SleepingBags

[RJD]

I'm thinking of buying a good sleepingbag that I can use during the winter. I see some nice ones that are good down to -20 f. I like the multi-layer bags, I can use this type all year.But, I'm kinda large framed and don't see many my size.Also I have to consider pack weight, a big heavy bag takes up alot of space in the pack. Maybe a lighter bag with fleece covers will work. I'm looking for something that will keep me warm on frigid nights and not take up alot of pack space. What do you reccomend?

[campman]

If you are wanting warmth and not a lot of pack weight, I would suggest to get a good 4lb. bag and a fleece liner.  This would keep you warm in the winter and the 4lb. bag without the liner would be good for the other three seasons.  Also most 4lb. bags are larger than the 3lb. and less bags.  If you wanted a bag just for the winter, Coleman makes a great 5lb. bag that is huge!  Hope this helps.

[RJD]

Thanks I'll take a look on the coleman site.

[General-Camping]

here is some general style for reference
http://www.general-camping.com/sleeping-bag.html
pls tell the size you need I will check out if ther is anything we can do to help.

[RJD]

I'm planning on buying a Slumberjack -20 degree,XL sleepingbag. I think the size is 40"X80". If I can find a larger bag thats good to -20 I'll buy it. That and a thermarest mattress should keep me comfortable on them snowy nights.  My last one was only a 0 degree bag,that with a liner kept me plenty warm enough. There was frost on the outside but warm inside.

[campman]

Slumberjack bags are great bags.  I am sure you will be pleased with your purchase.  I know Swiss Gear, L.L. Bean, Cabela's, and REI make great mummy bags but they may not be the size you are looking for.

[liberty71]

I'm in the same boat.  I'm about 6 ft. and 230 lbs and need a roomy bag that will keep me warm at about 3,000 feet during hunting season in the Catskill Mountains in New York as well as various places in Ohio that go below freezing.

Slumberjack is a good bag, but I get nervous about bags made with cotton.  It has a cotton canvas outer bag and poly/cotton sheets inside.  When cotton gets wet from sweat, rain, or snow, it loses its insulation properties.  The fact that the material has canvas and polyester in it may or may not solve that problem.  I'm inclined to guess the latter because of the price difference compared to other cold weather bags, but I really don't know.  Cabela's has one of their bags rated at a 4.9 out of 5 which is pretty damn good though.

I may have to take the plunge and go with it as well.  I had slept in a sleeping bag that wasn't up to the challenge of 0 degrees last year.  I went into hypothermia and was very lucky I didn't die.  That experience taught my friend and I never to camp by a stream in February!  A rookie mistake I'll never make again and that's why I'm so cautious.

Has anyone had any experience with Big Agnes Elk Park bags?  Their made for big guys in cold weather, but their insulation depends on having a pad that slides into a sleeve.  I have a pad from another brand that’s 4 inches thick made by ALPS Mountaineering.  It will be about half that thickness in the winter as I won’t blow it up (it’s not good to have an air mattress in cold weather).

[Adventure500]

have you had a look at Snugpak bags? Probably fit your needs well - they're made of lightweight material that packs up well and takes up little space, but at the same many are suitable for extreme temps. They also have a wide choice of sizes

[tplife]

For only a few dollars more than low-end "disposable" bags made by SlumberJack, you could be sleeping soundly in a down bag made by companies like Marmot.  Go to Ebay and do a search, you'll find that you can own a bag new-in-the-box  for 60% off MSRP that will last a lifetime with minimal care and cost much less in the long run than synthetic bags.  I've done this over and over with sleeping bags, tents, and lanterns.  If I can do it, anyone can.

[dylace]

A great place to chaeck out hundreds of sleeping bags from lightweight summer bags to heavy winter bags is this site

http://www.dylaceoutdoor.com

And as a side note most bags are rated for survivability not comfort so if it says 0 degree it basically means you can survive easy with it but not neccesarily be comfy and toasty.

[tplife]

...And as a side note most bags are rated for survivability not comfort so if it says 0 degree it basically means you can survive easy with it but not neccesarily be comfy and toasty.

Not true!  Sleeping bags ARE rated for comfort.  If it says 0-degrees, it means that in an enclosure with no wind, average humidity and a closed-cell sleeping pad seperating you from the ground, you will be comfortable with the bag zipped up.  That's why quality sleeping bags have double draft tubes, covered zippers and exotic cover materials like gortex and tightly-weaved ripstop nylon. 

[OutdoorDad]

My wife and I bought our king size rectangular Slumberjacks nearly a decade ago.  Wash them once a year - the liners get washed after every outing.  Great bags.  They've had frost on the outside of them a few times but we stayed dry and warm.  The rectangular bags are great because we have them zipped together as one large bag so we can enjoy each other's company while camping. 

We love the bags enough to track down their smallest cold weather rectangle bags for all of our kids.

Never had a morning where they complained of being cold during the night, either.

[themag33]

I have a Slumberjack and love it.  You really cant go wrong with them.

[tplife]

I have a Slumberjack and love it.  You really cant go wrong with them.

I bought a pair of Slumberjack bags, took them home and got a feel for the material, quality, and zippers.  Took them back the next day and bought a pair of Marmot Osprey semi-mummy bags with Gore-Tex covers.  The year was 1988 and today the bags look and loft like new.  We liked them so much that we got one for my son and later an A16 goose-down bag for my oldest and another Marmot bag for my youngest. And you won't believe how little they weigh and  how compact they pack up to for travel.  The Slumberjack bags did have one clear advantage - cost.  They were very inexpensive, and if we only camped out occasionally would fit the bill.