Sleeping bags for camping.

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
While I realize my style of camping isn't for everyone, my wife and I have a plywood queen size knock down bed roughly like a water bed base with an air mattress and a 4" foam pad on top. Large plastic bins for our clothes fit under the bed and we use linens from home for the top. All this fits nicely inside a 16' square pavilion with rugs on the floor. When it gets particularly cold, our two 15 light candelabras raise the temp a good 5 degrees. Swinging down out of bed rather than climbing up in the morning, priceless. 🙂

Yeah, but can you backpack it for 3-4 miles comfortably?

That's why it's called "car camping." You do your hiking from the base camp.

 

[fulltilt39]

the answer all depends on the snuggle factor - as in, will you be a lone-snuggler? or a snuggle-up-a-gus (with someone else)?

 

[waffleironhead]

Originally posted by: fulltilt39
the answer all depends on the snuggle factor - as in, will you be a lone-snuggler? or a snuggle-up-a-gus (with someone else)?

Then you need left and right zip bags.

 

[mizzou]

man, don't go cheap on the degree of protection. I had -20 degree mummy bags (backpack weight) and I still felt cold, granted I was soaking wet and it was in the low 30's in the mountains and it rained for 14 hours

 

[GoSharks]

Originally posted by: mizzou
man, don't go cheap on the degree of protection. I had -20 degree mummy bags (backpack weight) and I still felt cold, granted I was soaking wet and it was in the low 30's in the mountains and it rained for 14 hours

If you get a bag from a reputable company, the rated temperature will actually be spot on.

If you have the cash, get a Western Mountaineering bag. Made in USA and you will NOT find a better bag out there.

 

[WildHorse]

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[tasmanian]

Ive used mummy bags rated down to -20 and sleeping bags rated to about 40. There is no real difference in the two, meaning that just because a mummy bag is rated to -20 doesnt mean your going to be cooking alive in it. In my personal experience I prefer having a bag rated much lower than what you think the low temps will be. Mainly because often times you go to bed when its 70* and wake up to it being 30*. Its your choice, but freezing your ass off because you didnt think it was gonna get that cold really sucks.

 

[WildHorse]

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[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: WildHorse
Your profile says you're in warm San Diego.
Will you be camping around there? Or will you go explore paradise (California High Sierras)?

For what it's worth, I have a top-of-line down bag from REI, and I've NEVER been cold, but there has almost always been some trouble with water. If I was buying another sleeping bag I probably would get holofill not down. Better wet.

Of course, ALSo equally important to buy a light tent with a RAIN FLY. The bad of that is, don't get to stargaze as you & the warm pretty woman fall asleep. The good: you stay dry...warm balmy night can turn to raging hailstorm or torrential downpouring rain in merely about 20 minutes in the High Sierras.

If from San Diego you're just going up Ortega Highway to the hot springs or Tenaja waterfall, or to the north SD county beaches like San Clemente or something, you don't have that concern. If then, your only concern is dew condensation, & drying out next day.

Again, if you I'd buy holofill or similar, not down (For years I've had the best down bag there is).

I've been in REI's store on, was it Kearney Mesa? don't remember exactly, . . . check it out.

Mostly I'll be camping in the mountains which can get pretty cold (down below freezing). Last Sunday I did some hiking on Mt San Jacinto and checked out some of the campgrounds up there. Absolutely beautiful but it is getting down into the 30s at night there already. There will be snow up there soon I'm sure.

 

[kalrith]

I really like my Kelty Light Year 25-degree bag. I've used it in the summer before, and as long as it's a cool night the bag doesn't roast me like my 0-degree bag. And, it's good down to at least 25 degrees (that's the coldest I've gone) with some good thermal sleepwear. Nights colder than 25 degrees comprise about 10% of my camping, so a 25-degree bag was the right choice for me.

I will say that it's better to go with a colder rating than what you expect it to be. I went camping one time with a forecasted low of 20-25 degrees, but I took my 0-degree bag (it was my only sleeping bag at the time). It wound up getting down to 12 that night, and two people with me were really cold in their 25-degree bags.