Sleeping bag or blanket?

[bfar33 165]

The thought of you roosting a wheelie up a steep hill on that bike with a parallel twin 650 motor fills my heart with joy and my pants with *@#& haha.

 

I beg you to start this process as soon as possible.

[Goofy Footer 539]

5 hours ago, bfar33 said:

The thought of you roosting a wheelie up a steep hill on that bike with a parallel twin 650 motor fills my heart with joy and my pants with *@#& haha.

 

I beg you to start this process as soon as possible.

From KLR fanatic reports a 685 kit Transforms the bike 

Now slap a 705 in there and your pants will really *@#&

[Goofy Footer 539]

What is the group consensus on temp rating if you have ONE bag?

I say 25 Degree

 

 

If it’s really cold - you can rent a zero degree 

[Rjg967 71]

25 minutes ago, Goofy Footer said:

From KLR fanatic reports a 685 kit Transforms the bike 

Now slap a 705 in there and your pants will really *@#&

I recently rode a Gen 3 KLR, mine with the MCP carb correction feels better but really not much more power at all. Although it certainly sounds like it.

[Rjg967 71]

5 hours ago, bfar33 said:

The thought of you roosting a wheelie up a steep hill on that bike with a parallel twin 650 motor fills my heart with joy and my pants with *@#& haha.

 

I beg you to start this process as soon as possible.

I'm actually really planning on it, just got to find the engine and wrap up two other restoration projects I've got going.

There's people that have done it, but mostly for highway use, I want to do it for shenanigans! Lol

[tntmo 887]

I have a silk liner for my bag, I use it when it’s really hot as a thin blanket or when it’s really cold to add warmth.  Low 20’s is the coldest I’ve camped.

[Goofy Footer 539]

Just now, tntmo said:

I have a silk liner for my bag, I use it when it’s really hot as a thin blanket or when it’s really cold to add warmth.  Low 20’s is the coldest I’ve camped.

Rumor is that you Do look hot in that silk liner

[tntmo 887]

1 hour ago, Goofy Footer said:

Rumor is that you Do look hot in that silk liner

I could model it like the Green Weenie above, but don't know that I can pull it off as nicely. 

[Zubb 1061]

3 hours ago, Goofy Footer said:

What is the group consensus on temp rating if you have ONE bag?

I say 25 Degree

 

 

If it’s really cold - you can rent a zero degree 

Question is how and where and when do you camp!Yep. I have a 30* down. But I sleep cold. So a couple times at 10,000 feet it wasn’t enough even with my down jacket on. 
I found a 20* down that compresses as small as the 30. So I don’t think I’ll ever use the30 again. 
remember, I zip the bag open and use it as a blanket 90% of the time. 

[DSM8 360]

On 4/18/2023 at 12:58 PM, shutterrev said:

@DSM8 I guess I missed the title, and got focused on: "I have a tent already, and all the other goodies, and plenty of sleeping bags but none of which are very compact.

With the 3000 options available online, it's hard to get an idea of what is actually decent without spending an entire paycheck." - figured all of the above needed options for, my bad 

Wasn’t pointing finger’s just figured would address the specific topic at hand

[BigJon01 24]

I use a 15* Big Agnes bag. I own several others but this is the one use nearly every trip. I can unzip if I'm too warm and I bring a liner in case it gets too cold. 

 

The bigger issue IMO is to make sure your sleeping pad is insulated and carries an R-value that you sleep comfortably on. 

 

My $.02

[Goofy Footer 539]

57 minutes ago, BigJon01 said:

I use a 15* Big Agnes bag. I own several others but this is the one use nearly every trip. I can unzip if I'm too warm and I bring a liner in case it gets too cold. 

 

The bigger issue IMO is to make sure your sleeping pad is insulated and carries an R-value that you sleep comfortably on. 

 

My $.02

Good info thanks! Is your bad synthetic or down? If down, what kind?

 

uh oh… Sleeping Pad is a whole nutha discussion! Super important as well

[bfar33 165]

Found a sale on a synthetic 20 degree bag. Not too familiar with these or how small they pack down (you'd have to buy a compression sack) but looks like a good sale, only $87 and free shipping if you use promo code SPRING30 when checking out.

https://www.marmot.com/equipment/mens-ollan-20-sleeping-bag---long/AFS_195115053505.html

[Goofy Footer 539]

9 minutes ago, bfar33 said:

Found a sale on a synthetic 20 degree bag. Not too familiar with these or how small they pack down (you'd have to buy a compression sack) but looks like a good sale, only $87 and free shipping if you use promo code SPRING30 when checking out.

https://www.marmot.com/equipment/mens-ollan-20-sleeping-bag---long/AFS_195115053505.html

https://www.rei.com/product/223991/marmot-ollan-20-sleeping-bag-mens
 

3lbs 3.5oz - more measurements here

30 degree tested comfort

 

Great work finding this one at a big discount!

[Bagstr 287]

Note: Synthetic bags are significantly more bulky, last time I checked in 2006.

[shutterrev 469]

My MtnHardwear is synthetic and comes with a scrunch bag, and a much looser mesh  bag. TBH because it squishes down so we’ll, I use the mesh bag and just kinda poke around and form it around or in whatever else it’s packed with. 

[Zubb 1061]

I switched to high loft (750-800) down quite awhile ago for several reasons.  Warmth to weight ratio.  pack size is the biggest reason, cost per use equation .... I use it a minimum of 25 nights/year, sometimes double that.  So whatever the cost difference is doesn't matter.  WAIT, I forgot.  All my older synthetic bags lose loft so I end up eventually replacing them.  But I have a 20*/600 fill down bag (marmot) that I bought 40 (yes) years ago and it's still in perfect condition except for a few stains on the shell.  I think I paid about $350 for it and it almost got me divorced over the exorbitant price.  The only reason I replaced it 3 years ago was my new bag was 850 fill.  So it packed about 40% smaller which opens up a seemingly immense about of space in my kit.

But what if it gets wet????????????????????

 I've been camping all over the country, with about 60% of that in the Pacific North We(s)t, and have never once in 50 years had a bag get wet.  It's my opinion that if your getting your bag wet, you're just flat out doing it wrong.  I can help newbs with that if they have questions.

The Marmot does pack small by todays standards.  But I've got to considerable expense the last few years to replace almost my whole kit with the smallest and lightest gear available.  This allows me to carry my camping gear & clothing in just one leg of the R80.

That's probably TMI.

[Goofy Footer 539]

7 minutes ago, Zubb said:

I switched to high loft (750-800) down quite awhile ago for several reasons.  Warmth to weight ratio.  pack size is the biggest reason, cost per use equation .... I use it a minimum of 25 nights/year, sometimes double that.  So whatever the cost difference is doesn't matter.  WAIT, I forgot.  All my older synthetic bags lose loft so I end up eventually replacing them.  But I have a 20*/600 fill down bag (marmot) that I bought 40 (yes) years ago and it's still in perfect condition except for a few stains on the shell.  I think I paid about $350 for it and it almost got me divorced over the exorbitant price.  The only reason I replaced it 3 years ago was my new bag was 850 fill.  So it packed about 40% smaller which opens up a seemingly immense about of space in my kit.

But what if it gets wet????????????????????

 I've been camping all over the country, with about 60% of that in the Pacific North We(s)t, and have never once in 50 years had a bag get wet.  It's my opinion that if your getting your bag wet, you're just flat out doing it wrong.  I can help newbs with that if they have questions.

The Marmot does pack small by todays standards.  But I've got to considerable expense the last few years to replace almost my whole kit with the smallest and lightest gear available.  This allows me to carry my camping gear & clothing in just one leg of the R80.

That's probably TMI.

50 nights a year? I know natural gas and BMW monthly payments are higher than ever but run the heat in your house in winter!

 

I went with a Mountain Hardware down bag (on sale plus had gift cards) that has a gortex shell cause I liked the extra durability and have been known to cowboy camp at times. I went with 15* as I have a well worn almost 20 year old REI Synthetic 25 that doesn’t seem to quite have the temp insulation it once did. I’ll use that bag for the shoulder months.

[Goofy Footer 539]

@Zubb you might like this - I’ve had 2 instances of wet sleeping bags that I can recall:

1- Igloo snow bottom melt soak onto a bag in the eastern sierras (rock creek irrc) 

2- I got caught hiking through hours of downpour only to get to a flooded campground (in the dark) during winter break in Pt Reyes once. 

Sometimes Mother Nature wins!  (she Never Loses)

 

fingers crossed for a dry COBDR!

[Zubb 1061]

27 minutes ago, Goofy Footer said:

50 nights a year? I know natural gas and BMW monthly payments are higher than ever but run the heat in your house in winter!

 

I went with a Mountain Hardware down bag (on sale plus had gift cards) that has a gortex shell cause I liked the extra durability and have been known to cowboy camp at times. I went with 15* as I have a well worn almost 20 year old REI Synthetic 25 that doesn’t seem to quite have the temp insulation it once did. I’ll use that bag for the shoulder months.

Funny thing is my wife gets panicked when she see's I've turned the thermostat up to 67.  She will see it on her phone at work and turn it back down to 62*!!!!  She is pretty peeved at Gas rates!

[Zubb 1061]

24 minutes ago, Goofy Footer said:

@Zubb you might like this - I’ve had 2 instances of wet sleeping bags that I can recall:

1- Igloo snow bottom melt soak onto a bag in the eastern sierras (rock creek irrc) 

2- I got caught hiking through hours of downpour only to get to a flooded campground (in the dark) during winter break in Pt Reyes once. 

Sometimes Mother Nature wins!  (she Never Loses)

 

fingers crossed for a dry COBDR!

That'll learn ya to not stay in igloos!  

I actually did that a few times with the boy scouts.  Never got wet though.

[DSM8 360]

The one time my down bag got we the foot of the bad was resting against the wall of the tent and I guess condensation or something was taking place and it soaked the bottom 2' of the bag, I could not figure out why I was so cold all night (wool socks) until the Am when I saw the water line.
This was camping up by SLO

[shutterrev 469]

18 hours ago, Goofy Footer said:

I’ve had 2 instances of wet sleeping bags that I can recall:

Wet bags are no good for sure. I slept a total of a year+ a couple months (literally each night) just in my current MtnHardwear bag just for work trips at the time between 2011-2015, not including whatever little camping trips inbetwixt. I think it now, after so much use, has lost some of it's ability to retain heat... but is more packable for sure, and I have probably also simultaneously gained the ability to withstand more cold with my built in insulation  Marmot, MtnHardwear, REI, there are tons of fantastic options. As others have said in here, spend the money and the bag will be supporting you for a very long time. Use a silk liner, keeps it clean, and a great matt with R value as everyone is reinforcing. 

Edited April 21, 2023 by shutterrev

[Goofy Footer 539]

@Rjg967 REI is having their biggest sale of the year starting tomorrow. The Nemo “Disco” sleeping bag line will be 40% off which is killer.

https://www.rei.com/product/163032/nemo-disco-15-sleeping-bag-mens

 

Hope this sales news is helpful to you and other members!

[KTMrad 508]

I've been using an REI down bag for years...I bought it over 20 years ago and it's still fine. It's traveled with me for at least 60,000 miles on the motorcycle and has been used a lot. I think it's rated for 20 degrees, I've camped into the low 20's with it.