[pct-l] Sleeping Bags: 15 vs 20 degree and down treated bags

[Tracy Fisher]

Thanks Chuck and Christain,

To answer your question, Chuck, I am an average sleeper neither cold or warm.

I am between the following brands/models: 

  - the Moutain Hardware Phantasia (Women's; 15 degree; 800 goose down treated with Q Shield; 2 lbs)

  - the REI Juole (Women's; 22 degree; 800 goose down;2 lbs 4 oz)

Are both Mountain Hardware and REI recommended brands do you think?

 
> Good afternoon, Tracy,
> 
> On a cold night if I don’t sleep wearing everything I brought, then I
> brought too much. That old truism applies only to the bare-minimum
> clothing I am carrying anyway. It doesn’t make good sense to buy a lighter
> bag and then supplement it with clothing that is unnecessary to wear except
> for occasional sleeping.
> 
> You didn’t mention how you sleep. I use a 15 deg. bag because:
> 
> 1) I don’t often sleep in, or under, any kind of shelter. Most lightweight
> tents add about 5 degs. to the warmth of a bag by controlling air movement
> around the bag. A more highly-featured three-season tent may add 10-15
> degs. of warmth, however it doesn’t make sense to carry 2-3 extra pounds of
> tent to save 4 extra ounces of down in the bag.
> 
> 2) When I wanted to buy, the 15 deg. bag was on sale.
> 
> A 20 deg. bag seems to be the most common for PCT hikers, even those
> sleeping under the stars, but I believe that mostly applies to bags by one
> of the best name brands. As for off-brands … well, talk is cheap so roll
> the dice.
> 
> For myself, I wouldn’t buy down treated with water-resistant stuff.
> 
> Steel-Eye
> 
> On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 7:04 AM, Tracy Fisher <tfisher9 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > I am in the process of choosing between several sleeping bags from several
> > different makers (not a quilt) but am now so overwhelmed with all of the
> > sales chatter that I decided to get some advice from you all to perhaps
> > help me in making my final decision.
> >
> > 1. Is it better to get a warmer 15 degree bag that will keep you
> > comfortable in the colder places on the PCT, or a cooler 20 degree bag that
> > keeps you comfortable in the warmer places, and just add more clothes in
> > the colder places?
> >
> > 2. Has anyone had experience with down bags where the down filling has
> > been treated with the new water repellant technology? Each company has its
> > own name for it, for example, Mountain Hardwear calls it Q Shield. It
> > seems like more and more companies are using this product.