Sleeping Bag

Bait O' Eggs · 06-16-2002, 08:13 PM

Does anybody have any suggestions for a good sleeping bag. I have some top dollar ones that are 0 degrees and only weigh 3 pounds that we bought when we backpacked (pre-kids). The wife doesnt like the slick nylon type material on the surface, and it will be a while before the kids can hike any distance.

We are looking for bags that are something in the neighborhood of minus 10 or minuse 20 degrees, Flannal lining, must zip into a pair of bags for when the wife goes

or make into a single bag for when I go alone. Weight is of no concern, since these will only be used when driving to our campsite. I have looked in cabelas and am not impressed with their line up of bags that will mate and meet these requirements.

Any suggestions or outlets that I should be shopping at?

Rauly · 06-16-2002, 08:50 PM

Give me a day and I will get mine out and give you the manufacturer. They serve all of your reqirements.

Get Bit · 06-16-2002, 09:28 PM

Hey Rauly,

Make sure you tell Roy about those fancy foam pads you have ! They sure make deer camp nice and comfy. :smile:

Get Bit

pdxkevin · 06-19-2002, 06:17 AM

My wife and I went over to Fisherman's Marine a couple years ago and upgraded from the $19.95 sleeping bags to 'pure heaven'. We bought a pair of zero degree 'Big Timber' bags made by Slumberjack.

http://www.slumberjack.com/productItem.asp?id=125

Zipped together and put on top of a queen sized air mattress these will really spoil you!!! They are over-sized and warm very quickly. I find them to have solid construction using heavy duty materials - very durable. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

Bait O' Eggs · 06-19-2002, 08:18 AM

That is interesting Kevin, I just ordered Slumberjack Big Timber bags yesterday. I did my research and decided the 10 ounce cotton duck outer material would hold up to anything, the flannel lining would make the wife happy, and they came in +10, 0 or -20 degree models. I got the minus 20 degree ones and hope the wife is happy with the warmth. I wish it came with a #10 rather the #9 zipper, as zippers are usually the first to go with sleeping bags.

I hope I dont have to carry this thing very far, as the fill alone weighs over twice as much as my backpacking bags.

WaterDog · 06-19-2002, 10:40 AM

Roy,

Where did you order them and how much?

WaterDog · 06-19-2002, 12:25 PM

Thanks.

0 degree bag would work for me. I too need a zip together bag for the wife.

Time for a new bag for the old bag......... :shocked:

Bait O' Eggs · 06-19-2002, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Time for a new bag for the old bag

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">I just forwarded this thread to your wife, I dont think you need to worry about them zipping together for a long long long time

Bait O' Eggs · 06-19-2002, 11:01 PM

Rich
I could only find the minus 20 degree bags at this place, and from the email acknowledgement I got it looks like they were being shipped from Sumberjack anyway

I called Slumberjack and talked to them, and they gave me the 2 companies that they suggest you order from. One wanted $105, the other wouldnt have them in stock till August

If you look around the site I link below you will see the 0 degree bag was about $10 or $12 less than the minus 20 and the +10 bag was another $10 +/- less again.

I am glad kevin said his zip together, I talked to slumberjack to make sure they would zip together as you normally use a right and left bag to make a pair. This bag only comes in a right. The best I could get was a "maybe" after talking to 2 customer service reps on 2 calls. On my order for the bags, I included a note that if they would not zip together they would be returned.

place I ordered them from

[ 06-19-2002, 12:02 PM: Message edited by: Bait O' Eggs ]

pdxkevin · 06-23-2002, 02:25 PM

The zippers shouldn't be a problem. These are some of the heftiest I've seen.

This company in Vermont is selling -20 Big Timber for $89.95 ea.

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/slumberjac...Collection.htm

Here is another selling the -20 Big Timber for $104 ea. http://shop.store.yahoo.com/jeanswes...mbrbigtim.html

As long as you aren't taking these backpacking, there the best out there I have seen.

Mr. Fisherman · 06-24-2002, 08:03 PM

Coleman Elk Hunter II, the best "car, horse, raft" camping bag I've ever had. Two way zipper should mean no problem for doubles and mine has been keeping me warm and dry for over 12 years.

Duck back and flannel. Warmer than a sheep in Montana :shocked:

Tagster · 06-25-2002, 09:33 AM

BOE, I will second the vote for the big timber. We bought ours at Bi-Mart a couple of years ago and love them. My wife thinks it is great to zip them together and I like the fact that even zipped they are big enough that I don't have to constantly snuggle.

They do zip together very easily...if you open them both up and lay them flannel to flannel, the two way zippers are easy to match up.

BTW- I have the 0 degree bag and it is plenty warm enough...even for her.

Enjoy!

Tag

[ 06-25-2002, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Tagster ]

SHLEPROCK · 06-25-2002, 06:40 PM

When zipping the sleeping bags together what do you use to sleep on when it is in the teens or colder? A couple of years ago I tried the air matress and froze all night.

The next day I drove 30 miles for bale of straw and it was worth the the trip.

Bait O' Eggs · 06-25-2002, 09:24 PM

I see fishermans marine has the 0 degree big timber bags on sale this week for $69.99. :depressed: I wanted the minus 20 and that is what I ordered, oh well. Should be here soon.

troutguy04 · 06-26-2002, 08:51 PM

This may be a stupid question, but what does it mean whent the bag is minus 20 or zero? Does it mean you will be comfortable at those temperatures, or you wont freeze at them. Sorry if that is a dumb question.

pdxkevin · 06-27-2002, 11:14 PM

SHLEPROCK,

We always have ours zipped together (even rolledup) and use a queen size air mattress under. Two people keeping the same volume warm is much more effective compared to one (even if you only sleep).

Last spring we camped in the higher altitude, and found it had snowed in our area over night. We didn't know it until we popped out of the bag. Others we had camped with climbed into their SUVs to get out of the cold (their bags were rated to 40).

One thing to note: if it is going to get cold. Tuck the zippered edges under.

Troutguy04,

I beleive that referes to the lowest temp outside they recommend being in while using that sleeping bag. How fast it holds to that rule I don't know.

[ 06-27-2002, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: pdxkevin ]

BuKuBass · 06-28-2002, 02:47 PM

The reason that an air mattress gets cold is that there's enough thickness that a convective loop can occur; the heat from your body causes the air in the mattress to move circulating the cold from the ground. The foam insert of a "Therm-a-rest" pad prevents this. Reduce the air pressure so that your butt just clears the ground and use a space blanket between your bag and the mattress to reflect heat back into your bag.