[pct-l] Sleeping bag selection. Ahhh!

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

Zero degree is probably overkill. I am female and used a 20 degree  
bag (quilt) most of the way. A few cold nights in So Cal and one cold  
night in the Sierras. It's colder in So Cal than the Sierras in case  
you are expecting bikinis and heat waves.

Thrus who want to lose pack weight and still be comfortable will  
learn a lot of things like not setting up camp next to a creek, lake  
or in a meadow. You can gain probably 20 degrees with good campsite  
selection, sleeping mid-slope rather than in a cold sinkhole of air.  
You don't "camp" as a thru-hiker. You just sleep. No "amenities" are  
needed in your sleeping spot. You enjoy the lakes and streams in the  
daytime while awake. You eat in a nice place and continue on a couple  
miles more after dinner (well, many do, I always ate in my tent  
having carried cooking water to my sleeping spot.) Wear all your  
clothes and rain gear to bed if it's really cold.

On Feb 10, 2012, at 9:37 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> 15 deg bag as well as a 0 deg bag.