Glad I’m not the only one who could buy a decent used car if I could magically get retail value for all the sleeping bags I’ve accumulated over the years! Here’s my list, with year of purchase included just for context:
– Marmot Pounder 40 degree bag (2009): An OK synthetic bag for very warm nights (50+). Made sense when I lived in the Southeast, but since moving to Montana I pretty much just have it always in my car as an emergency bag in winter, for car camping in warm temperatures, and for supplemental warmth when car camping in chillier conditions. It also works well when staying in USFS rental cabins in the winter when there is a woodstove.
– Marmot Pinnacle 15 degree (2011): A nice down bag that was good for winter in the Southeast and with proper layering I’ve used in the single-digits here in Montana. I mostly just lend this one out to friends now who don’t have warm sleeping bags but want to join me on shoulder-season backpacking trips.
– Feathered Friends Snowbunting 0 degree (2015): A high-quality bag for winter trips in Montana. I rarely go out when the forecast is below zero for the overnight low and this bag gives me good peace-of-mind for if the temps drop below that. I’ve supplemented it with layers and been comfortable at 5 below.
– Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 20 (2017): I used this bag for most April-October trips in Montana until I got the REI Magma 30. Now I mostly just use it shoulder season. Great bag.
– REI Magma 30 (2019): I tested this bag for Backpacking Light and it quickly became one of my favorite bags. I used it for every trip I did this summer as it is perfect for the Northern Rockies were it can get chilly, if not downright cold, overnight at higher elevations.
