I am looking at new down bags for the wife and I and am
not sure what to get.

We have a good +15 bags and have thought about getting a
new +40 late spring, summer and fall, but I go up to
Mt Rodgers a lot and am tempted to go with a +30 because
there can be some unexpected temp drops up there.

The bags we have for summer now are synth and not very light
so I want to get 800 fill down.

I would love to have +15 +30 & +50 but I can only afford
to get two of one temp for my wife and I right now.

Edited by ctracyverizon on 03/07/2011 21:02:56 MST.

after May 1st, and thru mid-ish October (depending on destination) i use an REI 55+ degree synthetic travel bag.

it's small, 27 ounces, and warm enough for me into the upper 40's. with a long sleeve shirt and long pants, i think i could be fine down to 40. i sleep very warm, so i can get away with this.

i have thought about getting a cooler temp down bag, but if i think it's gonna be colder than 40, i can toss in a liner and goose the warmth that way. it works for me and i don't have to worry about damp humid nights in a down bag. i HATE that smell.

Edited by asciibaron on 03/07/2011 15:17:48 MST.

Remember that in general, sleeping bag ratings are 10-15 degrees off for women. That 15F bag is really a 30F for your wife, unless of course it's a bag made for women. You might need to get her a 0F bag to match your 15F bag.

For the mountains, I think a 30F bag is probably better than a 40F bag.

Using the bags as quilts helps in temps way above their rating. Wearing other clothing such as jackets inside the bag can help extend their rating the other direction.

I have a 0F down bag and a 30F down bag. I had to use my 0F bag on a trip a week ago which was in the teens one night and in the mid-30's the next night. I used it over my legs as a quilt, and used a synthetic parka and acrylic balaclava for my upper half. I still struggled to keep from sweating though.

Edited by AndyF on 03/07/2011 15:41:30 MST.

I'm a bit further South, but I own a 15 degree bag and 30ish degree quilt.

In central MD & Northern VA, and sleeping in a poly T-shirt & running shorts on a 1" Thermarest under a tarp with the wind-ward edge on the ground, or in a tent with full net inner (both have about the same amount of breeze & lack of heat trapping).

In early spring & late fall, I'm comfy in a 15 deg Marmot 650 fill down bag.

In late spring & early fall, I'm more comfy in a 32 deg down bag. (In the 15 deg bag I get hot, open the zip, get cold area, zip up, get hot, zip open, etc all night).

In summer, I'm comfy using a 300 wt polartech blanket. (200 was too cold at 2am).

In winter, I use the 15 deg bag, add a foam pad to the thermarest, and sleep in a Tshirt, 100 wt fleece shirt & long johns. I swap a 200 wt fleece jacket for the shirt if it's colder than usual.

ps: The 650 fill 15 deg down bag + Tshirt & shorts is about the same warm as my 20 deg Sierra Designs 3D Synthetic bag + Tshirt, 100 wt fleece shirt & sweat pants.

This is all really good info so far.

I had not thought that much about the differance in women's needs for more warmth.

I would imagine that I makes even more differance that she is only about 4'8" & 98lbs.

Well I have a 30* 600 down bag thats is a bit old and i think more like a 35*-40* bad and i typically sleep very warm. I use that trips in the shoulder seasons and summer jaunts into the mountains of WV.

I also have a cheaper 0* REI synthetic bag that is/was my winter camping bag. I would love a real nice down one but i can justify that price when i only get to use it 2-3 times a year.

During the summer if tis going to be warm and i am away from the high mountains ill pack a cut down fleece blanket.

I also just purchased a 20* 750 down bag on sale at EMS. That will most likely be my new shoulder season bag and the one I use on trips to places that are much more interesting then the Mid-Atlantic :)

I use a 30 degree bag (WM Megalite) for all of my late spring through early fall trips in the mid atlantic area. If it's a bit warmer, I just use it as a quilt and stick out a limb or two or sleep on top in the middle of summer. I was using an older, and not as good "30 degree" bag before and I was cold a few days particularly in April where the nights can still get chilly.

If I had to get one temp-rated bag/quilt for 3-season use around here, I'd go for a 30 degree bag/quilt (I use quilts). It can pretty easily get near 30 in spring and fall, as you know.

For middle summer, you can probably get by with a fleece throw pretty easily around here.

I like the versatility of my 35* WM Caribou.

Zipped up tight in April/November with room for layering if needed.
Half zipped for some ventilation in May/October.
Fully unzipped quilt style in June/September.
Makes a nice pillow in July/August. ;)

Edited by smyth on 03/07/2011 21:13:04 MST.

Check out this shoulder season bag in SD's Flex series. The bag stretches in all the right places and is EN rated 37 / 28 / -2. The weight is very light and you can easily compress the heck out of the bag. Has foot vents for when it gets warmer and you can very nicely stuff the the hood to turn it into a pillow in those hotter temps. It's got 12 oz. of 800 fill so should be just your ticket.

If I get the wife a woman's +30, does that bag have more fill to compensate for their being colder sleepers ... or if I am good with a +30 should she get a +20 ???

Edited by ctracyverizon on 03/08/2011 10:33:38 MST.

A good Women's sleeping bag will be rated true to temp for a woman. They will have more fill and often strategically place that additional fill around the hips/feet.

Long story short a 30* womans bag will have more fill then a 30* mens bag (if they are both true to temp rating).