Preferred "all-around" bag temperature rating

[SCOH]

I am about to pull the trigger on a new bag, and am torn between a 0 degree bag and a 15 degree bag. It will be primarily used in the East in fall, winter, and spring.

Is it better to get a 15 degree bag and increase it's insulation with a liner or quilt when needed, or go with the 0 degree bag?

I am a middle of the road sleeper (neither really hot or cold). At what upper temperature do 0 degree bags become just too warm to use?

What temperature do most folks here use?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

 

[Chordeiles]

I use a 20 degree and boost warmth, as needed, with a 40 degree or extra clothes.

I’m a warm sleeper though.

 

[renagde]

I have a 5* Zpacks Classic bag. Basically a mummy bag with no hood. Plenty warm for when it gets cold but if it's warm or hot I can use it like a quilt and stay comfortable.

I think it depends how lightweight your kit is. If you're an ounce counter, I would go with a 15 or 20 degree bag and layer with baselayers and a down jacket/pants if needed to get your down in the 10* range.

 

[ramsdude47]

If I only owned one bag it would be a 20.

I also have a cheap 0 degree synthetic and an UL 35 degree quilt.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Where in the east Do you spend time? Lot of difference between FL and Maine.

I live in NY and PA. I hunt and backpack mostly from TN to Vermont. I get more use out of my bags rated 20* and higher in the ”east”. I actually use the hell out of a summer weight (*40) bag from April until about now.

when I go out west 1-2x a year (or in the east) in the cold I prefer a zero degree bag for temps freezing and below.

FWIW 20* is the most popular rating among backpackers And as said above, if I owned only one bag it would be a 20*

 

[Clovis]

Based on your description of wanting a single bag to do it fall through spring, including winter, I would go with zero degree bag. I don't think it can be too warm for a bag. If it is too warm zipped up, you can unzip it and stick a leg out, which is easier than using every trick in the book to stretch the warmth of an inadequate bag when it gets cold. I have said it before but there are a lot of places I would cut weight before dropping a 1/2 pound of goose down.

 

[Block]

Most good 15* bags are much lighter and pack down a lot smaller than 0* bags,,, if ur packin in any distance they are nice,,, tho you
May just wana spend the top $$$ and get a light weight 0* bag if you plan on hunting colder then 30 degree temps. Like mentioned above you can always open it. Most of my hunts are 30-40* nights and the 15* bag is good.. Any colder and I’d want a ZERO

 

[gexpro]

If you are packing down pants and jacket, think you might be able to get away with something over 15? perhaps a 30?

I have had pretty good success with this method, and you save even more weight/space.

 

[Sadler]

Im figuring this year-round bag out as well. I have a 25* nunatak bag on the way and plan on using it from mid October to mid November, even December if I’m that bad at killing an elk this year in north idaho. I chose a 25* because I have a thermorest xlite to go with it, I sleep warm and also sleep in my clothes. I also figured I could save some weight and bulk in my pack since I’m already packing in a down puffy and pants. I think/hope this is enough bag for where I hunt but there is only one way to find out.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

Depends what brand. If you get a Western Mountaineering our Feathered Friends 20 degree you will be covered for 3 seasons and into the shoulder seasons. If you look at the specs on a 15 degree and a 20 degree Western mountaineering bag the Comfort rating is only 2 degrees different. Note: this was specific to the badger and alpinlite bags.

 

[wildwilderness]

20* - warmth from your sleeping pad R value is as important, or maybe more important than your bag rating

 

[HH393]

I upgraded this year to a Kifaru slick bag in 0 degree, I live in Alberta so maybe a bit colder, or I am a wimp when it comes to cold nights,

 

[wind gypsy]

Depends on your use. I don't own a "Backpacking" bag warmer than 20 degrees (WM Alpinlite and custom Nunatak synthetic).

In practice, when I expect weather below 20 degrees i'm typically truck camping or staying at a hotel so it doesn't make sense to haul a heavier/bulkier bag around. I'll pick up a WM kodiak one of these days just so I have that versatility if needed. I think a lot of folks plan on backpack hunts in the cold until the first time they struggle to keep water liquid for a couple days and have to get out of a sleeping bag to single digit temps and put on frozen boots..

 

[gexpro]

Depends on your use. I don't own a "Backpacking" bag warmer than 20 degrees (WM Alpinlite and custom Nunatak synthetic).

In practice, when I expect weather below 20 degrees i'm typically truck camping or staying at a hotel so it doesn't make sense to haul a heavier/bulkier bag around. I'll pick up a WM kodiak one of these days just so I have that versatility if needed. I think a lot of folks plan on backpack hunts in the cold until the first time they struggle to keep water liquid for a couple days and have to get out of a sleeping bag to single digit temps and put on frozen boots..

and this is where the good ol tp tent and stove come in handy! gotta love it

 

[wind gypsy]

and this is where the good ol tp tent and stove come in handy! gotta love it

Yeah, I have a pyramid and stove. Thus far I’ve only used it away from the pickup with pack llamas. Gathering wood and stoking a fire isn’t a trivial task in many situations. It’s easy to make everything work in your yard with ideal dry wood. Finding that where you set up camp isn’t a given.

Maybe someday I’ll dial in my skills a little better but right now plowing a couple miles through snow to the pickup is typically a more enticing option than dealing with the stove.

 

[nobody]

I use a 0 degree bag year round, just unzip it and throw a leg out if it gets too warm, or strip down to just undies! I've never regretted having a 0! As a rule of thumb, I was always taught that a sleeping bag's temperature rating was a survival rating. In other words, a zero degree bag is designed to keep you ALIVE down to 0 degrees, not comfortable. It will keep you warm and comfortable to about 15-20 degrees.

Additionally, the more you stuff and unstuff your sleeping bag, the less insulating ability it has. So, your 10 year old 15 degree sleeping bag is probably more like a 30 degree bag now, potentially a 45 if you've stored it in the stuff sack. Just some things to keep in mind!

 

[k.cerniglia]

I really wouldn't recommend a single bag to do it all... a two bag system could work something like a 0* and a 30* would be my preferred combination for 4 season all around use. 0* would get old packing in the summer, and a 30* bag wouldn't quite cut it in a single digit night, even with layers

 

[WCB]

I selected 15 but use a 20 degree. Colder I just sleep with long johns or use a sleeping bad liner. I've slept in sigle digits below zero with 20 degree bag and liner no problems...I dont mind the cold though. Also, consider what you have underneath your bag between you and the ground...only time I ever actually got cold my pad had a slow leak in it and I woke up in the middle of the night on the ground.

 

[bridgermgmt]

Better to get multiple bags that fit the need, although its more pricey. But you will have a huge improvement in benefits.,

As soon as you add the overbag, or liner, or quilt, or whatever else.... Your weight goes through the roof, the complexity of the system goes up, and the livability is arguably not a huge a improvement. Plus you add fail points that can really mess you up.

I run a 20* kifaru slick bag, kifaru body bag, and -10 bristlecone. That covers my whole trip styles. The body bag gets used up until 20* (depending on need for weight savings). The Slick bag gets used down to about 10* (depending on daytime temps). And the -10 gets used for EVERYTHING else. I almost always bring an insulation layer for day time, so I can add them for the nighttime if needed. But then I am not adding extra weight for no reason during the haul.

If I run in to any issues with these, I can make another bag work until its fixed or filled. I also always bring 2 bags, leave one in the truck. I backpack so its work to get back and get a swap, but sometimes its worth it.

 

[Aaron Warpony]

this is my opinion- I've spent some pretty cold miserable nights in a 20 degree bag. If doing any hunting in the west or Alaska, I recommend 0 degree, unless you only plan to elk hunt september, there a 20 is usually fine for me. If you're getting a down bag it's not much heavier from 20 degree to 0 and still packs well, the weight is mostly in the fabric, not the down. Synthetic may be a bigger difference between 20 and 0, something to think about. I don't like liners, I think it's a marketing scheme, adds weight, just clean my bags when need be. Layering in bed can get annoying if your clothes are wet, bloody, muddy, etc, I prefer my bag or quilt to do the job on its own 80% of the time. But, I usually am hunting late season, so I get the argument for a 20. but I would rather have a Western Mountaineering high end down bag in a 0, rather than 2 average quality bags that will probably weigh heavier. If you have the money though, multiple bags or quilts are great