NOOB Tent and sleeping bag suggestions

I have an Eberlestock Phantom to meet my other requirements. I would like a tent and sleeping bag that will fit in Colorado all 12 months. Budget friendly of course. Thanks for your time.

In all of Colorado?

Because winter/snow backpacking is very demanding and the margin for error so slender, most people have 3 season gear, and then also have a shelter, bag, pad, stove, and clothing specific to winter. Not to mention the skis, snowshoes, crampons, mountaineering boots, etc. that are needed for snow travel. You may need a bigger pack, or to add a pulk to the kit, depending on length of the trip and gear needs.

Start with three season gear - that's cheaper and easier to go budget oriented with, without compromising safety. Work into winter in Colorado when you have three season experience and develop some friendships with veteran winter backpackers who will take you out with them.

You need a sleeping bag and pad adequate to the lows you expect to encounter - research and hopefully some folks who backpack in Colorado posting here will have ideas on what would meet those needs.

You need to identify what part of Colorado, what you mean by "budget friendly" and what you mean by all 12 months, in particular, where you are going to be when.
Bags -- Light, warm, cheap - pick any two.
Tent -- for winter. as in snow on the ground winter, you should have a four season tent, unless you have serious winter survival skills.

We definitely need more specific information--where in Colorado (climate differs radically in different parts of the state), your budget, your experience level, etc.

I will second Lori on starting with three season gear and not doing winter camping until you have lots more experience. You need really need fall, spring, summer experience before tackling Rocky Mountain winters. Also, gear that is suitable for winters is too heavy to lug around in milder weather. I don't know if temps still get down to -40* as they did when I lived in the Rockies (Laramie, WY) during my high school and college years, but conditions sometimes approximated those described in Jack London's "To Build a Fire."

I definitely would not go winter camping, especially in the mountains, without first taking courses from the Colorado Mountain Club or a similar group in winter camping, avalanche safety, etc. and going with an experienced group until you have gained a lot of experience. While you're doing that, you can rent or borrow winter gear. In fact, I'd suggest renting three-season gear, also, until you've gained some experience and can determine what fits your needs.

The "one piece of gear fits all" concept might work up here in the mild Pacific NW (winter temps usually no lower than +10*F and often in the 20's F, although tents need to hold up under heavy and soggy snow), but it won't really work in places with a more extreme climate.

You can start by reading the articles on the home page of this site, left-hand column. Do note, though, that the conditions are for the Cascade Range for three seasons, a somewhat milder climate than parts of Colorado, especially the higher mountains. The winter camping section of this forum is another good place to study.

Dieselboy,

You did not say what part of Colorado you live in. You will not get light, warm and budget friendly unless you luck out at a pawn shop with someone who didn't know what they had.

I live down in Pueblo. You can get snowed in at any time in the mountains if you stay overnight. You have to be prepared for that. I do not recommend winter backpacking for a new person. Camping is another story. If you stay near main roads, you can drive home if it starts to snow.

For camping, you cannot beat the old military down sleeping bags. They run about $35 to $50 on Ebay. They weigh a ton, but I've used one down to 25 below zero without a tent. (Back when I was young and crazy.)

Colorado can be unforgiving even in the summer. For temperatures to about 35 degrees, an Alpine 20 is cheap, warm and light enough. You can often find them on sale at Sport Authority. Stay away from Coleman and other brands they have there. That usually works from about May to about the second week in September. Above 10,000 feet, it sometimes gets a little cool.

Cheap tents leak. Most are made for backyard camping or car camping where you go home if it rains. For a couple seasons of car camping,the WalMart 3 person tent works fine. Otherwise you are going to have to pay more. You can even do without a tent and go home if it rains. You may find you wake up wet from a heavy dew. That is not a problem for car camping.

If you are new, I'd suggest you either start hiking first or car camping. You can hike with a school bag if you stay where the probability of spending the night is small.

In the winter, I like to head out east and wander the prairies for my hikes and I go in the lower elevation mountains on the weekends when there is no threat of snow.

Since you live in Colorado, you may as well plan to hike the Colorado Trail this summer.

Do you have a permit for your loaded question? Ask 10 people what tent they recommend and you'll get 10 different tents, with 5 more tents as options. As others have said start out with a three season tent. Beyond that answer questions like, free standing? front or side entry? How tall are you? Anyone traveling with you? (1 or more man tent.) One might even throw the question in, Do you even need a tent? Tarp, hammock etc.
Sleeping bag? Synthetic or down? Some people have allergies to down, that makes their choice easy. Provided you can keep it dry, and can afford it, down really is the way to go. I personally own multiple down bags rated to different temps. I take what I need based on expected temperatures. I select a rating 10-15 degrees cooler than what's expected. Partly because of comfort and partly for safety if it turns out to be colder than expected. In the warmer range, 40+ degrees, weight savings for a down bag is minimal. (I often take a synthetic bag out.)
If I could only have one bag I'd go with a down filled 15-20 degree bag.