Double bagging... Sticking a quilt inside a sleeping bag

[Speaks]

A properly fitted zero degree bag should not have room for a quilt in it. Sounds like you had one way too large which is inefficient.

But if thats true packing the quilt in likely helped a ton.

 

[Blockcaver]

I hunted Polar bear in February a few years ago. Didn’t want to buy a new bag just for the hunt. Took a Kuiu +15*F Super down bag that I nested in a 15*F Mt Hardware synthetic bag. Worked out fine.

 

[dtrkyman]

Base camp situation I have been using an old large comforter we didn't use at home anymore, it's heavy and I think just some type of poly insulation, it makes even an ok bag really warm!

It is also large enough to lay on top of and cover yourself so it adds insulation to your mattress!

 

[Lawnboi]

I had multiple times needed to layer my woobie on top of my down sleeping bag. Makes a huge difference as long a you can keep it in place. Instead of buying a dedicated negative temp bag I choose to do the above for the few times I might need it. If it’s that cold I ought to have the woobie with anyways.

As for the OP, those wiggys bags lack a usable draft collar, are cut pretty big, and have a crap hood design. I’d expect putting something inside one would help with some of that.

 

[MuleyFever]

I'm glad you shared this. I always assumed the outer bag would compress the inner bag to the point of uselessness. Now I know.

If they are not sized right they will compress and be less effective. The tip about putting the quilt over the bag leaves less chance of compression.

 

[Flymost]

Long story short, I got stuck sleeping outside in singe digit wx for three nights in a 40deg WM special. On the fourth night my buddy got stuck on a cliff with his goat and I had no issues sticking my bag inside of his and slept like a baby. I figured if two old “camp bags” could work that well a little planning would easily yield a great solution for any weather.