What is a good winter sleeping bag?

**mguenzel** · 12-02-2010, 22:53

Hi Mike here. Can anyone recommend a good lightweight cold weather sleeping bag. All of my experience has been with military sleeping bags and I'm looking for something lighter and more compact.

**KerMegan** · 12-02-2010, 22:58

Consider; are you a warm or cool sleeper? what temps are you expecting to encounter? what extremes will you allow for? wet climate or dry? how light do you want to go? how much is in your budget? just trying to get some requirements before making a suggestion...

**lazy river road** · 12-02-2010, 23:11

As well as are you considering top quilts as an option or zip in bags only? If you consider quilts that opens up a (Aladin) "whole new world" (Jasmine) "dont you dare shut your eye's" (sorry just had to put that in their). Do you plan to mostly use this on the ground or in a hammock because IMHO if it is for hammocking use mainly, I would suggest at least looking into Top Quilts. Not saying their for you (only because am not sure what your intended purpose is) but def worth a look. This will also help in providing you the best information possible.
but any ways HYOH and enjoy.
LRR

**kayak karl** · 12-03-2010, 05:17

golite adrenaline is a good bag. center zip so can be used as top quilt also. had it down to -5 http://www.amazon.com/GoLite-Adrenal.../dp/B0036X5G5M ive seen it sell for 250

**gunner76** · 12-03-2010, 10:32

Also need to know how big you are. A bag that would be ideal in size for my wife would be be way too small for me. Try and test fit the bag at your local REI or outfitters to make sure you are comfortable in the bag.

**tjm** · 12-03-2010, 11:12

Top tier bags
Western Mountaineering
Feathered Friends

expensive but, based on word of mouth, very high quality with trusted temp ratings

Second Tier
Marmot

still very expensive (but not as pricy as the two listed above), high quality with trusted temp ratings
I would strongly recommend you consider this vendor, I have been thrilled with all the bags I have bought from them.

Other Vendors
I was not happy with my first bag, a 15*F syn from BA. I think the issue was that it was too big for me, thus have a lot of dead air space.

I am sure others can weigh in on their experiences.

Quilts

I know I am going to open a can of worms here but....

IMO I would not recommend quilts for cold camping [overnight lows below 0*F] without a lot of qualifiers.

Cold Weather sleepings bags have a number of construction features that quilts do not have: mummy cut to limit internal dead air space, intregrated & insulated hoods, trapizoidal cut foot boxes, zipper baffles, chest baffles, etcs. These features help retain/trap the air that your body heats up around you.

You can use a quilt in cold weather but you will need a lot of other items in your sleep system to mimic those construction features, like a balaclava, down beanie, down jacket on backwards, insulators at the head and foot ends of the hammock [for GE type hammock], etc.

.

**Ewker** · 12-03-2010, 11:28

Marmot Helium bag 15° rating and it is lightweight. It is an expensive bag though if bought new.

**Big Papi** · 12-03-2010, 11:42

I agree with the marmots, I have a trestles xwide 15 degree bag that i will be using as a top quilt unzipped. Plus if i have to go to ground for some gawd awful reason, it can still function as sleeping bag. I am going to pair that with a AHE New River UQ for winter, and add an extra blanket if needed.

**beep** · 12-03-2010, 11:50

I'm a fan of the Western Mountaineering bags, but I have always bought them used on eBay. Buying used bags saved me roughly one-third off the price of a new one. They are super well-made, last "forever", and in my experience are accurately rated for temperature.