I currently own a Cabelas Trekker 0 degree bag that I am satisfied with the price to quality ratio, but I imagine this bag will be much too warm for trips to the BWCA during June, July and August. Average lows during those months are between mid 40's and upper 50's. Even the record lows rarely drop to the upper 30's. So the nightly temps seem to fluctuate between 39-60 degrees F.

I guess my question is, what temp rating for a sleeping bag is too warm for the summer months in the BWCA? Is a 15 degree bag too warm? A 20? A 30?

good question, I'm looking forward to the responses here. I was thinking I'd be purchasing a 15 degree bag with a side zip so I could easily vent it. I figured I'd rather have a bag that I could use in May and Sept and be comfortable in, while still functional during the summer months. It wouldn't work in reverse if you bought a 30 or 40 degree bag.

I have a down bag rated to +25 The Kelty Coromell. I have had it out on various summer outings (Early to mid August) I find I need to Unzip it down the side. I have even laid on my Themacell and just covered up with it like a comforter. Seems to work fine.
This Fall was out with it when the lows were in the 25-30 range.
On my Themacell with this bag, I was not cold AT ALL.
Hope that helps,
SunCatcher

Probably depends mostly on how much body heat you generate and naturally, the quality of the bag. I have a pretty good internal furnace and my Mountain Hardware Lamina 20 degree is way TOO hot for 50's. I can't sleep inside it. I'm actually off to purchase a Lamina 45 degree for the warmer months. I'm also adding a liner to my gear this year to give me wider temp ranges.

As Winsum stated everyone's body produces different amounts of heat. I use a Slumberjack 30deg during the summer months and have always had to keep it unzipped. This year my first trip is early June so I might switch to a 20deg bag just to be on the safe side.

This is why I firmly believe that if you are really into camping you need more then one bag. One for the cold chilly fall/winter/early spring nights, then one for the summer. I actually have a 0 degree down, a 25 degree therm-aloft, and 45 degree down summer bag. I look at the conditions for the trip then choose on a bag. If its going to be really damp I go with the therm-aloft if I need warmth I go with the 0, hot summer nights the 45. There really is not a bag that will always keep you comfortable and a bad night of sleep can make a bad trip. That said if all you do is May to Sept BWCA camping I would get something in 25-35 synthetic rage.

I have only one bag and it is also rated to 0 F. If the weather gets too warm, I just open it up. I've never had a problem being uncomfortable.

i have too many bags. my usual summer choice is a western mountaineering summerlite-a 30 degree rated down bag. western is known for conservatively rating their bags so it is a legit 30. i generally unzip it all the way and use it as a quilt whether in my hammock or sleeping on the ground. but it can be zipped up tight on a cool night.

if i am expecting cooler weather (like lows in 20s) in the shoulder seasons i will choose a 15 or 20 degree bag from my quiver.

if i could only have one bag for 3 season camping it would be a 20 degree bag. but it is nice to shed some weight and not overheat under a 30 degree bag.

tg

I use my 20 degree bag for May, early June and early October trips. It has been fine. I have used my 0 degree bag only for mid October trips.

For late June, July, August, and most September trips I use my 35 degree bag and it has been fine. I don't think I'd use a 40 degree bag except when very warm weather is predicted.

I have a 30 degree bag and have used it from late May to late Sept without an issue. Unzip it if you get to warm and wear a layer if to cold.

A 40 degree bag wouldn't be enough for some summer nights, but I think a 30 would work fine except for the really hot nights. Get a cheap nylon liner and carry it in the bag...extra warmth if needed, and great on hot nights alone, until you wake up at 2:30 a bit chilled...then into the bag. And a lot easier to wash the liner than the bag.

I have a 20 degree bag that I use for the bw. I add a silk liner early spring and late fall. I tend to be cold at night, so I try to be prepared. everyone is different, and every bag is different.

Like tg, I have many sleeping bags. I have 3 down bags and 2 synthetic bags. Mostly, I use two down bags. I have a 15 degree bag (Marmot Aspen Down) I use most of the year - including all summer in the BWCA. I have a 0 degree bag (Marmot Never Summer) for cold weather camping. If the weather is too warm, I open up the bag. If cold, I close it down. If really cold, one goes inside the other.

Thanks for the responses so far.

Like tg said, if you had to choose one bag rating for three seasons (spring, summer, fall) what would it be? It would be great to be able to afford more than one bag to complement my 0 degree bag right now, but I only have money for one. Thoughts?

When I made the "one bag" choice I went with a Western Mountaineering 20° down bag. I'm a pretty cold sleeper and for the most part a three season camper and a 20° bag fit the bill nicely for me. You can always throw on an extra layer if you get cold, or throw it off if its too warm.

How about one of those fleece rectangular bags? We have those for when it's too warm for our down bags down here, and when it's cool to add warmth to them too. You can pick them up pretty cheap at the big box stores. A good investment. TW

Oh, and BTW, I ALWAYS take my down bag to the BWCAW. Packs small enough and have seen sleet in mid June, wore a wool shirt during the day for several days in July, and been cold in August up there. One of the nice things about down is you can always use it for a comforter or a pillow if it's warmer! TW

I own 2 bags.

A zero degree Marmot down bag for cold weather adventures, primarily i use my REI Ultralight Synthetic bag for summer camping. Its rated to 30 and has kept me warm on much colder nights.

I have a very strong internal furnace and if I remember to eat something fatty before bed time (smoked fish on crackers) I have no problems.

If you are worried about not having a warm enough bag you might consider getting a liner. I have one of these Sea to Summit liners and I will agree it adds 15-25 degrees to a bag easily. This really saved me from some cold nights on my Colorado Elk hunt a couple of years back.

http://www.rei.com/product/797114

I've taken a 40 degree bag and done fine in the summer. I've even had nights that that bag was too warm. I live close and can choose my bag right up to the moment I go depending on the temperature. This year I bought a 20 degree top quilt which I'll probably use all the time now.

My guess would be that a bag in the 30ish range should be all the further you would need to go down for summer. But as others have already alluded to. Individual results may vary. As some people don't generate heat as well as others etc.

My 2 cents worth would be this. Simply go with a bag the will give you the biggest bang for your buck. If you find a great deal on a 10 degree bag? Go with it. Don't worry about it being too warm in the summer.

In all my years of camping up there, I can't ever remember anyone saying they were so HOT they couldn't sleep. SunCatcher nailed it. If you are too warm in a bag simply unzip it or in extreme cases use it as a blanket. If neither of those 2 provide the necessary solution? It is probably so hot/humid that you will be uncomfortable regardless of the bag.

Ultimately. Too warm is a much easier fix. Too cold can present troubling problems.

TB

I've always used a 0 degree bag on May, June and August trips. Obviously overkill, but it's all I had and it worked just fine. I picked up a 20 degree bag recently to lighten the load. It seems like a good all around temp rating for all but winter camping here in MN.

quote snakecharmer: "I've always used a 0 degree bag on May, June and August trips. Obviously overkill, but it's all I had and it worked just fine. I picked up a 20 degree bag recently to lighten the load. It seems like a good all around temp rating for all but winter camping here in MN."

Similar response here. I have a -15 bag that I use in winter and a big rectangular bag I use when camping in state parks. The reason I got my third sleeping bag (30 degree) wasn't about the temp rating (you can always unzipper) it was about the weight and the size.

The quality of the fill makes a difference here. Good quality down breathes better than synthetics and has a much wider temperature range. My main go-to bag is a Marmot Helium EQ,--rated to 15 degrees. The water resistant barrier adds about 8-10 ounces to the bag bringing the package in at about 2.5 lbs. The point is, I use it quite often as a warm weather bag. Unless I am pushing the lower limits of the bag's range, I always use it as a comforter. 800 fill down is luxuriously light used in this way and my normal nighttime movements seem to regulate the temperature very well, even on very warm nights. I doubt that a similarly warm synthetic bag would vent the extra heat as effectively but others may have a different experience.

Bear, to answer your 2nd question, my .02 would be an 800 fill power down bag, 20 degree rating. Good for unexpectdly cold nights, small package size, use like quilt for warm nights, or bring cotton top sheet, and lay on top of in summer. Can likely also use with your 0 degree bag for really cold camping.

This type of bag is good for many years, taken care of properly. If you are planning on having a bag a long time, spend up, spend less overall, spend once. Good luck.