0 degree bag

who makes the smallest packing sized 0 degree bag?

Any packed zero-degree bag will be exactly as large as the sack it is packed in. Any of the top-name down sleeping bags will compress nicely (Marmot, Feathered Friends, Western Mountaineering, etc.)

Even if one of them compresses ever so slightly more than the others, you'd have to find an ever-so-slightly smaller stuff sack to make the difference apparent (and you'd have to cram that sack to its utmost capacity every time, which can get rather painful.)

You could go sackless too, but then the same limitations apply to stuffing the bag directly into your backpack.

Having used all three of the above-named brands, I'll take a wild anectdotal stab at a definitive answer: a Feathered Friends bag will occupy the least space in your pack.

I have a "black ice, 0 degree bag from Kelty but the thing is synthetic and it is also over twenty years old. Still works like the day I bought it. I would guess that 15-20 degrees would be a more accurate rating but then we all do want to be comfortable. This bag goes into a water proof stuff sack probably close to 8X12 inches. The bottom of the bag is round so it does keep a round shape at the bottom but I usually flatten it out so that it goes into my pack a little easier. sabre11004...

Out of the big brands, the smallest stuffed sized zero-degree sleeping bag I have found is Marmot's Lithium (7.5x15), followed by Feathered Friend's zero-series (9x15).

Nunatak sells a +5 quilt, the Arc Expedition which packs 7x14 in a small or 7x16 in a medium.

Keep in mind that all of these high-end zero degree bags will set you back $500+ at full-retail.

The perfect companion for my vorpal two-handed sword!

i found a snugpak 20 degree that compresses down to 7x7, which is more the size i'm looking for.

You asked for a zero degree bag, not a 20 degree bag! A 20 degree bag is no good for winter camping in most of the U.S.

yea. i was looking for a compromise. i'd really like it to pack smaller than 2 basket balls sitting next to each other. i'm a space freak. the smaller the better.

At this point, the question is really whether it is a 20* bag or not. Snugpak is not a well-known brand in the high end market. (At least not to me). And a bag with those specs is definitely a high end bag. Other than the fact that they assert it is a 20* bag, how do you know? What is the loft?
The reality is that if you didn't pay $300+ for a 20* bag that fits 7x7, it almost certainly is not.

When do you plan on backpacking, 3-seasons or winter and where do you plan on taking most of your trips?

People generally do not compromise the temp of their bag to save space. For three season use then a bag rated +15 to +25 is fine for most of the U.S. In some areas you could even get away with a +30 or +35 degree bag. Anything below +15 is considered for winter use, and with this generally comes a heavier and bulkier bag to keep to you warm during the colder temps.

Furthermore, people usually have two sleep systems, one for 3-season and one for winter (if applicable). Why carry the weight of a zero degree bag in the heigh of summer only to overheat at night.

In summary, decide when/where you will use the bag and purchase accordingly.

Then don't ask for a 0 degree bag. heck, ask for an 80 degree bag, and you can just sleep in your clothing. it'll pack small.

Seriously.

Best way to have your bag as small as possible is to take a bag without very much insulation - which if it's less insulation than you need will mean you're either uncomfortable, or using extra clothing to make up for your "decreased size" in sleeping bag which ends up being larger and heavier.

not that your snugpack might not be bad for a bag usable down to freezing or so, but you might also want to think about how much it *weighs*.

BTW, Softie Snugpak is a British company that supplies the British Armed Forces with their sleeping bags and insulating clothing layer.

Their propietary synthetic insulation is excellent and holds up very well under repeated compressions.
All their products are top shelf in quality and performance. If you like synthetic bags you should be so lucky as to have one of theirs.

Eric

Valandre has a good reputation for compressing quite small. I have their Bloody Mary size long that I am able to compress down to 7.5 X 10" without much problem. Using the Marie Antoinette collar, it is warm down to 5*F.

Any down bag will compress a lot smaller than synthetic, and will last many times longer. Check bags from Montbell, Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends or the Marmot Lithium. Pricey, but with proper care will last a lifetime. And they certainly much lighter than a comparably warm synthetic.

Your first priority in any sleeping system should be comfort. That's why you've been warned against trying to use a 20*F bag in 0*F temperatures. Second is weight. Compacted size should be a distant third.

i've yet to see true 0 degree weather. in my ao the lowest we've seen was like 19. and that was a few years back. i'm in Alabama. the farthest i envision myself traveling is to TN or KY. .

thanks for all the options thus far. looks like i need to keep saving.