Sleeping bag options

Trail Talk

Well-known member

Taiga out of Vancouver makes top quality down bags that zip together or lay flat. We use a system of 3 barrel-style bags, each with a different temperature rating. In warmer weather we use one opened flat as a duvet, and in colder temps we zip two together and can choose which weight to have on top. Bonus for US customers are prices in Canadian dollars.
 

jameswj4

New member

Taiga out of Vancouver makes top quality down bags that zip together or lay flat. We use a system of 3 barrel-style bags, each with a different temperature rating. In warmer weather we use one opened flat as a duvet, and in colder temps we zip two together and can choose which weight to have on top. Bonus for US customers are prices in Canadian dollars.
Awesome Thanks for the info I'll take a look
 

rubonik

New member
I own Marmot, TNF and Western Mountaineering bags and they are all good. Western Mountaineering doesn't have anything near your price point. The North Face has a 20F rectangular bag for $130 that can be zipped to another, if you get one with a RH zipper and the other with a LH zipper. If that isn't warm enough, you can always throw a blanket over the top. TNF and Marmot both have double bags that might suit you.
 

JaSAn

Grumpy Old Man
Down is great, until it gets wet. If you camp in areas that have a lot of rain or high humidity it might not be the best choice. And it is almost impossible to dry while camping. Synthetic down replacements are almost as good, don't absorb water, insulate when wet, and can be dried in the field.

My personal choice for motorized camping is a wool batting comforter. I like the freedom of movement and the weight on me. I throw a synthetic quilt on top for temps under 15ºF.
 

Trail Talk

Well-known member
Down is great, until it gets wet. If you camp in areas that have a lot of rain or high humidity it might not be the best choice. And it is almost impossible to dry while camping. Synthetic down replacements are almost as good, don't absorb water, insulate when wet, and can be dried in the field.

That certainly used to be the case until they began to treat down to repel water some years ago. Now I can just throw a down bag into the washing machine and dryer at the end of a season and it comes out as new. Just as important as the down inside the bag, the shell needs to be water-repellant. That was critical for high-altitude mountaineering to keep the bag from wetting out from condensation inside the tent during weeks to months of continuous use. Nowadays, with modern materials as noted above, I don't think twice about taking down on "wet coast" camping trips because of the major advantage in weight savings. Car camping allows one to bring more weight, of course, but space is still an issue and down packs into a much smaller package for the temperature rating than a synthetic fill.
 

DRAX

Active member
Doesn't look like anyone has mentioned them yet, but I love our Teton Mammoth 0F bag, it's a queen size and the top and bottom can separate to use as individual comforters but won't make two smaller bags. Honestly, for solo use I love having a queen size bag anyway. They also make a 20F version but we don't have that. So the Teton bag is our cold-weather bag.
For the summers we have a relatively lightweight queen bag that can be converted into two single bags, it's comfortable at least down to temps in the 50s and we don't overheat when it's in the low 70s.
Keep in mind that most single-temp-rated bags are showing the survival rating, not the comfort rating. A bag with a single rating of 20F doesn't mean you'll be comfortable down to 20F, it just means you'll should be warm enough to survive in temps down to 20F. Here's a pic of our 0F bag in our trailer. It's amazingly comfortable...but it is also rather large when stuffed into its bag, so if you're needing a compact bag then this isn't it.
 

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Inyo_man

Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.
After thirty years of using a North Face 0* mummy bag for backpacking and car camping, I purchased a new bag.
The North Face bag is still warm with no issues...but I'm looking for a roomier bag for only car camping now.
I just purchased a Teton Sports XXL -35* bag for winter runs. I like sleeping outside on my cot in most weather. When there is rain or snow, I usually sleep under the easy-up (with walls, when needed). This bag is amazing! Canvas exterior with a cotton-flannel interior, it even has a removable flannel liner. There is enough room at the feet to put the liners of my Baffin snow boots so there're warm in the morning.

Cheers
 

Jupiter58

Well-known member
Enlightened equipment is one of the best quality companies around and they make many different models to suit your needs.
Camping off a dirt bike they were my best option for weight and warmth.


The old myth of getting down wet is just that. An old wives take. They also make synthetic stuff.
 

JaSAn

Grumpy Old Man
. . .
The old myth of getting down wet is just that. An old wives take. They also make synthetic stuff.
I have a down sleeping bag. It got wet on a mountain climbing trip. It would not dry out (2 weeks). I slept in an arctic parka and overpants; very cold and uncomfortable. And I'm not even an old wife.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
I’ve also gotten several Teton Sports bags, mostly the kid sized ones, and found them to be simple, rugged, and warm. At the price point, they are good value for sure. I wouldn’t expect to take them backpacking very far due to weight and bulk, but for the trailer, they’re great.
 

Jupiter58

Well-known member
I have a down sleeping bag. It got wet on a mountain climbing trip. It would not dry out (2 weeks). I slept in an arctic parka and overpants; very cold and uncomfortable. And I'm not even an old wife.

You bought the wrong bag.
 

GabrielleTucker

New member
Hey, that's a great setup you have! I love the versatility of using one opened flat or zipping two together for colder temperatures. It's also a bonus for US customers with lower prices in Canadian dollars. Have you had any experience with washing the down bags? There are good solutions for campers asking, "can you wash a down sleeping bag in a washing machine?" but I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it.
 
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Trail Talk

Well-known member
Wow, that's a great set up you have there with the Taiga down bags! I love the versatility of being able to use one opened flat or zip two together for colder temps. And bonus for US customers with the lower prices in Canadian dollars. Have you had any experience with washing the down bags?

Err, at last count, we have eight down bags and one synthetic so I may have a problem ?. I haven’t washed any of our four Taiga bags since they have DryShell covers and would take forever to dry (LOL, waterproofing works both ways ?). Wearing base layers keeps the insides clean, while proper airing and storage keeps them lofty. I have washed several ultralight bags, ie. with untreated fabric. No more bathtubs and feather clumps though. Now I use a front load machine with down-specific detergent and dry with tennis balls at low heat, comes out like new. Sometimes before a trip I’ll toss a bag into the dryer, air only, just to distribute the down evenly.
 
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TwinStick

Explorer
I like a roomy bag. We have 2 of Cabelas canvas duct bags. We use sleeping pads, a Carhartt pet blanket, sleeping bag and a Pendleton Wool Camp blanket if needed. I still can't believe how warm that blanket is.
 

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