Pairing woobie with sleeping bag

[Bretak]

Hi all. This will be my first backpacking trip to SD in late October. To save some money I am wondering about pairing a cheaper bag with a woobie. The woobie seems very versatile and something I could use during day trips as well while glassing. Night time temps will be in the high teens or 20's. What degree synthetic bag would you all recommend to keep me warm during those temps with a woobie inside it? I understand the lower degree and generally the higher price the better. Would a Walmart 30-40 deg bag work with this concept? Thanks!

 

[WoodBow]

I think you would be fine with that. I ran a $30 Magellan 30 degree bag for 3 years in Colorado where temps were upper 20s to lower 30s some nights. Could I have been warmer on some nights? yes. I think the woobie would add 10 degrees of range to your bag at an absolute minimum.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Used a 30* WM sleeping bag in the Eastern Sierras when temps dropped to teens. Woo i.e. saved me BUT it is not your best choice and why carry unnecessary weight? Get a zero degree quilt and mat with high rating and you'll sleep like a baby. There is no substitute for good sleep.

 

[mrgreen]

I've used a Woobie to extend the temp rating of a bag, so I know that works. BUT, you should keep in mind that the temp rating of a Walmart bag may not be accurate. Also, I would suggest that if you're using a Woobie over a sleeping bag, use some elastic cord attached to the tie-loops and run the cord under the bag. Before I did this the Woobie would slide off me during the night leaving me cold.
It will be a heavy system, though.

 

[Felix40]

If you don't already have a woobie it seems like you would be better off to just get a decent sleeping bag or quilt? I don't see any advantage to carrying two pieces rather than one. If you already have a woobie then yeah I bet you would be fine in a cheap 30 degree bag if thats what you need to do.

 

[Bretak]

Food for thought. Thanks all!

 

[mrbillbrown]

I'm planning on taking my woobie with me this year. I'll have my 20* slick bag in camp and carry the woobie with me as a multi purpose item. Leaving the puffy at home I will use the woobie for glassing, around camp in the morning and evenings, warmth in an emergency spike camp situation, or boost my temp rating in the 20* bag in camp.