below -20 F. sleep system anyone?

Wow, you carry a synthetic -20°F bag? I don't even like carrying my 0°F synthetic bag.

The system I'd like to try this winter is my 0°F cuben fiber down quilt inside of my Golite 20°F quilt. The drafts will be miserable, but that's all I'm willing to carry. I may build a big breathable 0°F down quilt this winter, and combine that with the Golite quilt for colder temperatures.

Hi Eric,

For those temps I would be packing an Exped DM 9 and a PHD Hispar 800 Down bag.

Cheers,

My extreme cold sleep system is the same as my 'normal' winter sleep system.

Downmat 7
Montbell UL SS Down Hugger 0

I add:
Down Pants
Down parka
Snow shelter (quinzie or trench).

I've used this system to sleep just fine (actually was a bit warm) down to -40 F.

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Chad, your setup seems to be what I will use but only down to 0 F. B/C I'm starting with a bag good for only 20 F.

i.e. my WM Megalite (now overfilled by WM) EB Down Sweater and Theromlite Micro insulated pants.

I "need" some WM down pants and will likely get some this winter. Synthetics are bulky to pack, even for a pulk setup.

BTW, I think I'll try a VBL suit. Week long trips without a VBL make down bags wet. Don't ask…

Oh yeah Eugene, about that -20 F. bag weight – it truly is d@mn heavy and when in a compression stuff sack STILL has to be strapped outside to the bottom of my big Dana Terraplane because it won't fit inside the zippered sleeping bag compartment. Only my Polarguard 0 F. bag fits inside.

This is a timely post Eric.

Last year , I used this system down to -14F

ground cloth – tyvek
two 1/2 foam pads
-30 MH Lamina
base clothing (smartwool – wind layer)
"fat suit" ECWCS Gen III layer 7 top and bottoms
three hats – skull cap-fleece-fleece
shelter golite SL-3

This years mods:

Ground cloth – reflective emergency blanket
1/2 foam plus exped-7
-30 MH Lamina
same base and fat suit
3 hats – skull – fleece-wool
10 x 10 tarp

Possibilities:

Sacrifical over quilt – link:
http://www.weberarctic.com/arctic-gear/polar-sleeping-bags
– this may be a future MYOG based on the above

Dave

Yeah Eric for a normal winter where I backpack the night time temps are around 5F so I like to have a bit of a cushion for those odd nights out where low lying areas or cold air following a river drop things down even lower.

Of course this winter season is incredibly warm (yesterday was 55F, record high)so I move between my 0F and 30F depending on the weekend.

Down to around -15F:

Bag: WM Kodiak (long)
Pad: Exped 7 DM
Down Sweater: FA Downlight
Belay parka: FA Mountain Guide Hooded Jacket
FF: Volant Pant

If I do expect -20F and then I will take my FF Peregrine and the Exped 9 DM. For Christmas however my wife purchased me a WM Puma (I handed down the Peregrine to my wife) and that is what I will be taking to McKinley in May and Chimborazo later in July.

If it makes a difference then I always use this in either a singled walled BD Eldorado or my doubled walled, 10 year old Wild Country Quasar.