My wife and I are slowly building our BWCA gear and sleeping bags is on our list. Looking to spend less than $100 but want something that will pack well. Any thoughts? On side note, WOW are sleeping bags expensive!!!

Any thoughts on using a top quilt instead of a sleeping bag?

Check out some of the outfitters and see what they are selling used.

If you're willing to go higher you can get something like a
Marmot Cloudbreak 30 Degree for $140. It weighs just under 2 lbs . I wouldn't go above 30 degree rating for BW summer use. 50 degree over night lows aren't uncommon. Under $100 bucks and somewhat packable is tough unless you go used

I don't know what temp rating you're looking for, or what weight and packed size you would consider reasonable at that price. You're obviously not going to get a top-quality 3-season, 800+ fill down bag for anywhere near that price. Probably not even used, but check used bags at outfitters.

Go to Steep and Cheap and you'll find some synthetics that may work for you. If you can go a little more than $100, they have a BA Encampment . . .

Consider getting a compression stuff sack for whatever bag you get to compress it as small as possible.

If you plan to trip often in the future, you may want to increase your speed of building your camping inventory. This investment will return your investment very quickly on an annualized basis. If you can pay cash from savings, your return on investment will be much greater. Also, why not put out there a wish list for Christmas, birthday, or other important dates for folks to provide or go together to get for you. Give brands and specific details for items desired.

Self induced savings jar donated to from money not spent for temporary pleasure such as drinks, snacks, meals out, etc add up quickly for most folks. Just be sure to take the time to donate to the jar every time. Even if you cut by half what you are spending now for odd unnecessary stuff, you will still make good progress toward your goal of being self outfitted. I take more trips than what would have been possible had I not followed this line of thinking. I paid for a fly in once with change collected each evening from change over the course of several years time. Money is available: most do not prioritize their immediate desires verses long term goals which to me have a much greater value. If your traveling partner is in your corner and saves also, you will get there much quicker. Hope something here helps. Good luck.

Added thought: Save a little longer and buy good stuff. Look for sales too. The better the quality, the often lighter and longer lasting it is.

I use a hammock and a quilt. I have not used the quilt for sleeping on the ground, but I am sure there would be no issues. Just make sure you have an adequately insulated sleeping pad. I went with Hammock Gear, and they recently came out with "econo" line of quilts. A bit above your budget, but they make quality gear. It seems that the only difference is in the outer fabric, which is heavier. Might be more durable as well? I am actually thinking of going this route for a summer underquilt. I currently have the 20 degree Burrow and Incubator, and slept in 27 degrees wearing only shorts in the hammock. I am a warm sleeper, but I think they are conservative when rating their quilts.


Hammock Gear Econ Burrow 30

As mentioned above, the Big Agnes Encampment 15 degree synthetic bag meets your criteria but is going to run you a little more than you had hoped. Looking quickly I just saw it for $134. But I can't think of many other bags that are going to be warm enough and pretty packable for any less.

The Big Agnes system is different, there is no insulation on the bottom of the bag, but instead it has a pad sleeve for a good insulated or non insulated pad. The idea behind this is that insulation underneath you is compressed and thereby loses most of its insulating properties anyways. So they put it all on the top and you rely on a pad to provide insulation and comfort underneath you - it works well. I have had mine for many years and liked it so much i bought the BA Lost Ranger which is essentially the same bag but in down which makes it lighter and compresses to a smaller size.

BA's temperature ratings are known to be pretty generous(as are many) and I have found that the 15 degree rating is optimistic, really more like a 30 degree bag, but still adequate for most BWCA warm season trips. On a late May trip a couple years ago we hit 26 degrees a couple nights and I could still sleep but it was on the border of comfortable.

A big plus of this system is that with your sleeping pad in a sleeve underneath you - it stays underneath you. No mater how much you toss and turn your pad is always centered underneath you which is a very nice feature. It also has a pillow sleeve which keeps the pillow where it belongs, under your head.

Weight and packed size are very doable for a BWCA trip or even backpacking trips.

This is a Semi rectangular bag. Full rectangular bags are roomier but generally not as warm and they weigh more and do not compress as well. Mummy bags are warmer, lighter and compress well but are simply too constricting and uncomfortable for many people, me included. Semi rectangular is a good compromise between the two.

There are many diehard Big Agnes fans on this site. It is not for everyone but for many that have tried it, they wouldn't go back to a "conventional' sleep system.

If you like the BWCA experience and see yourself going back many times it is worth the investment in good equipment that is going to work well and last for many years.

I got a cats meow, North face 20 degree bag for just over 100 bucks way back when at gander mtn. They might be having some good sales if they are going out of business. It's worked well for me in many seasons. Summer heat you don't zip all up in it. Bring a sheet for on top your mattress. Just note a 30 degree bag is comfortable for most to maybe 40. A 20 degree bag is good to 30. To make such bags go colder and comfortable a bag liner helps and I always bring a set of long Johns just for bed or emergency.





Just be careful who you let borrow it.

I bought a 800 fill power 30 degree bags (summit) from Outdoor Vitals for about $100 and it came with a compression bag. Packs small. I have not yet camped with it but my daughter slept in it all night on our trampoline with a mattress pad in 25 degree weather and she was toasty warm. I tested it in 30 degree weather for about 30 minutes with nothing but shorts on and was toasty warm. At the same time I tested a 30 or 35 degree bag from Mountain Hardware and I was quickly getting cold. The marerial is on the thin side but I think it will hold up unless sleeping on the ground with no pad. I was impressed overall.

There is a referral type 12% discount and so I referred them to a family member who then bought a few more.

quote bwcadan: "Added thought: Save a little longer and buy good stuff. Look for sales too. The better the quality, the often lighter and longer lasting it is."

Good idea. Then consider down.

Outdoor Vitals
Thanks vnzill for posting that. Some interesting stuff at great prices!

butthead

quote butthead: " Outdoor Vitals
Thanks vnzill for posting that. Some interesting stuff at great prices!


butthead"

I have lots of different sleeping bags but always prefer down. I will know more about my long term thoughts on my outdoor vitals summit bag after a few camping trips. My last trip I took my zero degree Kelty cosmic down with 550 fill power. They worked but I want smaller bags both for canoe trips and backpacking. If anyone decided they want to buy any gear from outdoor vitals email me and I can send them a referral code so they can get 12% off. I get $15 for doing so just to be upfront, but am not at all affiliated with the company.

I have wondered about down bags treated to repel water and how well those products work.

^^^ I'd say this is your best bet based on your current budget. You really can't beat down!

quote butthead: " Outdoor Vitals
Thanks vnzill for posting that. Some interesting stuff at great prices!


butthead"

+1. wow...those look insanely cheap.

I have been a big down bag convert since my first experience with my BA Lost Ranger, now moved to higher loft down and enjoy them. Never worried about waterproofing, just keep them dry to start.

I will not refer to the Outdoor Vitals bags as cheap, instead economical!
Curious about the square baffles? Are they stand off baffles or sewn thru? Other differences may center on the topic of duck down (used in Outdoors Vitals), vs goose down.
Anyway I always will welcome new makers of outdoor equipment!

butthead

I have purchased a few bags in the under $100 range (for myself and family). 20° synthetic fill bags are the BW bag of choice for us. I've slept in night temps in the high teens with my 20° North Face bag by adding a fleece blanket, but only plan on a comfortable night into mid 30's with the bag alone. Have found bags that still weigh under 4 lbs. (even long version for me) and have been very happy with them. You can find many in this price range ($40 - $80) on Sierra Trading Post, for example. My wife likes her Alps Mountaneering 20°, my 3 boys sleep in some youth Marmot and Eureka bags and always claim to be snug and warm in 45°'ish temps.

With synthetic, not as worried about getting it damp/wet as compared to down; however, certainly won't pack down quite as small. Weight difference is not that big of a deal to me when on a paddle trip versus a true backpacking trip.

The baffles are not sewn through but have maybe 1.5" (30 degree summit model) of material between the outer fabric layer and the inside layer. That is a much warmer type than sewn through where you can feel the same seam all the way through the bag. My father-in-law bought some other 30 degree down bag off Amazon (Aegismax) that had sewn through baffles and not a mummy style. It was a bit lighter than what I bought but not by much. The zipper was much lighter and looked flimsy but perhaps was ok. I would not trust it to stay warm at 30 but maybe at 45 or so it would be ok. The Summit is duck down which I did not know could even give a 800 loft. I know goose down can. It does seem to get pretty puffy, more so than my 550 fill power Kelty. For space I really like a high loft.

I had been eyeing some feathered friends sleeping bags but they are pricey. If winter camping that might be the ticket.

Look on steepandcheap.com. I have picked up multiple light inexpensive bags from them and then if needed I will also use a sea to summit sleeping bag liner if it is going to be cooler. Most of my summer camping I use just the liner now.

Thanks for all the advice guys, the search continues!

If you're not aware of this it's something to consider. If you have an REI membership apply for their credit card and you'll receive a $100 gift card.
Use the 100 bucks and take advantage of their 20% member discount on one non sale priced item, which is offered several times a year, and you could save significant bucks on pair of sleeping bags. Kind of a no brainer. The card also gives you some additional rebates on your REI dividend.