Author Topic: best sleeping bag for bike packing?  (Read 11205 times)

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Offline FerdieM

best sleeping bag for bike packing?
« on: November 28, 2016, 06:18:11 am »
Hi,

I am looking for a lightweight sleeping bag for bike packing. I can probably spend a maximum of $200 (might be able to stretch budget) I don't mind whether it is down or synthetic but it needs to have a comfort limit of around -5. I have looked at the alpkit bags but they are not in stock and by the sounds of it wont be for the next 6 months. also the smaller the pack size the better. what would you recommend?
« Last Edit: September 26, 2019, 11:18:07 am by dbarth »

Offline Pat Lamb

Re: best sleeping bag for bike packing?
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2016, 08:28:45 am »
Sounds like a variant on "good, fast, cheap; pick two."

For compactness, down can't be beat.  But I haven't seen a -5 degree down bag for less than $200 for years.  Which of the price, cold, or packable requirements are you most willing to compromise on?

Offline John Nelson

Re: best sleeping bag for bike packing?
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2016, 05:18:01 pm »
-5 Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Assuming you mean Fahrenheit, that's a tall order. Personally, I'd just wait until the weather warms up before touring.

My own algorithm is to figure out what the coldest temperature I'm likely to encounter at night. Note I said "at night." Try to pick your campsites at the lower elevations. Don't camp on top of the pass unless you have to. Note also that I said "likely". Don't plan for the coldest temperature ever recorded. Now I figure that on that coldest night, I'll first put on every piece of clothing I brought with me, all layered on top of each other--every shirt, every jersey, every jacket, pair of shorts, every pair of pants, every sock. Then I climb into my sleeping bag. I need a bag warm enough for that. What if it's colder than "likely"? In that case I'll have a cold night. But I'll survive. It's better than carrying a heavy, bulky bag for my whole trip on the off chance that one night I'll need it.

Offline RonK

best sleeping bag for bike packing?
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2016, 06:35:23 pm »
For light weight and packability I use a Marmot Hydrogen. It fits nicely in my bikepacking bags.

It is rated to -1 C. If it gets colder I wear more clothing.

You should be able to buy one for around $250.

Marmot Hydrogen
« Last Edit: November 28, 2016, 06:45:02 pm by RonK »
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

Offline walks.in2.trees

Re: best sleeping bag for bike packing?
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2016, 11:46:11 pm »
Wilderness Logics had some good prices on top quilts. They have cheaper ones than this, but this is a -18°C, 900fp goose down quilt!!
http://wildernesslogics.com/TOP-QUILT-THE-ZERO-ZQ.htm

UGQ also makes great gear, but it's $100 more than you want to spend
http://undergroundquilts.com/renegade/default.html
I have the 0°F version of this, overstuffed by an extra 5oz, toasty warm

If you're not used to quilts, many backpackers use them (rather than a sleeping bag) with a thermal pad to save weight and money, the thought being that your weight compresses the insulation to uselessness anyway, so why carry (or pay for) ineffective insulation? I mention this, because the width you choose should be enough to just wrap around each arm and tuck under you to stop drafts

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Offline johnsondasw

Re: best sleeping bag for bike packing?
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2016, 01:20:02 am »
Just about every outdoor clothing company make a down puffy jacket that packs into its own pocket,which makes it smaller than a loaf of bread.  They are also super light.  Put that on for the night and it changes the formula for which sleeping bag you need. 
May the wind be at your back!

Offline walks.in2.trees

Re: best sleeping bag for bike packing?
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2019, 01:11:17 pm »
Wilderness Logics had some good prices on top quilts. They have cheaper ones than this, but this is a -18°C, 900fp goose down quilt!!
http://wildernesslogics.com/TOP-QUILT-THE-ZERO-ZQ.htm

UGQ also makes great gear, but it's $100 more than you want to spend
http://undergroundquilts.com/renegade/default.html
I have the 0°F version of this, overstuffed by an extra 5oz, toasty warm

If you're not used to quilts, many backpackers use them (rather than a sleeping bag) with a thermal pad to save weight and money, the thought being that your weight compresses the insulation to uselessness anyway, so why carry (or pay for) ineffective insulation? I mention this, because the width you choose should be enough to just wrap around each arm and tuck under you to stop drafts

Sent from my SM-T817V using Tapatalk
just an update to this old thread:

Marty, the man behind Wilderness Logics, passed away earlier this year, so unfortunately, no more new gear from him, but there's still the option of finding some of the gear he made, used, in the "for sale" section of various outdoor related forums, such as Hammock Forums.

just an FYI: Many of the vendors that can be found on Hammock Forums don't only make ultralight gear for hammocks. For example, tarps and top-quilts can be used for ground sleeping as well as hammocks, And Dutchware Gear sells titanium and plastic hardware, Amsteel rope and other Dyneema and Kevlar products etc as well as backpacking food and DIY materials and kits

Dutch and his wife are also cyclists, so I've been trying to convince him to add a line of cycling gear... if he sees enough community support he probably will.

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« Last Edit: October 03, 2019, 01:15:56 pm by walks.in2.trees »