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#200536 - 03/26/18 03:54 PM Western Mountaineering sleeping bag recs
Dukesup1978 Offline
newbie

Registered: 03/26/18
Posts: 1
Loc: United States
Does anyone have recommendations on a particular Western Mountaineering sleeping bag that is good for warmer temperatures (backpacking in Joshua tree, Death Valley, etc)? Or is it preferable to have WM to use in cold temps and rather, a different brand of sleeping bag for hotter months?

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#200538 - 03/26/18 04:14 PM Re: Western Mountaineering sleeping bag recs [Re: Dukesup1978]
4evrplan Offline
member

Registered: 01/16/13
Posts: 913
Loc: Nacogdoches, TX, USA
Let me say up front that I don't know much about WM bags, but I want to point out that the temp rating to look for depends very much on not just the location but also the time of year and the specific weather forecast for the time you'll be there. Just looking at average lows in Death Valley and Joshua tree, they range anywhere from 39F and 35F, respectively, to 88F and 70F, depending on month. And, that's just the averages. There's always the potential for colder weather. Check the forecast before you go.

EN rated sleeping bags have two ratings, the "comfort" rating and the "survival" rating. Guess which one is more prominently advertised on the packaging and online. If you said the survival rating, you'd be right. So, a "20 degree bag" means it will keep you alive down to 20, not comfortable down to 20.

Another thing to consider is how warm you specifically sleep. For example, I sleep very cold. Event though I use a bag with a comfort rating of 32F, I'd never want to use it down to that temp without wearing extra warm clothes inside of it (puffy jacket, long johns, wool socks, a cap, maybe sweat pants). Other folks are the exact opposite and can use a 40F bag down to freezing. If you don't already know, figure out how warm you sleep and take that into consideration while you shop.

Sorry there's no simple easy answer here.
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#200559 - 03/27/18 03:17 AM Re: Western Mountaineering sleeping bag recs [Re: Dukesup1978]
Bill Kennedy Offline
member

Registered: 02/27/18
Posts: 332
Loc: Portland, Oregon
4everplan had it right. Time of year and whether you sleep cold or warm are the big considerations.

For reference, I have a WM Summerlite (rated to 32 degrees), and I get cold easily. I've only used this bag on two trips, both in August, in Oregon's Strawberry Mountain Wilderness and Diamond Peak Wilderness, and a couple of sleepovers at a friend's. One night it got down to 28 degrees and I needed long pants, shirt, and fleece jacket in the bag. All the other nights it probably didn't get down lower than 40 degrees and all was OK. So, if you tend to sleep cold and plan to visit other areas too, the Summerlite might work for you.

No doubt you've browsed WM's web site. They have several sewn-through bags for warmer weather, and which can be used in combination with another bag for colder temperatures. I notice there are several warm-weather bags listed on their price list that aren't shown anywhere else. New items, I suppose...might be worth a call to them to investigate.

I recall reading in Colin Fletcher's "The Thousand Mile Summer" that when he was hiking through Death Valley, nights were warm and he sent his sleeping bag ahead, thinking he wouldn't need it. Then one night it dropped to 55 degrees, which seemed quite cold after the previous nights, and he was unable to sleep, so just got up and moved on in the dark. I think that was April or May.
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