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sleeping bags.


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  • #1255117
    Matt DeWitt
    Member

    @tritan

    Locale: Midwest

    Looking for my first sleeping bag for backpacking.Don't want to spend more then 200 if I can help it. any suggestions? I am 5"8 looking for lightweight and MI 3 seasons only mainly summer backpacking and camping. I am thinking I can get away with a 30-40 degree bag.

    #1572496
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    For under $200 you might look at the Marmot Atom. Rated at 40F and weighs around 20 oz. Wear insulated clothing if it gets colder.

    #1572523
    Sam Farrington
    BPL Member

    @scfhome

    Locale: Chocorua NH, USA

    Matt:

    You don't mention your locale, or whether you are looking for down or synthetic fill.

    If you are looking for down, read no further, except that you might take a look at the most recent issue of AMC's Appalachia Journal and the late Guy Waterman's chronicle of his winter hikes in New Hampshire's White Mountains, particularly with reference to his down sleeping bag.

    If you are considering synthetic, take a look at the EMS Velocity 35 (degrees) for around $200, but it can often be found on sale. It has a Pertex Quantum shell, weighs under 2# (but not a full zipper), and is filled with Primaloft. But don't buy one of last year's. This year's version has much better loft than prior years'.

    For less, there is the Montbell #4 Super Stretch Burrow Bag, around 2.3#, also rated by the Mfg. at 35 degrees,
    for $135 from Hikelight.com. It also has a propietary insulation that works well and a longer zipper. Montbell had an Alpine Burrow Bag #3, that weighed less and had a lower temp. rating, but their web site is down, and I'm not sure if there are any still available.

    Integral Designs also has some nice synthetic bags on their site.

    If you are also really fussy like me, and want a center zip, you will have to endure the cost and hassles of ordering from Europe to get as good weight to clo ratios with synthetic fill as the above, or make your own with Momentum fabric from Thru-hiker and the insulation of your choice. Don't get too far researching into the posts about insulation – they will drive you mad, and at the end, you won't know much more than when you started.

    Hope this is helpful.
    Sam

    #1572530
    Andy F
    Spectator

    @andyf

    Locale: Midwest/Midatlantic

    Matt,

    I use a synthetic (Climashield) quilt rated at 40 F. I may switch to down once it has lost enough of its loft, but there has been no noticeable loss after 2 years of very light use. Below 30 F, quilts are too drafty for me.

    In the 30-45 range, be sure your pad has an R value of at least 5.0 if you're taking a 40 F-rated bag or quilt down to 30 F. I slept in it down to approximately 30 F with a fleece jacket, hat, silk-weight polypro balacava, and a too thin foam pad (1/4"). I was a little too cold to get much sleep. I'm confident that I would have been plenty warm enough if I had been sleeping on my Downmat 7 with an R value of 5.9.

    #1572829
    Matt DeWitt
    Member

    @tritan

    Locale: Midwest

    I don't have a preference on down vs sync. I hear down gets wet is cold but its the lightest. I was leaning toward down for the weight reasons. I live in MI so warm weather in July 80's and humid nights. Working on planning a trip to South Manitou Island.

    #1572850
    James Naphas
    BPL Member

    @naphas13

    Locale: SoCal

    Campmor has the Mountain Hardware Phantom 32 on sale for around $190, which is a super deal on a very nice down bag. Legit 32 degree bag, weighs 23 oz. according to the site. I think it's been reviewed here in the past.

    #1572852
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    I've had that bag for about three years, and it is my favorite, by far. I was lucky three years ago, MH was trying to get their foot in the door in that market, and they sold them through REI, so I got mine on a sale at the killer price of $125. Of course, you can't touch one for that price now. If I lost this one, I would immediately replace it with the same thing.
    –B.G.–

    #1572891
    Raymond Estrella
    Member

    @rayestrella

    Locale: Northern Minnesota

    It is a great bag. Wait 'till you see how small it stuffs.

    Being a side sleeper I found mine to really be good around 40 F, maybe mid 30's.

    But I have spent many nights with it just spread over me as a quilt with a really long footbox.

    #1595266
    Sam Farrington
    BPL Member

    @scfhome

    Locale: Chocorua NH, USA

    In February, I posted about the EMS Velocity 35 bag, and stated that this year's version is improved, with more insulation.
    Actually, EMS has put out a Velocity 30 bag, also with Primaloft insulation and a Pertex shell. The price is the same as the 35 degree bag, but the 30 has more insulation. The weight of the 30 is just under 2 lbs.
    Mea culpa.

    #1595327
    Alex Gilman
    BPL Member

    @vertigo

    Locale: Washington

    +1 MH Phantom 32 you can't go wrong with that bag.

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