Hi to all the ladies on the forum (and any guys too),

I need some advice about a backpack and sleeping bag for my wife, who has begun to consider joining me in some overnight hikes, provided I maintain her comfort levels, of course. Her back length is 17 inches.

I'll be carrying the shelter and her heavier, and more comfortable sleeping set up because I'm a gentleman, so she'll be carrying my sleeping bag (Rab Top Bag- 475g) and a Gossamer Gear Thinlight, which could double as padding for her pack. The rest of the gear will be hers in her pack- rainwear (Golite Reed ladies small, ID Poncho, Titanium mug and a fleece/ insulating layer and an icebreaker top) and food and water for an average of three days out. No doubt she'll want to bring some bits and pieces too.

I'm thinking of a Golite Ion Medium, which I have (maybe too long), an OMM 20L or 25L as it has mesh on the back for perspiration.

The veto will be used if her pack weight goes above 5kg total.

Any other suggestions for a pack?

We'll be hiking in summer at an altitude of about 2000m in the Pyrenees, and she'll be introduced to the UL method as we go.

I'm thinking of a sleeping bag for her too- she'll be on a Warmlite DAM (while I'm on a Ridgerest!?). Any suggestions for a sleeping bag- she's a cold sleeper (cold feet, warm heart) and 5 foot 6 tall. Temperatures should be down to about 0 degrees C?

cheers,
fred

Don't cut things too tight on the sleeping bag warmth for her. I bought a bag for my wife last summer and I was trying to talk her into a 25F rated bag because we never expect to camp below freezing. She argued for a 15F rated bag and I reluctantly got it thinking it was a waste of weight. Now my wife loves her bag because it keeps her cozy, and she's actually commented on a few nights around 5F that she is just barely warm enough.....so the 25F bag likely would have resulted in an unhappy camper.

Is she carrying a hat? Gloves? Light/thin socks to sleep in that are not sweat crusted? (Keeps cold women way warmer!)A down jacket for camp? If you start off cold, you sleep cold.

If she sleeps cold the first issue is she has to have a decent sleeping pad that insulates. Super UL thin things just don't cut it. Then you need a bag that is cut for a woman and is insulated for a woman. Do not think she can get by with a less warm bag - 0 cel is 32*F. A 32* bag is not very warm. With women you have to go lower. A 15* bag is pretty much universal for ladies. Since she is 5'6" she is on the edge where most likely she will have to take a longer bag - often companies cut off at 5'5" for petite and though some go to 5'6" she won't have stretching room and can be colder. But look though, some go to 5'7" for the short bags.

And personally? Come on guys, don't carry her gear. Seriously. If it is too heavy then just buy new freaking gear. You are talking 11 lbs of gear for her. Her back isn't going to fold over and die if she had to hump 15 lbs ;-P

I agree with Sarah based on my wife's experiences. Get a MUCH warmer pad. After a frigid night in early March, we bought POE Ether Thermo 6's. Super warm and comfortable pads for a pretty reasonable price and weight. I'm happy to go lighter in summer, but she sticks with the POE. It keeps her happy and keeps her backpacking, so that works for me!

"she'll be on a Warmlite DAM"

I would imagine that should be plenty warm enough for most situations you'll find yourselves in!

As for pack, you can try a frameless, but in my experience even 15lbs will drive me nuts if I can't get the load off my shoulders. Just something to think about...

My advice to you for your first trip... Keep it short and simple with an easy bail out if things go south and you may gain a great hiking partner for life. Make it steep and deep and she may never go near the woods again. SO many dudes blow it right there. The Warmlight Dam is a great pad. I reccomend Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags. I am a very cold sleeper and these work well for me.

Edited by dancer on 03/23/2010 14:06:05 MDT.

Thanks for all the tips so far.
She'll have gloves and a hat, for sure, and I've mentioned the other things brought up ie the pad she'll be on. (Warmlite DAM- lucky thing).
Framed pack sounds like a good idea, thanks Lynne, I'll try her in my Grivel 35. Heavy but comfy and has a frame.
Keep them coming.
I'm thinking about this bag for her
http://www.arklight-design.com/PBCPPlayer.asp?ID=410859
rated to -5C and looks extra warm to me.
cheers,
fred

Have any ladies experience with this bag?
Care to share your thoughts, please?
I'm thinking of this or the Ultralight.
cheers,
fred

Not a lady, but go for the Apache. The 3-oz weight difference is completely in down. Awesome bag. Have sold it to many happy campers.

I'm a woman. I sleep cold. Get her a WM Ultralite and a down parka such as Montbell UL or Alpine Lite. This set up will be a more versatile than getting a colder down bag.

" Get her a WM Ultralite and a down parka such as Montbell UL or Alpine Lite. This set up will be a more versatile than getting a colder down bag."

+1

I'm 5'6" as well, and a cold sleeper. For ~32 degrees I like my 15-degree Mountain Hardwear Phantom 15. It's just the right size (it's for women up to 5'6").

Though Mountain Hardwear bags are perhaps not as highly regarded on this forum as, say, the WM or Montbell bags, the Phantom actually got a pretty positive review in one of the articles here. It was noted that the 15-degree rating is correct (not inflated), and that this bag is one of the best values for your dollar compared to other highly rated bags. And the loft on mine is still excellent. And the Phantom has extra down in the foot area, which is nice.

There is also a 32-degree version of the Phantom, but there is NO WAY I would be even close to warm enough in that. I wear thermals, down socks, and a down jacket inside the 15-degree bag, and on the colder nights, that is just enough.

Elizabeth

Edited by mariposa on 03/25/2010 19:21:58 MDT.

Look for packs made for women. Osprey, and http://www.deuterusa.com/products/

When buying a pack, make sure that the hip belt is not too long. One needs to be able to tighten the belt quite a bit in order for it to lift or transfer the weight to the shoulders. A Men's medium pack might need an extra small or small belt size to fit a woman.
For example, make sure that when you tighten the belt the hip pads do not come too close together so that the belt cannot be tightened further.

If you have the budget for it, Dan McHale does actually customize packs to fit women. I have one of his Super SARC packs, and I have to say that it fits extremely well and carries load very nicely.

Thanks again everyone, I'll be talking this over with the other half over Easter- invaluable help.

cheers,
fred

Well, thanks again for all the advice, and the sleeping bag has been bought.
In the end, I found a Minimus 500 short on sale at PHD in the UK, that worked out warmer, cheaper and lighter than the WM Ultralite I was about to buy. Great find. Turs out she's five foot five, so she'll fit fine.
As to packs, we did a test pack of the gear the wife will be taking, and she liked the feel of my framed, albeit minimal Grivel 35 climbing pack, even though it weighs 1kg, opposed to the gear in a GG Murmur, weighing 235g.
I bought her a Crux Halo down top too- half the weight of her fleece.
We're there! Roll on summer so we can go hiking!
cheers,
fred