Help a newb out a bit!

[guitarpreston]

Last year was my first year hunting out West; I am from Texas. Planning on going back this year, hopefully to the same place, and debating sleeping in my truck like I did last year or picking up a tent and a better sleep system. Last year in my truck, I used a Magellan 40 degree bag with a liner, and a cheap self inflating mat I got from academy and it got the job done, but I would not want to pack it around due to weight and size so I have opened the can of worms that is a new sleep system. It seems down is the way to go for packability, but it comes at a price. Last year, the highs were in the upper 60s to 70s, and lows at night down to the mid-30s. Looking at forecasts based on historical data, it seems like that seems about average. Is it as simple as get a 30-degree bag, or should I look at a 15-20-degree for more versatility? Same question with the R values on pads?

 

[Slick8]

I'm in the same boat and thinking plan for the worst, it can get sporty in a hurry.

Where I like to hunt, lows are in the high teens to low 30's with very little snow or rain. I'm looking at a modular system to for 0 to 30s for lows. Bear in mind, I typically prefer more warmth than most when sleeping.

I feel like a tent is a better option if it gains quality of sleep. To me, that's the name of the game to keep you hunting day after day.

 

[guitarpreston]

I'm in the same boat and thinking plan for the worst, it can get sporty in a hurry.

Where I like to hunt, lows are in the high teens to low 30's with very little snow or rain. I'm looking at a modular system to for 0 to 30s for lows. Bear in mind, I typically prefer more warmth than most when sleeping.

I feel like a tent is a better option if it gains quality of sleep. To me, that's the name of the game to keep you hunting day after day.

Last year I noticed my garmin sleep scores dipped but not terribly bad.

 

[Legend]

Last year was my first year hunting out West; I am from Texas. Planning on going back this year, hopefully to the same place, and debating sleeping in my truck like I did last year or picking up a tent and a better sleep system. Last year in my truck, I used a Magellan 40 degree bag with a liner, and a cheap self inflating mat I got from academy and it got the job done, but I would not want to pack it around due to weight and size so I have opened the can of worms that is a new sleep system. It seems down is the way to go for packability, but it comes at a price. Last year, the highs were in the upper 60s to 70s, and lows at night down to the mid-30s. Looking at forecasts based on historical data, it seems like that seems about average. Is it as simple as get a 30-degree bag, or should I look at a 15-20-degree for more versatility? Same question with the R values on pads?

I prefer a 40 degree western mountaineering bag for Montana in September. That means lows in 20's or 60's at night. If you get cold wear some clothes or your puffy jacket. No sense in extra sleeping bag weight to have down laying beside you at night (jacket).

Invest in a good WM or feathered friends down bag if you plan to backpack.

 

[TaperPin]

It helps to decide if you’re happier planning for average conditions or worst case. If you’re ever camped near the bottom of a large drainage with a small river or big creek, the air coming down at night can be humid and cold. Frost and even snow is possible any time of the year across the west. For a state that’s not real wet, it rains a lot in Colorado. I’ve been at a cold front in Colorado in the middle of July where it rained, blew hard and hailed during the day, and froze at night. It wasn’t the same experience listed on the 10 year average weather report.

I sleep best in a 20 degree bag, but it is usually a bit on the warm side, but that’s not all bad. At least to me, having the bag winched down around my face isn’t my idea of heaven. A warmer bag is also ideal if you need to wear damp clothes to bed to dry them out. Simply hanging clothes in 100% humidity doesn’t dry anything. I’m also a bit cold blooded the first week or so camped out until the body acclimates. My comfort range goes up or down 10 degrees based on how large dinner was. Skip dinner and I’m cold all night, or eat twice as many calories and I’m sleeping hot. Sleeping pad makes a big difference - that’s the main source of insulation under your body.

Sleeping in damp clothes to dry them off works better with a synthetic bag, so if that’s on your bingo card, sizing a down bag a step thicker isn’t uncommon.

For a decade my all weather summer and fall bag was a 10 degree North Face. It was ideal for the worst conditions, but was a little heavier than need be. Still, I was tough and never felt the need to replace it when that money could be put into a lighter stock, new rangefinder or custom barrel.

 

[CMF]

Me and the wife both have hammock gear economy 20 degree quilts, I've been down to 10° and been fine, it gets warm in the upper 40's. Had them for six seasons now from NM, CO, to MT. I don't regret it all. I'll get a 40° quilt one day, just to save weight on those early hunts when it's only in the 30s. You'd probably fine with a 30 too.
I do regret the xtherms we have, they are just too noisy, moving to sea to summit ether lites.

 

[Geewhiz]

I use a 15* down bag for summer scouting and all my hunts down into the teens. If its on the cooler side of things I wear my puffy pants and jacket inside of the bag. I have an uninsulated pad and as long as there's enough air in it to keep me off the ground when its cold I stay warm enough.

 

[The_Jim]

I use a 15 degree bag year round. Unzip it in the summer, use layers in the fall.

For myself nice sleeping bags are too expensive justify owning multiple bags.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Last year was my first year hunting out West; I am from Texas. Planning on going back this year, hopefully to the same place, and debating sleeping in my truck like I did last year or picking up a tent and a better sleep system. Last year in my truck, I used a Magellan 40 degree bag with a liner, and a cheap self inflating mat I got from academy and it got the job done, but I would not want to pack it around due to weight and size so I have opened the can of worms that is a new sleep system. It seems down is the way to go for packability, but it comes at a price. Last year, the highs were in the upper 60s to 70s, and lows at night down to the mid-30s. Looking at forecasts based on historical data, it seems like that seems about average. Is it as simple as get a 30-degree bag, or should I look at a 15-20-degree for more versatility? Same question with the R values on pads?

Beware of misleading R-values. Some companies follow the ISO standard and actually meet the requirements to be the posted R-Value. Others do not follow ISO standard and post whatever R-value or comfort rating they want. REI has some really good articles detailing how to spot the right value and how to determine what you need for how you prefer to sleep. I would strongly recommend watching their youtube as well. A lot of companies, especially ones that are not "premium" will post their comfort rating/R-value in big font and then post the actual ISO rating in small font. You'll see one say "comfortable down to 15*" or "3.5 R-Value" in big font but it may not keep you warm in anything below 40*.

If you want to cut weight and bulk, consider a quilt. They come at a premium but they will be way more packable. Personally, I much prefer quilts to sleeping bags since I feel less constricted. I am eyeballing the Argali tents. They are very packable. I believe their one person tent only needs a trekking pole to put up.