Advice on affordable 3-season sleeping bag

[Robert Leonard]

Looking for an affordable sleeping bag that will keep me warm during the summer months ranging from Glacier National Park night temperatures to New Mexico summer night temperatures. Any suggestions on whether down or synthetic is a better option for 3-season tent.

[Robert Leonard]

Disregard 3-season tent. I meant to say sleeping bag.

[Bob Moulder]

from Campmor

However, this being Backpacking Light, I would also have to recommend that you check out some stuff that weighs a LOT less and costs just a bit more and is far better in the long run… after all, you will have to carry this weight 100% of the time.

Enlightened Equipment

[Monte Masterson]

At Sierra Trading Post you can get 30% off bags that are already 20% off (use code: sitemad415). For example the Marmot Kenosha 20 degree 650 fill bag can be bought new for $168 dollars. You ain't gonna beat that!

[Chin Lin]

^Monte's sleeping bag recommendation seems pretty high value. I'd also recommend checking out Gear swap- you can save a ton of money if you're willing to buy used. Also, I've found some down bags on this place called Aliexpress- you might want to check that out.

[Jennifer Mitol]

Robert, I second the idea of looking for something on gear swap. The sleeping bag is NOT something you want to skimp on. Honestly, skimp on everything else – but that sleeping bag needs to be the best you can afford.

Try the offerings from Enlightened Equipment – yes, they're quilts – but they are really well made and have very inexpensive options.

[Lori P]

I googled to check on my assumption, and was correct that the low temps in Glacier can be low indeed. 24, 36, 21 in June, July, August. While those are the lowest of the lows, and there's no indicator of where in the park those were measured – temps can differ by 10 degrees from the visitor center to some lakeside campsite 5,000 feet higher in a canyon bottom – I would anticipate that a 20 degree bag would be a safe bet.

The reason I would suggest, as others do, a high quality bag or quilt:

1) you will have a much higher probability of the rating being accurate, and being comfortable in it is very, very important.

2) you will have a quality item that will last years, if not decades, if properly cared for – if it's down.

3) you will be able to resell it for close to what you paid for – if taken care of – if it's a really good brand. If ever you abandon backpacking and don't have a child who wants to inherit it, putting it on craigslist or gear swap and getting a good return will be possible only if people recognize and appreciate the brand. EE, Hammock Gear, Feathered Friends, Western Mountaineering… WM in particular shows up every so often on craigslist. I had to give away the cheap cr*p bag I started with, after that "30 degree" bag failed to keep me warm at 45. I did tell the guy it was a warm (aka above 45) degree bag.

[Rick Reno]

I can't access their site to see if they still have them, but The REI "Sub-Kilo 20" us worth a look. Mine's hanging tough after 3-4 years and quite a bit of use. Works for me to about 20 with a good pad, or as a quilt in my hammock.

Cheaper than a comparable quilt!

[Danny Milks]

If you're looking for an affordable 30-35 degree bag, I'd suggest the Sierra Designs SB35 (800 dridown fill), Montbell Hugger #3 (650 fill), or Sierra Designs Zissou (700 dridown fill). You should be able to find these for around $200 on good sales.

If you THINK you might need something warmer than that, then most of these bags also come in a 20 degree version. Alternatively, you could spend the money on a warmer down jacket and/or insulated pants. This way you'd have a bag you need for almost every trip, and yet you could augment it's warmth with your extra down outer layers.

And yes, as others posted, you could also looking into getting a quilt. I've been a quilt user for 12 years and have never regretted it. But, quilts are no for every one, so maybe you can borrow someone's to try out before you commit? Good luck!

[Joseph Wright]

Hey Robert,

What is affordable? For some its $50 others its $300 lol.a quality sleeping bag is worth it through.

Sierra trading post has some good options with an extra 35% off coupon.

$175 with free shipping will get you:
Brooks-Range 30°F Alpini Down Sleeping Bag – 850 Fill Power, Mummy
(1lb 11 oz)

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/brooks-range-30-f-alpini-down-sleeping-bag-850-fill-power-mummy~p~8085y/?filterString=s~down-sleeping-bag%2F&colorFamily=01&merch=prod-rec-prod-8085Y

There are other more affordable options there too.

Joe

[Robert Leonard]

I've looked on Sierra trading post, but I'm looking for a long bag and the ones I saw I wasn't ready to jump on yet. I really like the idea of a quilt; I guess the only thing I'm waiting on now is to find a used one for a more affordable price. Obviously EE has tremendous quilts, and I would certainly be interested in buying one, but are there any similar designs you guys would recommend? I looked at the prodigy quite a bit.

[Jennifer Mitol]

unless you will be spending most of your time in super wet environments, down will always be a better choice: it's lighter, compresses better and keeps you warmer for less weight/bulk.

but when it comes to sleeping bags/quilts, you truly do get what you pay for. You absolutely can't go wrong with EE (I'm most definitely a fan-girl!)

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