Elk hunt sleeping bag...what would you do?

[Creedmoorcarl]

Ive got a $750 budget to get a really warm sleeping bag say late season Colorado -20f bag. It would mainly be used in base camp but being able to pack it to the high country would be a bonus.

What would you get?
James

Ok I know there's a Lotta different opinions but I will give you my personal experience
Whatever can you get sleep in at one night before you go hunting!!
Don't get a mummy bag
I bought a very expensive one -20 and it was the most miserable I have slept there's just not enough room in one for me personally,
Also beware of the blowup air pillows they are not very comfortable either.
Best advice I can give you from my personal point of you is to try them out before you get in the mountains because once you're up there you most likely won't have anything else to use
Except maybe An Elk hide

 

[skipglo]

Look at " Woods" Artic star sleeping bags, although Canadain made you can order them. I used the 5 Star bag for 10 years while guiding on the Athabasca River in Alberta. It's still in incredible condition 35 years later. The 5 star is rated to -50. They make 1-5 stars. They have plenty of room for a good . They aren't light but incredible quality.

 

[WVmnteer]

If you're looking for a bag with a minus -20 rating then moisture isn't going to be an issue when it's anywhere near that cold. Therefore, you don't have to debate synthetic vs down. I'd look at a Western Mountaineering down bag. Just watch the circumference around the legs. Some of their mummy cuts can be tight.

 

[flassen]

I agree with not going with a mummy bag. I need to move my legs while trying to sleep. I like a rectangular bag that has a two way zipper. That way if your feet get too hot (mine do in a heavy bag), you can get some relief by opening the zipper your feet until it's comfortable. I lived in an off grid cabin in Canada for several years. The coldest it got that I saw was 62 below zero. I spent many nights in a sleeping bag.

 

[Litehiker]

Speaking as a former Nordic (cross country) Ski Patroller and US Army ROTC winter survival instructor:
1.) -10 F, down MUMMY bag AND your insulating layer over long johns
2.) Or -20 F. down MUMMY bag if it is on sale and less $$ than a -10 F. bag.
HINT- In very cold weather try to wear a "bank robbers balaclava" that can easily cover your nose. ;o) This keeps your nose from getting cold and waking you up or making you bury your face in the hood and getting it wet from breathing.

SLEEPING BAG SPECS: Get a MUMMY bag B/C it is far more efficient in terms of less space to warm with your body. The difference in warmth between mummy and rectangular is a lot.
-> Try for a long bag (it will say long or regular length) B/C you need that extra length for storing your insulating boot liners, water container, battery operated stuff like GPS.
-> Be sure it has a draft collar with a draw cord to keep warm air from escaping through the hood
-> Be sure the bag has enough girth to to permit you to wear an insulating layer like insulated liner pants and light down vest or jacket in case temps drop much more than expected.
-> Try to get DWR (Durable Water Repellant) treated down. Some DWR brands are Down Tech, Dri-Down, etc.

GOOD DOWN BAG MAKERS->
Western Mountaineering (no DWR) Feathered Friends (no DWR) **These two are the most $$$.
KUIU, REI, NEMO, SEA to SUMMIT, KELTY, MONTBELL


AVOID Mountain Hardware, they skimp on insulation and needed features.

Eric B.

 

[Dean2]

It gets really cold here in Alberta. We do not attempt to use the same bag for base camp as we use on the trail. If you are staying in a cabin or tent for a month or two you need a bag that is comfortable and that you can easily dry out. Large rectangular down filled bags with a good heavy duck outer, wool inner and with a wool liner that you can take out every day and dry is going to be the best option. The baffles are sewn in two layers so there is no seam that goes from inside to the outside of the bag, makes sure it has a baffle on the zipper. That will not be a bag you want to pack on your back into the high country as they weigh about 30 pounds. The are typically called Arctic 5 star bags made by various companies including Woods, none are from China. We use a different bag for trail use. Depending on weather, either down or synthetic filled. Down is good if it is kept dry, it is way past useless if it gets wet. Even in really cold weather it is possible to get a bag wet on the trail depending on what you are sleeping in. tent versus snow cave and what kind of Mat, Bivy sack etc as well as how many days and can you dry the bag each day.

I strongly suggest you buy two bags. Both will last an entire lifetime and there is nothing worse than not sleeping well over a long period of time.

Get a high quality matt to go under each one, that is almost as important as the bag.

 

[Litehiker]

What Dean2 said about mattresses, they are crucial for a warm night's sleep.

Look for AT LEAST an R 5 rating. Good mattresses, either full on winter air mattresses or winter foam-filled"self inflating" mattresses (much less money) are needed. If the manufacturer has no "R" rating skip it and look elsewhere.

And yeah, if you can afford it get a wider bag for cabins. Some makers sell "semi-mummy" bags that still have plenty pf room but with rounded foot shape instead of inefficient 90 degree angles.

But for tent camping be sure to get a warm MUMMY shaped bag and learn to sleep in it. A synthetic shell over a mummy bag can hold most of the moisture from your body and let it freeze there instead on just inside your bag's shell, where it can melt and wet the down, lowering R value greatly.

And this is why you need DWR treated down. It repels moisture in amazing fashion. I have tested loose North Face DWR treated down in a whiskey glass of water and its hydrophobic abilities are truly excellent over two weeks of repeated wetting with a sink spray nozzle.

 

[COmtnman1]

Ive got a $750 budget to get a really warm sleeping bag say late season Colorado -20f bag. It would mainly be used in base camp but being able to pack it to the high country would be a bonus.

What would you get?
James

I'd buy Wiggy's out of Grand Jct., CO. It's very bulky & not what you'd call ultralight, but it'll keep you warm & save your life if the need arises! And I do carry it while backpack hunting(I hunt wilderness areas), but then I've never worried about all of the hype for ultra lightweight this & that.

 

[epoletna]

Litehiker:

There are better uses for a whiskey glass than putting duck down in it and spraying it.

 

[LRNut]

I,ve used successfully for over 30 yrs. Mil.Surplus goose down...heavy yes..... and dont get it wet.....saved alot of lives in WW11 and Korea.........
slept in 2 feet of snow more than once....
with no tent just cobbled up shelter...

The coldest night I ever spent in a sleeping bag was -53; no heat. I was in the army and in Alaska. Used one of those mil bags but had an REI -20 deg bag stuffed inside.

Reminds me of what my driver SP4 Michael Amos said on our first FTX. I unrolled my bag and read aloud the stencil: "Sleeping bag, extreme cold."

He said, "Yes sir, and that is exactly what you get when you use it."

 

[chav0_12]

Alpine Down Sleeping Bag -29C|-20F - Regular | Sea to Summit

Gear up for your next high altitude or colder latitude adventure with the Alpine Down Sleeping Bag. The expedition mummy fit provides ample space for winter gear, while the modified Free-Flow Zip system provides ventilation and versatility. Complex construction throughout and 850+ fillpower...

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Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Pad | Sea to Summit

FREE SHIPPING & LIFETIME GUARANTEE. The new Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Pad brings Air Sprung Cell comfort to the realm of thicker air sleeping mats. Quiet and lightweight, this sleeping mat uses two types of insulation to provide three-season warmth. The XT Air-Sprung Cells are...

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Get those. You won't be sorry. Sleeping bag might be a little pricy but more than likely worth it. It's what I would get for extreme cold weather hunting. It's currently 21° here in Montana.

 

[jtaustin]

Check out Big Agnes system. Mine has big toe box. Super warm down to 0 last year at 10k. Good price.

 

[Arkansasdad]

Ive got a $750 budget to get a really warm sleeping bag say late season Colorado -20f bag. It would mainly be used in base camp but being able to pack it to the high country would be a bonus.

What would you get?
James

Best bag I have ever used is the military issue 3 bag system, heavy to carry but you will never be cold. Rated to 20° below and comfortable. Usually around $100 at local GI surplus. Try it out so much better than the big names and the GI bags are tough.

 

[chav0_12]

Best bag I have ever used is the military issue 3 bag system, heavy to carry but you will never be cold. Rated to 20° below and comfortable. Usually around $100 at local GI surplus. Try it out so much better than the big names and the GI bags are tough.

I'm curious, not trying to take a jab at you but, how many of the big name bags have you used? I've used a couple and I used the military system also and I will say that it was warm but the warmth to weight ratio wasn't there like it is in the big name down bags. That's why I went with a big name down bag that's rated to 5° and weighs well under 2lbs, plus it's **** warm.