# Good sleeping bag for sailing



## paranoia25

Hi everybody,

I'm looking a good sleeping bag for sailing: warm and waterproof. I found this one: Ocean Sleepwear, which seems great, but it's very expensive (375 $)!
Did you know some sleeping with a good value for money (not over 190$)?

Thanks a lot!

Herve Guillaume


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## PBzeer

Lot depends on where you need it for. I have a fleece sleeping bag that I bought at Walmart for 10 bucks. I've used it in freezing temperatures (with a sheet inside, wearing socks, sweat shirt and pants) and stayed plenty warm. Moisture hasn't been a problem with it either. Not sure why you want a waterproof bag, unless you're sleeping in the cockpit in the rain.


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## Allen-deckard

Military surplus. I have mine still from gulf storm. Anyway good enough for millions of military good enough for me.


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## jackdale

This is what I use.

MEC Oasis Sleeping Bag 0/+10C - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available



> Rated to 0 or +10°C, depending on which side is on top.
> Outer shell is made of micro-honeycomb polyester. Lining is nylon.
> Insulated with Hyperloft Eco, with 50% recycled content.
> Shingled construction for efficient warth on the thicker side. Offset quilt construction on the other side.
> Foot oval keeps toes from crushing the insulation, and from getting chilled.
> Draft tube keeps cool air out along the zipper.
> Pad retention system keeps you from sliding off your mat in the night.
> Drawcord with single-point adjustment.
> Roll top stuff sack included.


I use a liner occasionally.

The bag is washable.

I slepp below so that is no need for being waterproof.


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## wind_magic

I had a Walmart sleeping bag that I liked, the key reasons I liked it was that it was roomy and also because it had a cloth exterior, I can't stand the nylon or whatever most shells are made of, I don't like the sound or the feel of it.

Since I could not replace that cloth sleeping bag, I moved to comforter and blankets and like that better. I do still have sleeping bags for sleeping in a tent and outdoors, but when sleeping on the boat, etc, I use a comforter and blankets. Lots of advantages to it - you can add blankets as it gets colder, easier to wash, I find the cloth much better than nylon, etc, and it is all less expensive than high end sleeping bags as well. Disadvantages too, of course, it takes up more room and is harder to transport, and others.

If you don't mind a little sewing, you can, of course, sew the edges of comforters and the like together and make your own, and I have considered doing that for various reasons.

Edit, I just re-read this thread and see that one of the requirements was water proof, and I assume that means water-resistance since not even the best sleeping bag is water proof. I can't help there - even outdoors I sleep under a tarp at a minimum, or sometimes under the sky if there is not going to be a frost or dew, but it is almost always under at least a tarp. Even in a tent, if it rains for a long enough period of time, I know eventually I'm going to be wet. I've had very little success with bivy's, too much condensation inside, I prefer tarps, and if I need something like a bivy because I get caught unawares I would rather just roll up in a plastic drop cloth or tarp and be done with it.


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## pdqaltair

Actually, dryable is what you want.

* Down really isn't, so scratch that.

* Goretex or other water resistant/waterproof covers may work for climbers needing something they can bivy in, but they slow drying and increase moisture build-up in the bag. The dew point will ALWAYS be somewhere within the insulation, no mater the claims of breathability. This is also true of clothing, which is why separate shell and insulation always make sense for multi-day wear. Scratch covers.

You just need a good quality backpacking bag with a wider cut and synthetic fill.


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## cupper3

pdqaltair said:


> Actually, dryable is what you want.
> 
> * Down really isn't, so scratch that.
> 
> * Goretex or other water resistant/waterproof covers may work for climbers needing something they can bivy in, but they slow drying and increase moisture build-up in the bag. The dew point will ALWAYS be somewhere within the insulation, no mater the claims of breathability. This is also true of clothing, which is why separate shell and insulation always make sense for multi-day wear. Scratch covers.
> 
> You just need a good quality backpacking bag with a wider cut and synthetic fill.


Ditto on the synthetic fill. Look for Hollofil or Quallofil.


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## LinekinBayCD

Ditto on the question about the need to be waterproof. I keep four LL Bean fleece bags on board. They can be used as bags or completely unzip to be used as a blanket. Easy to wash and dry. Like a fleece jacket perform even if they get a little wet. Can also be doubled when it's really cold. Don't typically have four sleeping on board


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## Maine Sail

pdqaltair said:


> Actually, dryable is what you want.
> 
> * Down really isn't, so scratch that.
> 
> * Goretex or other water resistant/waterproof covers may work for climbers needing something they can bivy in, but they slow drying and increase moisture build-up in the bag. The dew point will ALWAYS be somewhere within the insulation, no mater the claims of breathability. This is also true of clothing, which is why separate shell and insulation always make sense for multi-day wear. Scratch covers.
> 
> You just need a good quality backpacking bag with a wider cut and synthetic fill.


Gore-Tex, Gore Dry-Loft etc. we're the biggest rip offs foisted onto the mountaineering community for sleeping bags. They actually made your bags insullation WETTER because after 9" of loft the moisture could not push through the membrane.. I am a down only guy but do bring it home to let fully dry every now and then. We only use "bags" in mid Oct through late Nov and mid April to early May. The rest of the season we use regular comforters... One of the down bags is still on the boat because our 5 year old likes to play Caterrpillar to butterfly in it.....

Anyone want a couple of -40f down Dry-Loft bags, used about three nights.....

I will say though that my Bibler Fitzroy single wall breathable tent performs better than any tent at any price, just does not translate well to bags...... you can have my Dry-loft but don't touch my Bibler.....


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## MarkSF

paranoia25 said:


> Hi everybody,
> 
> I'm looking a good sleeping bag for sailing: warm and waterproof. I found this one: Ocean Sleepwear, which seems great, but it's very expensive (375 $)!
> Did you know some sleeping with a good value for money (not over 190$)?
> 
> Thanks a lot!
> 
> Herve Guillaume


I have a Kelty double wide sleeping bag. I find the single ones too confining. It's fabric lined, good for 20F, and will open out and be used as a quilt if you like. I use it for car camping too. At about 20lbs you wouln't want to take it backpacking 

As everyone else said, you don't need waterproof, you need quick drying. Any normal synthetic bag should do fine. (ie, the cheap ones)

I looked online and they don't seem to sell my Kelty any more. One consideration is temperature rating. My 20F bag is too warm unless it's really cold.


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## hellosailor

Herve, "warm" is a relative concept. I'd agree with fleece being the best thing on a boat. Down is useless when wet, and the fiberfill type bags also keep and hold a lot of moisture. If fleece will do the job, use it. Two or three layers, or a bag topped with a blanket, and you've got a lot of flexibility. Easy to wash, easy to dry.

If it needs to be waterproof, look for military surplus GoreTex "bivvy sacks" or "ECW" extreme cold weather shells. The shells are sold separately, bags with waterproof outer layers are still somewhat rare and expensive. And as noted, not always a good idea unless you really need them.


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## jackdale

A key is to select a bag appropriate for the temperature range. Someone mentioned a -40 bag. That is appropriate for winter camping, not boating. Mine is 0 /-10 C bag. being too warm and sweaty is worse than being slightly cool IMHO.

I also sleep in a few clothes as possible - usually just a t-shirt and undies. ( I usually sleep in the saloon - not privacy.


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## asdf38

I agree with what most people here have said. Waterproof is more trouble than it's worth, and expensive on top of that. Synthetic is warm when wet and dries quickly. You can't really beat that. Get a simple synthetic bag for $10-$30. If you have some specific requirement you didn't mention consider, as others have mentioned, a separate bivy sack.

Personally, I keep a couple cheapo bags, two solid wool blankets and two of these (large). Although I spend far to few nights using them.
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow at REI.com


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## tdw

What's a comforter ? 

Quilt, Eiderdown, Doona type of thing ?

I've only just got used to thinking of a baby's dummy as a comforter ... now you get me all confuse again.


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## CapnBilll

I usually use blankets. But always keep a sleeping bag around because they are handy. synthetic for quick dry. and can be extra padding. I sleep on top in the summer.


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## wind_magic

Tdw, yeah, that's it, a comforter is a lot like a big giant baby nappy without the mess. In the U.S. "comforter" is a marketing word for a big puffy blanket that goes on top of the bed, the top layer, the soft layer that usually matches the pillow cases.

Edit - usually sold in the U.S. as a "bed in a bag", which is the comforter, the pillow cases or shams, and sometimes sheets too, for men who can't match things, sort of like garanimals.


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## Jgbrown

Buy a decent backpacking one right now(if you want a winter weight) or wait until the end of summer(if you want a summer weight). Doing this you can often get an excellent bag for well below your budget, without resorting to big bulky, slow drying old style synthetics. 
Rei-outlet, steep and cheap, moose-jaw, sierra trading etc all offer heavy discounts too. Shop around, buy offseason. Brands like North Face, Marmot etc are great. I'd stay away from waterproof bags, though I don't mind a DWR coating(water repellent) on the outside for mild dew if I'm planning to sleep outside in it. water proof keeps more water in.


EDIT: Fleece vs a good synthetic bag, it depends on the quality and thickness of both to create the same amount of warmth.

Fleece takes more storage space, and may not dry much faster for the same level of warmth and comfort if you are going to get a decent quality sleeping bag, price is similar for a given level of warmth too.

My good synthetic bag is dry in an hour or two hung on a branch, the strands inside are individually water repellent, so water goes out easily.


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## Night_Sailor

I rarely use one on board. I use blankets. I like down. I try to dry things out whenever possible. I can see the point in having a goretex sheet with some weights sewn in. I like to sleep on deck in the caribbean and occassionaly get caught in the rain.

One time racing down there, everyone was fighting for bunks down below. With a huge crew I announced I was sleeping on deck and made a bed up there. Not long afterwards someone came up and woke me up asking for bits of my bedding to make a bed on deck. "No you can't have my pillow or pads!" I took a chance that it would not rain and was lucky it did not. I slept great and could feel the heat and humidity below decks coming out the companionway. People below must have been sweating bullets all night.

Still, I can see how a light rain sheet would be nice to have--even below if there are deck leaks.


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## zeehag

i donot use sleeping bags. boat is my year round home-- i use regular sheets in summer and add down quilts in winter. no problem. has been so since 1990.


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## Night_Sailor

I may know your from the ASA forums ten years back. Are you the Seahag living down in the Annapolis area? I recall you had a wooden boat and were one of those guaranteed a spot in heaven for all the vanishing you have done. Off the dock, you also had an interesting way to ...I better not say...


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## Capt.aaron

zeehag said:


> i donot use sleeping bags. boat is my year round home-- i use regular sheets in summer and add down quilts in winter. no problem. has been so since 1990.


Me to, cotton sheets are cool in the tropics. I keep a few spares to change out on voyages as needed. Wool blanket for cool nights. Living on board since '78.


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## zeehag

Night_Sailor said:


> I may know your from the ASA forums ten years back. Are you the Seahag living down in the Annapolis area? I recall you had a wooden boat and were one of those guaranteed a spot in heaven for all the vanishing you have done. Off the dock, you also had an interesting way to ...I better not say...


i am not from annapolis. i am not sea hag--i am zeehag...i learned NOT from asa, but the correct way, in my opinion--from an ancient mariner old salt who sailed tallships and who taught us apprentice style on his antique registered historic treasure of a gaff rigged sloop in upstate ny looooong ago--prolly before ye were born. his grandfather, my great grandfather founded half of chicago and the great lakes shipping company. i got no wooden boat --i has a formosa and an ericson, been selling ericson for 5 yrs--lol....but i am different.....
and i flat REFUSE to varnish any6 of my 110 ft of cap.taff rail. i keep it salt water trated nd beautiful. takes me 6 hours per year, and i sail.
been on west coast since 1973......sailed gulf of mexico near year, carib one month, and for a yr have sailed from san diego to l cruz de huanacxtle, nayarit, mexico.....might be a different person ...LOL
i might be cuter.......LOL
and i am gonna go to heaven, but not for varnishing-- because i did my stint as rn in intensive care, emergency and pacu for 30+ YRS.......


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## DrB

*Bag*


Synthetic
No Cotton
No Down
Temp rating for when/where your going to use.
Full Length zip - In case you get hot you can peel open all the way.
Shape - your preference, but make sure it is long enough to cover shoulders

We have two semi-mummy bags. (REI and Sierra Designs) both can go to about 20 deg F, but they are a little warm for us in the high summer nights. I'd go with a 30/35 deg F bag for a boat specific bag, but I use these also for 3-season camping.

Get ones with a stuff sack. You can stuff the sack with clothes and use it as a pillow.

DrB


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## Capt.aaron

Guess it depends om where your sailing, I have to sleep sleep on top of the sheets in cotton shorts with a fan bolwing on me most night's. A synthetic mummy bag would turn in to a soggy sweaty sponge down here and I'd most certainly get a rash from the synthetics on bare sweaty skin.


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## zeehag

cp5t aaron--with ye on that one-

- i dont camp out on sea--i LIVE on it..lol


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## Capt.aaron

*Re: Bag*



DrB said:


> Synthetic
> No Cotton
> No Down
> Temp rating for when/where your going to use.
> Full Length zip - In case you get hot you can peel open all the way.
> Shape - your preference, but make sure it is long enough to cover shoulders
> 
> We have two semi-mummy bags. (REI and Sierra Designs) both can go to about 20 deg F, but they are a little warm for us in the high summer nights. I'd go with a 30/35 deg F bag for a boat specific bag, but I use these also for 3-season camping.
> 
> Get ones with a stuff sack. You can stuff the sack with clothes and use it as a pillow.
> 
> DrB


Do you use a sack stuffed with clothes as a pillow at your house in the suburbs to get that all important, much needed sleep? If you don't sleep well you'll be groggy, if your groggy you'll make a mistake. Very little room for error out here. last time I ran aground was because I was tired and complacent ( 2 months ago)
I hadn't slept well because the boat I was delivering had a skinny little bunk made for sitting not sleeping and I was using a spinnaker bag as a pillow. Miss read a marker at night entering the notorious N.W. channel in K.W. ( a channel I know like my pocket) and hit the mud. Cumfy pillow and cotton sheets! mummy bags and bivy sacks are for mountain sides. Boats have bunks.( and they should be wider than 18 inches!)


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## Jgbrown

*Re: Bag*



Capt.aaron said:


> Do you use a sack stuffed with clothes as a pillow at your house in the suburbs to get that all important, much needed sleep? If you don't sleep well you'll be groggy, if your groggy you'll make a mistake. Very little room for error out here. last time I ran aground was because I was tired and complacent ( 2 months ago)
> I hadn't slept well because the boat I was delivering had a skinny little bunk made for sitting not sleeping and I was using a spinnaker bag as a pillow. Miss read a marker at night entering the notorious N.W. channel in K.W. ( a channel I know like my pocket) and hit the mud. Cumfy pillow and cotton sheets! mummy bags and bivy sacks are for mountain sides. Boats have bunks.( and they should be wider than 18 inches!)


Different strokes for different situations I guess. 
I can't stand pillows most of the time. Never get a good night's sleep and my neck kills me in the morning. I always wake up with cold feet out the bottom of the blanket too. Much prefer my down bag in the house. In the house I use it turned inside out and unzipped, with my feet stuck in the footbox and the rest as a blanket essentially.(the outside was a softer silk like shell, inside is tougher). 
Doesn't go over so well when I've got company but whenever I'm single I sleep this way. Enough blankets to be warm in many houses I've lived in was a problem to keep the layers all even, a sleeping bag was light, comfortable and snug. I wouldn't want one in Mexico, but here it makes good sense.
Old style cotton+down bags are great in the house too, but a fast drying synthetic is very comfortable outdoors, like in the cockpit. I will certainly have a nice bag or two on board.

A good sleeping bag should be very comfortable, just as a good bed should be. A cheap walmart sleeping bag is about as comfortable as a cheap wal-mart bed.


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## Cruisingdad

Well, here comes the discenting opinion.

Take a peek:




























Three days at sea on this one. Gulf in the middle of winter and turned out to be a wonderful storm (not squall) for about two days. Sleeping down below would be wonderful, but was not a reality. THe sea spray and water was constantly dripping on us. BTW, you are looking at the bow pointing into the base of an approaching wave to give you some idea.

I would ideally have two bags, a cheap ole walmart cotton bag and a Northface water resistant mummy bag. You can cool down a low temp sleeping bag by putting sheets inside it (I know, breaks logic, but it works). Unzip it from the feet up if you need to. Before sailing, I deep woods backpacked all over the country and part of Canada for most of my childhood-low twenties. I would not get a large bag for the cockpit except in dry weather because it overhangs into the floor and soaks up water. Nothing more miserable than being wet and cold. Happened to us on two separate times.

It was mentioned to get the bag to fit your temps. Totally agree. Even with my trick, you can overheat in a mummy bag that is way off.

Also, the bags slip and slide on the cockpit floor and on the cockpit. You will want a way to secure yourself to the compression post (when it get really nasty, I actually sleep in the floor by the compresoin post) down below or think about how you will stay in your seat top side. Honestly, we never found anything that worked great.

Those fleece pullovers are awesome that you see in the pic above. The hold together nice and wash up easy. But when it gets below about 40ish, they are not worth a lot, especially at sea unless down below.

We kept one set for top side and one for down below. Salt spray gets into everything and it never dries. Another reason to carry two separate bags or clothing.

Get a few wool caps. They are life savers.

Just a bunch of my opinions. Everyone can dissagree. But these are what have worked for us.

Brian


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## jackdale

Of what Gulf do you speak?

Winter in the Gulf Islands requires a nice bag.


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## sww914

We bought Marmot synthetic bags from Campmor.com off season as described above, only about twice what you'd pay for crap at walmart and they're flawless. We don't sleep in them much, we're part of the nice sheets and blankets crowd. Nothing feels better than a good shower and clean dry sheets after a passage.


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## Capt.aaron

*Re: Bag*



Jgbrown said:


> Different strokes for different situations I guess.
> I can't stand pillows most of the time. Never get a good night's sleep and my neck kills me in the morning. I always wake up with cold feet out the bottom of the blanket too. Much prefer my down bag in the house. In the house I use it turned inside out and unzipped, with my feet stuck in the footbox and the rest as a blanket essentially.(the outside was a softer silk like shell, inside is tougher).
> Doesn't go over so well when I've got company but whenever I'm single I sleep this way. Enough blankets to be warm in many houses I've lived in was a problem to keep the layers all even, a sleeping bag was light, comfortable and snug. I wouldn't want one in Mexico, but here it makes good sense.
> Old style cotton+down bags are great in the house too, but a fast drying synthetic is very comfortable outdoors, like in the cockpit. I will certainly have a nice bag or two on board.
> 
> A good sleeping bag should be very comfortable, just as a good bed should be. A cheap walmart sleeping bag is about as comfortable as a cheap wal-mart bed.


I see what Y'all mean. I've never done any cold ocean sailing. I'm a spoiled tropical boat bum. I do see Alaska in my near future for tug boat work however and will head your advice. A light weight, synth, mummy bag with a non-skid bottom.


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## Maine Sail

Never understood the anti-down segment. I guess we are just rebels. In the summer we use a down comforter on the boat with a cotton duvet cover. VERY, VERY comfortable and never an ounce of issue with dampness or moisture and we sail in FOGGY, DAMP Maine..

In the off season the v-berth gets a heavier weight down comforter and the quarterberth gets a 20f 800 fill down bag..

Have hundreds of nights mountaineering & winter mountaineering in down too and never once had a "wetness" issue. I guess its all in how you use your gear..

This is Mount Washington, NH at/above tree line in, February. The overnight temps hit -18F that night and winds were blowing over 50 knots....... Two 800 fill down bags and we were warm & toasty. You could not pay me to use a synthetic bag in those temps or conditions or on our boat...... I love my down...

These were not yet "lofted" because they had just come out of the compression sacks but when lofted they puff to over 10" of fill....


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## Jgbrown

Maine Sail said:


> Never understood the anti-down segment. I guess we are just rebels. In the summer we use a down comforter on the boat with a cotton duvet cover. VERY, VERY comfortable and never an ounce of issue with dampness or moisture and we sail in FOGGY, DAMP Maine..
> 
> In the off season the v-berth gets a heavier weight down comforter and the quarterberth gets a 20f 800 fill down bag..
> 
> Have hundreds of nights mountaineering & winter mountaineering in down too and never once had a "wetness" issue. I guess its all in how you use your gear..
> 
> This is Mount Washington, NH at/above tree line in, February. The overnight temps hit -18F that night and winds were blowing over 50 knots....... Two 800 fill down bags and we were warm & toasty. You could not pay me to use a synthetic bag in those temps or conditions or on our boat...... I love my down...
> 
> These were not yet "lofted" because they had just come out of the compression sacks but when lofted they puff to over 10" of fill....


Right tool for the right job. I love my down bag, cold and dry or lightweight camping. Don't love it in the damp. A really good synthetic I don't mind in the damp nearly as much.


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## hellosailor

Maine, is your North Face very old? I thought they were just into making "Urban Ghetto StyleGear" these days, they aren't who they used to be. And 800 fill...IIRC anything over 600 is measured with a rubber ruler. I bought a nice pair of zip-leg pants from them a couple of yearrs ago, ordered another pair a year later, same model, same name, and found they'd cut the pockets from 9" to 4" deep, someone in China found a way to knock ten bucks off their cost, I'm sure. Still LOOK good...but they're now in the fashion market, not mountaineering, said to say.

But even the down makers, the best of the down makes, all say once it gets wet you are screwed. It will have no warmth and take forever to dry. So I love my down, especially my down parka with the goer-tex shell. I've got the remnants of an old double-shell (two quilted shells) arctic expedition parka that I call my Florida Coat because when I'm in it, I'm in warm sunny florida and can't understand why anyone else is having a problem. But I won't take that out in the rain, much less in spray. It's worthless when wet, and yes, it is prime goose down, zero feathers, vintage from when...oh wait, you can't buy that stuff almost anywhere these days anyhow. I think "Feathered Friends" in Seattle is about the last place on earth selling real down expeditionware. (And we talk about marine chandleries being pricey, haha.)


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## St Anna

Well,
I am not used to very cold areas. I use a sleeping bag which unzips to be a 'doona'

In the old days and [used only a few years ago], if you are freezing, wrap yourself in a few folds of the spinnaker - more if need be. It will work better than a space blanket.


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## Maine Sail

hellosailor said:


> Maine, is your North Face very old?


Not my NF bag it is my brother in laws and yes it is from their good era. My bag is made by Western Mountaineering.



hellosailor said:


> I thought they were just into making "Urban Ghetto StyleGear" these days, they aren't who they used to be.


They are "these days". That Bibler Fitzroy tent was sewn by Todd Bibler himself long before Black Diamond bought his company. It's a "Bibler". The TNF bag is fro the good days of TNF...



hellosailor said:


> And 800 fill...IIRC anything over 600 is measured with a rubber ruler.


Not at all.. 800 fill down is real and very expensive. Even though that TNF bag is fro the good days of TNF I bet it is 750 fill at best. My WM bag is definitely 800 fill.... My wife's friend is a partner of a company called Cuddle Down here in Maine. They have a nice display of the differnt lofts and grades of down. Simple clear 10" diameter tubes all with the same physical weight of down. The 800 fill has HUGE loft.



hellosailor said:


> I bought a nice pair of zip-leg pants from them a couple of yearrs ago, ordered another pair a year later, same model, same name, and found they'd cut the pockets from 9" to 4" deep, someone in China found a way to knock ten bucks off their cost, I'm sure. Still LOOK good...but they're now in the fashion market, not mountaineering, said to say.


I live ten minutes from a TNF and a Patagonia outlet. They BOTH sell junk these days. My old "summit" parka from TNF you could not pry from my dead fingers but the current model of that down sweater is the biggest POS I have ever seen. Mine stuffs down to the size of a Nalgene bottle, weighs nothing and keeps me toasty in temps down to -35F....



hellosailor said:


> But even the down makers, the best of the down makes, all say once it gets wet you are screwed. It will have no warmth and take forever to dry.


Yep so you don't get it wet. Been using it now for 35 years and never had that happen. Talking hundreds and hundreds of nights lots of them in winter which is generally when I start hiking. I don't really like it in the summer cause I'm sailing... .. I just really, really dislike synthetics and have tried them all.



hellosailor said:


> So I love my down, especially my down parka with the goer-tex shell. I've got the remnants of an old double-shell (two quilted shells) arctic expedition parka that I call my Florida Coat because when I'm in it, I'm in warm sunny florida and can't understand why anyone else is having a problem. But I won't take that out in the rain, much less in spray. It's worthless when wet, and yes, it is prime goose down, zero feathers, vintage from when...oh wait, you can't buy that stuff almost anywhere these days anyhow. I think "Feathered Friends" in Seattle is about the last place on earth selling real down expeditionware. (And we talk about marine chandleries being pricey, haha.)


Good mountaineering gear is pricey but worth it. I have a pair of Feathered Friends Gore-Tex down muklucks. They have saved my toes from possible amputation a few times.. The Koflachs are good when moving but when you stop they are darn cold even with VBL's. I have used my down in rainy, windy and snowy and icy conditions for many years but I'm not sloppy with it. If there is a potential for it to get wet It goes into my Bibler bivy that I always carry. The compression sack it is carried in is also waterproof. I kayaked the entire Maine Island Trail in 1992 with a 20 degree down bag in a 18' Current Designs sea kayak. Never once slept is an uncomfortable or wet bag and it was over 40 total nights from start to finish.....

Of our 10 or so bags we do have one synthetic bag and that's for the dogs....


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## miatapaul

I think it is interesting that in 2 weeks and 4 pages of posts the originator has not come back. Perhaps a bot? after all it asked basically a camping question on a sailing site.


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## asdf38

Down's strength is its warmth to weight ratio and ability to pack into tiny places. I have a 20 degree down hiking bag thats the size of a football when packed. But you just don't need that on a boat, so why bother with its downsides?


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## tomfl

I use my camping stuff and have been happy with it. Here are a few considerations not yet mentioned.

Sleeping bag temperature ratings in the US are basically a crap shoot. Even with the top tier brands there is no real apples to apples way to compare different brands. The European system is much better.

Which brings up another issue not yet covered. The European testing assumes the person in the sleeping bag is nude, and this is the way you stay warmest in a sleeping bag. However if you are going to wear clothes you need to wear all synthetic tights to maximize heat retention. This also reduces wear and tear on the bag.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even the best sleeping bag will perform much better if it is on some type of pad, not to mention added comfort for the person sleeping in it. There are several types of pads, starting with the simple foam rubber ones, then self inflating, and then the ones you have to inflate. They all have trade offs.

If I am dealing with very cold weather I sleep in full length UA tights in a HardWarz bag on a Big Agnes or ThermoRest pad. There are other good choices but this is what I would describe as a middle of the road option if you want bang for your buck.


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## MarkSF

tomfl said:


> If I am dealing with very cold weather I sleep in full length UA tights in a HardWarz bag on a Big Agnes or ThermoRest pad. There are other good choices but this is what I would describe as a middle of the road option if you want bang for your buck.


I've done a bit of backpacking and my favourite combination is a thin Thermarest pad on the ground to insulate from the cold, then the inflatable Big Agnes on top. Together they're about 3.5 inches thick, nice and warm, and weigh about 3 lbs together.


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## tomfl

MarkSF said:


> I've done a bit of backpacking and my favourite combination is a thin Thermarest pad on the ground to insulate from the cold, then the inflatable Big Agnes on top. Together they're about 3.5 inches thick, nice and warm, and weigh about 3 lbs together.


Agree, I have used that combination and it works well. In hot weather I will use that in combination with a standard bed sheet, comfortable and cool.


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## windnrock

A good liner can add about 10 deg. to the bag rating as can a cover or bivy sac on the outside. Depending on what you have to sleep on, many of the previous suggestions are great. An inflatable mattress, an inexpensive man made fiber bag good to maybe 32 deg with a couple of liners (one light, one heavy) with a breathable cover should cover most situations. You can use the covers alone for warmer and add components for cooler and colder temps. It also makes cleaning much easier! If you are on a boat an additional fleece blanket will give you even more range. Just stick with man made materials.


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## markburkes

I recommend the Gauss Marine Sleeping Bag. It's layered with fleece inner and the synthetic fillings work if they get wet - unlike down-filled bags!

The Gauss bag is sold in the UK as Gauss is a British company, but they can be persuaded to ship the the US and Australia. Prices are about £189.95 ($320).

The bags are very warm when both layers are used and I know many that have never used the inner fleece layer. Personally, for sailing in cold climates, the Gauss is a very welcome, warm and comfortable treat!


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