Am I asking for Trouble? - Sleeping Bag Rating

[DIY]

I purchased a Mountain Hardware sleeping bag rated at 35. It is lightweight and perfect in size when compressed. Ill be hunting in colorado the opening day Aug 25 to sept 3 at 12-13000 in elevation. Just wondering if im asking for trouble. Not sure if I should take it back, dont like the idea of liner. Trying to pack light and test my skills

Thanks

Kyle

If I were to layer in clothes does that make a huge difference?

 

[Curtis C]

I plan to take a 30° bag but will be taking a reactor liner so I have it if needed. We are not planning to sleep at 12K. Layering in warm clothes will help. Taking a 35° bag I would suggest taking some extra insulation layers.

C

 

[JG358]

I would think Between a bivy and wearing some clothes to bed you would be good for just about anything mother nature will throw at you that time of year temp wise. It's not out of the ordinary to see some snow that high up during archery season, or any time of the year for that matter.

 

[bobhunts]

I am one that prefers to take a 0 degree bag so I know I won't be cold. I use Big Agnes bags and have several. They are rated for conditions you and I won't see. Meaning they as all bags I have used are under rated for myself! There isn't that much difference in weight. I do use the liner but only to keep my bag clean and friendly.

 

[Aron Snyder]

You'll be fine! I'll be using a Kifaru Woobie inside a bivy for those dates and have no concerns.

As others have said, wear your clothing to bed of the temps drop.

 

[Lawnboi]

I think the most overlooked way to save weight is going with a warmer temp bag and going to sleep with your clothing on

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Aron recommended the woobie to me and it has done very well. Base layers inside and i am sure that i could stretch the comfortable sleeping rating even further.

 

[Lawnboi]

Aron recommended the woobie to me and it has done very well. Base layers inside and i am sure that i could stretch the comfortable sleeping rating even further.

im actually using a doobie this year as a sleeping bag for warmer months. Seems to be working so far

 

[jmez]

I don't think so. It all depends on your thermostat. I went the week after you did last year, sleeping similar conditions and had a +25 bag. I slept every night with it unzipped and flapped back except the first night. I woke up midway through night one sweating with the inside of my bag soaked. I wish I had purchased a +35 bag.

Not sure what the temps were but there was hard frost every night. Had to have been somewhere in the 20's. For me, I need a bag that is rated about 10 degrees above the outside temp, otherwise I get hot. My wife would need one rated 30 degrees below the outside temp.

 

[Lawnboi]

^ good point. Its nice to know if you sleep warm or cold. I always sleep on the warm side, thanks to an extremely high metabolism.

 

[luke moffat]

I think the most overlooked way to save weight is going with a warmer temp bag and going to sleep with your clothing on

Thats where I kind of disagree. Take Kifaru slick bags for example. The difference between the 20 degree and the 0 degree bag is 12 oz. You could buy both bags for two different seasons and be $633 for the two bags. Or just pack the 0 degree bag for everything and take the $300 and you can likely shave 12 oz off elsewhere with that money, especially when you consider you can get by with going with a lighter pad than you might need with a bag of less insulation as well.

 

[hodgeman]

Bag weight is a bad place to shave weight...go colder than needed not warmer.

If I expect temps in the 30s, I'll take a 0F or 15F bag, not a 40F bag and wear all my sweated out clothes. Sounds like a real bad night's sleep...some things are worth a couple extra pounds.

Took my "insane" 0F bag on a Sept caribou hunt....guess what? Temps in the teens and a foot of snow hit overnight. Couldn't sleep too well with my buddy's teeth chattering all night long though, but I was warm.

 

[Lawnboi]

i guess im different, i sleep really warm, and id rather be a little cold than steamy hot. I have a really hard time sleeping when im sweating.

I do have a 0 degree bag, but it turns into a sweat box if im sleeping in it over 15 degrees. Even open. And im not going out on a wim saying that, iv spent around 40 nights in that bag alone in temps from 5 degrees to 60+

Only problem id have with the kifaru in a 0 degree is that its not full zip, id for sure absolutely roast.

I agree with you guys though, i dont condone using a lighter bag than what you need unless you know how you sleep. When in doubt take the lower temp bag!!!

 

[Brandon Pattison]

I created a poll for this.

 

[swat8888]

I have an old Kelty Lightyear 20 degree that has served me well. Plenty of lighter, better options out there...just not an expense I really need to make. For whatever reason I am usually warmest the less clothing I wear (don't worry the manscaping nether-regions stay clothed....gotta keep that funk trapped and out of my nostrils). From 30-45 degrees I usually go to sleep with the bag unzipped...only a hip zip, which sucks BTW. Couple hours into the night I have to hunker down...I've only had a couple nights where I got relatively uncomfortable in the bag...mainly my frozen feet which are always cold.

 

[thru-hunter]

Funny in a way but I guess I am one of the few holdouts to the good ole fashioned nalgene bottle. I keep my pump in the top of my pack and the bottle in a hip pocket. I drink only from it as long as I am near water and it is about 2 minutes to pump it back full. One of the biggest benefits is being able to fill it up with hot water before bed and shove it to the bottom of my sleeping bag to keep the footbox heated.

 

[Rizzy]

Maybe this is your only hunt or you ultimately want two bags?
I think you will be fine for an early hunt like that, but I would take it back while you still can and get a 0 deg so you have something for future hunts that might be in colder weather. I sleep cold and use my 0 deg slick year round.

 

[Mike7]

I like the versatility of a good full zip lighter 20-30 degree with me being a relatively warm sleeper. I have a lightweight bag for summer backpacking, that also works fine during the fall and even winter here with the addition of a bivy sac and with warm insulating clothing layers as needed, which I have to carry anyway in the fall/winter. For me also, I find it key to be carrying warm comfortable sleeping pads (carry that all year anyway) and during the fall/winter keeping a pair of dry warm socks just for sleeping and a dry warm beanie for sleeping also (both which weigh almost nothing).