer up w long tops/bottoms and I believe fleece/socks too. Doubtful a hat or down jacket.

I never cowboy camp.

I am going to test it on solo in the Sierras over July 4 weekend. If I run cold, it may prove time to upgrade to a new bag like about 20-25 range.
After reading this thread and taking a peak at my Nooksack, plus related reviews and finding bag is heavier than originally thought, I decided to retire this from backpacking use and not test over July 4.

I splurged on WM Ultralite 20F. Used it 2 nights over July 4 weekend at Ediza and Thousand Island Lakes. Ediza ran a touch colder and I was fully zipped up w fleece top and shorts, while at Thousand Islands t-shirt and shorts all night with full zip only latter half of the night. Nights were likely mid-to-upper 40's.

Bag was super comfy, much better sleep, and rolled with me well when I tossed/turned - unlike my REI bag.

In short - I realize I run a lot colder than years prior. I am from East Coast, but 5+ years out here and my metabolism has shifted a ton. I am sure bag will be great when drops into 30's and a bit below, but I will definitely have to layer on quite a bit.
Last edited by sambieni on Thu Jul 14, 2016 10:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests