Kelty Sleeping Bag

[Kofoed]

I bought a Kelty Mistral minus 20 bag. I usally buy the coldest rated bags, and as they lose their effectiveness, I am still warm. This bag is bulky and heavy, so not a back-packing style bag, which is fine with me..

http://www.outdoorplay.com/Kelty-Mi...tm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=shopzilla

I tried it out in near freezing temps and it was fine.

Cant go wrong for the $$$

 

[Biscuit]

That sounds about right. I don't think the Kelty bags have an EN temperature rating (which requires a test to determine the temperature rating).

Also keep in mind most temp ratings are for a person wearing long underwear in the bag.

 

[rusty_tlc]

For my fall hunting trip I added another bag over top of my Big Agnes. We have those old school extra wide, extra long, poly fill, flannel lined bags we use in the trailer that are big enough to fit a regular bag inside of. A cost effective alternative to a sub freezing rated bag if you are car camping.

 

[80t0ylc]

.............Also keep in mind most temp ratings are for a person wearing long underwear in the bag.

Ya know, I don't understand that at all. I've slept out in sleeping bags a fair amount and for cold weather (anything under 10*F) and a good bag, my experience is to remove everything except your undershorts. The effect is that your body creates the heat to keep you warm. And you want that layer of warmth next to your skin. A good quality bag that has good insulation and loft will reflect the body heat back and keep you toasty. This is assuming that your bag is and stays dry.

Two things to note: 1. Climbing in to a cold bag in just your bvd's will be a shock, but in less than 5 minutes with a good bag, you will be comfortable. And 2. Stuff at least your long handles and socks you will be wearing in the A.M. in the bag with you. It will help you adjust better to getting started in the A.M.

 

[Biscuit]

I was referring to the EN 13537 temperature rating standard which uses an instrumented and heated thermal mannequin dressed in a single layer of long underwear.

For an explanation of this standard see http://www.seatosummit.com.au/embed-content/en13537-temperature-rating-system/

 

[BMThiker]

Gotta agree with 80toylc on this. I've seen a lot of people jump in their bags still wearing Carhartt from head to toe

The physics of a good sleeping bag work exactly as stated above. Wear nothing but your base layer or skivvies and you'll be warmer than if you have on three layers or your "warmest coat" inside that sleeping bag.

 

[hoser]

I've always been warmer wearing thermal underwear when using my mummy bags. Even though a mummy bag is relatively form fitting, there are still plenty of larger than optimal air pockets between my body and the inside liner of the bag.

 

[BMThiker]

In freezing temps I will keep my light or midweight capilene base layer on.

 

[hoser]

Bare skin inside a down bag means your natural body oil and sweat will slowly reduce the loft and you'll have to wash/cleanse the bag more often/thoroughly. Not good for down either.

 

[80t0ylc]

Bare skin inside a down bag means your natural body oil and sweat will slowly reduce the loft and you'll have to wash/cleanse the bag more often/thoroughly. Not good for down either.

Why are you using a down bag? No disrespect intended, but technology has given us synthetic fill that IMO is superior to down in most real world camping. Yeah, down is the lightest and pound for pound best insulating. But, get it wet and forget it. Washing/drying a fiberfill bag is so much simpler, too. Plus I'm not backpacking so a slightly heavier bag doesn't "keep me up at night". Now if I was tackling Everest or some expedition on foot, I'd be more concerned. But this, being a 4 wheeling forum, I think lightest sleeping bag doesn't have the same priority as say on a hiking/backpacking blog.

 

[Coastline]

Ya know, I don't understand that at all. I've slept out in sleeping bags a fair amount and for cold weather (anything under 10*F) and a good bag, my experience is to remove everything except your undershorts. The effect is that your body creates the heat to keep you warm. And you want that layer of warmth next to your skin. A good quality bag that has good insulation and loft will reflect the body heat back and keep you toasty. This is assuming that your bag is and stays dry.

Two things to note: 1. Climbing in to a cold bag in just your bvd's will be a shock, but in less than 5 minutes with a good bag, you will be comfortable. And 2. Stuff at least your long handles and socks you will be wearing in the A.M. in the bag with you. It will help you adjust better to getting started in the A.M.

I wear the thermals because I do have to get up, go outside and take a leak during the night. Willy goes into a defensive mode otherwise if I do it sans. The mental game of getting out of the sack can also be a deterrent to a good nights sleep.

I just checked the label on my bag though, because I thought it might be a Kelty. Bought it about 35 years ago and the only thing I could read was Boulder Colorado. The bag was rated -10 back then but it has lost some loft over the years. I have hand washed it with LOC (Amway - liquid organic cleaner) a few times since then.

A great big consideration to any sleeping bag arrangement is the substrate. The closer that you lay to the ground or air, the colder you will be. pine needles, leaves or Thinsulate will greatly increase the RF factor.

 

[spressomon]

+1 for comfortable goose down...with lightweight silk longies top & bottom. And if it's c-c-cold I'll throw in 2-3 large charcoal activated hand Warmers to preheat the bag to make the trasition from campfire to bag tolerable

That's how I do it.

 

[hoser]

Why are you using a down bag? No disrespect intended, but technology has given us synthetic fill that IMO is superior to down in most real world camping. Yeah, down is the lightest and pound for pound best insulating. But, get it wet and forget it. Washing/drying a fiberfill bag is so much simpler, too. Plus I'm not backpacking so a slightly heavier bag doesn't "keep me up at night". Now if I was tackling Everest or some expedition on foot, I'd be more concerned. But this, being a 4 wheeling forum, I think lightest sleeping bag doesn't have the same priority as say on a hiking/backpacking blog.

I usually grab my "0 degree" synthetic bags when friends need something to borrow for summer camping. None of my synthetic bags retained near their original loft after 5 years.

You don't need to be backpacking to appreciate down. My RTT and pop-up trailer pack away much easier with the down bedding in place vs synthetic. Many on here travel with a family of 3-5. Synthetic sleeping bags take up twice the space.

 

[Biscuit]

I just checked the label on my bag though, because I thought it might be a Kelty. Bought it about 35 years ago and the only thing I could read was Boulder Colorado. .

Probably a Holubar bag. North Face bought out Holubar, but will still service the bags (at least they did 10 years ago). My dad had an early 70s Holubar subzero down bag restuffed. I know for a fact that bag was used down to at least -14F.

 

[Kofoed]

I compared the new Kelty bag to my older bag and the Kelty is definitely bulkier. It sort of feels more like a blanket, than a down jacket if you know what I mean.

 

[rusty_tlc]

+1 for comfortable goose down...with lightweight silk longies top & bottom. And if it's c-c-cold I'll throw in 2-3 large charcoal activated hand Warmers to preheat the bag to make the trasition from campfire to bag tolerable

That's how I do it.

Agree.
The best bag I ever had was an eiderdown bag my Dad gave me. Between us it probably lasted through 25 - 30 years of fairly rugged use. Dad used it in Alaska working in remote areas and I used it working on horse and hiking trail crews in Oregon and Nevada. By the time I retired it there wasn't much down left and it had been re-lined twice, never washed AFAIK.

I never wore anything other than my tighty whiteies and a wool cap but I always used a flannel bag liner with it. A bag liner is a great way to extend the life of a bag and it's useful temp range.

 

[Coastline]

Probably a Holubar bag. North Face bought out Holubar, but will still service the bags (at least they did 10 years ago). My dad had an early 70s Holubar subzero down bag restuffed. I know for a fact that bag was used down to at least -14F.

It could be a North Face. I am sitting in my shop office wearing a North Face vest that I bought back then. I also have a North Face Parka and hood from that era and have used them all for extensively since then including 11 years of winter work in the San Bernardino's, snow camping and, adventuring in the Canadian Rockies. Take care of them and they will take care of you.

Incidentally, down is relatively cheap because the down comes from Asia where geese and ducks are a dietary staple.

 

[BMThiker]

a good resource for selecting a bag
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/sleeping-bag-backpacking.html

 

[the gimpey one]

Good read

 

[tag3]

I run just my skivvies and a cotton bag liner. Have not washed my bag since new in '95. Just remember to leave in a large bag not a stuff sack for storage.