Sleeping bag recommendations

[AyeYo]

Here's my situation, the fiance and I have Marmot Sorcerer 20 degree synthetic bags. That rating is a bad joke. We realized this in mid-summer (thankfully) the first time times dropped below 50. I typically sleep in heavy thermal leggings, wool socks, long-sleeve top, and a hat. My fiance wears all that and a soft shell jacket. In all that clothing with the bags on Nemo Tensor pads, we're both very uncomfortably cold (can't sleep) below about 40 degrees. That's obviously absurd for a "20 degree" bag and makes them totally useless for mountain use around here.

So what bag do you guys recommend for three season use around here? 0 degree bags are both expensive and seem excessive if properly rated, but after freezing in this "20 degree" bag I'm afraid to buy another 20 or even 15 degree bag. Under $300 would be really nice. Backpackable weight would be even better.

[jscully]

You can get a good down sleeping bag for around 300 bucks. The lower the rating the more expensive they are generally. I use a 0 degree Mountain Hardware Phantom 800 fill all summer, but I sleep pretty cold. If Im warm, I just unzip it. Shop around for sales and different brands but you want a down sleeping bag because they are warm, light weight and compress well.

[AyeYo]

Any experience or hearsay on this bag?

http://www.backcountry.com/mountain-har ... xlOjE6Mzg6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gspup]

You can get a good down sleeping bag for around 300 bucks. The lower the rating the more expensive they are generally. I use a 0 degree Mountain Hardware Phantom 800 fill all summer, but I sleep pretty cold. If Im warm, I just unzip it. Shop around for sales and different brands but you want a down sleeping bag because they are warm, light weight and compress well.

^ Same. I use an old down North Face all summer and winter. I sleep cold also and this is fine all year for me, even winter. It's crazy to me that people are constantly recommending 20-30 degree bags for 3 season camping in CO, specifically the mountains.

OP, if you are getting cold in a 20 degree bag in the summer go for 0. With an expensive purchase like this I'm sure you can rent a down bag for 1 trip to help you decide. That's what I would do.

[the toninator]

What were you sleeping on?
Where?

[AyeYo]

So are 20 degree bags genuinely that cold, the bag isn't poorly rated?

In that case, maybe we do need 0 degree bags.

[AyeYo]

What were you sleeping on?
Where?

Both using Nemo Tensor insulated pads. I've been cold in a few spots... Kite Lake just this past weekend, Guanella, whatever that lake is below Missouri.

Just FYI, the issue is absolutely the bag, not the pad. Prior to getting the pad, I thought the issue was my R 0.5 pad. But after getting a warm pad, it's very obvious the heat loss in to the top side. We tried bringing blankets to throw over the top of the bags and they helped tremendously, at least by 10 degrees.

[AlexeyD]

So are 20 degree bags genuinely that cold, the bag isn't poorly rated?

In that case, maybe we do need 0 degree bags.

Eh, it really varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. There's no one standard for these ratings, each one does it their own way. Thus, 20F might range anywhere from "temperature to which you can have a comfortable night's sleep while buck naked" to "might barely survive the night if wearign all the rest of your clothes".

[gspup]

So are 20 degree bags genuinely that cold, the bag isn't poorly rated?

In that case, maybe we do need 0 degree bags.

I don't think the bags are poorly rated...maybe just the way you're thinking about it.

As you know, in summer you can get cold 30 deg night in the alpine even snow...do you only want a 10 degree buffer to keep you warm ? Of all pieces of gear...error on the warm side on this one. I mean what's the worst thing if you get warm...unzip the bag ?

[AyeYo]

I can survive a cool night or two. I don't plan to camp much at sub 30 degree temps anyway. What I currently don't have is a bag that even keeps me comfortable at 45 degrees. If there's a "20 degree" bag out there with a rating that means "comfortable to 20 degrees", that's good enough for me. I'm pretty sure my bag is rated at "51% chance of surviving a night at 20 degrees".

[SkaredShtles]

It sounds like you sleep "cold" - you're going to have to buy a lower-rated bag. Someone that sleeps "warm" might be perfectly comfortable in that 20* bag at 20*...

That said - it might be a totally crappy bag.

[gspup]

I can survive a cool night or two. I don't plan to camp much at sub 30 degree temps anyway. What I currently don't have is a bag that even keeps me comfortable at 45 degrees. If there's a "20 degree" bag out there with a rating that means "comfortable to 20 degrees", that's good enough for me. I'm pretty sure my bag is rated at "51% chance of surviving a night at 20 degrees".

It was 45 degress at kite lake when you camped there at 11K ?

I mean you were cold...get a lower rated bag. Not all ratings are equal, just one of those products. But I recommend you get a lower rated down, or rent one to try another bag out.