Can I use a summer sleeping bag for winter ❄️

[Theturk47]

Hi don't have much money to go to Walmart to get a proper sleeping bag any ideas on how to keep warm I have a summer sleeping bag anything I can do to make it better and it takes up to much space in my alice pack

 

[MetalBryan]

"500 mile paper" aka newspaper. Crumple up newspaper and stuff it into the bag for insulation. Some folks make themselves into a burrito by rolling themselves up in a tarp to protect from the wind, water, snow, etc. The humidity you generate overnight could kill you, so make sure by the time you head to bed everything is dry. Good luck!

 

[Joey Garbanzo]

The temperature ratings on sleeping bags don't mean "snug as a bug" while sleeping in your undies at that temperature. It means you'll be alive, miserable but alive.

What I'm getting at is that even with a cold weather bag you will still need to be bundled up yourself depending on how cold the temperature is and what the rating on the bag is. You lose alot of heat into the ground, lay down layers of cardboard and your bedroll then your sleeping bag. You can wrap yourself in a tarp to help with the wind or with a bit of rope and knots you can make a tent out of a tarp. Either way you'll most likely need a good jacket, bibs and longjohns to get through a NY winter if you're outside with a summer bag. Might want to consider travelling to warmer climate, cracking a squat or even homebumming it and trying to get into a shelter for the winter if it means survival.

If you don't have much money, now might be a good time to fly a sign. Just sayin...

As far as having it take up less space, get yourself a drybag and compression sack and lash it under the pack with the straps. Or even a small duffle bag would do in a pinch. Just don't have a bunch of dangley bits around trains.

Hope that helps.

 

[SeeYouInIceland]

Yes to all!
Newspaper and 40 gallon trash bags work wonders. Hope you also got a decent tarp. And yeah hustle it up kid, winter is coming!
I would just squash the bag - open, not in a sack - down at the bottom of pack w/all your stuff on top. Sort of like you're lining the bottom/sides of pack. OR attach it to the outside. Happy trails!

 

[travelbytrainsagain]

Hi don't have much money to go to Walmart to get a proper sleeping bag any ideas on how to keep warm I have a summer sleeping bag anything I can do to make it better and it takes up to much space in my alice pack

Check out the "gently used" section of REI. I got a down bag there for $35

 

[Matt Derrick]

sleeping bags are so incredibly cheap nowadays that you really should be able to afford one, or work up the cash for one. a really nice one would run about 100 bucks online, and used bags should run about 30 bucks or so.

i've used summer bags and just put on multiple clothing layers in the winter but i still wasn't a very happy camper. invest just a little bit of money and you'll be much much happier.

to answer your question more directly, yes, you can do that, but you'll likely be miserable.

 

[Theturk47]

Good News got a 20 degree sleeping bag from my mom for free she had it in the closet and gave it to me

 

[laughingman]

Glad to see that one work out for you OP. For posterity sake ill just add that Geartrade.com is also a good place to get used but very good equipment at a steep discount. Goodwill and other thrift stores are also always worth a look. Honestly though I feel like if its between a runners discount and freezing to death I would probably chose the former.