Ultralight Sleeping Bag Suggestion | Squat the Planet

Ultralight Sleeping Bag Suggestion

Colin Hardman

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Hey guys,

I guess everyone here is going to recommend me WM Summerlite, but I am low on budget for now and certainly can't spend 380$ for a sleeping bag.
I'm looking for an alternative US-made sleeping bag, if possible goose down, duck or dri-down, hooded mummy.

All US-made bags are relatively expensive, but most review websites suggest Naturehike, Aegismax, Marmot etc...as more or less noteworthy options.

What ultralight sleeping bags do you use?
 
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MetalBryan

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Same. My problem is that I'm a big man so now I have to start the search again.

I almost bought the 0F TETON Sports LEEF Lightweight Mummy Sleeping Bag w/ compression sack. It's about $90 on amazon for reference. I settled on this after a lot of research but then realized I would likely be uncomfortable around the waist.
 

Matt Derrick

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you should check out our ultimate gear guide and our guide to buying shit articles, you'll probably find some useful tips there.

to answer your question though, similar to @MetalBryan's answer, I've always suggested the TETON Sports TrailHead Sleeping Bag since it's completely decent, compacts fairly well, and is usually only around $60 or so on amazon.

There are definitely better bags out there, but for the price, it certainly doesn't suck :)
 
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Older Than Dirt

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2.9 pounds for the Teton is not really "ultralight". The Amazon reviews suggest this 20 degree rated bag is good to around 40 degrees for comfort. Comparably temp-rated down bags will run less than half that weight, around 1 pound 5-6 ounces, but average a few hundred bucks as OP notes. The available colors of the Teton or most alternatives are not great for stealthy sleeping.

Folks seem to be ignoring OP's request for a made in USA bag. Here is a listing of all made in USA civilian sleeping bag manufacturers, Wiggy's is probably the best bang for buck here:


OP might want to consider the sleeping bag i (and many others here) use- the military Modular Sleep System Intermediate Bag- made in USA, very very warm (rated to -30, but that is a survivability temp (like the Teton's 20 temp) for a fully clothed soldier; realistically will provide comfort to at least a bit below freezing (and i am a cold sleeper)), about a half pound (9.6 ounces) heavier, nice subdued color, VASTLY better made, and, at $49 cheaper:


Usually available here too for about same price, out of stock right now, but might not be when someone finds this with search years from now:


One dividend of our recent endless wars is that new, high-tech military surplus gear is highly available, with quality better than all but the most expensive civilian gear, for much less money.
 

Coywolf

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I never recommend down bags as There is no way they would have kept me warm in so many instances traveling. DriDown doesnt do shit when it's raining or you accidentally soak your bag.

I'm rocking a Mountain Hardwear Lamina 0 degree synthetic bag right now. $209, 4 lbs

Lamina™ 0F/-18C Sleeping Bag - https://www.mountainhardwear.com/lamina-0f--18c-sleeping-bag-1857311.html

As for a down bag, Mountain Hardwear has other options that are good/cheaper as well. I would not skimp on a sleeping bag. That is one of the last pieces of gear I would try to cut corners on.

But then again, I'm usually out there in winter, where my life depends on it.
 
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Older Than Dirt

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I agree down sucks. But ii is very temptingly light on the catalog page or website; not so much when you are shivering in a wet bag at 4 am. Synthetics will keep you warm when they're wet, and cost much less $, but will weigh at least twice as much for the same comfort level.

@Coywolf mentions what looks like a very good bag, but it isn't at all cheap at $210, is far from ultralight at 4 lbs 2.9 oz, and is not made in USA. So it isn't the cheap, ultralight, made in USA bag, that OP wants.

OP mentions the Western Mountaineering Summerlite as the kind of thing they want. That is a 1 lb, 3 oz, 32 degrees rated, made in USA, down bag that costs $425 (that you will freeze in when it rains).

There just isn't anything cheap that can compare on all those specs- It is one of those "ultralight, cheap, warm- pick any two" deals. When you add "and it has to be made in USA too", you make it darn near impossible. Something's gotta give.

The MSS Intermediate bag i posted is cheaper than any other high quality bag, is probably about as warm as the bag @Coywolf posted for a quarter the price, and is made in USA, but is merely light, but not ultralight.
 
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Are there even any synthetic bags that qualify as “ultralight, regardless of where manufactured? For summerI have an ultralight down quilt, rated to 30 degrees, and that’s an honest , real-world 30 degree rating - not “you can survive at 30” rated, as some are. Less than a pound and a half. But if there is any rain forecast, I won’t take it, I’ll take my euro-made Carinthia Tropen, with a true rating of 40 degrees, and weighs 2.4 lbs. My winter bag is another Carinthia bag, real-world rated to about 15 degrees, and weighs about 4 lbs.. Any colder, I am not going to be outdoors.

None of these are cheap, in fact, they are expensive. Only the down quilt is made in USA, by UGQ .The Carinthia bags are outstanding quality, made in eastern Europe, I believe.

You will likely just have to accept the weight penalty if you want a really warm, synthetic bag that is warm(ish) even when wet. It may not be USA made, unless you lay out some cash.

I have also used Wiggys bags in the past, they are, or were, made in USA, well made and great quality. But again, not cheap., or particularly light weight.

BTW, you can find good deals on quality used gear at GearTrade.com .And I agree with Coywolf, bad idea to skimp on your sleep system. That and footwear
 
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Desperado Deluxe

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Like what @Older Than Dirt said I too advocate for the patrol bag. (Mss intermediate)
I'd also like to add that it has a water repellent outer. Even in a heavy mist or light rain it stays dry inside. I've had mine for years and it still works reliably.
It's small enough to keep in my pack without anyone knowing I have a sleeping bag. I use it as my primary sleeping gear with everything else being expendable crap I can lose and not care about. Tarp, foam pad etc. Super worth it.

Anywho your probably not going to want a super expensive overly warm bag especially come the summer months. The gist of down is that it's for ultralight backpackers that carry tents and affirmatively stay dry. they might be good for what your doing depending on how your travelling but if your like me and beat the crap out of your gear it may not be worth it.

If your still somewhat dead set on getting a down bag I might suggest getting a down quilt (about 1.5 lbs.) The ultralight hiker community swears by them (check out yt) and I heard some places carry a generic version for about $100. So they're reasonably easy to find or replace.
 
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Colin Hardman

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Thank you all for your expertise!

@MetalBryan research both the web and forums, that are the sources I personally trust. You can also trust amazon technical product details such as dimensions, weight, material etc. But from my experience if they use words like backpacking/tactical/survival/camping in a product title, it is just a marketing trick to get more sales. Measure your waist, add some more features important for you (temp rating, price etc) and start the research.

I mentioned WM Summerlite because most review websites and experts at Trail Space suggest it.

This TETON Sports would work great for me, but I need 32*F sleeping bag. I think I'm going for the military bag...
 

MetalBryan

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This thread got me inspired. At @Older Than Dirt 's prompting, today I ordered a 4 piece "good condition" MMSS for ~$140 w/shipping. 2 bags, a bivy, a compression sack.

I have an artist residency (aka: my friend agreed to let me sleep in their backyard and use their shop for two weeks if my house collapses suddenly) coming up this winter so I'm glad we all could chat about this.

I'm 6' & 300lbs so I don't think anything ultralight was ever going to fit it me well. Adding my therm-a-rest pad to the MMSS will likely be a challenge for my 50L Osprey but paired with warm clothing will allow me to ease on into living a free life in the Maryland winter.
 

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Glad to be helpful. You are going to like the MSS. Beware of civilian knock-offs when buying from amazon or ebay. Both the sources i linked sell the real thing.

Hopefully you got the updated, somewhat lighter, much better made new version (digital camo bivy/grey box-quilted thick bag (the one i posted above)/thin green bag has black lining) and not the original one (woodland camo bivy/black thick bag with lengthwise quilting/thin bag is green inside and out). Forgot to mention this before, sorry.

But the old one had a very strong rep among travelers, and is probably fine, i just only own the thin bag (actually 3 of them) from the original version, so can't speak from personal experience. The new one usually sells for more, so that may be a a sign of more desirability.

I haven't used the bivy yet, but the dirty kid who turned me on to the MSS told me you can sleep in a puddle in it and stay dry.

Also i misstated the rating of the grey middle bag, it is actually -10 degrees, not -30. Usually you want to add 20 degrees for any kind of comfort, so probably good down to 10 degrees for a decent night's sleep. My experience only goes down to a little below freezing, because i am old and soft, and go indoors when it's colder than that.

To get to -30 rating (actually -40 for four hours sleep for a fully clothed soldier), you need both bags zipped into the bivy.
 
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Glad to be helpful. You are going to like the MSS. Beware of civilian knock-offs

Sorry I couldn't quite follow you. Are you using the patrol bag or the intermediate? Im thinking of using only the patrol bag (with bivvy and sleeping pad) come early April in Canada. Its rated for +5C but I figure with wool thermals and layering it should do just fine.

Any thoughts anyone?
 

Older Than Dirt

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The patrol bag and bivy might be OK for many folks in late spring in Canada. I would say the green bag is good to 40 or so for comfort, the bivy probably adds a few degrees. But i am a cold-sleeping skinny old man- your mileage may be much better. Make sure you have a mattress with some insulation value or you will be cold in any bag.

For me the green (patrol) bag is for summer only, and i am recommending the grey intermediate bag above, sorry to be unclear. The green bag is tiny and superlight. If you add one of those spaceblanket bivys, you will be alive in almost any conditions. Maybe not super-comfortable, but i slept in through the night in snow in a similar light summer bag with a spaceblanket bivy in a summer mesh tent.

The whole MSS is worth owning, even if you end buying it in pieces as needed, instead of as a set (sometimes can be cheaper that way too).
 

CouchPunx

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Posting in support of the mss. I only use the intermediate bag with the bivy these days. It serves me well even in the winter. Last week i was toasty at fifteen degrees with long johns and insulated bibs. Even wet you stay warm, and most importantly the bag can survive just about anything without ripping, sleeping on piles of scrap metal, etc. I have paid good money for other bags and always come back to this one.
 
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trashswag86

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N147XF2/

20 ounces
$150
32 degrees
650-fill Nikwax Hydrphobic Down
Packs to 7×10 inches

Hell of a deal for 20 ounces! I just ordered one. Gonna use a high R value pad, Tennier Bivy, and sleeping bag liner for more warmth.

The other quilt I was interested in is the Hammock Gear Economy Burrow 20. There's a post someone did on that quilt.
 

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Can not stress enough the shit out of luck bag. Survive outdoors longer escape PRO. don't skimp or put your life in the hands of a Mylar sack or some other Walmart grade trash. sure that works in a pinch but it's spelled out in the acronym. With it you will survive far more comfortably and longer than without. It's getting worn after years abuse but still works better than anything I've tried in the last ten years camping gear wise and has saved my ass many times over. Pony up the dinero, @ $125.00 I would sell plasma for it and I have a fear of needles. That's only 1,250 cans in the right state. Do the math on white collar crime if that's your thing. Whatever it is start there and build out a layered bag system. I based it off the modular sleep system when designing my kit so it would work in all seasons even if various components were to outright fail or get lost. Whatever that material is get a body suit of it. Will do anything. Tape sticks to it. want to be a baked potato for Halloween? Done. Lay in brush? Lava rock nap? Swamp in winter? Sweet dreams. I have woken up with a thin sheet of ice over it even when used with liners and down bags. Stops rain, laughs at snow. Goes great with a frog togs ul poncho over the top. Weighs 8oz eight fucking oz. oz. sure it's only a stand alone in warmer weather but size to weight to sworn reliability factor you will be hard pressed looking into other products.
My exact kit is a sea to summit thermal lining old sweater t shirt jeans dry socks stocking hat or baseball cap and for a pad its skateboard under hips (r value increasified though uncomfortable rolling over backpack under shoulders and I mit even leave the knee pads on. 40 degrees no tent coastal wind and rain. Results may vary. Snow or to a real zero or bellow we add a down bag (sea to summit and another fleece liner all on top of a therm arrester.) bags can improve with dry clothing layers or hand warmers just watch for low temp berns. Air space in a tent vs open air or any number of environmental factors at play too change all too frequently for traveling get gear that will keep up with unknown variables. It's like armpit zippers or thigh vents. Heat escapes through your head and mouth. Spread your fingers and toes. Dog and baby shit.

Second pick ( my girlfriend hated it) was blue tarp burrito and Selk bag (cheapest lightest one and think articulated sleep suit with the feet cut out. Fully mobility like a coverall pajama wubby bastard child ). It worked for hammock camping, passing out in a heap of limbs, getting woke up and going from sound asleep to ninja mode instead of being in a worm tube.

First post here btw. Wasn't going to social media but figured some crustiquette could be bypassed with hellowsa and well intending wishes.
Go bum
 
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trashswag86

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Can not stress enough the shit out of luck bag. Survive outdoors longer escape PRO. don't skimp or put your life in the hands of a Mylar sack or some other Walmart grade trash. sure that works in a pinch but it's spelled out in the acronym. With it you will survive far more comfortably and longer than without. It's getting worn after years abuse but still works better than anything I've tried in the last ten years camping gear wise and has saved my ass many times over. Pony up the dinero, @ $125.00 I would sell plasma for it and I have a fear of needles. That's only 1,250 cans in the right state. Do the math on white collar crime if that's your thing. Whatever it is start there and build out a layered bag system. I based it off the modular sleep system when designing my kit so it would work in all seasons even if various components were to outright fail or get lost. Whatever that material is get a body suit of it. Will do anything. Tape sticks to it. want to be a baked potato for Halloween? Done. Lay in brush? Lava rock nap? Swamp in winter? Sweet dreams. I have woken up with a thin sheet of ice over it even when used with liners and down bags. Stops rain, laughs at snow. Goes great with a frog togs ul poncho over the top. Weighs 8oz eight fucking oz. oz. sure it's only a stand alone in warmer weather but size to weight to sworn reliability factor you will be hard pressed looking into other products.
My exact kit is a sea to summit thermal lining old sweater t shirt jeans dry socks stocking hat or baseball cap and for a pad its skateboard under hips (r value increasified though uncomfortable rolling over backpack under shoulders and I mit even leave the knee pads on. 40 degrees no tent coastal wind and rain. Results may vary. Snow or to a real zero or bellow we add a down bag (sea to summit and another fleece liner all on top of a therm arrester.) bags can improve with dry clothing layers or hand warmers just watch for low temp berns. Air space in a tent vs open air or any number of environmental factors at play too change all too frequently for traveling get gear that will keep up with unknown variables. It's like armpit zippers or thigh vents. Heat escapes through your head and mouth. Spread your fingers and toes. Dog and baby shit.

Second pick ( my girlfriend hated it) was blue tarp burrito and Selk bag (cheapest lightest one and think articulated sleep suit with the feet cut out. Fully mobility like a coverall pajama wubby bastard child ). It worked for hammock camping, passing out in a heap of limbs, getting woke up and going from sound asleep to ninja mode instead of being in a worm tube.

First post here btw. Wasn't going to social media but figured some crustiquette could be bypassed with hellowsa and well intending wishes.
Go bum
I've considered getting the one right below it in the line. The comparison chart on amazon makes it look like they're exactly the same except the PRO one is seam sealed and so water proof. It sells for 50-60 bucks, and you could probably just seal the seams yourself. Save 65 to 75 dollars! Minus the cost of your seam sealer.
8 oz though, yeah, it's fucking real at that weight. I opted for an ACU Tannier Bivy. They're a little lighter than the older regular camo Tannier Bivys, though I'm not sure by how much. Got it for 40.

Cool thing about thosd SOL bivys though is they supposedly breath better than goretex. It's Sympatex, which the internet tells me doesn't clog like goretex can. Sympatex is threads that expand to let out moisture, rather than... holes or whatever for goretex. Just Google Sympatex vs Goretex if you want the breakdown.

Edit: The SOL Escape is only rated to 70% body heat reflection, whereas the PRO is rated to 90%. Idk how they achieve this. Maybe it's just from the seams being sealed. They're both Sympatex. Scavenge the info pages if you like. (The PRO is also 0.1 oz lighter. Not worth mentioning for weight, but maybe there's some material change that also plays into the higher reflectivity?)
 
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