Time-Tested Gear: Sleeping Bags and Pads

i have a wiggy's i have had for 10 years, cleans easy, is very warm, can't wear it out, works good when soaking wet.

i have a wiggy's i have had for 10 years, cleans easy, is very warm, can't wear it out, works good when soaking wet.

i have a wiggy's i have had for 10 years, cleans easy, is very warm, can't wear it out, works good when soaking wet.

The Kelty Cosmic is a durable well made down bag.It is a terrific sleeping bag for weekend at Yosemite or a night out on the beach.The bag is really warm and fluffy and washes very well in the washing machine.It squeezes into a fairly compact little bag.However,if you are a really serious hiker you are going to want to spend a couple more hundred dollars and go for a smaller more water resistant sleeping bag. This is a great bag in this price range

More info: http://best-gear.org/kelty-cosmic-0-degree-down-sleeping-bag/

I HAVE HAD EVERY TYPE OF INFLATEABLE PAD UNDER THE SUN AND IT ALWAYS SEAM I AT SOME POINT END UP ON THE GROUND UNTILL I FOUND A Z LITE .IT NEVER LETS ME SLEEP ON THE GROUND

I'm a Big Agnes fan. Like my comfort and ultralight--yes I want it all. Have to be able to afford it though. I have 4 Big Agnes bags for summers in North Carolina down to a 15 degree Lost Ranger down. Love the roomy bag, with a pad that does not move out from under you. Great for "active" sleepers. Great for those who hate mummy's, for those that like to sprawl when they sleep and for those that like very little weight.

this is a bit off topic..but could someone recommend a bag more suitable for southern climates? Maybe its just a liner...but I'm curious as to what options are available. Thanks in advance.

I still regularly use a Noth Face Rabbit's Foot (25F Bag) that I bought in about 1979. With a fleece liner, I have been very comfortable down into the teens. It still has great loft and shows no wear. It does help to wash these things (gently, by hand) occasionally to maintain loft.

The best sleeping bags overall are Wiggies. I've used other brands, e.g., Northface, USA Army (Down 1960's-70s) and Colorado Mt Sports, but Wiggies even provide warmth when wet through!

Thomas--Get a MontBell UL Superstretch....I have 3...I'm 6' 220....weightlift...broad shoulders...They are great bags!! They stretch and move w/ you...No more coffins

I used this back on the AT in 2002. When it first came out the oversize stuff sack, it sure had great loft! But of course it disapeared over the months on the trail. It was a good bag on the trail but after October came, Guaranteed for life... wow, I don't have the bag any more but maybe I would ask if it applies to bags used for 7 months!

You did not mention BIG AGNUS. It is actually a system that incorporates a pad of your choice to slip into the sleeve on the underside where there is no down. I use a short mummy pad in my LOST RANGER. Best I have ever owned and very good for ultralight.

Yes, I know they tend to be too bulky to suit many backpackers, but the best overall bag made is Wiggy's. I do a lot of canoe camping and this is the only bag I'll ever need. Totally washable and nearly indestructible. I have 3, in different weights.

I appreciate the time and effort that have gone into preparing articles like this, how about a sleeping bag for those of us who don't sleep like mummy's. I used to be a through hiker now I am a lot more relaxed and I can not sleep in the tight confines and position of a mummy bag I am a single person but I use a two person tent. I need room to relax.I spend 97% of my time sleeping in a bed how about a quality sleeping bag that accommodates that?

I have an 800 fill power down Marmot Col with a Gore liner (I forget which one). I've used it in both tents and in open lean-to's in the Adirondacks at temperatures well below its 0 degree F rating.

I don't give gear recommendations lightly. Generally my gear takes a beating for a few years before I'll suggest it to anyone. This sleeping bag.... it gets my full recommendation. If anything happened to it, I would buy another one in a heartbeat and recommend it to anyone. Based on my experience with this bag, I would also not hesitate to buy another Marmot bag.

I also have a Cat's Meow that lost it's loft many years ago. So much so, that I relegated it to being used as a car camping bag for warm weather. Thanks to Greg's comment, I'll be contacting North Face too.

Good advice. I would very highly recommend the Exped Down mats for below freezing. I never felt even the slightest chill spot and the confort was off the chart. Plus, it is only a few ounces more than most UL foam mats and packs quite small. I don't know if you've ever tested any of the PHD gear and clothing but I would love to see it. Anyone that can make an under 3 lb. bag that is rated to -21C has got to be worth checking out.

My Cat's Meow lost much of it's loft after several years use. I contacted North Face and asked it if could be refilled. They told me to send it to them, which I did, and North Face sent me a brand new bag, no charge. Guaranteed For Life they said. Awesome.

I have been very impressed with Therm-a-rest's customer service, however the most comfortable backpacking mattress I own is the Exped Downmat7, comparable in weight to the pro lite 4 but much thicker and better insulation. This Neo must now be trying to compete with the Downmat series.

I had the bottom of my sleeping bag slide out from under a tarp into the rain once. The plastic bag would've prevented that for sure.

You're not supposed to seal the bag n stuff...just slip it over and let it breath.

If you wrap the foot end of your sleeping bag in a plastic bag you are going to get the foot box as wet as if you were brushing up against a wet tent wall. I have tried this several times with no success.

I have had a Cat' Meow since (I think) the 1980's. It has been on many, many trips and served with flying colors. It is now relegated to the status of overbag for kids' sleeping bags for late fall camping in the Adirondacks or for use as a summer camping, but I think it is noteworthy that it has proven this durable.