I need a warmer sleeping bag system Opinions needed

[Edward John M]

I have to admit to making a reasonable serious mistake with my overall gear and my thinking. Having had my sleeping bag topped up with a hundred grams of medium FP down [ 785 FP water resistant duck down] and the original loft having recovered plus a bit it is now lofting so well I cannot use my half bag inside it. I can wear my Patagonia MARS/Micropuff pants tho as well as a LW fleece or Powerstretch layer

Using the half bag therefore isn’t an option but this is good in a way as it simplifies  packing and usage, what it means to me now is that I have to make sure the APEX overbag is rated 0C conservatively to account for my age related lowered sleeping MET so I am now aiming for something around -5C if possible with-in the weight and size constraints I have given myself so rather than a single layer of 5 ounce APEX I am going to be using a double layer; one layer of 3.6 topped with a layer of 2.5, I have managed to source some UL nonwoven polypro scrim to use between the layers as indicated by the makers of the fibre being essential to maintaining the insulations properties. Also the overbag will not be a quilt style, my trials with my Nunatak overquilt tell me the draft problems will allow too much heat loss at these low temperatures. I will use the original Gerry style shell with the insulation fully connected to a full size mattress pocket.

Because I know I will need a hood I’ll have a couple of short zippers installed to allow ingress and egress and so I can do simple camp chores while still having my legs inside the sleeping system

So my Nunatak overquilt has become the basis of a new UL 3 season system around the half bag and an UL down parka

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Ed,

When you take delivery of your Nunatak custom quilt could you post some photos of it?

Eric B.

[Edward John M]

My Nunatak custom came last year Eric and I am still in the queue for my Arc Lite and waiting. 6 weeks isn’t bad tho for custom work.

I’ll dig it out and take a snap or two in the next day or so.

Jan doesn’t make the style I am after for the warmer one so I’m having the new one made locally

[Edward John M]

It is the sleeve in the base fitted to the mattress system that makes this one different from most of Nunataks other quilts

[Edward John M]

This is my topped up winter bag inside the overquilt

[Edward John M]

I am still waiting on delivery of my Nunatak Arc Lite but hopefully I get to try it out within the month.

I have my doubts about a quilt system in below freezing conditions but I will give it a test try-out as soon as it arrives and report back,

[Roger Caffin]

What do you have on your bed at home? A sleeping bag, or a quilt?

Sue and I use summer-weight quilts – 650-700 g total. We have used these down to -7 C – but we snuggled up very close. It was OK.

In the snow we have used these two summer quilts with a down over-quilt. Very functional, quite warm.

There are two problems you can have with a quilt:
If you make it too narrow there will be drafts. That’s going stupid-light. Your fault.
If you use a feeble mat under your quilt you will feel cold. Blame the mat (and yourself) for that. Your mattress at home does not have this problem.

Cheers

[James Marco]

Edward, don’t worry too much about drafts. If you have the correct sizing for the quilt, it will work out. Top cover is your quilt. Bottom is your two pads. You just use any extra width to tuck in by rolling slightly, back and forth. But, you also expose the pad, so the pad needs insulation. You have that…sounds good to me.

[Edward John M]

It isn’t the insulation so much as me being a very restless sleeper

[Roger Caffin]

The cure for being a restless sleeper is to get up an hour earlier, start walking an hour earlier, and to stop an hour later in the day. Nothing quite like exhaustion to solve those problems. ;)

Cheers

[James Marco]

I hear that, I have RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome.) It doesn’t really bother me, but my wife says I kick and roll around a LOT, like every 20 minutes or so. Anyway, I usually buy a quilt 10F/~5.6C less than my target to account for that.

[Edward John M]

Well the Arc-Lite plus the Custom overquilt should be good for any anticipated Australian white season but I’ll have my back-up system in the car just in case.

I can always wear my extra clothing too, I doubt we will see  temperatures that cold tho.

On a side note I just bought a T’Rest Trail seat, not so much to sit on although  I will use it for that purpose, but as an extra layer in my pillow. I sleep much better with good neck support

[Roger Caffin]

I sleep much better with good neck support
Very good point.
I am always amazed at how people use a big pillow at home but skip all ideas of pillows when they are walking in order to save weight. Stupid light.

Cheers

[James Marco]

I don’t carry a specific pillow. I use a Sea to Summit Compression event bag for my bag, sleeping cloths. For a pillow, I turn it inside out and stuff it with whatever is handy, often dry hiking socks, my rolled up pack, shoes, bandana, etc. It works pretty well. In cold weather the liner can feel cold, though. Make sure you have a good hat, balaclava at below 0C/32F. Before the new sacks, I used an older Granite Gear compression sack, soo I have been doing this around 15-20 years. It doesn’t really save weight, but it lets me dual-purpose gear. Sort’a splitting the weight between a sleeping system and the packing system.

[Edward John M]

I always did that too but at 105 grams I thought that the trail seat was worth trying. It weighs less than my spare socks and takes up less room too. I will report back after using it for a while

[Edward John M]

When you take delivery of your Nunatak custom quilt could you post some photos of it?

Eric B.

Well I posted those pictures a while ago Eric. No comment or questions?

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Ed,

Thanks for that photo, Don’t know how I missed it. Looks very warm IF the overquilt for the bag comes to your chin.

1. Your mattress combo looks like it has at least a 5R rating and that’s plenty.
2. Remember you can wear your warm “camp clothes” for sleeping if there is enough room inside your bag.
3. Good idea to cover the foot of your bag with an outer coat.  I always do this with my GTX mountain parka. Habit by now.                                                                                    You have me thinking about temps down to -30 F.. I feel my new LL Bean -20 F. down bag with heavy weight poly long johns, lightweight down booties, pants and jacket and my light poly fleece balaclava are good for at least -30 F. in that bag. And a pair of light poly glove liners are also very nice on cold winter nights.

[Roger Caffin]

AND A GOOD MAT!
It always amazes me how people talk about their SB/Quilt and their clothing and make no mention of their mat. The mat is vital!

</soapbox>
Cheers

[Edward John M]

I sized the overquilt to come right over my head but on the replacement I am thinking that a mountaineers cowl would be a much warmer solution

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Ed, the cowl on the overquilt is a good idea and helps keep the quilt in place during the night.

[Edward John M]

While I am confident my proposed system would be well warm enough I have just been offered a new and unused Berghaus Ulvetanna for $600-

https://www.trekkinn.com/outdoor-mountain/berghaus-ulvetanna-1200/115098/p and I am wondering if I should snap it up before somebody else does

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Wow! That Berghaus Ulvetanna supposedly is good to -40 F./C/ (same at that temp.) and that is VERY cold.

The photo shown seems to show a warmer bag. If it was a -40 F. WM or Feathered Friends bag they would look like the Michelien Man.

[Edward John M]

Bag has almost a foot of free loft, about the same as my system with me wearing my down parka.

No room inside for any puffy clothing, just base and fleece layers, a bit smaller in girth than the same rating from FF or WM but still a super warm bag

I just bought it

[Edward John M]

I also just sold the Nunatak down quilt. I just couldn’t get the hang of it, I was either too warm and restricted or unrestricted and feeling the drafts

[James Marco]

Sounds familiar.

[Author]

Posts