re: Down sleeping bag recs

What NYC said. Go to Enlightened Equipment's website and watch some of their informative videos. I'm a side sleeper so a mummy bag is terrible. Plus with a quilt without a sewn foot box I can open it to lay flat like a comforter and use it for early season hunts. Straps will attach it to sleeping pad to help keep you centered. From there you can adjust how tightly you want the quilt to wrap around you. Hard to explain without you seeing how it works. EE's website will help a lot.

Just remember to only leave your down compressed while you are transporting it and for short periods of time. You will lessen the temp rating otherwise

Remember, the degree of the bag isn't how well you sleep comfortably. It's how low you can sleep in and still be alive.

I believe mine is -30 or a -20 degree bag, and it is bad arse, down as well. I recommend a -20 or a -30 for Montana's November. Be sure to pack a sleeping roll and thermals too. That makes a WORLD of difference for warmth.

Far as recs idk, just stay with the known name brands. North Face / Marmot etc. You pay more, you get more.

Quilt is actually very practical. When you compress down it loses the heat insulation, won’t you’re losing that anyway in a bag. Plus quilts are lighter and can be strapped(wrapped) or whatever you want to call it similar to bags if need be.

What NYC said.

I might have gotten a quilt if I had done more research first.

Nemo Disco 15 is my latest bag. Im a slide sleeper and prefer the “spoon” shaped bags from nemo. As others have mention you absolutely need a sleeping pad - the insulation factor will be needed between you and the ground. As far as brands go, I’d recommend Thermorest. There are also a contingency of cold weather campers that put bottles of hot water in their bags at night - haven’t done it myself but seems legit. As mentioned earlier, a 1000 thread count sheet will also help, but I’ll also throw out there that fleece liners in my experience have also helped.

quote:

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fleece liners

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Silk is the way to go.

That's a good point although OP hasn't stated either way.

If he's car camping there's
things he can do to spend less and still be warm.

Like a cot and a heater depending on space.

USGI Surplus Mountain Bag; if you can find.

Sea to Summit

Snow = wet, if your down gets wet you will be very, very, very cold.