Alaska trip Advice - sleeping bag

[JC333]

I'm looking for a bit of advise. I'll be in the Alaska range in early October on a hunt, this will be my first backpack / tent hunt. I'll be using a Kuiu mountainstar 3 season tent and only have a 15 degree sleeping bag and want to upgrade.
What I'm considering is the Western Mountaineering Puma GWS and the Kuiu 0 degree super down bag. There is a weight / performance difference and price difference for sure bit I want to make the right decision so price isn't going to be a big factor. "Buy once, cry once I guess."
Is the Puma GWS overkill ?
Are there any others I should consider ?
Thanks so much ....
Joe

 

[Southfork]

You can’t go wrong with Western Mountaineering bags. I have an WM Alpinlight and it has been worth every penny, but there have been times I wished that it was a zero degree bag. More than likely my next sleeping bag will be another WM bag with a lower temp rating. No, I don’t think it would be an overkill. It still comes in at under four pounds. I like to be warm at night and if I get hot, I just zip my bag down.

 

[JC333]

You can’t go wrong with Western Mountaineering bags. I have an WM Alpinlight and it has been worth every penny, but there have been times I wished that it was a zero degree bag. More than likely my next sleeping bag will be another WM bag with a lower temp rating. No, I don’t think it would be an overkill. It still comes in at under four pounds. I like to be warm at night and if I get hot, I just zip my bag down.

Gotcha, that makes sense. It seems like WM and MH are the two top bags out there.
Thanks

 

[camelcluch]

No experience but the Rab eco 4 looks like a decent synthetic option. WM is tops though.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Western Mountaineering is the way to go based on your options listed. Gohunt has a sale on them right now, promo code listed in the Gear Deals section at the bottom of the forum list here.

 

[AKDoc]

You're asking a good question, sir...

I do have a Morning Star tent that I have used for a number of years. I like it very much, and it has been my first choice for several August sheep hunts and a half-dozen weight restricted 10-day pack-raft floats during July/August...nothing but good to say about it on those trips. That said, when it comes to later season moose hunts, my Mountain Star is not my choice to bring for that time of the year. However, I'm not backpacking on those late season drop-hunts (as you are), so my tent choices are not so wt restricted.

I also have a 15 degree sleeping bag, which I use all summer thru my late fall hunting trips...a WM Badger MF. I do sleep warm, and it is THE very best sleeping bag that I have ever owned/used...and I've had several different bags over the years. Worth every penny for sure for me. I also always have a thermal bag insert with me in late season hunts...just in case, but I've personally never needed it with the WM Badger., even in late September in Western Alaska. If you sleep a bit colder, then go lower in your temp rating...but I'd stick with WM models.

Given the late season timing of your adventure, be very attentive to the R-rating of your sleeping pad. Regardless of the sleeping bag that you choose, bring a pad with an R-rating of 7 or higher for the time of year that you are coming up here. Also, be attentive that the outer shell of your chosen sleeping bag effectively handles condensation/moisture/wetness over the course of your adventure. Edit: I'm just adding that the MF outer shell of my WM Badger has done extremely well with condensation/moisture/wetness management, and it breathes very effectively as well.

The very best to you for a safe and wonderful adventure!

 

[jdmaxwell]

Consider Stone Glacier 0 degree.
Amazing sleeping bag

 

[JC333]

Ok thanks so much for the advice and direction, much appreciated. I'm excited to go, it's my first time hunting on Alaska ! I'll check the R rating on my sleeping pad, good idea ...

 

[wiarcher]

Western Mountaineering is certainly a great bag and would be hard to beat. I run the sequoia and it has been great.

 

[Runningwater]

I'm a very happy owner of a WM Antelope MF. The only slight concern I might have would be with the Gore version. I've heard for some folks it doesn't breath well enough. That said I have no direct experience with it. I will say the WM MF is extremely weather resistant and I've never had any issue with with moisture in camp in a lot of wet AK conditions in a floor less tipi.

 

[Brado16]

Just posted a WM Bristelcone for sale in classifieds. Great warm bag with plenty of room.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

The Puma may be overkill. Combine the MF Antelope with a true high R value pad (ex: X Therm) and you should be good to go. Worst case is you can wear some clothes, including puffies, to bed if you need more warmth.

I've not taken my MS Antelope below its rating but I have taken my MegaLite to near its T Limit multiple times and have not been cold (combined with my XTherm or big ole foam pad on a cot).

 

[*zap*]

It is hard to have 'overkill' in a cold weather sleeping bag.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

It is hard to have 'overkill' in a cold weather sleeping bag.

If that's the case then why aren't more WKRs sporting puffies like the one below? No such thing as overkill, right?

 

[*zap*]

I have a few of those^.

But I would rather leave a bag unzipped or use it as a quilt than be cold in a zipped up tight bag. jmo.

 

[BDRam16]

Alaska range for your first ever backpack hunt? Talk about diving in head first lol. My only advice would be to spend as many nights as possible before then using your sleep system to learn what you do and don’t like. Better to have it dialed in before you leave than to get there and realize you hate something you have. Best of luck.