Which sleeping bag in the Winds next week?

I would take the Ultralite. It would stink to be cold because you wanted to save a few oz.

bring the ultralite.

Two years ago I used a Ul spiral 3 in the winds the first week of sept temps down to the low teens I sleep warm used most my clothing and didn't suffer. That said it was my only ul bag. How much more does the wm bag weigh? I'd take the warmer bag the time of year you are going as long as you fit with extra layers on.

Here is a list of sleeping bags I have used over the last ~12 years.

Ancient no-name duck down bag weighing over three pounds. Results: warm sleep.

Kelty Light Year 25. Results: slept cold.

The North Face Beeline. Results: slept slightly cold.

Western Mountaineering Ultralite. Results: slept comfortably.

Katabatic Sawatch. Results: slept very warmly. Min. temp in tent about 22 degrees.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation 30 degree with one extra ounce of down. Results: slept warmly. Min. temp in tent 40 degrees (one week ago).

Of course the padding R value has a bearing on comfort. I do OK with R of 2.5 but recently have gone to R ~4.3 using an inflatable plus 1/8 inch thick foam.

Hope this helps some.

Personally I would take the warmer bag, agree with the others that sleeping poorly to save a few ounces isn't worth it.

Bear in mind that your choice of pad is important, too. I use an air mattress, but when it's forecasted to be cold I top the air mattress with a CCF pad. Air mattresses typically transmit cold from the ground very effectively. CCF does a much better job of creating a barrier between you and the cold ground. If your primary pad is CCF, you're probably fine. If it's an air mattress, recommend you also take a CCF to top it.

+1 on the Ultralight. You may not need it but you certainly might. I hope to be getting up there by Thursday or Friday. I'm taking my Alpinlite which has the same 20 degree rating as the Ultralight. Went a week later last year and was glad I had it.

That's me and my dog in my avatar. Say hi if you see us. I don't usually ask everyone on the trail if they are from BPL. :)

Thanks, folks! I figured I should probably take the Ultralite, but was hoping y'all would convince me otherwise! :) To answer the earlier question, the Ultralite is probably 10 oz heavier and takes up quite a bit more space. Randy, I'll certainly be on the lookout. By Thursday or Friday, we'll be up around Baptiste Lake, the East Fork Valley or areas thereabouts.

If you fish, wet a line there for me. Note that part of the lake is on the reservation. If you do let me know about it.

Thumbs up on both locations!

Just got back this afternoon from the Winds and was almost too warm in a Katabatic Chisos sleeping on an Exped UL7 downmat. Nearly 12 days and very warm weather. All but two nights where above 11,000 feet sleeping in silk weight long underwear in a Tarptent. If the weather forecast holds, I would go with the lighter bag and augment with your insulation layer.

We had rain everyday but little wind and temps in the 60's during the day and 40's at night. We went in at Elkhart, up Titcomb and over Knapsack Col, down to the Green, up Tourist Creek across the divide and down into dinwoody. Then back up over the divide and into Titcomb, down the basin and over the pass into upper Wall lake basin and finallly down to the Cook Lake cutoff and out to Mary Lake and back to Elkhart.

Great trip and my 35th to the Winds since first backpacking there in 1973 on a 50 miler as a scout.