[pct-l] Sleeping Bag Ratings

[trail-name-here]

Bags are just too hard to rate precisely because everyone sleeps so
differently. (I've done polling.)

How many people have sleeping partners who freeze while you sweat, or you
kick off covers, and they throw on blankets. And this happens when you're
inside a heated house.

I sleep really warm in the summer but really cold in the winter - go figure.


My story is that I carry a Feathered Friends 30 degree bag in the summer and
use a liner on most trips. So, theoretically, that's a 20 degree set-up. 

I do most of my hiking in the Tahoe-Sierra area over 8000 feet and this
set-up has worked well - for me. I'm going to be using this for my hike
starting in early April  - but, that might be the wrong thing for every
other person who sleeps differently.

In the fall and winter, I carry a FF zero degree or, when its actually near
zero, I use a FF -35 degree bag! If it looks bleak by Kennedy Meadows, I may
use the zero-d bag for the next few weeks and then return to the 30-d.

A properly sized bag, chest collar, hood snugged, zipper flap,  etc. are all
variables that make a difference in how well you sleep.

Then, there's the synthetic vs. down argument...

That's my story. Good luck.

Hasta la pasta.



-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Bob Sartini
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 11:21 AM
To: Hannah Brewster; pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Sleeping Bag Ratings

So I guess the point is that if you are camping in 20 degree weather you can

not expect a 20 degree bag to be warm unless the air is still AND you are on

a pad in a tent. Is that what you mean? That the ratings are just some sort 
of vague guideline depending on this that and the other thing. Not like, 
say, shoe size?

So ... is a 20 degree bag good enough for the colder days on the PCT more or

less with a lot of caveats. What degree bag would people bring?

"EVERYTHING is in walking distance,"
    ......Bamboo Bob
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hannah Brewster" <hwb7285 at mac.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 1:32 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Sleeping Bag Ratings


> Sleeping bag temperature ratings are the lowest temperature at which
> you will be comfortable assuming you are INSIDE a tent and ON TOP OF a
> crash pad.  Some companies list temperature ratings from EN 13537 test
> which they uses in Europe.  They will list the comfort range, lower
> limit, and extreme limit for temperatures.  I know Marmot tests their
> bags this way and they have a pretty good explanation of it on their
> web-site.
>
> Hannah
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
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