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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Too warm sleeping bag
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| brulu |
rodborz: "What would you suggest?" There's lots of temperature rating method variation among manufacturers, as well as personal preference, and hot sleeper/cold sleeper types of considerations involved, so your mileage may vary of course. But my two cents would be: 1) I don't think you would need a zero degree quilt to help a -20 bag handle -40 conditions. I figure you can roughly add sleeping bag ratings as follows (assuming 70F is the temperature at which I could sleep without any blankets): For each bag/quilt: take 70 minus the bag's rating in fahrenheit. That's how many degrees of warmth it is adding to the situation (how far below the no blanket temp it allows you to sleep comfortably). Add these differences together for each bag/quilt in your system (to get the total warmth provided by your system). Then subtract the total from your no blankets temperature to get the temperature rating of your system. So you might only need to add a 50F quilt to a -20 bag to get down to a -40 system. In equation form: 70 - [(70 - (-20)) + (70 - 50)] = -40 Keep in mind it's just a ballpark calculation, and you might want some extra peace of mind. But Enlightened Equipment makes synthetic quilts rated down to 20F which I think would be more than enough. 2) You could reconsider using extra clothing as a way to extend your bag's comfort range. It's a perfectly good method of at least getting closer to accomplishing your goals (but I get it if it's a personal preference thing). Enjoy the gear planning process! |
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| OCDave |
rodborz: "Hi, I am curious as to the when where and duration of your trip. In Minnesota, artic cold spells with the temperatures for which you are preparing don't typically occur "unexpectedly". In fact, those rare nights when the temperatures reach 40 below, are forecast enough in advance that those hearty enough to want to test the limits of their gear and their "grit" can plan, pack and and get themselves into the woods in time to experience those lows. I have camped twice when temps reached as low as -35*. Both nights those temps were predicted on the local news several days in advance. |
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| Minnesotian |
rodborz: "Hi, Gonna need more information from ya if you don't mind. The sleeping bag is just one component of the whole winter camping setup. What is your sleeping pad? What is your shelter, if any? Will you be bringing a wood stove? These may all seem non-related to your sleeping bag question, but what shelter you have and what you are sleeping on directly affects your sleeping system. For instance, let's say you are going without a tent and are planning on sleeping under the stars. That means you will need a good foam pad (like mini-cell foam) between you and the snow/ice and your sleeping bag system will need to keep you alive to the potential -40 F. However, if you are taking a tent with a wood fired stove in it and are sleeping on a cot, then you might be able to skip the sleeping pad and only bring a 0 degree bag. Finally, what is your expirence with winter camping? If you are just starting, then welcome! It is quite a fun expirence. Many new people start off by taking two sleeping bags and stuffing one within the other, so the 20 degree bag would go inside the 0 degree bag. Then spend a night or two in a nearby location to see how it works. If you want more information about winter camping, I recommend joining the Winter Camping forum on this site. |
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| Pinetree |
Winter camping is a learning experience as you go thru the years adding equipment and know how. Be nice if you could go with a group or individual the first time. Summer is so much more forgiving. march is the best time to go, longer days and warmer weather. January is 16 hours of night, along time to spend in a sleeping bag. |
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| Jaywalker |
To the original question, I have a -40° bag and it’s great when it’s cold, but I took it once on a March trip when lows wended up only around +10-15° and I was miserable. I constantly woke up very warm and sometimes sweating and had to ventilate with cold air. On that trip I really wished I had brought my 2 lighter weight down bags instead. I do have a hot tent, so while temps drop at night as the stove goes out, moisture control is not a problem. If cold camping it’s a much bigger deal, especially for down. |
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| rodborz |
what face mask was it if i may ask? |
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| straighthairedcurly |
If temps are truly going to get to -40, it is highly unlikely you will be too warm with a -40 bag. And if the temps are warmer, just unzip and hang an arm or leg out. With that being said, my husband does prefer the double bag method with the upper bag just opened up and tossed on top (tucked under on the edges). So you don't need to actually find a synthetic quilt, just bring an extra bag. I know you mentioned you have an appropriate pad, but I like to also add a piece of reflective bubble wrap under my insulated pad. It helps reflect more of your body heat back to you. Have a good trip. |
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| rodborz |
I am planning a trip, temperature might unexpectedly drop to -40F and I want to be prepared. If I buy a -40F sleeping bag, I am afraid I'd sleep too warm in it - which would cause bad sleep and sweat. my ideal setup would be a warm down sleeping bag (say -20) and a warm synthetic quilt (say 0F), however, I can't find any such synthetic quilt, all the 0-rated (or close) quilts are down. What would you suggest? I prefer not to sleep with extra cloths, just a typical base layer (no jackets, puffy pants, etc) Assuming I have a proper pad and tent. Thanks. |
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| gadget |
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| rodborz |
So you suggest 2-bags? I guess that would require the outer bag to be larger than the inner bag right? to not press the loft? What ratings would you suggest for them? nowadays within a few days weather can shift from -40F to 20F. Thats why I preferred using a top quilt because temperature control is better when weather gets warm. |
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| Tomcat |
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| Pinetree |
Tomcat: "rodborz: "thanks so much! same here, less exposed skin even sleeping makes a huge difference. |
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| rodborz |
That's the problem with having a -40F bag. It is great for cold weather, and only for that. did you consider such bag (-40F) that can be turned into a comforter (it has a zip from top to bottom)? I think in such case, when turning it into a comforter, it can be made less warm to sleep in. |
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| Pinetree |
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| Pinetree |
OCDave: "rodborz: "Hi, In the 1990's forecast in late March was for semi mild temperature. Well, a cold front came down from Canada with -25 degrees F. and winds like 40MPH.. That wind blowing and cold weather I was glad to have my -30 degrees F. sleeping bag and also a snowmobile suit when I went to bed. Remember having huge fire in the daytime and it was tough to stay warm. Two days later it was close to T shirt weather. Much of winter camping is about ability to layer clothing when needed. That goes in daytime when skiing in or other activity. You can get in big trouble if you get too sweaty and soaking wet. Been there done that, got close to getting Hypothermia, lucky we got a big fire going and dry clothes. It took hours to warm up. |
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| Tomcat |
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| AlexanderSupertramp |
rodborz: "Thanks Jay! I could be wrong but I don't think there is such a thing as a -40F bag that can also be a fully unzipped quilt. The design aspects allowing it to be a bag and a quilt would also not allow for it to be functional to that temp. If anyone made one, it would be Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering and I've never seen one. Bags rated for these temps are arctic expedition level gear and nobody is taking a quilt on a trip like that. |
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| rodborz |
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| jsmithxc |
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| Tryin |
rodborz: "Thanks, I appreciate your response. I dont see where anyone is just posting scare-offs, but I reckon perception is reality. The solution is knowledge and experience. Your questions and replies imply that you have little of either, but maybe that's my perception. Posters are offering knowledge and experience, but we have no way of knowing how it applies to your current knowledge and experience base. So, to keep it simple and stick to your singular question of how to stay warm at various temperatures, the answer is layers. Base, liner, bag, bag2, and cover. Think military ECWS. Warm? Take some off. Cold? Put more on. |
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| Michwall2 |
I have been in a situation where my 20* bag got damp through a day of rain. Even though it was kept "dry" in the tent. During the night the temps dropped into the low 40* range and rained hard throughout the night. As the temps dropped, I couldn't get my own body moisture out of the bag either. It just condensed in there. I had a very uncomfortable night trying to stay warm in that damp bag. I would bet that the damp 20* bag wasn't even acting like a 35* bag with all that moisture in it. |
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| Pinetree |
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| tumblehome |
Pinetree: "My experience you have a sleeping bag rating-that rating to me means the Temp is when you freeze solid. Usually, the rating mentioned you will not really be toasty, more on the cooler side. Very true. My 0 degree sleeping bag is good to about 15' and then the cold seeps in. There is no way my 0 degree bag would let me sleep at.. 0 degrees. Tom |
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| Tryin |
Great advice about moisture management above, listen to it. I may be a pansy, but the only way I'm taking on -40 is with a wood stove. Having an external source of heating and drying is orders of magnitude safer than betting you won't get wet/cold. Is this a group trip? How much experience with cold weather overnights do you have? If the answer is "solo", "not much", or "nothing below -5f", I would strongly suggest you reconsider putting yourself in such a situation. There are a lot of other factors that become important in the cold, and your proposed temps take them from the annoying/frustrating zone straight into the safety critical zone. I hope I'm not coming off as condescending, but anything below -20f is COLD. |
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| rodborz |
please also write how to work it out instead of only being negative, and I am not being rude, really. just that i am in for solution, not scare-offs. |
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| sns |
Your Comfort May Vary. |
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| Pinetree |
Also, brands vary on how accurate their ratings our. I have a -30-degree F. and slept out in -35 degrees F> often. But I also had many layers of clothes on. Also sleeping on snow, very important to have great insulation from your pad your sleeping on. I usually have a balvacada face mask on also. Where any exposed area exists that is where your heat will escape. Moisture can build up in a sleeping bag and nice if it can be aired out daily. Wicking ability of the bag is very important. Yes you could layer a couple of sleeping bags. One last comment, if you never winter camped, try some place your close to exit if needed. Maybe try out your camp in your back yard or close to your vehicle. |
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| jsmithxc |
rodborz: "Hi thanks. Not even sure what the bags are rated. The inner bag is a slim fit mummy maybe 30 degree bag. Its my summer bag, usually I use it as a blanket and get into it as a mummy when it is near its limit. The other bag is still a mummy but a bit fuller design that I use for colder conditions. And for really cold the two together. The weather predictions are much better than they used to be and it was really deep cold I would stay home. Too much work to live outdoors at the temps you suggest, its survival not fun. See To Build a Fire by Jack London. |