What Temp bag for SW CO archery?

[Kelias10]

First time elk hunting in the Colorado for next season. We are planning for September archery OTC. What temp bag or quilt is recommended?

 

[snowymtnwolf]

What elevation ? What’s valley elevation (trail head). What’s peak elevation.

Where do you plan to always camp or will you camp on the go ?


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[Kelias10]

What elevation ? What’s valley elevation (trail head). What’s peak elevation.

Where do you plan to always camp or will you camp on the go ?


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We don’t have a unit picked out yet. I’m planning to camp around 8k, Peak around 11-12k. Camp on the go until we find elk. Does this sound right. First timer here!

 

[rideold]

I bring a 15 and a 0 and make the call based on the weather forecast. I use the 15 for the most part but there have been times sleeping in my truck that I ended up breaking out the 0. I tend to hunt the end of archery season and at upper elevations. It's a crap shoot and it depends on how warm you sleep....or how tolerant you are of being cold.

 

[sodaksooner]

Ive used a 20 degree bag with a liner before, but won't say I was totally comfortable, not uncomfortable. My camp bag is a zero degree bag, but it's not very effective....lol. If I were doing it again, i'd pick up a nice 0 degree bag and call it good.

 

[streetdoctor]

I use a 10 degree quilt and a good pad.

 

[Kelias10]

I have been leaning towards a 15 degree Nemo bag and maybe puffy clothes as an option.

 

[Dos Perros]

I think you could likely get by with a true 20 degree comfort rating, crazy weather events excluded.

 

[carsonkeys]

We don’t have a unit picked out yet. I’m planning to camp around 8k, Peak around 11-12k. Camp on the go until we find elk. Does this sound right. First timer here!

20* will get you through archery season IME. I can’t tell by this post, but you might reconsider gaining 3-4k vert everyday. That sounds absolutely brutal.

 

[Elkfitness]

I currently run and have ran for many years, a marmot helium membrane 15 degree down bag for all my fall mountain trips up into the high country. I’d rather be warm than cold. It’s one of the only things besides my copper spur tent that has stayed consistent.


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[cullenz]

I run a 15 degree WM Badger, and have or years. I think there has only been a couple occasions in the last 10 years or so where I grabbed a warmer bag. Even then, I could have taken the 15 degree and been OK.

 

[mrbillbrown]

I use a 0 slick bag or a 20 slick bag with a woobie ready to slip inside if I’m surprised by colder temps.


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[Marble]

I think you could likely get by with a true 20 degree comfort rating, crazy weather events excluded.

This and make sure it is sized correctly. If it's snug you'll be cold. I'm a big guy so standard sized bags are difficult to stay warm in. I need wide/long bags to be comfortable and warm.

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[ramsdude47]

I used a 35 this past season, was camped mostly above 9K. I was chilly a few nights but not cold, slept in my puffy.

20 should be fine but have lots of warm clothes if you don’t have a warmer bag with you as well as a backup.

 

[Gobbler36]

I love the first time thread, I wish I could see these peoples hunts play out that are planning on walking 10+ miles a day at 10,000ft till We find elk cause the YouTubers said so! I just wanna know how it actually plays out..

but anyways I’d bring a 15 or a zero. I always bring two just in case and leave one in the truck. usually end up with my 15 but I’ve had it get in the teens at night plenty of time. depends a lot on which shelter too

 

[5MilesBack]

I can withstand being too warm easily, but being cold just sucks. So that's how I plan for things. I use a 0 degree quilt on an Xtherm pad for even summer backcountry camping. And that's wearing merino top and bottom and a fleece hat to bed. If you're the opposite and prefer to be cooler, then plan accordingly for that.

 

[Poser]

Unless it’s a rare year, assuming you buy a reputable bag and are not an inherently cold sleeper, a 20 degree bag is all you’ll need.

I live in SW CO and have been in a sleeping bag between 8 and 12k every single weekend of Sept for the last 6 years straight. If you do get hit with an unusual cold front, it seldom last more than one night for the brunt of it. You can always sleep in some extra layers or even have a bag liner on hand.

This past September, I’m not sure I even cinched or buttoned up the top of my 20 degree quilt a single time -perfectly comfortable using it as a blanket. Lows in the mid to high 30s - low 40s is typical with obvious elevation and moisture variance, but it’s usually not “cold” and if it is, it’s usually not for long as the days get so warm. Don’t listen to the “zero degree bag or you might die” drama queens.

 

[5MilesBack]

Lows in the mid to high 30s - low 40s is typical with obvious elevation and moisture variance, but it’s usually not “cold”

2020 had that freak early snowstorm, and then had heavy frost on the ground every single morning the rest of Sept. I've never seen a Sept that had frost every morning. Normally I'll see 2-3 mornings like that through an entire archery elk season, but 2020 had some cold mornings. Plan for the worst, and hope for the best.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Unless it’s a rare year, assuming you buy a reputable bag and are not an inherently cold sleeper, a 20 degree bag is all you’ll need.

I live in SW CO and have been in a sleeping bag between 8 and 12k every single weekend of Sept for the last 6 years straight. If you do get hit with an unusual cold front, it seldom last more than one night for the brunt of it. You can always sleep in some extra layers or even have a bag liner on hand.

This past September, I’m not sure I even cinched or buttoned up the top of my 20 degree quilt a single time -perfectly comfortable using it as a blanket. Lows in the mid to high 30s - low 40s is typical with obvious elevation and moisture variance, but it’s usually not “cold” and if it is, it’s usually not for long as the days get so warm. Don’t listen to the “zero degree bag or you might die” drama queens.

Some of the "drama queens" you so loathe may be using 0* bags (advertised EN lower limit and not comfort) and not 20* bags (advertised EN comfort). So technically both of you could be correct.

For the OP, also consider a high(er) R value pad to better take advantage of your bag's ability to keep you warm. For bags, look at EN comfort ratings.

 

[WanderingFarmer]

Sounds about like the conditions where I've hunted the last two years. A true 20 deg bag (EN lower limit) and a good pad (R-value 5 or greater) did ok for me. When it got real cold one night (teens) I wound up crawling into my puffy jacket and was able to get through it.

For what you're suggesting (8k to 12k, mobile camp), I'd really recommend you spend some time dialing in your gear from a weight perspective. I've done some ultralight endurance stuff (think 15L pack for a 2 day mountain run) and even bringing that experience, mindset and backpacking gear, hunting gear gets heavy quickly. I've got reasonably light stuff and it's a shade under 3.5 pounds for my XL air pad and adequately sized quilt.