Need help choosing bag

Although I now prefer Western Mountaineering bags, I’ve had a couple of Marmot bags, and there’s never been anything wrong with them. I think they tend to be pretty accurate, or at most might be over-rated by about 5 degrees (ie, a 15-degree bag might only be good to 20 degrees), but that small a difference may simply be that I’m a colder sleeper, or wasn’t using enough pad underneath. Just plan to wear your long johns to bed, and you should easily get the rated temperature.

While we are on the subject of bags, I would appreciate opinions as to the temperature rating for which to look for a bag intended for High Sierra in the Summer at 9-11,000 feet (e.g. John Muir Trail).

0 5 10 15 20 30 degrees?

It rarely gets below the high 20’s at night in the High Sierra from June -Sept. Mid-30’s are more typical for nighttime lows. A lot of course depends on choice of campsite.

I also had a Marmot bag before converting to Western Mountaineering. Nothing wrong with them at all. If you get a good deal on one and it’s not worth the money to get a lighter, better (in my opinion, Western Mountaineering takes the cake) bag, then go with the Marmot.

Hmmm starting to look like a trend… I’m another X-Marmot owner that converted to Western Mountaineering. I thought the Marmot sleeping bags I owned were built solid and true to their temp rating but Marmot uses a lower grade down, heavier zippers and other options/shortcuts that to me weren’t necessary, making for a heaver bag.

Still for the price Marmot a good value but once you’ve tried a Western Mountaineering bag there’s no comparison.

Regards

I used a Marmot Hydrogen for two years in the Sierra (the older 800-fill, 24 oz. version). I have no complaints at all about the bag, but I’ve recently changed to the WM Highlite (15.5 oz) to save 8 ounces (it was a factory second, and thus discounted, and I couldn’t resist…) and find it to have comparable warmth (except in wind) and a tighter fit. It actually lofts a bit more than the Hydrogen, but is sewn-through and lacks a zipper baffle.

My wife uses the WM Summerlite–full zip and fully-baffled for about 4-5 ounces more than the Highlite. This bag is probably more comparable to the Hydrogen than the Highlite (which is more like the Atom). The Hydrogen and Summerlite are both fine bags: if you want full-zip, get the Summerlite; if you want more girth, go for the Hydrogen. Length is similar (both are 6′ bags). The head muff is superior on the Hydrogen, but for a 32F bag, the Summerlite one is fine.

I haven’t been as impressed with the Mountain Hardwear Phantom bags–they seem a bit less lofty than the Marmot or WM bags, and the past two we tried (a women’s 32F and a 45F) were all substantially over their listed weight. My hunch is that the comparatively heavy shell material they use compresses the down more than the Marmot/WM Pertex. Also, Marmot and WM fill their bags in the US; the Mtn. Hardwear bags (I think) are filled overseas and possibly packed tightly during shipment, causing loss of loft.

Whatever brand you end up with(my preference is also WM), you should do just fine with a 30 degree bag and wearing your clothes to bed, if necessary. I’ve gotten by that way with a WM Highlite and a MLD bivy down to about 19 degrees. That said, everybody sleeps a little bit different when it comes to cold or warm. A bivy bag helps a lot for not much of a weight penalty(~6 oz for a MLD nylon with DWR, even less for the BMW version).
Best of luck