Big Agnes Sleeping Bag ?

I have been car camping for years but am looking at backpacking now with the Boy Scouts. I am considering a Big Agnes Gunn Creek bag. I camp mostly in the Southeast US moisture is pretty much a given which is why I am choosing synthetic. Some times it gets down to freezing but not much colder. I like the idea of the sleeve for the pad and the insulation only on top. Will the insulated pad actually keep me warm when the temperature drops? Has anyone else had any experiences with these sleeping bags good or bad? I tried the search but didn't come up with anything.

I own two big Agnes bags. The lost dog and the horse thief. The pad as insulation works great. I have the insulated air core pad and it is the best sleep I have ever had while camping. I use the lost dog down to 50-55 and the horse thief below that. I may use some additional padding under the IAC when temps are below 40 but even with that, I dropped a lot of weight with using these bags over my old campmor 20 degree bag.

Depends on how you sleep! As a child I learned to take my sleeping bag with me when I turn over (which I do a lot of). If I used the Big Agnes setup, I'd end up sleeping on the ground with the pad on top!

A lot of people do use down bags in the humid east, and do quite well with them. I wouldn't rule out down--it's a lot lighter, lasts 2-3 times longer and takes up a lot less space in your pack. You do have to be a little more careful to keep it dry, but it's a myth that synthetic bags are warm when wet. My own experience is that NO insulation is warm when wet!

I have never mastered the turn over with my bag attached method myself! That's why the BA bags without hoods interested me I probably should have taken a class! I do bring a balaclava when temps drop though

Dave,
I don't have the BA bags but I use a backpacking quilt when I have to go to ground (I use a hammock) along with an insulated pad (Exped Downmat 7) when the temps are cold (below 40F).

I typically sleep on my side and don't do a lot of tossing and turning. If you do, this may not be the bag set up for you.

I do know a couple of other SM's that use the BA bags and they love 'em.

I don't use a Big Agnes, but I do use quilts. The sleeping pad is primarily to keep you warm in the first place - a compressed sleeping bag isn't much insulation at all - and the various pads available all have their different ratings. I use a NeoAir and find it quite comfortable sleeping directly on the pad. The Big Agnes Insulated Air Core should be warm enough.

here is some more information on sleeping pads.

No experience with BA, but I've been moving toward quilts over the last couple of years. Started by using my hoodless WM Mitylite unzipped as a quilt, and finally bought my first dedicated quilt, the Thermarest Ventra. Except that it's half a pound heavier, I like it a great deal - enough that I bought the companion Tech Blanket for a summer quilt.

I've never had trouble staying warm on a pad, except one night when I used a BA Insulated Air Core pad; when the temperatures hit 20, I could feel the cold start to seep upward. I haven't had the NeoAir pad out in winter conditions yet; I know one poster here (Wandering Daisy?) had no luck with it below freezing. You might search for those posts. I never had any issues at all with a Thermarest Prolite (the thicker one, one-and-a-half inches.)

My Mitylite and Ventra are rated to 40 degrees; I've taken the Mitylite down to about 20 in the backyard by adding down pants and jacket (WM Flash) over midweight wool longjohns, and using a balaclava, down mittens and down booties. At 20, the cold was seeping in pretty much everywhere except the Prolite pad; at 25, I had no problems with the quilt or the pad.

It may have been me who posted about being cold on the NeoAir. I got cold below 40* but really froze on it at 18*--the 1/8" CCF pad I took to supplement it was far too little. In addition, the crossways tubes tended to "buck me off" every time I turned over.

I haven't tried the BA insulated air pad but I really love the POE Ether Thermo (I have an older version) which will take me down to the mid-20's without supplement. Any colder than 25* F, I'd want a CCF pad to supplement.

Sorry, Mouse - it was you. Can I blame it on a senior moment? (Or just being too lazy to search old posts!)

I've had the NeoAir down to about 30, with no problems. However, I tend to sleep reasonably warm. I think temperature ratings are very subjective, and have no trouble believing you froze on yours at 40. For whatever it's worth, I've still got my Prolite in reserve, ready to grab the first time my NeoAir gets chilly.

Thanks for all the info!! I do move some but I don't think that I normally roll, unless I'm on quite a slope. One more question on down vs synthetic though. I can dry out my synthetic bag fairly quickly and easily. I was assuming that down would be more difficult. I can dry out my synthetic bag on a hot and humid afternoon by throwing it over a line for an hour or 2 depending on sunshine and humidity levels. Will down dry that fast and how do you unclump it with out throwing it in a dryer?

Actually, down (at least high quality down) dries faster! Here is an article on the study, but unfortunately you have to be a Backpacking Light member to read it! I hope they won't come after me if I quote this much:



Of course, whatever your insulation, you need to keep it protected with a waterproof covering (not a stuff sack), either a waterproof pack liner or a dry bag, so it doesn't get wet in the first place. My own experience is that a soggy synthetic sleeping bag is just as cold as a soggy down bag! In other words, never let your insulation get wet in the first place, regardless of type!

Down is much lighter than synthetic for comparable warmth, takes up less room in your pack and lasts 2-3 times as long if properly cared for. Page down to second table here.