[pct-l] Bag/Quilt Warmth

[John Abela]

Hey Ned/all,

I have to be honest and admit I have never thought about the
"dirt=heat lost" factor. It does seem totally legit though, huh.

I am one of those (what seems to be) rare few who place my bag at the
very top of my pack, and do not put it in a stuff sack. Makes it
easier to get out to dry and causes less compression degradation. At
least, that seems like the logical course of action.

My thought on how to approach the pct next year (if the graces allow
me to make it) is something along the lines of starting with a 20
degree bag until Big Bear, than bouncing it ahead to KM. Than using a
20f bag from KM through maybe the Shasta area. Than, if the weather
proves to be nice, bounce it up to the Three Sisters region and use
the 32 bag from Shasta to there. If the weather is bad along the
trinities/marbles, that will obviously change that plan.

This is just all theory at this point and would add some
complicatedness (and expense of bouncing bags) but it seems like it
could be a logical thing to do if a person could work it out right.

I am shooting for a sub 6 pound base weight so the extra 10-16 ounces
for a 20 degree bag is gonna hamper me in that. Of course, that takes
me back to my original question on all of this... going with a 32
degree bag and a light weight down jacket. I could come out around 6-8
ounces lighter and it seems it would be easier to bounce a montbell ul
down inner parka than it would be an entire sleeping bag. I know I can
handle around 18-degrees with my 32f bag and my down parka, and socks
I would already be hauling.

Guess that is really the heart of the question I originally asked.
Sort of a two part question... go with a 20 and do bouncing, or go
with a 32 and a jacket. Guess it just comes down to the old "whatever
works best for you" factor, eh.

Thanks all.
John

On Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 11:26 AM,  <ned at mountaineducation.org> wrote:
> Here's a related question...
>
> Has anybody thought about how a bag used from the start, about a month in at
> KM, since it has been compressed daily for all that time and gotten dirty
> and oily during nightly use, will have a worse temperature rating than when
> they started and this is at the very place where hikers need a bag rated for
> colder temps as they go up into the high sierra snow?
>
> Might be a good place to bring in a new, colder rated bag?
>
> Have any previous thrus noticed that they were sleeping colder once they
> left KM and before they hit the snow because the nighttime temps were colder
> there?
>
>
>
> "Just remember, Be Careful out there!"
>
> Ned Tibbits, Director
> Mountain Education
> South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
>   P: 888-996-8333
>   F: 530-541-1456
>   C: 530-721-1551
>   http://www.mountaineducation.org
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Abela" <abela at johnabela.com>
> To: "Edward Anderson" <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
> Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 5:27 AM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bag/Quilt Warmth
>
>
>> To get back to the topic of bags...
>>
>> So it seems like the general consensus here is that going with a 20
>> degree bag is pretty much the best option for the full duration of the
>> PCT.
>>
>> I will say I am surprised to not see very many people out there with
>> 32 degree bags.
>>
>> Out of curiosity, has anybody in this group done sleeping bag
>> bouncing? Bouncing between 32 degree bags and 20 degree bags,
>> depending on the locations and temps, in an effort to save an extra
>> pound in the warmer sections.
>>
>> John
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