Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting The Ultimate Sheep Hunting Sleeping Bag

Hey Guys,

Okay....yea....another sleeping bag thread...sorry!!

I am looking for one of the last peices of 'kit' that I need to complete my backcountry hunting gear. I'm planning on possibly doing a week long sheep hunt into the Willmore WIlderness in Alberta in late August or early September.

I hunt sheep in Aug/Sept and the occasional later trips into Sept come about. Temps are usually around freezing at night and sometimes can be colder later in the season of course.

I have a MH Phanton 32 that I havent really put through the paces yet. I also have a Ti Goat bivy that I have never used but plan on in the future. In the past I've carried a heavy big synthetic bag that did not compress well but was very warm.

What I'm looking for is a bag that carries nicely in my pack and doesnt weigh a ton. I want something that will keep me warm when its below freezing and keep me dry. I have a Hilleberg Akto tent as well. Right now my big dilemma is to stay with a down bag and use the bivy as an outer to keep it dry in the tent, or go with a good synthetic and never worry about getting a bit 'damp'.

Any thoughts? I'd like to spend less than $400 if possible.....

The Kifaru Slick bag has crossed my mind as well as buyin a Marmot Helium or a WM bag if I go with a down bag. Really having a hard time convincing myself to go with a down bag only for the 'wet' issues on a week long trip that could arrise. Any comments??

Sorry for the long winded post....lol

Seems the Kifaru Slick would be a great one. I hope to add one this year as well.

You�re in the Province that has an outstanding Sleeping bag manufacturer check out integral design bags http://www.integraldesigns.com They have a bag for your needs. Failing that (cost issue) go to the local army surplus store and get yourself a Canadian forces down sleeping bag system for $200 the inner bag will more then handle the temps you are talking about.

This is what I'm gonna do. Seems like the 20 degree bag at 2lbs would work for you.

I use a down bag with gore dryloft. I used it guiding for 2 sheep seasons and had no problems as you hear with down. I would be hesitent with down on a coastal hunt, but not what you describe. I like down because I could compress it down to the size of a vollyball and it is a -20 rated long bag. It is a MEC brand bag. A bag like this may be overkill for an early season hunt, but I am a cold sleeper so I choose to lug this around. A few years back I was in the Wilmore in August and we got 2' of snow and -10 at night, so you never know.

If I was buying another bag I would choose down again.

Just me, but if I'm humping the tent, I don't want to carry the bivy unless I intend to bivy out or carry the bivy as part of my daypack load.
I've got the MH Phantom 0 degree bag. It's less than three pounds in a sylnylon dry bag. Being black, you can dry any minor dampness out in the sun pretty quick. The bag beads up ordinary condensation very well. It's overkill for merely freezing nights but I find it comfortable from unseasonably warm (mostly lying on the bag) to well below zero ( hat, down jacket , long underwear etc.)It's very comfortable to me without extra clothes to about the rated temp. I'd say the rating is accurate.

I just think a bivy bag is overkill if tent condensation is your only moisture challenge.

I was reading Tony Russ's book on Alaska sheephunting a couple of week's ago and remember him recommending a ?15-20 degree synthetic bags. That's a much wetter climate though.
I see where the price of the MH 0 phantom has crept up over your budget but I'd wait to see if the REI member sale discount applies.

I have hunted sheep for the last 12 years with a synthetic bag and I decided to get a down Marmot Helium EQ bag last year, I hunted mid september with it in temperatures that dropped well below freezing. I would not take this bag back in on another sheep hunt for the sole reason that you will not dry off one bit in this bag, if you go in it slightly damp from sweat or moisture that is exactly how you are going to come out of it. I have slept in a synthetic bag wet and come out nearly all dry, when out on a mid to late sheep hunt, that can be the difference between a very miserable to worse night or a fairly comfortable one. I am not saying that I do not like the bag, I am saying it has its uses and for me that is not on a sheep hunt. If you do decide to go down, make sure you have a good sleeping pad. Take it for what it is worth.

Yup! What he said!!!! I take a piece of polar fleece as well. If it gets too hot in my bag, I just open it up a bit and leave the polar fleece over me. I too hunt sheep in Aug. so know where you're coming from. Polar fleece is very light weight & folds up into a very small package.
Bear in Fairbanks

I have looked at the Integral Designs bags and they are on my list as well...just gotta find a good light bag that suits my needs....so tossing around various ideas.....

Thanks so far!!

Might want to check out a Wiggy's bag.

I really like the Kifaru slick bag as well. That said I have a hard time pulling the trigger on one because the montbell superstrech burrows are such a good deal. Light and wont break the bank.

I have been taking my wiggys for about the last couple of years though. Its a little bulky but I trust that bag.

I'll be hunting the Willmore too...but later in the year (late Sept/early October.

I'll be taking my Western Mountaineering Apache GWS.

In my opinion, the two very best sleeping bags for your purposes include:

http://www.valandre.com/us/bags/shock.htm

http://www.westernmountaineering.co...20Series&viewpost=2&ContentId=51

The Apache is too tight in the shoulders for my preference (59" girth).

I like something in the 62 - 64" shoulder girth. I use a Western Mountaineering Versalite Super. My wife uses the same bag. Perfect for 3+ season mountain use.

I will be buying the slick 0 degree bag this year for my sheep hunts. I have been using a down bag for the past 6 years, and no complaints about the bag except that it is not quite warm enough when you get into sept nights. So the slick bag it will be - light, compressible, and on cold november deer hunts I will just slide the down bag inside of it.

Just gonna add one more thing and am not trying to hijack this thread but......
The next time we go for sheep which is in Aug. 2010, on the north side of the Brooks, we're gonna go high & stay there. No stove, tent, sleeping bags. We'll be siwashing it and to stay warm at night, we'll use the insulated pants & jacket sold by Integral Designs. These are quite expensive but outside shells are the same material as their sleeping bags and the insulation is primaloft. It'll be lighter & less bulky than toting around a sleeping bag. Justa thought in case anyone's thought in those terms. Bear in Fairbanks

hope you'll give us an evaluation after doin so BearnFBKS


I want out of my clothes and snuggled into my bag for a good warm restful nights sleep when sheep hunting

pard uses a 3/4 ID big wall bag and wears his Primaloft jacket with it. he uses a better pad than I do so we come out about the same on weight for a sleep system

am sure your plan is doable, but I feel the good rest is important for me to hunt well and in worst case scenario like the Siberian Steamroller of a few years ago and tentbound for 9 days I really enjoyed (maybe appreciated would be a better word) being able to lounge in my bag.

lotsa ways to skin a cat, interested how yours turns out for you.

I too like to get high and stay high, guess it reminds me of high school. LOL

I gotta say...I am looking hard at a nice quality down bag for the size/weight that they compress to. A nice WM bag or a Marmot Helium or something would keep a guy warm and compress nice and small for carrying.....

I just dont know if I worry too much about condensation and a wet down sleeping bag or if the higher quality bags have a good enough 'water resistant' coating on them....

I recently used a MH Phantom 15 at -15 F with clothing, so that would be another choice for a down bag.

I just got a Vlandre' Shocking Blue for a review and I am very impressed. Expensive, but this just might be the best bag I have ever seen.

Does Barney's carry anything unique in a sleeping bag? Or are the bags name brands you can get in the lower 48.

Any other comments or suggestions? Still having that down/synthetic debate in my head but kinda tossing around anything I can think of that packs small, is lightweight, keeps a guy warm and dry, and would work in all types of weather.....

Also thinkin if I go down whether I need to keep a bivy outerbag or just stick with the bag and I'll be fine.....

The synthetic I'm guessing wouldnt need a bivy on it?