BootsnAll's Travel Community

Hello again everyone

just wondering what you took/are taking (specs!) and what your thoughts are?

looking myself but there are just too many considerations/factors and it is hard to distinguish the middle range bags from the lower ones (the top of the range is easy to find it seems!).

i have sort of got my head around down types, fill, loft, shell fabric, %'s and all that sort of thing.
have been talked into everything from -9 to -20(deg C) and 600-800 fill, alpine/treaking.. you name it!

dare i ask if there is anything that is good that isn't too expensive? it seems mont brindabella is the go but i can't justify AUD$5-600 on something that doesn't suit our climate at home.

cheers.

Hey T - we had Mtn Hardwear Clouds Rest 0 Degree F which is $290-320 USD. Of course, a thermarest is a must (with repair kit) and we also brought a plastic painter dropcloth. We would lay this down first, then the thermarest, then the bag. It helped insulate from the cold ground and wetness and it was light to carry. We gave it to the porters afterwards and they were happy about that. Also, you may want to buy a sleeping bag liner - extra warmth and light to carry.

One good way to convert a 3 season sleeping bag into a cold weather bag is by using a fleece liner and a vapor barrier cover. You can buy a liner for about $45 USD and a VB cover for around $50 USD. The liner extends the temp range by 10°F and the VB cover adds 10°F to 15°F.

I took a Marmot Teton 0(F) degree - 600 fill-power goose down. Normally about $230-$250US, but I got it on sale for about $180 US.

If you don't like the cold, it's a worthwhile investment to get a nice bag. Or, as others have suggested, get a liner to add warmth.

I took The North Face Solar Flare. It's rated below 0F and boy was I happy I did it, especially on the nights of days 2 3 and 4.

I found a "Slumberjack" 34" X 78" rated -20F.
On sale $139.00.
It was the only bag I found rated to those temps that wasn't a mummy bag...I like rolling around.

The -20 sounds like overkill but we spent the night at both Arrow Glacier and Crater camps. Over night at Crater was 7F with -13 windchill. That bag kept me nice and warm.

At the lower camps I simply opened the zipper and was never overheated.

You will be tried and, at times, feel rotten. Skimping on a bag isn't worth the savings...

The very best of luck to you.

I also found a -20 Slumberjack but it was a 90" (tall) mummy style on some web site (I believe it was sierra trading post) for $79 close out sale. I also brought a 10 degree silk liner but never needed it. We were fortunate to have great weather on out trip. No rain, sunny days, little wind. The -20 bag was too warm at the lower elevations though but I just opened the zipper too.

BTW that's a synthetic bag and -20 "F"

well the company i climbed with didn't like the one i spent a whole bunch of $ on and lugged around africa for 44 days prior... and gave me some -30deg c german one! for free yay!
could have survived with a -10deg c one easy by just wearing thermals.

anyway there you go folks. also it looks like the kili co-op who hire out gear had a massive selection and i dare say you could find at least one good bag, poles.etc out of the huge stock.

quote:

Originally posted by TMAX:
well the company i climbed with didn't like the one i spent a whole bunch of $ on and lugged around africa for 44 days prior... and gave me some -30deg c german one! for free yay!
could have survived with a -10deg c one easy by just wearing thermals.

anyway there you go folks. also it looks like the kili co-op who hire out gear had a massive selection and i dare say you could find at least one good bag, poles.etc out of the huge stock.

I'm impressed that the company you climbed with let you use a free sleeping bag! Who was it? We're still deciding on an outfitter.

Anybody use cheaper sleeping bags like this?
Coleman

I rented a sleeping bag from our treking company(Tusker), it was rated -20, and had a cocoon liner. I was never cold and it was toasty warm, plus renting it meant one less thing I had to travel with!

I used a +15F North Face "Cats Meow", wore fleece pants and shirt at Kibo camp and was fine. Maybe we just had warm weather, but I can't see needing a -20 bag. Our trip was in October of last year. At the lower camps I slept with the bag open.

D

quote:

Originally posted by stez:

quote:

Originally posted by TMAX:
well the company i climbed with didn't like the one i spent a whole bunch of $ on and lugged around africa for 44 days prior... and gave me some -30deg c german one! for free yay!
could have survived with a -10deg c one easy by just wearing thermals.

anyway there you go folks. also it looks like the kili co-op who hire out gear had a massive selection and i dare say you could find at least one good bag, poles.etc out of the huge stock.

I'm impressed that the company you climbed with let you use a free sleeping bag! Who was it? We're still deciding on an outfitter.

mate it was asanti tours. booked through Kumuka.