Which weight of sleeping bag?

[ganchan]

Now that I've successfully sweated through my first extended road trip in the summer, I'm ready to take additional trips from Central TX to Flagstaff/Phoenix (in October) and maybe El Paso (in December). Which means I need to shop for a sleeping bag, since I'm "roughing it" without artificial heat sources in a Ford Expedition. I do have a thick comforter which can be placed over whatever bag I buy, so I'm wondering just how much sleeping bag I might need. My wallet tells me to go for one of the cheaper 30-degree bags at Academy Sports -- and honestly, if I were trying to sleep in weather much below 32F, I'd probably check into a motel....

 

[highdesertranger]

I would heed the sage advice of Colin Fletcher, find the best bag you can afford and buy the next best one, it's always worked for me. my summer bag is rated at 30 degrees, so I consider 30 degree bags summer bags. for me a winter bag has a rating well below zero. my winter bag is rated at -35. that doesn't mean I have to use it at -35 but it sure is comfy at 10. highdesertranger

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

I'd start by looking at the average highs and lows of certain cities along your planned route.  You can see the graph below the monthly data for Flagstaff here:
https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/USAZ0068:1:US

So after sampling a few cities you plan to spend time in, and knowing what time of year you'll be there, you now know what temperature rating you need out of the bag.

Next I would only purchase a bag that is EN rated:
https://www.theactivetimes.com/explained-sleeping-bag-temperature-ratings

It is a standardized way of testing higher end sleeping bags and with this certification, you can be relatively assured what temperature rating they are advertising for the bag is truthful.  Buying a 0F bag from Walmart for $50 isn't going to be a good experience at 0F.  Manufacturers can claim whatever they want with the temperature ratings of their bags, but the EN rating lets you know they proved it.  GL!

 

[MikeRuth]

I don't even know what's the latest in bags, but I bought a Down Mummy bag rated for 0 degree like 35 years ago. I just used that same bag and it felt every bit as good as it ever has. Stored in it's pouch it looks and feels just like new. I think I had it dry cleaned once or twice.

I'd highly recommend saving if you kneed to and get as others mentioned a better, high quality bag. It's an investment in both quality and longevity/

Mike R

 

[lenny flank]

I have three different bags with different ratings. I can use whatever one works, and in REAL cold weather I can layer them together.

I have also found that the temperature ratings on most bags are either VERY optimistic, or they use people to test them who are a lot more cold-tolerant than I am.

 

[Gideon33w]

Try a military surplus store and look for an Army ECWS sleeping system. You pick whichever combo works for your situation and temps.
There's plenty of other and even better options but there's enough of these things around to pick one up cheap.
These things got us through Afghanistan mountain winters until we got our HALO brand bags (now RECON iirc).

If budget is an issue, I vandwelled with a cheepie plus a fleece bag insert when needed.
Add to that a hot water bottle and you can get by through some pretty rough temps no problem.
Only source of heat was a cast iron skillet I would get piping hot and then leave on the stove.

 

[DuneElliot]

I have been down to below freezing in the cab of my truck with a cheap Walmart comforter and a couple of blankets and been TOASTY warm, even with the window slightly open. I like having a proper bed with sheets and a comforter rather than sleeping in a sleeping bag (except when backpacking and even then I carry a pillow!)

Unless you are planning to backpack with it, just buy a cheap 30* bag from Walmart, or anywhere, and then added a cheap fleece bag to it if you think it's necessary. Down is awesome but you don't want to keep it compressed and is really only worth it if you are carrying it...it is also more expensive.

 

[HumbleBeginnings]

...
Next I would only purchase a bag that is EN rated:
https://www.theactivetimes.com/explained-sleeping-bag-temperature-ratings

It is a standardized way of testing higher end sleeping bags and with this certification, you can be relatively assured what temperature rating they are advertising for the bag is truthful.  Buying a 0F bag from Walmart for $50 isn't going to be a good experience at 0F.  Manufacturers can claim whatever they want with the temperature ratings of their bags, but the EN rating lets you know they proved it.  GL!

This is my advice, rely on EN ratings only. Any other references to temperature are just whatever the manufacturer wants to say for marketing purposes. Find a bag with an EN comfort rating 10 degrees below the weather you'll be in, and you should be good.

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

Another thing I thought of when someone mentioned downed not liking being compressed... this is true, it will ruin the loft over time. Another factor to consider is how much condensation builds up in your rig and how often you have the chance to air out your bag. If you're in a humid climate for weeks, and are city-dwelling where it'd be weird to air out your bag in public....then your sleeping back will collect moisture and moisture affects the warmth of the bag worse in down vs. synthetic because down is very susceptible to collapsing when wet. There are definitely good quality synthetic bags out there that are cheaper, EN rated, don't compress as well (but then again, you're vandwelling, not backpacking), and retain more of their loft if they get moist. I'd also consider the cut of the sleeping bag. Something I use while backpacking is very tightly cut and form fitting in an effort to retain as much heat as possible in harsh conditions and remain as light as possible. If I were sleeping in that more than a week straight, I'd feel confined and I personally would not sleep well, I'd want a roomier cut. GL!

 

[highdesertranger]

couple of points. I have had my winter bag since 1978, it's down, it stays compressed all spring, summer, and fall plus a couple of years when it wasn't used. it hasn't lost any of its loft. it doesn't spring back instantly but after a day of not being compressed it comes back.

another point just because you have a sleeping bag doesn't mean you have to use it like one. I very rarely zip mine up. I use it like a blanket 90% of the time. but I do have the option of zipping it up. highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

I like the Big Agnes bags but they are kinda pricey....

Mine is a 'Hog Park 20'...

 

[Queen]

Big part of the answer relies on a couple of things, is what you're sleeping in well insulated, and how cold do you get? If you're out in the open in a hammock and sleep cold, no bag in the world would be enough (that would be me). If you're in your insulated vehicle with some padding underneath you and you're not a super cold sleeper, and cheapy bag and liner should work great. I like the LL Bean camp bags, they are fairly cheap and if you don't like it you can send it back.

 

[JannaB]

I'm kind of surprised that you guys are all fancy in your special sleeping bags. I sleep in a bed with sheets and blankets. If it's cold I wear a hat, gloves, socks made from natural fibers, and maybe some extra covers. If seriously cold the dog helps keep me warm. Haha. ;-)

 

[Gideon33w]

It's more a matter of answering the questions. My latest van has a full bed with proper bedding but that's not the question, haha.

 

[Chitza]

I sleep in the back of my Jeep with an insulated sleeping pad(I have the Big Agnes Q core) and my sleeping bag or just a blanket. But I have been doing some research on hiking the Appalachian Trail and most of the hikers are going to quilts rather than bags. Since down depends on the loft to trap heat, when you lay on it, it compresses and loses its ability to keep you warm. Just some things to think about. A good down comforter may be all you need.

 

[karl]

I rarely use a bag anymore since I need to move about often, but on the occasion use a "30 degree" no name bag and supplement it with woolen underwear, sweats, wool watch cap, socks, space blankets and/or comforters as needed.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

The whole you can't keep down compressed is an old wives tale. There was a study done on it somewhere but I can't find it for the life of me. I believe the only impact long term compression has is the length of time it takes to re-loft and reach it's full insulating value. I keep mine compressed, some for years and they are fine after a few hours of opening them. I also have my Grandfather's Eddie Bauer down bag from the 70's and it was compressed for 22 years and it's one of the nicest bags I own.

I'm hugely biased in favor of down, I don't think there is anything more comfortable to sleep with. I've owned at least two dozen different down bags, comforters, and throws. I also own several jackets that stay compressed year round and are only opened for above tree line hikes in the winter, they've kept me warm every time. Down is one area I can confidently say, the more you spend the better it is. If I could only have one brand, it would be Big Agnes, it's almost ridiculously expensive, but it's top notch, I have a comforter from them that has a sleeping bag style shell and it's hands down one of my top ten possessions.

To the OP, I say you will spend a 1/3rd of your life sleeping, buy the best quality bedding you can afford. If spending a few extra bucks, even a few hundred extra bucks on a top shelf sleeping bag allows you to spend a few extra nights comfortably in your car over getting a motel room, you'll make up the difference in no time, over a lifetime of motel savings, it will literally be making you money. Mine legitimately puts a smile on my face every time I use it. But i'm a gear junkie and probably get more joy from some of my gear than is socially acceptable!

 

[tx2sturgis]

If I could only have one brand, it would be Big Agnes, it's almost ridiculously expensive, but it's  top notch, I have a comforter from them that has a sleeping bag style shell and it's hands down one of my top ten possessions.  

To the OP,  I say you will spend a 1/3rd of your life sleeping,  buy the best quality bedding you can afford.

Yep!

 

[MrNoodly]

Since you said you'd be sticking to the southern tier of states in the winter, and that you already have a good quilt to layer on top if necessary, a summer weight bag should serve your purposes. That's essentially what I do. In four years there have only been a handful of times I needed to use both my summer weight bag and summer weight down quilt. Plus wool socks and wool cap.

 

[Belinda2]

To handle below 32 degrees you finally zip the bag up. The rest of the time use it open/unzipped. I would buy a cheaper bag because you can put stuff on top in layers, and then the cheaper bag can be regularlly washed.
I believe the key IS NOT the bag, but the amount of >>>>>>>>>>Reflextix insulation you put up.
A peice of reflextix 1/4 the diameter of my pinky finger is R24-32 depending on how you use it. Last winter was harsh here in the east. I only needed to turn my heater on two times the whole winter.