PSA: My brother's comment about his old sleeping bag made me pack a second one for my kid

We were packing for a weekend trip to the White Mountains, and I was just throwing my old 20-degree bag in the car. My brother, who's been camping since he was a teen, saw it and said, 'You know, that thing's probably rated for survival, not comfort. You'll be cold.' He explained that a 20-degree bag means you won't freeze to death at 20 degrees, but you'll be miserable. For actual comfort, you need a bag rated for temps 10-15 degrees warmer than you expect. It hit different because I'd been using that bag for years, shivering and thinking I just ran cold. I bought a 10-degree bag for myself and dug out an old summer bag for my daughter as a backup layer. It completely changed our last trip. Has anyone else had to adjust their gear after learning about the real meaning of those temperature ratings?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_harris1415d ago

That "survival not comfort" thing is overblown. A good sleeping pad and wearing a beanie makes a 20-degree bag plenty comfortable at 30 degrees. People just pack wrong and blame the gear.

colemiller6d ago

Layering a summer bag inside your main one is a solid move. It adds a lot of warmth without buying new gear. That trick saved me on a cold night in the Adirondacks.

gonzalez.vera15d ago

Ever feel dumb for not knowing something so basic? I did the same thing with my first tent.