Not one to analyze and abscess over every detail.

I drew a big bull permit (Elk) in Washington state (Peaches Ridge). The angle I'm going to take is to go in light on foot and cover some ground. Once the Elk is down. My brother will bring my horses in for the pack out.

I'm not looking for Google-Fu experts! I'm looking for real world advice from having been there and done that. Price doesn't matter, what's ones life worth and or comfort worth in the extreme changing weather conditions here in the Great NorthWest?

I want a super lite weight/ compact sleeping system that is good to 17 degrees or so.

Please let me know your thoughts. I may need to pack it for up to 12 days.

-Synthetic bag rated to 15 or 20 degrees (I use a MountainHardwear Ultra Lamina 15).

-ThermaRest NeoAir X-Therm or X-Lite.

-Thermarest Z-pad.

The closed cell Z Pad will help a lot with insulation from the ground and comes at a minimal weight penalty. Doubles as a great glassing pad. Synthetic insulation is the only thing I'd consider in the Northwest. If sub 20 temps are expected I may consider a light sleeping bag liner as well.

Disclaimer: I'm just a Google Fu expert

That's what I use but since I'm mostly hunting in CO, I use a 15 degree down bag, Marmot helium. When I did brave the rains that tanner googled, I used a Kifaru 20 degree slick bag, worked great. At least, that's what all the reviews I read said.

I'm trying an REI Magma bag this year with a Therm-A-Rest Neo-Air. Used a 15deg Kelty for many years which worked but required extra layers when temps were in the teens. I've used, and been happy with, the Exped downmat 7pad. It's a bit bulkier and heavier though and thus the reason I'm trying the NeoAir. I also have a Z-Pad or a Roll of foam that I may, or may not, include. Tanner is right that weigh is not an issue, but space may be. Need to see if I have space available. Probably will on shorter hunt, not sure about longer where I have a lot more food. If moisture is a real possibility I agree that synthetic would be the way to go on the bag.

Read up on backpacking quilts. They're considerably lighter than sleeping bags and can be found in 10 to 20 degree versions.

I use the same setup. I bought the REI Magma last year and used it in WY and CO. It is a Marmot Helium knockoff. I was comfortable in WY when temps went into the 20's. In CO, we had temps in the 30s and it was too warm. The bonus is that I bought it at an REI sale for $179 shipped to my house <G> Good bag.

Take a look at enlightened equipment's quilts...if you pair them with Tanner's pad suggestions you can be less than 3 lbs all up.

Z-Lite, inflatable, quilt. Easy.

X-Lite and Enlightened Equipment 20 degree quilt for me. Most reviews say the EE ratings are anout 10 degrees optimistic so keep that in mind. Those guys are great to work with. Were very helpful when I was spec’ing out my quilt.

Look into back packing quilts/ hammocking quilts

I've got a down 30 degree quilt that when paired with my down puffer will get me well into the 20s on the ground. A slightly lower rated quilt and your base layer should get you down well into the teens if not single digits. Check out these - http://www.hammockgear.com/econ-quilts/ I run their 10 degree bottom quilt with my 30 degree sierra design top quilt ( i would have bought a hammock gear top quilt if i had known about them at the time!) and ended sweating down the upper twenties, had to strip off my puffer and ended up using it as a pillow.

As for ground pads. look into a klymit insulated short or ultra light. if you feet stick out past the end who cares.

I guess cots are out ,,,

Who cares? Anyone who does not want to freeze all night. Those feet need to be on the pad,

I like the Kymit pads but full length. The design prevents the rolling on parallel cell pads. And a little wider too so my arms don't flop off when I'm on my back.

Here's the one I use https://www.klymit.com/static-v2.html Comes in at about a pound, but still use a closed cell pad on top like Tanner suggested.

that pad isn't insulated, if you end up sleeping on top of snow or ice, or just in really cold temps, your gonna be really cold. especially with a quilt because quilts are used more like a blanket sleep bags do give some slight insulation on bottom, here's what OP should get - https://www.klymit.com/insulated-static-v-lite.html

Obviously you need to use a somewhat puncture resistant ground cloth or mat foot print to protect an inflatable mat. could argue that foam is better, but I sleep better on an inflatable and sleeping well in cold weather is important, because the more I'm awake the colder i tend to get just sitting there trying to fall back asleep.

IMO in an alpine environment, I don't ground sleep any more, I use a hammock with quilts and a tarp. My winter system only weights 8 1/3 lbs and I can sleep any where there's trees, and I can use my tarp for 2 hammocks around the same tree (you also stay warmer with a second person) plus I don't need level ground.

who cares is no one who's actually running this stuff in the back country. your head doesn't need to be on the pad either, I typically shove extra cloths under my head inside a stuff sack or on my main pack. if your heels just extend past the pad, but are inside a quilt, that and a good pair of socks will take care of your feet just fine. Do you even quilt bro? if your body and legs are warm on top of a nice insulated pad then your feet will be fine even in sub freezing temps. By going with a short pad you can shave 4-5 ounces in some cases, and still have a very robust pad.

On the other side of the argument if you skimp on insulation you can have a full pad with extra width and your ass is going to freeze off right around 32*

Ounce's add up quick out there, especially when your talking food and water and a rifle.

I've 'run this stuff in the back country' for longer than I care to dwell on. If your heels are on the ground, you will feel it. If you want to use a short pad and perch your head and feet on dirty underwear or dead marmots for insulation, be my guest.

Strange, that's not my experience at all, with the foot of my quilt or bag over my feet they stay plenty warm.

seem's if the only thing you can figure to think to prop your head up on is your skivies you must not have much imagination, or you must be going some where where you don't need much gear. Here in oregon. you're going to have some rain gear, a puffy jacket or fleace, and some spare silk weight thermal's that all stuff into a sack makes a fairly good sized pillow to keep your head off the cold ground.

To each their own I guess.

I live in BC, born and raised some 50 miles north of the 49th and started backpack camping spring, 1964. My favourite rig of several I own for your situation is my Western Mountaineering Terralite or Sequoia, depending on how late in the season it is and a full length Z-Rest Large plus an Exped Seven Large and a fleece sack full of clean duds for a pillow.

I have synthetic bags, very good ones, but, now mostly use down and have used various highend down bags even on the BC Coast, wettest region in North America, by actual measurement, for decades with NO issues. I seem to sleep better in down bags than synthetics and I also carry a light eVent bivy and Siltarp which all together works just fine.

SNAP -

Tell me 'bout the eVent bivy .. make / model / size / etc, if you don't mind?

Tom

I have two eVent bivies, and one older GT bivy. These are all made by Integral Designs, of Calgary, AB. Canada. They are now RAB and made in Asia and I would not have one as a gift.

1. South Col eVent bivy, OD-for hunting as I keep my hunting gear separate from my regular backpacking gear except my down bags.

2. Bugaboo eVent bivy, yellow, this is my "emerg" bivy and is carried with my Exped. Wallcreeper PL bag plus tarp for survival should I be injured when recreational hiking. I also use this with a Wildthings Gear half bag and my ID Dolomite jacket for winter snowshoe treks.

3. Original ID GT OD Unishelter, with ID OD Silwing, my "retired" bivy bought long ago for hunting spike camps and now it lives in a duffle in my Tacoma 4x4 should I get stranded on a BC mountain pass in several feet of snow and -30. I wish I had bought an eVent one of these when they were still available, best bivy overall I have used since my old Black's of Scotland, in 1969 and two Early Winters GT bivies after that.

At present, I prefer the look of the Borah Gear eVent bivy, BUT, I cannot recommend it from actual use as I have never had one, just photos which look good to me.


HTH, JMHO.

I'd be looking at a Western Mountaineering bag that fits you... you can get something with a gore windstopper shell to handle external moisture if it's a concern, or just take along an over-bag.

While there are other good bags, I've been using WM bags for 25 years and wouldn't use anything else. We currently have three in the house...

Yep, they are the most easy to operate and correctly sized bags I have ever used and that is a LOT of good bags.

Also, it is a "plus" to me that they are made in CA, as any issues can be so swiftly dealt with and then they offer the bag extender and a zipper arrangement which allows use as a "quilt", so a bag can be adjusted for every season.

The Sequoia, is my idea of a PERFECT all-around bag for BC-AB and I hope to use mine often this winter.

for a very light, durable, bare bones sleep system, including shelter, eVENT bivy (Mountain Laurel Designs), small
sil tarp (the eVENT is waterproof, but in the event of rain/snow a small tarp is nice!), XTherm pad (if worried about punctures- a Z-Rest), an Apex quilt rated to 20-ish degrees- the bivy adds an easy 5 degrees of warmth

boom- done

I picked up a Sequoia from Backcountry at a ridiculously cheap price, about $450 new a few years ago-must've been a mistake in the catalog or something. Anyway, mine is the microfiber not wind stopper version . It is a very comfortable bag and though I've only had it down to 9°F - but with only a thin base layer and summer sleeping mat I had the a darn thing open down to my waist and was still pretty warm at that temp. I won't even mention the extra shoulder room or how nice it is for guys like me that are not built like marathoners or ultra-distance hikers. I only have Western mountaineering bags now, rated from +25 to -40 degrees F and I probably will never own anything else.

This ^ .

Get a coat too , once you put it on OMGoodness are down coats nice -light too & pack down like a cantalope . Multi -use item , wear when glassing , around camp , when sleeping and looks great around town .

If you wear a down coat around camp, for glassing or other activities, it will be too damp to wear all night to sleep in. This could dampen the down in your bag, a major issue and is NOT a weight-efficient means of sleeping warm in cold conditions.

You NEED to get a sleeping bag that works at the lowest temps. that you will encounter and two down bags rated from 25* to perhaps -10*F, will cover most situations. To carry the extra weight of a coat for additional warmth and also use this for daytime wear is not efficient and can cause problems you do not want.

The mountains of BC, AK and other truly wild areas are unforgiving and weight-efficiency-use issues are actually crucial.

I read once to get an extra long so that you can throw your boots in down at the bottom, that was some good advice, makes a big difference in the morning.

That's what I have found myself doing for years now. I'm about 5'9" but my bags for anything but well above freezing conditions are of the 6'6" variety.