Author Topic: How to pack my sleeping bag  (Read 17255 times)

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Offline DaveB

Re: How to pack my sleeping bag
« Reply #15 on: February 05, 2016, 10:20:52 am »
Because I have nothing better to do, I decided to look up the temperature in Ohio in June.  I picked Columbus since its in the middle of Ohio.  The average low in Columbus is 61 degrees in June.  Average high in June is 82 degrees.
As a friend of mine is fond of saying; "climate is what you expect, weather is what you get".  Averages are just that with the range being ±3 standard deviations. 

The small town in Ohio I was camped in on GOBA in the early '90's did reach 35°F two mornings in a row and those who believed the averages and brought a single blanket or "sleep over" quality sleeping bags suffered very noisily.

The point about individual cold tolerance is well taken but most people are better served with a sleeping bag a bit too warm than a bit too cold.

Offline RussSeaton

Re: How to pack my sleeping bag
« Reply #16 on: February 05, 2016, 10:57:28 am »
Its kind of odd you did not quote what I actually wrote.  You seem to have left off the record low I quoted.
I picked Columbus since its in the middle of Ohio.  The average low in Columbus is 61 degrees in June.  Average high in June is 82 degrees.  And the record low in Columbus in June is 35 degrees on June 11, 1972.

As a friend of mine is fond of saying; "climate is what you expect, weather is what you get".  Averages are just that with the range being ±3 standard deviations. 

The small town in Ohio I was camped in on GOBA in the early '90's did reach 35°F two mornings in a row and those who believed the averages and brought a single blanket or "sleep over" quality sleeping bags suffered very noisily.

My quote contained both the average and RECORD LOW temperatures for the middle of Ohio.  Not sure where you camped on this GOBA ride.  But if it was in the middle of Ohio, then on your camping you equaled the RECORD LOW twice.  Seems odd the websites I looked at did not mention record low dates for both 1972 and 1992(?).  Did it reach upper 30s, low 40s on your camping?  Maybe, possibly.  And a 40 degree bag with some clothes on while sleeping would have worked fine.

Offline staehpj1

Re: How to pack my sleeping bag
« Reply #17 on: February 05, 2016, 11:14:15 am »
The point about individual cold tolerance is well taken but most people are better served with a sleeping bag a bit too warm than a bit too cold.

On the other hand I think one reason people get cold is that they use too warm of a bag zipped all the way up too early in the night.  They sweat and then get cold as the temperature drops through the night.  The warmer bag can work, but you need to take a little more care in regulating it as the temperature drops.  I find I am a lot more comfortable if I have just enough bag.

My strategy is to be comfy in my bag in normal overnight temperatures and OK with all my warm clothing items either worn or draped over me for a record low.  I have rarely not seen frost at least some point during any of my long trips or backpacking trips and the odd colder night is not all that rare, but my Phantom 45 (EN 40) has worked out extremely well for me.

Offline Nyimbo

Re: How to pack my sleeping bag
« Reply #18 on: February 20, 2016, 03:45:29 am »
By the way, I bought a waterproof compression bag.  It looks like it will stuff and fit nicely on the top of the back rack between my two rear panniers.  The side benefit of taking the large sleeping bag out of my pannier is that now I will have some good room for food. :-*

Offline 2 Piece

Re: How to pack my sleeping bag
« Reply #19 on: March 14, 2016, 06:02:34 pm »
Do not forget about a mattress, a sleeping bag is only as good as the mattress it is laying on.

Offline Bikinchris

Re: How to pack my sleeping bag
« Reply #20 on: April 21, 2016, 12:20:29 pm »
If I had a 20 degree bag, I would be sleeping on top of it.

Offline meakulpa

Re: How to pack my sleeping bag
« Reply #21 on: May 09, 2016, 04:41:40 pm »
I also use a waterproof compression bag- it works remarkably well.