Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Synthetic Sleeping Bag Recomendations

This thread has appeared regularly on 24hr for going on 20 years. I dunno the right answer, but the consensus has always been that the Mtn Hardware Ultra Lamina and Lamina were good buys, the Lithium was good, and everything WM was great, and Wiggys and Big Agnes used to be. Nobody can answer the down/synthetic question but the user. What works on Mt. Everest is immaterial for most hunting and backpacking. We get wet from the outside and bad. For myself, I have concluded that high-quality down is worth the price dif from average down.

Good to have you here again!

How's about an axe post? Did you see the harsh torch and used motor oil offering up top? LOL!

So needy.

Western mountaineering, I have a few of them and love them. You can get an ultralight Bobby cover if you want.

If you are not backpacking your bag, anyone have any experience with this bag?

https://www.bigagnes.com/Diamond-Park-15

I like the idea of having extra room to more around if I am going to live out of it for 2-3 weeks at a time.

This and with the down treated for water repellent and the cover with a DWR finish. These can be added with Nik Wax products but the factory finish is probably better. I like Big Agness brand but have had other good ones from the North Face, Marmot, Kelty and others. Start with at least 800 fill power down as this is where there are very few feathers. Get a light weight shell, when weight is not as much of a concern you can use inner and outer liners. A gore-Tex bivvy is good for really wet conditions but unless it is more of the tent type it will get condensation or frost at below thirty degrees.

Do a search as there are many reviews and comparisons. REI has good info on the bags they carry. If cold I will sleep in the wool long johns and put down jackets, vest whatever is soft between the bag and outer liner. Also get the next size up if there is not too much weight penalty. It will be warmer and more comfortable and the down won't be compressed creating cold spots. Also decide if you like the snug fit of the cats Meow type where you move the entire bag with you when you change positions or if you like enough room to turn inside the bag. I used to use the snug ones but now they feel too confining to me so I get the larger sizes now. I used to sell back packing equipment way back when, so hence the long winded answer.

Not that one but Big Agness makes quality gear. The cut would suit me fine as it has enough room to move around in. It is not a light weight and the down is 600 fill but given the quality I would not expect too many feathers, and it keeps the price down. That would be a great base camp type bag. It is also big enough another sleeping bag could fit inside of it for extreme cold weather.

Couple things friend. Unless your a big guy you'll find the Big Agnes bags cold. Your body will be trying to heat to much space. I'm a big guy and still found them on the cold side. Did you mention temps 0 to minus 20? Regardless I'd use a closed cell foam pad under a air mattress in cold conditions period. I like my Thermarest Ridge-rest. I couldn't imagine using a big agnes bag with no insulation on bottom ever in cold weather. I love love love my sea to summit cocoon silk liner. Adds up to 5-9 deg warmth to bag and its gets rid of any clammy feeling inside of bag. Helps keep inside of bag clean also. I've friends that climb Mt Hood and spend time on Mt Rainer every winter and like their Sierra Designs bags. Little extra weight of a bag def worth my life. lots to consider at zero degrees. Best of luck to you on your trips and let us know which bag you go with.

Shag:

I am not using this bag for backpacking, but in a base camp. I am not a big guy, avg. size. I will not be seeing temps -20 to 0F, but more likely no colder than 15F. I do have a Black Diamond Bivy sack that weighs less than one lb. and does warm up the bag a bit. I don't know whether the Big Agnes bag, which I have not purchased yet, will even fit in the Bivy sack.

In colder temps, I pack a closed cell pad below a $10 Walmart 8" thick air matttress that I blow up with a pump.

When final decision is made I will LUK what I went with, why and how it is working out the same as I did with my tent thread for this same Wildland Fire Medical Suport job.

I picked up a Kifaru Slick 20 degree bag this year to replace my down bag. It did great for three sheep hunts and a goat hunt on Kodiak. I would highly recommend, it seems to be the best option on the market for synthetic bags. I was very happy I didn't have down for my Kodiak hunt, everything was soaked from start to finish.

I have a one. Great bag, it has so many features I like.
I just got back from a week long trip through Voyageurs NP. Night time temps were from +18F to +28 with 10-15 mph winds most nights. I used a Klymit insulated Static V-lux pad.
I slept in a light pair of wool socks and Thermosilk top and bottom. Stayed plenty warm every night in a 3 season tent.
The only complaint is that it is bulky and doesn't pack down very small but that is the price you pay for a big comfy warm bag that doesn't break the bank.

I just found out that from Big Agnes C.S. their sleeping bag temperature ratings are survival ratings, not comfort ratings. They recommend for 15F temps, I should go with the Diamond Park 0F bag that will be available early next year, instead of the DP 15F bag that I was going with unitl I called them.

If you sleep on your side, and predominantly one side, you probably want it to your front, not against your back. But that's my preference.

[quote=Cold Zero]Shag:



In colder temps, I pack a closed cell pad below a $10 Walmart 8" thick air matttress that I blow up with a pump.

quote]

If this is a conventional air mattress it will be a warmth robber. Get a Thermarest or similar or put some insulation between you and the air mattress.

Tejano, thanks for the tip. I did put a closed cell pad beneath the Walmart conventional air mattress.

Here are some websites you can get nice synthetic bags at fair price,they all offer free shipping.

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBED0

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBEEI

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBEFQ

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBEDQ

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eddiebauer.com%2Fp%2F82302246%2Figniter-0-synthetic-sleeping-bag%3Fsp%3D1%26rrec%3Dtrue&psig=AOvVaw3i1glGRhLen8exa_kC9ORE&ust=1604403243659000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQr4kDegUIARDXAg

Sorry to necro post guys. If you look at the start date of this it was the D Day for Covid and this just fell off the radar with all that has gone on. So, I did not make a purchase and some new products have come out so I would like to take another look and get some input from guys who may have sued some of these items please.

Here are some bags that I am looking at that are Down bags, I pretty much gave up on the Synthetic bags, as one poster above so aptly put it, its not 2003 anymore.

Western Mountaineering: Sequoia MF 5F $810
3 lbs. 4 oz.
I like the semi rectangular style and extra room, seems like a popular bag.

Western Mountaineering: Versalite EL 10F $625
2 lbs
Also a popular bag, due to its warmth to weight ratio. Perhaps, I should get the overfill
which will subtract another 8-10 degrees and that will put me around 0F where I would like to be.


Big Agnes: Blackburn UL 0F
2 lbs. 10 oz.
$500

Big Agnes: Diamond Park 0F
4 lbs. 14 oz.
$400


Marmot: Lithium 0F
2 lbs. 9.5 oz
$512


Feathered Friends: Snowbunting EX 0F
Winner of Backpacking Magazine Editor's Choice award
2 lbs. 13 oz.
$639

Feathered Friends: Ibis EX 0F
2 lbs. 13 oz.
$669

I can vouch for the versalite. That’s my sheep bag. I can’t recall if I have the overfill or not.
It’s been comfortable with pad down to about 15° - haven’t tried it below that.

Can anyone recomend a vendor who sells Western Mountaineering or Feathered Friends and has a sale every once in a while ?