Building Your Gear from Day One #2 – Sleep Bag

I like my Ultra 20, but quality wise, it's nothing compared to my Western Mountaineering. And there's a WM Caribou on EBay right now for $179. I'd think that would get you to 35, and a lot lower with some layers, and a TiGoat bivy.

For a pad, I won't leave home without my POE Ether Thermo 6. It's just really hard to beat for the money, and I'm old enough now that I have to have an air mattress.

Go with a quilt. I'm a new quilt user and they are awesome. There is not a big compromise here but there is a good amount of weight to be saved. The Ultra 20 is a great choice. You'll want to pair it with a hooded jkt or jkt and beanie for colder use.

Get a NeoAir for the pad. Comfy and Light. Unless you can sleep easily, in which case go with a thin closed cell pad like a RidgeRest for way less money.

check out the gear deals. if you are in time, pick up the summerlite from that company. its an awesome deal. they also have an alder and a mitylite depending on what you need

if not, i just bought a golite and really like it. super comfy material. really light weight. lots of room to move around- my girlfriend and i could share it if we wanted.

People seem to like both of those bags/quilts. I wanted something I could use year-round and wasn't sure how a true quilt would fair at that so I ended up with an REI Sub Kilo bag. I use it as a quilt during warmer months (doesn't unzip all the way at the feet so I just stick my feet into the bag there) and zip it up as it gets colder. We'll see this winter if it will be sufficient.

Since you say you don't mind discomfort, I'd just get a CCF pad or two. The cheap Walmart version would need to be strapped on the outside of the pack I'd think. Something like the Thinlights can be folded/rolled easier it seems. I need an inflatable.

I just got the new Jacks R Better High Sierra Sniveller, 24 oz for a 25F wearable quilt in long.

I am quite pleased with my Montbell bags… SS#2 and a SS#5. Prolitegear.com has a few of em on sale right now…

My wife has the Montbell SS UL #3, and likes it a lot. Very nice bag. The super stretch feature lets her thrash around, pull her knees up to her chest, etc.

I've been reading these forums for a while looking for recommendations for a bag and it seems like you can't go wrong with anything from Jacks R Better, Western Mountaineering and Nunatak. They are all very highly recommended here.

A lot of people use the Golite Ultra 20 but I have heard that the temperature rating is not as accurate for some. The other 3 brands I mentioned seem to be conservative if anything for most people.

I have the Ultra 20 cause the others are too expensive :)
but most people will agree that they are well worth it.

After being disappointed W/ the lack of loft in a Mt'n. Hardware Phantom 32 I returned it to REI.

Then I bit the $$ bullet and got a WESTERN MOUNTAINEERING MEGALITE. Good to 22 F. (this summer in the high Sierras) it is a fantastic bag that I'll have for at least a decade.

The WM Megalite is wide enough to make a great quilt on warmer nights.

DO NOT SKIMP ON A SLEEPING BAG!

Eric

I vote quilt. You will become a gram weenie. Face it, there is no turning back now. If you don't get a quilt, you will always wonder. If you do get a quitl and hate it, you can sell it on BPL in about 20 minutes.
I will never go back to traditional bags. If you're the hard body type, look at the pads on gossamer gear. Very warm for the weight.

I think that mush of the bag vs. quilt issue depends on where you live and backpack; for me, in western and northern Canada, a bag is preferred.

I would second the WM Megalite suggestion and I have a WM Alpenlite Super, which is my high summer bag and it "quilts" very nicely, among the reasons I chose it.

However, I have experienced high summer snowstorms and high winds with sub-freezing temps. here in every summer month and the WM AS is what I consider my bottom line, after years of using a FF bag with the pad pocket bottom and no insulation below me….fine for the BC coast, but, I had a few chilly nights at home in the Kootenays.

One more for Megalite, if you are on the colder side of sleeping, get one with 2oz overfill.