Cheap, light 0 degree sleep system

[Nall Fnk]

This September I will be flying to the Mackenzie Mountains to work as a hunting guide for over a month. I know very little about what to expect, only that I will be out for up to five days at a time and will need backpack my gear. Weather conditions will be variable and could dip to 0 degrees overnight.

I will need a beefier sleeping bag than the one I use for my local mountains, which is rated to 25 and used with a warm jacket. I don't want to spend much money until I know exactly what I need, because right now it is all speculation, and I am sure that if I return next year I will be buying all new equipment. For this fall I can get by with a bit more weight than optimum, but of course I am trying to keep it as low as possible without spending too much, since if I return next year and get started on mountain sheep I will be willing to spend plenty on ultralight gear. So basically what I am looking for is a cheap way to get a 0* sleep system.

The cheapest option I have identified would be using my existing bag and buying a reasonably priced, roomy, 45 degree down barrel bag to use as an over bag ($95 at MEC, 3.4 pounds total when paired with my existing bag). Sounds a bit shoddy, but in terms of ounces saved per dollar it might be a good option, especially since I could buy locally. My main concern would be that the 575 fill power down in such a bag could crush the 800 down in my ultralight bag.

I’d love to hear of other options, though. What do you think?

[Brett .]

You said you have an 800 fill 25' bag; and I assume it is not a stretch-baffle type. I would get a second bag and layer them.

Option 1: Layer your bag INSIDE a 2006 Montbell SuperStretch baffle bag in 725FP for $130(#7) to $200(#4); ordered from a Montbell outlet in Japan.(I can help you with that) The Montbell bag will stretch out so as not to compress your bag much.

Option 2(cheaper): Replace your bag with a 0'F rated down bag for about $150. Numerous choices if you can carry about 3.2 lbs.

http://www.geartrade.com/item/34027
http://www.brandsplace.com/0327-20004.html
etc..

[Nall Fnk]

Thank you very much for the offer. I may very well decide to go with a montbell bag next year and I'll remember the offer.
I see it is possible to get a fairly decent bag for pretty cheap, but many of those sites don't ship to Canada. But even these would be double the cost of what i am looking at right now – I just tried fitting my bag inside a large down bag. It weighs a bit over four pounds – certainly not impressive, but it only cost me 90 dollars and no hassle. It is also modular, which could be important as I expect the temperature to fluctuate a great deal. Still, for that weight and cost I could almost get a fairly decent synthetic bag and have the added insurance and ease of use.

As for the weight considerations, it took me a while to realize that this is not quite like my own hiking trips. I will likely not be carrying the pack all day, only to move camps and there are also pack dogs to help out with carrying food. This still may be a fair hike, and volume is always a consideration, but an extra couple of pounds is acceptable. Now, if I get started on Dall Sheep next year it will be a completely different story.

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