Winter Camping Sleeping Bag Recommendations?

Hey all,

Happy belated thanksgiving! I've got my James Baroud set up and itching to hit the road in New England! The better 3/4's and I are going to be camping out at in 0F regular this winter. I have been having a tough time finding good sleeping bags for at least -20F for comfort.

I know western mountaineering and Feathered Friends/Enlightened equipment are tippy top but so are the prices.

I don't mind going sleeping bag, duo sleeping bags, down comforters, etc to stay warm. Gotta keep my jiggle bits warm through the night!

I've seen some Browning and Cabellas sleeping bags but they are rectangular and I don't think they are as warm as the mummy style.

Any advice for -20F sleeping bags that are cost effective (not cheap) are greatly appreciated! Of course, photos or it didn't happen!

 

You are spot on with the WM stuff. I have a 40F bag from them. Have had it for years. Got it for its weight-warmth factor. Thing compresses into nothing.
It is a great bag. Glad I got it.

Good luck on the hunt.

edit: there was a member on TW that used to sell military grade bags. Not sure if he is still doing it or what the rating on the bags were.
If I find the thread, I'll post it up.

 

Here ya go:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/excellent-acu-rfi-military-sleeping-bags.564198/#post-19850025

 

I’ve got a zero degree Eureka synthetic fill bag that I bought at their outlet in Binghamton NY for $75, its well built and warm but not the lightest nor most compressible. I also have a -15 Mountain Hardware 600 fill down bag that’s the bomb, I believe I paid $250 for that one.
Of the two, I usually reserve the MH for backpacking and use the Eureka for car camping or buddy gear.
In a nutshell, down fill is warmer and more$$, the higher the fill# the better. With down, keeping it dry is essential so having a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish on the bag fabric is needed. Down tends to be lighter and more compressible and “lofts” (fluffs up and settles down against you) much better.
Synthetic is a more durable fill, tends to work better when it gets wet, and usually does not compress well (new tech is getting better).
Try REI, Moosejaw, or Backcountry.com. Depending on where you are, The Mountaineer in Keene NY, Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington VT, or Mountainman in Saratoga or Old Forge NY may be worth the trip, as I prefer to support the local shop if I can.

 

Thanks everyone! I think I just may need to drop some serious cash to stay warm (read alive) this winter! It may need to wait a bit since I dropped my whole wad on a Truck Cover USA tonneau and a Sherpa Roof Rack.

 

The worse thing you can do is try to sleep in cold weather with an underrated bag. I spent a 15 degree night in a 32 degree bag and maybe slept 2 hours after that i picked up a -15 northface down bag and never lost sleep again. Rectangle bags are not good for cold weather you lose too much heat also a lot goes into bag ratings if you wear fleece or sweats when you sleep you increase the rating and a big factor is what you sleep on, make sure you are well insulated underneath you. If your not in a rush spend some time researching bags there are pros and cons to both synthetic and down bags, search out some backpacking sites there is alot of info out there.

 

I just came in here to recommend this bag. I snagged one off ebay for about $140 and my god, it is warm. It's modular so you can pack what you need depending on the weather. I think when all 3 layers are combined, and the wearer is wearing appropriate clothes, it's rated to -40 degrees or something silly. In the winter time I'll generally just have the two main bags (no waterproof outer layer) and shove another down jacket at my feet because my feet always get cold. Anyways, I can be comfortable in the bag down into the teens.

edit: I did get lucky with the price but if you're patient, more will probably pop up. It's the 4 piece military sleep system and they're all over ebay.

 

There are also a few more things to make yourself more comfortable sleeping in cold weather. Change your socks before crawling into your bag. Wear a stocking cap. Wear a base layer (long underwear). Gloves might be good too.

When it comes to buying a cold weather sleeping bag, always buy something rated at least 20 degrees colder than what you expect to encounter. Synthetic bags are cheaper, but heavier than down bags. If you're car camping, not a problem. But if you're backpacking where every ounce counts, you may want to stick with a more expensive down bag.

 

I should have mentioned I am definitely car camping! I am not ready for winter backpacking. My backpacking sleeping bag is the Northface Aleutian 20F which was just fine to about that temperature for me but I know that I'm gonna have a problem in the teens and below. What should I look for in the Millitary bags? I know that sometimes they can jus be absolutely shredded on the inside. @EatSleepTacos

Good suggestion, I should look into some merino wool jammies @EdgemanVA !

Thanks @DrFunker for that link! I will def see if any of those last 3 sets are still available when I get paid!

 

Sleeping liner helps ! Keep your bag clean too!

 

After 54 years of camping that probably totals over two years or more of my life camping out I have narrowed mine down to two. The light one is a North Face Furnace 20/-7. Mostly I use it as a top quilt in the hammock. Down, light and warm, it has taken me down to 12 in it and the hammock, with a Hammock Gear underquilt under it all. For more permanent basecamp living my heavy one is this one:


It's no longer made, but you might be able to find one online or a garage sale. It is a Trav-a-Sak queen-size sleeping bag. It's got 220 thread count percale sheets velcroed inside, top and bottom. These were made for motorhome beds back in the day. That's one of the sheets laying on it in the picture below. One side is heavier than the other for summer or winter, heavy side up during winter. This sack on this bed is more comfortable than my memory foam mattress at home. It is a toss-up between this bed and my hammock as to which is more comfortable. When the women-folk come camping they get this bed. It is hard to get them out of it in the mornings. I am legend among the women in our camping circle because of the comfort of this bed. (And, comparatively in their minds, their husbands are lazy pondscum of husbands for not making theirs this comfortable), from whom I earn scorn. The women are like, "To Hell with coming out and warming by the fire. Bring us some coffee..." They snuggle-bunny down in it and sing my praises later, closer to noon. I am just as comfortable in the hammock outside. The workup of such comfort goes like this: clean tent, then wall-to-wall outdoor carpeting for a warm floor. On top of the carpet and under the queen-size air mattress I place a queen-size electric blanket. Then the air mattress goes on top of the electric blanket. On top of the air mattress goes a 3-inch memory foam mattress topper I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Then the Trav-a-Sak goes on top. Pillow from home at top, three huggie pillows on either side. Electric heater on top of grey Tupperware "nightstand" beside bed. The electric blanket warms the air in the air mattress gently, keeping bottom chill away. Tune electric blanket to how cool you like your bed. (Notice piss bottle on nightstand affording luxury of no trips outside tent during the night, AND, 12,000Btu window air conditioner remote control.) In summer this tent is air conditioned.

 

These sleeping bags by Teton Sports at Sportsmans Warehouse are really warm and affordable, they even have some queen/double size bags that should fit nicely in a roof top tent setup: https://www.sportsmans.com/camping-...renheit-xxl-25-degree-sleeping-bag/p/p1365665

 

When it comes to winter camping, recommend a good sleeping pad (or two). Maybe a combination of a "closed cell" pad, plus a decent air mattress/pad.

 

You really don't need to spend WM or Feathered Friends kind of money to stay warm at 0 degrees truck camping. Those brands cater to people looking for warmth to weight ratio for snowshoeing or skiing all their tens of miles into the backcountry so that's where your money is going compared to other brands. If you want to have "the best" of everything go ahead though but realize that's all you're getting compared to more budget friendly options.

If you already have two good sleeping bags you can layer a double wide quilt over top to add warmth. The benefit is moisture produced by your body (not just breath) gets trapped in the outer most layer. So now your sleeping bags are dry and the quilt is damp but can be dried out in the cab easier than two big sleeping bags or in the sun if it warms up during the day.

Something like this would work really well, better if you could find one made with synthetic insulation: https://enlightenedequipment.com/itasca-custom/

Expensive but you only need one!

Temp rating would depend on your existing sleeping bags rating but at least 30 degree. Also look into the R value of your mattress - it should be at least 5 for those temperatures.

 

with the roof top tent, you may well sleep colder than if you were in a ground tent. regardless of what 'mattress' comes in the RTT, add extra sleeping pads. as above, a combination of closed cell and air mattress pads definitely help.

 

The ratings are generally not Comfort Ratings, they are survival ratings, and remember Men and Woman are different temps and react to temps differently..

 

For sure, the down ones for 0 to -15 or so, they're about as much as that tent you have hahah

 

No kidding! My fiance hasn't eaten anything better than Chef Boayrdee for like 2 months because papa needs some new toys for the truck!

 

I think the quilt idea above is good solution with versatility