Help choosing a sleeping bag?

Hi!
I'm new here and registered because I am hoping to get some advice in choosing a sleeping bag.

The price range I can afford is up to about $200.

Below-freezing temperatures are possible, but not too much colder than that, so I'm looking for something in the 0-15 F range, I think. Options slightly outside that range would be considered.

Shape doesn't matter as long as there's a little bit of foot room. The super-slim mummy bags make me claustrophobic just thinking about them.

I really want something highly compressible. I'd like to either fit it inside my pack, or be able to strap it on the outside of said pack without falling over backwards. I have an Osprey Kestrel, I think it's the 38 liter version but I can't remember for sure.

Clearly I'm not currently intending to do anything long-term or long-distance, but I am tired of having to haul my dad's or brother's heavy winter (-40 rated) bags in a spare bag, particularly when everything else I could possibly wish to bring along only half-fills my pack.

Thanks for any advice you can provide,

Mim

Price, Warmth, Weight/Compressibility . . .

You get to pick two.

There is no miracle, super warm, super light/compressible bag that is cheap. Any advertising claim to the contrary is an outright lie.

Well, the plan is that my grandmas are going to give me gift cards for Christmas and I'll use that money to purchase the sleeping bag. I might be able to throw in a little bit more money, but there's not a lot of extra to go around (I'm a grad student, which equals no money).

It needs to fit in or on the backpack - preferably with space for an extra set of clothes. And I need to not freeze if the temperatures dip a few degrees below freezing.
What kind of price range should I be looking at if that's my requirements?

Take a look at the Sierra Designs Ridge Runner 15 Degree Down Sleeping Bag at Campmoor for $150 to $160. They weigh a bit less than 3 lb and should compress into your standard stuff sack. Probably not the best quality but they are on sale and I know that Sierra Designs stands behind their gear. Here is a link to the bag http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___37417

I didn't go out and look, but REI and Campmor used to sell good bags under their own labels; I think Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) might, too. As a general rule, synthetic bags will be cheaper, but slightly heavier and less compressible than down.

Kelty, Sierra Designs, and Marmot are also good brands to look at.

I was going to recommend a Mountain Hardwear Ultra Lamina 15 degree version. My dad bought it at $180 for my birthday from a local outfitter last year, when it was priced at $200 retail online. I went to Mountain Hardwear's website to give you a link and it's now priced at $240. Ouch. Never mind. I'm out of ideas. lol

I did look at this bag before I went the Mountain Hardwear route: Big Agnes

Edit: it's also important to noted that a good sleeping pad (an insulated one) will also help you stay warm. The Big Agnes has a sleeve to slide an insulated pad in.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation X

http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/revelationx.html

10°F quilt will run you $200. $195 for an overstuffed 20°F bag.

24.25 ounces. Save some money and weight if you can fit in a 5'6" bag.

Thanks for the recommendations. I will check them all out!
I did check with my Mom and I can expect $200 of Christmas money, so if I run a little over that, it's not a big deal.

So I will check out your recommendation, too, ETSU Pride.

I don't typically use a foam pad unless it's pretty cold (I know, I'm strange, but I sleep better without), but I do have a good one for when I need it, and I take it out when it's chilly. I rolled off it while winter camping once, and I will never underestimate the usefulness of a good closed-cell pad again!

Read the thread entitled "XL shoulder girth sleeping bag" right below this one. I have a post there about buying a used bag and there are other good ones as well about various bags. You may not be looking for a bigger bag, but the info applies to you as well.

So I was chatting with a friend tonight and we were discussing the equipment that each of us wants/needs, so I've been doing some more looking.
(We're tentatively discussing a trip next summer, either to the Grand Tetons, or to hike a portion of the AT... which portion has yet to be discussed)

The quilt that BZH posted intrigues me as an option (and I am 5'4" so the shorter quilt is an option), but I'm curious about the quilt vs. bag thing. Part of me thinks it would work great for me, but I'm hesitant to shell out the money without trying the different system... because if I don't like it, I'm stuck!

Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of one vs. the other?

Maybe a dumb question, but... With a wider quilt, I could wrap it completely around me like a sleeping bag (ie, lay on part of it) and basically the only difference is that it doesn't have a zipper all the way up, right? Which, for someone like me who doesn't use the zipper much anyway, even at sub-zero temps, wouldn't be a significant difference.

(Yes, I know they're designed so you don't lay on them, but I sleep with a blanket under me for texture as much as for warmth.)

The EE quilt has cords along the backside. I don't use them, but if you do, you can cinch the bag underneath you.

As far as being stuck with the quilt if you don't like it, they are pretty popular in the lightweight backpacking world. You should be able to sell it (either here or on bpl) without too much of a loss.

Well, I think I'm going to go with the Revelation X quilt and see what I think. I just have to decide on the specs for it... and then wait for Christmas to get the money.
I'm thinking of getting a 10 degree bag, no 30 % overstuff, black outside and blue inside, "wide" width...

Now, for length, and this is where I'd like to get some input, if you would (if this should really be its own thread, let me know...)

I'm 5'4" but I sleep with one arm above my head. If it's very cold and I'm using the mummy bag with a hood, I can tuck it into the hood... but if there's no hood, this arm tends to get cold (which wakes me up to roll over onto my other side... and leave the other arm hanging out). Would there be any benefit to buying a longer (6') quilt? Or would I have to cover my head to keep this arm warm?

I've never used a quilt so can't quite picture what you are getting at, but one thing you could try is simply draping a jacket over your arm if it's outside the quilt. I've tossed my down jacket over my bag when it got colder than the rating (big down parka-the one in my picture) and that works pretty well. If you want a hood, a couple of companies make separate hoods. I think Ray Jardine has one and here is another one-
http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/~finnovations/Hood/hood.html

Goose Feet also makes a down hood (ZPacks also carries it) and so does Katabatic Gear. Both excellent companies; I have the Goose Feet down booties.

Personally, if you always sleep that way, I'd stick with a sleeping bag. But I'm not partial to quilts except in really warm weather, when I unzip my sleeping bag and use it as a quilt.

Thanks.
Nah, the only time I use a hood is when it's actually really cold out... like below freezing. Otherwise, my arm tends to just stick out awkwardly across the tent floor, so if I'm smart and plan ahead, I keep a sweatshirt or something out to wrap around that arm when temps drop. I get cold, roll over so the cold arm is against me and the other arm sticks out, wrap the "out" arm in the sweatshirt, and go back to sleep. I can always continue doing that; I was just wondering if anyone thought a longer quilt might work more efficiently.

OregonMouse - I leave my sleeping bag at least half-unzipped even in cold weather (the coldest I've been out in was -5F; not crazy but not exactly a balmy summer evening either!) because I get claustrophobic. My first night winter camping, the instructors on the course I was doing helped show us how to get our two-layer mummy bag systems all closed up around us. I'd never had trouble with claustrophobia before, but I had a panic attack and actually busted the zipper on the outer bag. All night, I kept waking up hyperventilating and have to sit up and stretch out my arms (and there were people scrinched in on either side of me, so there wasn't enough room to move at all) until I calmed down.
Never, ever again. I don't care if it's a hundred degrees below, I'll freeze to death before I zip that thing up again.
Also, I no longer sleep between two people, and that helps a lot as well.

Claustrophobia is why I use quilts.

I also wear fleece beanies, or an OR down cap. I prefer warmth while being able to move my head independently.

Quilts without straps should be tuck-able, meaning it's wide enough that you can tuck the long edges under you when it's colder and you want the warmth. I made a Ray Way with "draft stopper" - five inches of nylon around the edges that helps you tuck in.

You can strap just about any mummy bag on a pack even if it is 5 or 6 lbs. That leaves open the question of quality over price. You can get a 30 deg mummy bag from walmart for $50-70. It will be heavy and won't last more than 7-10 years, but you can pack it. If you are concerned about weight and quality, you can get an entry level synthetic North Face/Marmot, etc, for around $100 down to 15 deg, like the marmot trestles 15. It will be around 4 lbs. You can go ultralight synthetic in the 15-20 deg range from the same manuf.s from $160-200 like the Cat's meow 20 on sale for 150 at just under 3 lbs. These are all mummy bags with some wiggle room, but not much.
For more room there is Big Agnes that are semi rectangular and wide mummies and Montbell spiral stretch bags in synthetic. Big Agnes saves weight by eliminating the insul on the bottom in leu of a pad, and Montbells spiral synthetic stretches for comfort. The BA mummy trim is decently weighted and well under 200, but some times the extra room means a harder bag to heat up. The Montbell 15 is back on the heavy side, 4lbs, but will stretch out to nearly the size of a semi rectangular bag for 210. Obviously bought at the right time, these can all be on sale or you can find some super high end bags on craigslist like western mountaineering. These are all down and bought new would be double or more than your price range. I would recommend going down to an rei and testing out different bag sizes to find the measurements you prefer. Then find the bag makers and models that fit and keep an eye out. Once a sale hits, make your move and you will be super happy. I have personally owned big agnes semi rec.s and montbell super stretch. The ba's semi rectangular were hard to heat up due to the extra room, so I was cold at much warmer temps than it was rated for. The montbell I have is super cozy, but their temp rating is about 5 deg optimistic for me.