Sleeping bags

[thermocouple]

I dropped some dough on decent sleeping bags a couple of months back. In my view this was a serious deficiency in our camping preparations, and I convinced Mrs Thermocouple to spend some money on it, though I had to meet her half way and sell off a firearm to cover half of the cost. We are spending four nights in our tipi this weekend, after which I will give a report on our new bags.

We bought five of these, one for each kid (even though the baby is still camping in a play pen).
Cabela's 3-D Mummy Bag -15*F

Most sleeping bags are constructed like an envelope, with a top and bottom panel. Cabela's 3-D Mummy bag is built with additional sidewall panels for a three-dimensional design that adds more room to the inside of the bag. Offers maximum insulating capabilities without excess bulk or weight thanks to the special combination of insulation. Quallo? is used as the main insulator with Thermolite? Micro doubled up in the vital areas of the head, feet, upper back and chest for added warmth. The inner shell is made from soft, high-count Invista? Tactel nylon. The outer shell is made from high count nylon micro rip-stop which is wind- and water-resistant as well as breathable and is woven with a micro-ripstop weave for maximum durability. Incorporates a full-wrap hood for complete cold-weather protection. Other features include full chest collar and draft tubes; two-way No. 8 YKK? zipper with dual zipper guard and our exclusive Nightsight? drawcords - a flat hood drawstring and a round collar cord - for easy fit adjustment in the dark. Ingenious hook and loop zipper tab self-adhere when not in use to protect the hook and loops from dirt and debris and keep your clothing and hair from catching as well. Comes with a compression stuff sack that converts to a fleece pillow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v19/cbatson73/3D-Bag.jpg

We bought two of these for the Mrs and I
Slumberjack Kodiak -40*F

With this unique, versatile bag you can sleep comfortably through all the temperature extremes you're likely to encounter on an extended high-country hunt. A true all-season bag, it offers comfort in temperatures ranging from 65?F to
-40? below zero. With individual components, which include a heavy cotton canvas outer bag, a snap-in quilt, zip-out inner bag, tie-in poly/cotton sheets and attachable pillow. The inner bag and quilt are insulated with thick, high-loft Hollofil II? insulation. Other features include No. 10 self-repairing coil zippers, full-length draft tube on the zip- out bag; built-in roll straps on the outer cover; and a deluxe 16"x40" duffel carrying bag. Imported.
Seven sleeping systems:
1. A fully assembled bag utilizing all the components (which provides a comfort rating of -40?F).
2. The outer bag with snap-in quilt (-10?F).
3. The outer bag with inner zip-in bag (20?F).
4. The inner zip-in bag only (35?F).
5. Create a double bag (35?F using outer bag on bottom and zip-in inner bag on top, 0?F using outer bag on bottom and the snap-in quilt on top).
6. Inner bag with sheets opened up as a summer double bag (65?F).
7. Use the snap-in quilt as a comforter or wrap (25?F).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v19/cbatson73/Kodiak.jpg

I will post the results next week.

[cboyack]

Cheapest I could find the Slumberjack for was $200 at Cabelas:

http://tinyurl.com/298xuu

That sound about right?

[thermocouple]

That's what I paid, $200 for each Kodiak on sale (normally $300) and $80 for each 3D on sale (normally $100 I think). Bought both from Cabela's. The Kodiaks sold out as soon as they started the sale, and were on a deep backorder with the manufacturer. I waited over a month for mine, the positive aspect of that being that I know that the bags didnt spend months and months in compression in a stockroom.

[Abinadi]

What is the going price for a Wigglys -60 bag?

Abinadi

[Alma the Younger]

Holy smokes! You guys are buying pretty heavy duty bags (-15 & -40) where are you camping, and why would you want to camp in that kind of weather?

Every situation is different so I'm not putting down your choices, but for me I will not buy a sleeping bag with a rating lower than 0. Ideally, my favorite bag would be a 15 degree bag.

15 degrees is still below freezing yet offers more thermo-flexibility and is lighter in weight. Remember, just being inside a tent will usually knock the tempreture down 10 degrees because you're out of the wind. Another 10-15 degrees can be cut off with a sleeping pad (I like the self-inflating open cell foam models). If you need to get even warmer, you can add a fleece liner and wear a balaclava to keep the heat from escaping your head.

I following the same layering idea with sleeping as I do with my clothing. versatility seems to be the key.

I also like the newer synthetic bags as they do a really good job even when damp. The one down bag I have has a Gore-Tex shell to keep it dry.

419!

[JayE]

OK, Alma, you've got my curiosity up, and maybe I'm a little naive, but I have to ask, what does 419 mean?

[thermocouple]

OK, Alma, you've got my curiosity up, and maybe I'm a little naive, but I have to ask, what does 419 mean?
Wild stab....maybe Alma 4:19?


19 And this he did that he ahimself (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/alma/4/19a) might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might bpreach (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/alma/4/19b) the cword (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/alma/4/19c) of God unto them, to dstir (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/alma/4/19d) them up in eremembrance (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/alma/4/19e) of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure ftestimony (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/alma/4/19f) against them.

[Molly]

Does anyone know anything about the Jim Phillips sleeping bags? I have heard many good things about them. We need some good sleeping bags & haven't yet decided what we are going to do.

Molly

[thermocouple]

Does anyone know anything about the Jim Phillips sleeping bags? I have heard many good things about them. We need some good sleeping bags & haven't yet decided what we are going to do.

Molly
Depends on what you are looking for in a sleeping bag. Jim Phillips products are generally foam and made for extreme cold. There are other bags that are going to be more rugged and packable though. If you are looking for a bag that should keep you generally warm in arctic conditions, but you dont plan on using it much except for those emergency situations, then JP bags may be for you. If you are looking for something that will keep you warm in an emergency, but you still want to use for camping etc, I would go a different route.

[Alma the Younger]

OK, Alma, you've got my curiosity up, and maybe I'm a little naive, but I have to ask, what does 419 mean?

I wish it was as spritual as Thermocouple suggested. Actually, it is a reference to April 19th (4/19) which was celebrated for many years as Patriot's Day.

April 19th, 1775 was the date of the Battles of Concord and Lexington which started the American Revolution. I end all my posts with 419 as an homage to the Minuteman and as a code to all other patriots.

419!

[JayE]

I wish it was as spritual as Thermocouple suggested. Actually, it is a reference to April 19th (4/19) which was celebrated for many years as Patriot's Day.

April 19th, 1775 was the date of the Battles of Concord and Lexington which started the American Revolution. I end all my posts with 419 as an homage to the Minuteman and as a code to all other patriots.

419!

Thanks, yes that has been a great day to remember, and still is, except that in recent years it is more remembered by many for Waco, OK City and Columbine.

[mirkwood]

We bought four of the same bags, but not the mummy style. We've loved them. I stuff an old surplus army wool blanket in mine and I'm good to go.

[celebrate life]

I understand they are not only good for extreme cold, but for long-term use as they do not retain moisture like most other sleeping bags will that are used night after night long term. I agree with thermocouple. It depends on what you plan to use the sleeping bags for. We have regular bags and are building the foam bags too. This gives us options depending on what we are doing.


Depends on what you are looking for in a sleeping bag. Jim Phillips products are generally foam and made for extreme cold. There are other bags that are going to be more rugged and packable though. If you are looking for a bag that should keep you generally warm in arctic conditions, but you dont plan on using it much except for those emergency situations, then JP bags may be for you. If you are looking for something that will keep you warm in an emergency, but you still want to use for camping etc, I would go a different route.

[bokbadok]

We've invested in the more lightweight backpacking bags at more moderate temps. Our most recent purchase was a Sub Kilo 15 degree bag - that little baby packs down to the size of a short loaf of bread and weighs 1 lb 15 oz. :thumbsup:

[BackBlast]

Most materials slowly build up this moisture over time, especially as the temperature drops - the air's ability to hold that water is diminished. Below freezing especially, at some point the water is going to want to freeze in your bag. This slow buildup over time will reduce the insulation value of your bag until it fails.

The claim made by Jim Phillips and with foam as an insulator in general, is that the moisture does NOT build up in the foam. It gets sucked out of the material completely. The theory and mechanism, to my knowledge, is unknown, but it is tested and claimed to be proven in the field - even in the coldest climates.

Thus is born the idea that you can live in your foam bag for months in the artic, but a regular synthetic bag is only going to last you a week before it fails.

The down side to foam is it's rather bulky and tends not to be form fitting when in use.

Brandon

[waif69]

I have the 3D bag myself. It isn't bad, but I found my feet still got very cold. I think it only got down into the teens that day. I was in a tent, on a cot with a pad between me and the cot.

[thermocouple]

When I posted this thread I stated that I would reply with the results from camping with our new sleeping bags, and I totally forgot to do it. We have used these sleeping bags many times since this purchase, including several very cold nights. Water in the dog bowl freezing, that kind of cold. This past trip was the first trip in a cot (out of the playpen) for our youngest. Every night I would make extra sure the kids were tucked in right (except the 13 yo, he can take care of himself, and if he cant it's high time he learned). Each morning I asked the kids if they were cold. Nobody ever was, including Mrs Thermocouple, who is the biggest baby of them all when it comes to cold. The baby (she's not really a baby anymore, but whatever) loved hanging out in her sleeping bag, and would do so during the day, just crawl into her bag and hang out. These werent cheap bags, and the Mrs griped about the expense at first. After a couple years of use, they have proven to be worth every penny we paid for them. Excellent sleeping bags for the whole family.

[mrs_thermocouple]

I suppose the big baby will have to agree on this one...