How many F degrees of warmth can a silk sleeping liner and a LW down puffy add?

"jagbag silk sleeping liner and the MH Ghost whisperer down jacket (unhooded) can add to a sleeping bag"

I've never tried either, but I'd guess around +10F.

"how many more F degrees can I then regain adding a fleece jacket (mid or heavy weight) and thick socks to the first setup?"

+0F

The fleece jacket will likely be needed around legs to stay warm, and you'll need those wool socks on your feet for the same reason. Even with these, your legs and feet might be a little cold.

I tried one of those silk liners once. I got so tangled up in it that it took several minutes to get out of the sleeping bag every morning. After a couple days of that nonsense, I trashed the liner. I noticed no difference in warmth, even though the temperature the first night without the liner was colder.

As for the jacket, it depends on how warm it is.

I'd suggest insulated pants (fleece or synthetic batting or down), thick wool socks or down booties, gioves and a hood or balaclava in addition to the jacket. That's what a lot of folks on this and other backpacking forums recommend to extend the sleeping bag rating.

But my point is, how many F degrees can I extend the sleeping bag of, by wearing an 850 filled lightweight down jacket, a silk liner, fleece pants, thick socks, gloves and possibly a fleece jacket.

(Long underwear and hat are included in the EN comfort limit of the bag, so I'll be wearing those already and they shouldn't be considered in this parameter.)

Cheers.

Like Mary, I found that a sleeping bag liner does not add any noticable warmth and was more trouble that it was worth.

The rest is pretty subjective but my experience…

Like Andy, I find that wearing a down puffy adds about 10*F warmth to my sleep system.

Adding a fleece jacket to the puffy along with fleece pants (I don't do this), you _might_ add 15* total.

The only way to answer this question is experience. Too many variables (void air volume, breathability, wind, humidity, weights, etc) to even begin to answer this question, even if it wasn't entirely a personal and subjective matter.

The only way you will know is to go out and try sleeping outside. I use the Silva Forecaster 610 Compass/Thermometer for just that reason – 1/2 ounce and I can test out my gear at various known temperatures to judge how it will perform.

My silk liner gives about 5 degrees or so, and my Ghost Whisperer would be at least the same. So maybe 10-15 degrees for your torso, and 10 for your legs (Women are often coldest in the hands and feet – so thick socks and some liner gloves may help).

Cameron you are always so kind and helpful!

I can't go outside and try the set-up out, as I haven't got a tent yet and in Playa del Crimen there are currently 89F; therefore, sleeping with a liner and a down puffy is going to be slightly ridiculous.
I want to purchase the right temperature sleeping bag, so I want to do the maths correctly, in ordeer to see how many degrees F I can stretch the bag of, with layers.

Wearing all that you will extend your bag by about no degrees. You are a woman (women sleep much colder than men) and sleeping bag ratings are rarely accurate. You would probably need all of that clothing to stay warm at the bags listed temperature.
Depends on what bag you are using though, the high end ones have accurate ratings.
If you are camping at 5 degrees with a typical inaccurately rated bag you will want a -20 bag.

Sleeping bag liners don't add much warm, it's more efficient to put that weight into clothing.

"Sleeping bag liners don't add much warm, it's more efficient to put that weight into clothing."

+1

Liners are primarily to help keep your bag cleaner, especially if you are wearing dirty clothes in your bag. So if you are bringing your liner for that purpose I suppose it's dual purpose.

But I guess the EN Comfort ratings are accurate, aren't they?!

It all depends on the person. I can sleep on one side in 20* bag snugged up and comfortable while my gf is on the other side warm in a 30* bag half unzipped.

This is where gear shake out hikes and personal experience comes into play. you can't learn everything on the internet.

"But I guess the EN Comfort ratings are accurate, aren't they?!"

Yes, they provide a consistent answer for a wired, plastic, manikin.

If You are an "Average" woman, you'll probably do OK.
But you won't know that until you're out there for a couple of nights.

If you go to bed exhausted, hungry, dehydrated, on a thin pad, all bets are off.

So which pad should be doing the job then?

May be I should just bring a man with me, rather than a warm sleeping bag. :-P

Would a fleece liner added make any difference? Or possibly an insulated one?

"Would a fleece liner added make any difference?"

A fleece liner would make it warmer, but it is also likely to be very heavy, and it is a single-purpose item. One of the basic rules of ultralightweight backpacking is (whenever possible) an item should have multiple purposes.

Something more like a serape would be wearable and could also be used inside a sleeping bag. It is still likely to be heavy.

With this same purpose in mind, I sewed myself a 6-oz down blanket. I can use it for extra warmth inside the sleeping bag, or I can wrap it around my waist and fasten it with velcro tabs, and it can be worn as a warm layer.

–B.G.–

How can I do this, then?
…Mumble mumble…

This is only 6x4inch and it weighs 9 ounces: http://www.rei.com/product/797113/sea-to-summit-reactor-plus-thermolite-compact-liner#specsTab

it doesn't look like such a bad option after all…

I realize that you're looking for a sleep system that will work in a wide range of conditions. I had an older version of the same thing and found I wasn't any warmer when I used it. They're advertising this as a new design but I suspect it's bull$%!+.

It's also 9oz. That's a hell of a lot of weight. If you were to add 9oz of down to your sleeping bag, you'd get 15* or more of warmth from it.

Alessandra, get a quilt that you can put over your sleeping bag if needed. That will be the most weight efficient way to boost your insulation.

A quilt will cost almost as a sleeping bag…I don't think I can spend that much tbh.

When I lived in Panama, my wife was able to get seamstress work done on dresses and such for a very fair price. I suspect Mexico is about the same.

If you can sew, then save yourself the money and knock this out yourself. If you're like me an where a sewing machine sends you running from the room so you can crawl under the bed crying "make it stop! make it stop!" then commission a local seamstress/tailor to sew it up for you. A Ray Way quilt is an affordable way to build a sleep system:

http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Quilt-Kit/index.htm

I don't remember the accurate numbers, but the down blanket that I sewed was pretty cheap. Maybe four yards of Argon and three ounces of 850 FP goose down. Sewn through seams. Pretty simple.

–B.G.–

How much warmer would the Ray-Way make my sleeping bag?

P.S. If there is one thing I refuse to do is sewing! A bit like ironing. I just wear the stuff as it comes out of the washing machine. Or go with modern synthetic. I have better things to do with my time! (Like trying to pass the 20th level of Snake on my Nokia N70…)

This is one way and how I do it.
I have a Western Mountaineering Summerlite rated 0 c.
Opened up quilt style it works for me at 20c wearing just my underpants
As the temperature gets lower I start wearing a T shirt (wool) then socks and of course progressively zipping the bag up.
At around 0 c I will have merino pants/top (same T…) socks ,gloves and hat.
The hat and gloves usually come off after I warm the bag up.
Below that temperature I will also wear my down puffy top and at around -7 c down pants too
(both pants and top are WM Flash)
All of the above clothing are used at camp anyway, but not walking therefore they are somewhat clean and dry.
( outside the tent I wear my rain jacked and pants over the puffy stuff if needed because of precipitation or just for extra warmth)
So one bag from plus 20c or so to -7 c or so.

Keep tabbing through the pages by clicking on "Next Page—->"

They'll answer your questions better than I can. This is designed to be a stand alone system. I'll let someone else comment on what .75" of insulation equates to as I'm not sure but I suspect 40* give or take.