Down Sweater vs 2nd Sleeping Bag

A 20oz down jacket is pretty serious. Depending on just how far you plan on pushing your bag (obviously)… but do you have something lighter?

To me, engulfing myself inside two bags — double zippers and double hoods and all — is downright annoying. I'd rather bring a 7-8oz. down jacket and pants.

But then, maybe you do have a real need for the 20oz down jacket! OTOH, if it's going to be that cold and you are really pushing your bag that much — then you will have to do something about keeping your lower half warm as well.

It will help, bring something extra for the legs, down/primaloft or fleece or whatever you have. It is especially nice when getting up in the morning and you already have your warm stuff on, makes the weight of the second sleeping bag more usable. I push my DIY down quilt into winter conditions (down to zero or so snow camping) by wearing all my cloths to bed, the quilt makes this drafty, but it works out well enough.
Go for it!

Yes, the Marmot down sweater is a real inferno.

The only thing is have that is lighter is the MEC Northern Lite jacket. I do have some nice Polartec 100 fleece tights at 7 oz. I have used that combo in the Hydrogen down to freezing but it was a little bit cool.

For better and for worse, the Propel has no zipper ;)

Richard, what will the low temperatures be?

My vote is for the down sweater. I don't know anything about your choice of down sweaters. But this past week I used my Patagonia down sweater to keep warm in my quilt. I was able to lay it across my middle section and upper legs rather than wear it. It worked very well.

I have the Patagonia down sweater also and it is one of the best pieces of gear I own. You can wear it, use as Diane suggested or a pillow. It also cut with a little room that makes it easy to layer.

I'm able to push my Hydrogen well below the 30 degrees rating by using a base layer, Patagonia R1 Hoody and the down sweater.

I wanted a Patagonia down sweater, but I couldn't get one on a pro program. Would have been perfect for taking a bag lower. SAC keeps running the GoLite Inferno, and I'm tempted every time it comes up.

joe – i don't know where you are in NM, but i picked up a patagonia down sweater in ruidoso at brunells for $100 last weekend.

to the OP, it seems that the down sweater and leg layers is the most versitile option as you can use them other than sleeping. 2 bags seems like it would be quite a hassle, although i've never done it.

With two bags, I would worry about compressing the loft in the bags, and reducing the warmth.

When I want to push the limits of my Marmot Atom another 10 degress, I wear a Patagonia Down Sweater or a Montbell EX UL Down Jacket; and a pair of Montbell Inner Down pants. Below that I have to use my WM Ultralite. But, rattlesnakes have warmer blood than me.

Nick wrote:

> With two bags, I would worry about compressing the loft in the bags, and reducing the warmth.

My understanding is that when they do this with Himalayan and Antarctic double-bags they are all generously overfilled. fair enough.

I do this with a light winter quilt over some light summer quilt/bags for out winter. None of them are 'overfilled' at all: far from it. But the over-quilt is rather light and it doesn't seem to compress the quilt/bags beneath it very much. The air that gets trapped between the two layers also helps.

Cheers

Diane's comment jumped out at me: "I was able to lay it across my middle section and upper legs rather than wear it. It worked very well."
Sleeping on a cold rainy fall night under a quilt in a bivy, my waist was cold. I believe the bivy was too tight compressing the down in the hip area. My sleeping pad was also in the bivy. I took my patagonia puff ball vest, put my feet through the arm holes, pulled it up over my waist. It worked. Keeping the head covered and the core warm, the legs and the rest of the body should be warm, too. I would vote for the down sweater.
Although I often wear clothes at night to stay warm, I do try to have at least one layer to put on when I have to get up and out of the bag in the morning.
Smart Wool makes sweaters that are lighter and less bulky than 100 weight fleece.
https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm?gclid=CIPW6dSr4ZkCFcZM5QodSyJ6YQ#/Mens/Apparel/Outerwear/