Zero degree bag reccomendations

Anticipating the colder months of fall I'm going to buy me a new sleeping bag. Anyone have a bag they are particularly fond of? Deals etc?

Occasional backpacking and ski touring so preferably light and packable.

All I can tell you is that I have a North Face 0* bag, don't remember what it's called but it's synthetic. It's SUPER warm but since it's synthetic it doesn't pack down as well.

Since you didn't specify, I'll assume that you might not know the following basics:

Down:
-Is lighter (better warmth to weight ratio)
-Packs down better
-Can last a lifetime
BUT
-Doesn't work when wet
-Takes forever to dry
- Needs special cleaning
-Expensive

Synthetic:
-Works when wet
-Dries fast
-Easy to clean
-Costs less
BUT
-Is heavier
-Can't pack as well
-Breaks down faster than down

Has anyone had experience with Rab down bags? I keep seeing them show up on SAC and almost just now pulled the trigger on a 850 fill 0 degree bag.

I trust Marmot more though, so am holding out for a deal on a Lithium Membrain

golite all the way! if you're in co, and you want to camp out before one of the sales you can get one for about 150..

Hey Ryan, thanks for taking the time to type that out.

I'm pretty well versed in the pros and cons of types of sleeping bags, I am simply looking for a consensus among those who might have fallen in love with a particular model. Very subjective measures, I know.

@RyanO, yeah I am thinking GoLite too. Alas, I live in CA.

Recently I purchased Mont Bell's Super Spiral #0 bag and really like it.

Its pretty much on par weight/size-wise for other 0 degree down bags. What really set it apart for me is the super stretch aspect. They cut the fabric and stitched it so that it stretches really well. If you can find one to try I would be really surprised if you don't end up loving the bag for that reason alone.

By far and away the most comfortable sleeping bag I have ever been in.

I move a lot in my sleep, and this bag effortlessly accommodates that movement and ensures that their are no dead spots. I liked this so much that I actually sold a 20 degree Mountain Hardware synthetic bag so that I could buy a synthetic Mont Bell bag with the same feature.

montbell.us/products/disp.p…

WESTERN MOUNTAINEERING
made in USA
BEST quality down
lightest weight
incredibly comfortable

pricey... but you get what you pay for.

Like biscuits said, Western Mountaineering bags are excellent, well worth the price. I've owned a few Marmot bags over the years, and they're a close second to Western Mountaineering.

If you're willing to spend the money and put some effort into taking care of your bag, good down bags are the way to go. consider a silk liner to add a little warmth and keep the bag clean.

Western Mountaineering is amazing, I have two of their bags (a HighLite that I have had for more then 10 years and easily 200 nights, and a Puma MF) and I love them. I will continue to buy their bags. Feathered Friends is right up there as well, and if you want a water resistant bag their eVent bags are amazing. All other bags are a step down (in my book) from these two in terms of quality, but you maybe able to get a bag that fits your needs perfectly for 1/3 of the price. Look at everything and think about what you are going to use it for. Best of luck!

Western mountaineering antelope is a great bag. Rated at 5 degrees, I think it sleeps warm. Top of the line for sure.

Ryan Williams wrote:All I can tell you is that I have a North Face 0* bag, don't remember what it's called but it's synthetic. It's SUPER warm but since it's synthetic it doesn't pack down as well.

Seriously?

I'll tell you what, I will sell you my (almost) brand new NF 0 degree synthetic bag for a six pack of beer. That is, by far, the worst bag I have ever owned. I get cold in that thing when it drops below 20 degrees....and I was born and raised in Wisconsin so I ain't no cold weather wimp. Its not just me either. I lent it to a friend to make sure it wasn't just me. Conclusion? That bag is a POS. My 12 year old synthetic Moonstone 15 degree bag is warmer. Get anything but a NF bag.

Like other folks on here have said, if you can afford the change, get a Western Mountaineering bag. When WM says 0 degree, they mean it will keep you comfy to minus 10. Worth every cent.

I have the Marmot Couloir and I absolutely love it. It packs down pretty well and is amazingly warm. Someone who swears by Marmot says that their bag ratings are actually about +5 from what they can handle.

J. Albers wrote: Seriously? I'll tell you what, I will sell you my (almost) brand new NF 0 degree synthetic bag for a six pack of beer. That is, by far, the worst bag I have ever owned. I get cold in that thing when it drops below 20 degrees....and I was born and raised in Wisconsin so I ain't no cold weather wimp. Its not just me either. I lent it to a friend to make sure it wasn't just me. Conclusion? That bag is a POS. My 12 year old synthetic Moonstone 15 degree bag is warmer. Get anything but a NF bag. Like other folks on here have said, if you can afford the change, get a Western Mountaineering bag. When WM says 0 degree, they mean it will keep you comfy to minus 10. Worth every cent.

That's weird. I slept in mine in a 3 season tent for about 5 weeks during November and December out at Indian Creek and was the warmest of all my friends. It got down below 20 every night for like a 10 day stretch (and down around 10 a few nights) and I'd sleep in the thing naked and sleep through the night comfy as hell. Then I'd wake up in the morning and all of Creek Pasture would be complaining that they didn't get enough sleep because of the cold.

I don't remember the name and don't see in on REI's site, which is where I bought it. I think it is a "Polar Shield" or something like that. Def. rated to 0, and I'm happy with it so far. I wonder if you got a lemon?!

Western Mountaineering is the way to go

and why does everyone like Creek Pasture so much?

My .02 is for Western Mountaineering bags too. Don't have one myself,
one's on my list of to get, but a number of my friends have them
and they can't say enough good things about them.
I've got a Marmot CWM bag, (-40 rated), and I was barely warm
enough on Denali in -10 below there. My buds with their Western
Mountaineering bags were toasty all the way.

Ryan Williams wrote: That's weird....I don't remember the name and don't see in on REI's site, which is where I bought it. I think it is a "Polar Shield" or something like that. Def. rated to 0, and I'm happy with it so far. I wonder if you got a lemon?!

Hey Ryan,

Yeah, I probably have the same bag as you because I bought it at REI (its a lime green bag). I'm glad that your bag has worked out for you, but to be honest, I know several people (men and women) that have had problems with other NF bags as well. In the future, I will probably just stick to either a Marmot or a WM bag.

That said, if anyone wants to buy my 0 degree bag, its practically brand new and I would be willing to sell it for a reasonable price.

Cheers.

J. Albers wrote: Hey Ryan, Yeah, I probably have the same bag as you because I bought it at REI (its a lime green bag). I'm glad that your bag has worked out for you, but to be honest, I know several people (men and women) that have had problems with other NF bags as well. In the future, I will probably just stick to either a Marmot or a WM bag. That said, if anyone wants to buy my 0 degree bag, its practically brand new and I would be willing to sell it for a reasonable price. Cheers.

Yea I think mine is lime green and black. I got it on sale.

I'm just curious (and a bit worried) if mine will keep me warm when the temp gets down below 15. I know we got below 15 a few nights but probably not for more than an hour or two at a time. It did well around and below 20 though. Hmmm...

Marmot Never Summer zero bag

Ryan Williams wrote:-Doesn't work when wet

This is not wholly true. I have over 400 nights in my marmot helium 850 fill 15°F bag. The few of those that ended with a damp bag, in cold conditions (in the 20's), I stayed plenty warm in the bag. Not as warm as I would have been otherwise, but it was by no means a total loss of thermal insulation.

I've been told by others that there is a test somewhere out there about the specifics of this and that they found the down bags lost 15% of their thermal capabilities when wet. Which is significant, but not as bad as the average hyperbole.

How your bag actually gets soaked is a mind boggle to me. You'd have to leave it out in the rain, drop the unpacked back in a water source, or something else totally ridiculous and mostly avoidable to get enough water to actually make a difference. Rain soaking your pack through to your bag is the only way I've managed to get it wet (uncommon, and avoidable by a pack rain cover).

Down is far superior to synthetic and I will never, even remotely, consider the idea of a synthetic bag again.

I can't speak for a 0 degree bag, since I don't own one - but I do have a -40 Marmot bag that I absolutely love. Well made and obviously very warm. If I buy any more sleeping bags, Marmot will be at the top of the list.

Sergio Colombo wrote: Brice, our body loses 1 qt. of water every night due to perspiration. Down bags made of nylon (non breathable), can get wet, not soaked, just from your body perspiration. Down bags with DryLoft Gore/Conduit/Pertex/Event fabric help eliminate the problem by allowing what we lose through perspiration to leave the bag and keeping it drier. They do cost a lot more but I think in the long run they are worth the money. Another thing that gets down bags wet is the condensation inside the tent. In humid winter climates, it can be considerable and could spell trouble if you're far away on an expedition. A wet down bag will freeze and there is no way to thaw it if you're up on the mountains. I still prefer down bags to synthetic, but there are pros and cons to go either way.

I'm constantly changing my mind about which I like better. In a bivy sack, if I have to close the top, I always end up soaked and freezing in a down bag (once in a 10F bag when the temps were only in the high 30s) just from persperation. Even in a tent, if it's winter, I've usually got wet stuff (gloves, socks, boot liners, etc.) that I like to keep in the bag with me overnight to dry out. Once again, I end up soaked and freezing in a down bag. In both of the above circumstances with a synthetic bag I end up wet but NOT freezing.

However, on the other side of the coin, why try to save weight with a bivy sack if you are forced to carry around a massive synthetic bag? If I'm really worried about weight (which I usually am on a one-night trip) then I just bring the down bag and a tent, and accept the fact that my socks, boot liners, and gloves will be frozen in the morning. For longer trips where the pack is heavy anyway, and where a wet down bag that doesn't dry out over the course of the day would royally suck, I consider the synthetic.

Keep in mind that you can wear your jackets to bed to make your sleeping bag warmer. I don't think you need more than a 10F or 15F bag almost anywhere in California.