Just realized my old sleeping bag was basically a trash bag with zippers

I used this cheap bag for years, thinking it was fine because I only camped in summer. Then I went to the White Mountains in early October last year and froze. I mean, shivering all night, wearing every piece of clothing I had. I finally spent the money on a decent 20-degree down bag. The first trip with it was a total game changer. I was actually warm, and the thing packs down to the size of a football, not a duffel bag. It's crazy how much misery I put up with just because I was being cheap. What's a piece of gear you upgraded that made you wonder how you ever managed before?

3 comments

3 Comments

elizabethhayes24d ago

Got a good laugh at the trash bag with zippers line. That said, a 20-degree bag in the White Mountains in October is still pushing it, those temps can drop way lower than that.

caleb26224d ago

Honestly my big one was a sleeping pad. I used this old foam thing forever, basically a yoga mat. Woke up with my hip on the ground every time. Finally got an inflatable one and it was like sleeping on a cloud, lol. Couldn't believe I spent so many trips just being sore for no reason.

emery_young1314d ago

That "trash bag with zippers" feeling is so real. I did the same thing with a cheap summer bag on a cold spring trip. @elizabethhayes is right about the White Mountains, a 20-degree rating is just a starting point. You really need to check the expected lows and then get a bag rated for at least 10 degrees colder than that. The right bag makes all the difference, and so does pairing it with a good pad. A bag's rating means nothing if you're losing all your heat to the cold ground.