Using a Sol Escape bivy with a sleeping bag

I decided on backpacking in Sawtooth in the middle of Oct. My bag is rated at 30 degrees but really Im only comfortable down to about 40. The night time temps suppose to be around 20 degrees there. Do you think adding the SOL escape would be enough to stay comfortable warm?

If it's 20 in the morning, you'll need a fleece or puffy for warmth. I just use mine to sleep in, too. The bivy might be a gain, and probably is, but extra sleepwear may do the same for no additional weight. I make sure my winter bags are roomy enough for the extra clothing and neither the puffy or the bag's down is compressed. 20 degrees is a big swing, I'd be very hesitant about gaining that much of a comfort factor out of the bivy alone. A down beanie and a puffy, on the hand, adds a significant amount of warmth. I've gone through many permutations of sleep systems trying to stay warm and lightest possible. Probably more on the way, as my wife and I are starting to section hike the Long Trail in Vt. and a lot of it will be done in the winter. If you do any testing with the bivy, I'd love to hear your results.

I'd recommend getting a bag rated to the lowest temperature you expect to encounter most of the time (which is different that the lowest you ever expect to encounter.)

I don't expect to encounter temperatures lower than 30 (I stay home if the forecast is for lower); my winter bag is rated to 25. I carry a down jacket in winter, for camp wear, and consider it and other clothes as my "safety margin." That way, if it unexpectedly falls lower than the forecast, I can deal with it.

Just remember that the temps in the mountains are actually warmer than the temps in Stanley, so if Stanley is calling for 30s, it'll be warmer, not colder.

I agree with previous poster, a SOL bivy probably won't give you a 20 degree swing.

Thats good to know. Im going to be backpacking to Hidden Lake and doing a loop that goes around Toxaway lake in the Hidden Lake Area. I looked at the oct avg temps for Stanely. I wonder if I add a Sea to Summit reactor to the set up. Im just trying to avoid buying a 400 sleeping bag. I have a 0 degree Marmot Trestle I use for car camping but it weighs too much

I've used the reactor quite a bit in different scenarios- don't count on more than 5-8 degrees gain. I don't use it very much anymore, getting tangled up in it is awful.

The lightest and most reliable solution is to invest in a warmer bag. Anything else: adding clothing, adding liners, etc., will also add weight. That being said, I'm not married to being ultra lite, so I have a fleece liner (this one: http://amzn.to/2aGTTga) that I bring when I'm pretty sure my bag is not going to cut it.

What sort of pad do you use? Sometimes if my bag is right on the cusp of comfortable temps,I bring along a closed cell pad (I use the Ridge Rest http://amzn.to/2au1WNX) and put my inflatable on top of that.

I am also a big fan of using a handwarmer at the bottom of my bag at night in cold temps. It's amazing how much that helps without adding much weight. I can also then throw it in my boots in the morning while I'm eating breakfast to give them a little warmth before I put them on.

Another option is to use a low cost VBL (Vapor barrier liner) inside your bag. VBLs are often controversial--you either love them or hate them. I frequently use one to extend my 30F Marmot Hydrogen into the low 20's and sometimes teens--by also adding a fleece neck gaiter and 2 fleece caps. With a sleeping bag VBL you can also 'adjust it'--by rolling it down so only your legs are covered...or use all of it for maximum warmth. Here's a cheap one I use (polyethylene not mylar) that adds only 3.8oz:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WX...pf_rd_i=desktop

You can even carry two of these--one as a ground cloth and the other as a VBL.

I use a VBL too, but it consists of non-breathable rain jacket and pants worn over just my polyester base layer. That way I can still add insulation layers over the rain gear without getting them full of moisture. It is important to remember that whatever is inside that VBL is going to be soaked by "insensible perspiration" from your body. (That's why the polyester base layer, which doesn't absorb moisture.)

With this setup, I have taken my sleeping bag with a comfort rating of 24*F (I am female, elderly, and a cold sleeper, so find the "comfort" rating just barely warm enough) to 15*F and have been quite cozy. I'm sure I could go down to 10*F with a warm enough sleeping pad. The VBL also keeps my body moisture out of the sleeping bag insulation, which is really important in below-freezing weather. I don't, however, use the VBL unless it's going to be a frosty night.

My setup won't work with breathable rain gear, though. Like a number of others (Andrew Skurka is one), I have given up on so-called waterproof/breathable gear, having found it neither waterproof nor breathable.

Some folks can't use a VBL at all; it depends on your individual physiology.

I have also found that the draft collar on my sleeping bag really boosts the warmth and lets me loosen the hood a bit to let my exhaled air escape instead of soaking the hood opening. For those not having a draft collar, I'm sure that extra insulation worn around the neck to keep the cold air from going farther down would help, too.

My dog is part of my sleep system. since I am a side sleeper its easy to get her in my bag. She is a 60lb electric heating pad lol

Unfortunately my auxiliary heating system (I agree, they're wonderful!) passed away a few years ago. There was at least one trip I was on with him where I could have used another two dogs (a three dog night)!

Just got back from a week and a half in the Sawtooths. Absolutely gorgeous. You'll love it. While it'll be different in Oct., it was actually quite warm when we went to bed, but got quite chilly around 3-4 am. More than once I woke up and put on my synth jacket to finish out the night.

There's a fire burning in the (I believe) Pioneer Mountains, next range over from where we were. Wilderness Crew said it'll probably burn until either rain or snow puts it out. We could smell the smoke on much of our hike - even had very small amounts of ash fall on us a couple of times.

I decided on not going to Sawtooth then. I am going to wait until next June when its warmer. I am going back to southern Utah. My favorite place to hike. Spending 4 nights in the Escalante and 4 nights in grand Gulch

Sorry, I was talking about the Sawtooth Wilderness in Idaho, not the Sawtooth National Forest in Utah. Didn't even realize there was a Sawtooth in Utah!

I was originally talking about Sawtooth Wilderness as well. There isnt one in Utah. I changed plans because I dont want to buy a 600 dollars sleeping bag. Im was going to hike the loop Near Farley lake but I am going to wait until next summer.

I put the wrong thing in my last post. I put Utah instead of Sawtooth lol Sorry, for the confusion

As a side note, I just used the escape bivy for 2 nights in the mid-50's wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Was fairly comfortable, but they are a little tight for my 200+ frame. Was not clammy in the least, so I hope they will extend the range of our bags this winter. Looks promising.