Hiking/Camping: Sleeping bag recommendations?

[ryan3030]

Hey all,

Planning on doing a lot of hiking/camping this summer with some friends. I've got my pack all ready to go with my 1 man tent strapped on (very small and light weight). I got my sleeping bag but the trouble is it's larger than my entire pack which is obviously overkill for hiking.

I'll be okay just carrying it to a nearby campsite but for hiking any distance at all I'm going to need a bag that is not only lighter, but also easy to strap on to my pack.

We won't be camping in anything colder than 40F or 50F at night. What light weight/compact bags do you recommend that are easy to strap on to a pack? Synthetic bag preferred unless you can give as convincing reason as to why I should carry a down bag instead.

I'd prefer a non-mummy (open) style bag, and I'm about 6'0 200 lbs with broad shoulders/chest.

 

[tyler34]

check out lafuma bags, mine compacts down to about the size of a 2 liter. also backcountry.com is my go to place for outdoor stuff, heres 30-55 degree synthetic bags that will pack up real small.


55 to 30 Degree Synthetic Bags from Backcountry.com

 

[6birds]

Good compression sacks make a huge difference.

Go to a good shop with plenty of bags, try to stuff them in a compression sack, buy one of the bags you like that fits in a compressions sack.

A ground pad or bivy sack can raise the warmth of any bag too.

 

[rockhopper46038]

Best I've ever found came from a company called Feathered Friends.

Welcome to Feathered Friends

I took one up Mt. Rainier a few years back. They have different ones for different applications, of course. It is down (so you need to keep it off the tent walls and the ground), but it compacts into about the size of a football.

 

[Woodsman]

How about a heavy duty woobie? Take a look at these: https://kifaru.net/woobie.html

That woobie is about equal to a 40 deg. bag for thickness and the doobie is about a 20 deg bag from what I've heard. Put either on in one of Kifaru's three string compression sacks and and they're not much larger than a nalgene bottle. The only downside is three open sides.

 

[ryan3030]

Good compression sacks make a huge difference.

Go to a good shop with plenty of bags, try to stuff them in a compression sack, buy one of the bags you like that fits in a compressions sack.

A ground pad or bivy sack can raise the warmth of any bag too.

Recommend a good compression sack?

 

[tTotalProvidence]

I also suggest using a compression sack. I have several, most of them came with the bags when I bought them. I found an old army sleeping bag compression sack that also has a lining to keep the bag dry (for older style non-waterproof bags). These old surplus ones are cool and easy to find but they are pretty heavy and don't compress the bag much at all.

I recently bought one of these:
9 Strap Black Compression Stuff Sack | 8465013985428 | Uncle Sam's Retail Outlet
It works for compressing a standard sleeping bag really well, and it has attachment points that can be used to lash it to your pack.

That website also has good deals on military/surplus sleeping bags, but I've never tried those bags myself. I'm thinking of picking one up for this camping season.

 

[westfork]

my favorite light/summertime/packable bag is the marmot pounder. not too expensive and works well for summer time around here. i camped out two weekends ago and didn't get cold. i think they are rated down to about 40 degrees.

as for compression stuff sacks - i've got a granite gear that i like. i have a go-lite bag that takes up too much space in the pack. put it in the granite gear sack and cinch it down and you're good to go. makes that bag about the size of a big coffee can.

another method i have used in the past is to just stuff my sleeping bag down into the bottom of my pack and then load everything else on top of it. if your bag stuffs down small enough then just cram it in and pack around it. compression sacks turn your sleeping bag into a 'rock' while just packing it down into the pack creates a more even, comfortable load on your back depending on your pack.

 

[yotewacker]

Go with a military surplus down mummy bag. Very nice and not expensive.

 

[paleoman]

I use a slumberjack 40 degree bag most of the time. Similar to this one Slumberjack Talon 40 Degree Rectangular Sleeping Bag Long, 80598 | Sleeping Bags | Sleeping Gear | GEAR | items from Campmor. Otherwise I just use a fleece sleeping bag which is really lightweight.

 

[TwinSix]

Sleeping Bag

If you are only Summe Camping, try a Cocoon style bag liner in cotton or poly... perfect for humid nights in a tent. I also recommend REI's Travel Down. Lightweight Down Bag - period. If it is going to be cool, throw in the cocoon or another sheet. I like the down bag alot.