Is this Dangerous?

I sleep cold so the Ultralite by itself is comforatable for me to about to 5C, I find adding down clothes in the bag does not work so well as it a fairly narrow bag.

I usually like to have my bag match the forecasted temp — my clothing serves as "insurance" when actual turns out worse (which can and often does happen).

You are talking about being cold already even if the weather matches the forecast. What if the forecast turns out wrong and the weather is actually worse?

I see your point. That's normally what I prefer as well, but I'm just itching to get out.

Maybe next weekend.

I do as Ben does. My sleeping bag always matches the lowest forecasted temp, with clothes as insurance. The one exception is if I'm in a place where testing different systems is safe, like my backyard or only a short distance from the car.

Ryan
Like others I use the Summerlite (rated to 0c) with a light down top and bottom to around -7/9c and I am still warm.
(also use a wool hat ,merino T, merino gloves and merino bottoms and loose socks but those and gloves usually are removed during the night)
The combined amount of down in the Summerlite plus Flash jacket and pants is similar to the one in the Ultralite , just more fabric..
With a thicker jacket and a pair of down socks I could take the Ultralite comfortably another 10c below its rating , however I am around 72kg at 172cm so I have spare room inside the Ultralite..
BTW, as Richard Nisley has pointed out, you can compress down a bit and still retain the same warmth, but of course you need to be comfortable with the fit and the idea….
Franco
Reading the other comments and thinking about some of the shelters used by members here..
the given rating is based on assuming that you will be out of the wind inside a shelter. A tarp may not do that, so you need to account at least for wind chill.

In my humble opinion it would not be dangerous in the sense of you getting hypothermia etc. hoever, It may or may not be comfortable.

a lot would also depend on the type of shelter you use, ground pad etc.

Danger is often in the eyes of the beholder. What could happen?

If the weather is filthy, yes, you could be at some risk. Unwise.

If the weather is really fine, just cold, the worst that could happen is that you might be cold all night. I had better add here that cold nights can feel rather long … You could take some warm clothing and tough it out, with the knowledge that it is only one night and it isn't too far to your car or whatever.

If the weather is cold and windy, it is really going to depend on your shelter. If you only have a small tarp, things are going to be a bit drafty and miserable. That's not so clever. Wind can be bad.

If you have something which can block the wind reasonably well, it is another matter. There are quite a few people here who have made hot drinks or done 20 crunches at 3 am to get warm. Then had a wonderful sunrise.

One thing to consider: take a good mat, a warm hat and warm socks. If what you are lying on is cold, life is grim. But a warm mat underneath and a warm head makes a huge amount of difference.

Cheers

We took the beginners out on a snow camping trip, and we told them to have sleeping bags rated for +10 F or better. Well, that night it got down to about -10 F, so we got some frosty stares from them the next morning.

–B.G.–

Bob, considering their bags probably had quite an optimistic rating, I'm sure they were quite chilly!

ask yrself what yr skill level is … do you know the tips and tricks for surviving a colder than normal night … have you done it before?

only you or someone who knows you well can answer that question …

"their bags probably had quite an optimistic rating"

Back in those days, there wasn't much talk about 'optimistic' or 'pessimistic.'

The only thing we could do was to bunch them up tighter into fewer tents. It's a lot easier to stay warm when your sleeping bags have you stacked up like cordwood.

–B.G.–

I'd go ahead, and I know I would be fine with the extra clothing. Stay dry and eat a warm meal and hot drink before bed.

I've pushed and well exceeded the limit many times in my life. Many miserable nights. Spent one night running in place to keep my feet from freezing.

I wouldn't do this again intentionally. It really isn't fun to be cold, especially as you get older.

Pack ultralight – freeze all night.