What ultralight sleeping bag do you use for archery bivy-ing, and why?

[jmden]

jmden, you should have stopped by Ruana----it is a pretty cool place. I stopped by there last year and I had my own design and they made it. I just got it about a month or so ago and it is great. I've got three of them now and they are all a work of art. Makes you not want to use them...................
I guess I kind of got off the sleeping bag thread but backpack hunting is a passion of mine and its nice to see what other folks are using for gear.

Randy

I go through Bonner at least a couple of times a year as the folk in law live in Missoula and have a lake cabin up the valley from Bonner an hour or so. No, I probably shouldn't go to the Ruana factory as I'm sure I'd come out a little poorer!
Could you post a pic of your favorite for hunting of the 3 u have? I've been using the fixed blade Buck Alpha hunter w/o gut hook. Somehow I ended up with one that says first production run, 1 of 2500. I sure do like that knife, however. It's a bit heavy, but one of those things I'm willing to pack a couple xtra ounces on.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Well, the original thread was about sleeping bags and I forgot to say what I use.
It is a sierra designs down nitro 15 degree. 2 pounds 2 ounces and compresses small. I'd rather have a smidge more weight and be warm. I've used this bag exclusively on spike hunts including a sheep hunt up in the brooks range and I have never got cold. I am also a firm believer in down--period. I also use a patagonia down sweater for warmth and that with a shell is the bomb.
JMDEN---here are some photos of my ruana's. The black handled one is the one that I designed and it is all steel and the handle is sold micarta. I wanted something that I could abuse, hammer and split bone with being I would be hardpressed to do that with my other ruana. Then when I got it, i'm not sure i could beat it up!
I also am having a small caper being made by them.

Randy

 

[jmden]

Wow...nice selection of knives there. Yeah, I'll have to stop by there sometime, but leave my $ somewhere else when I do!

 

[jmden]

Another thing I should've mentioned earlier in regards to sleeping bag dimensions. One of the reasons I went with the Marmot Hydrogen was because it had more generous shoulder dimensions than pretty much any of the other bags in it's class. At 62" in the shoulder---perfect for me. This is an especially important dimension to have any chance at all in to be comfortable in a mummy bag and probably one reason some who are new to mummy bags come away after their first experience not very happy. I tried a Feathered Friends bag that I really liked in their regular size and could barely get in and out of it and realized I'd have to have them make me a custom bag or I wouldn't be comfortable even in their largest stock size in that dimension.

Put on the clothes you'd normally wear for sleeping and then wrap a cloth tape around your shoulders at whatever point is your largest dimension. Add 10". This number is going to be quite close to what you need to be comfortable--something I learned from Feathered Friends some years ago when I ordered a custom made bag from them. So, make sure the bag will fit you, whatever bag you get. Given that the Hydrogen was larger in this dimension than the other bags, and still came in at 1 lb. 8oz. with it's 850 fill power, it was a no brainer for me at that point.