BIG Agnes;

[Polarbear]

I bought a new Big Agnes bag last year and its a fine bag indeed, BUT the air matress for it is incredibly hard to inflate, even with electric pump, billows pump from them tried too and nothing pumps this matress up quick. Its a pain in the butt, waiting 5+ minutes for the air matress to inflate. It works very well, once inflated and keeps me warm, but I like quick. Anybody els e been here, done that? I have used the regular twin air matresses from WalMarts,etcetc., but they get cold at night. They do indeed pump up quickly and deflate very nicely as well, but COLD. Warm weather camping, nothing beats the latter air matress mentioned from WalMarts,etcetc. They sleep like home. I do a fair amount of freezing at night camping and need the lined air matresses for warmth, so here I am, pumping and a pumping for what seems like eternity every night. I have not heard a good answer to this. You? Thanks, Randy13233

 

[manicmechanic]

I've heard it said that, for those who burn wood, that it heats you twice. So maybe if we extend the analogy...

 

[empeg9000]

I bought a new Big Agnes bag last year and its a fine bag indeed, BUT the air matress for it is incredibly hard to inflate, even with electric pump, billows pump from them tried too and nothing pumps this matress up quick. Its a pain in the butt, waiting 5+ minutes for the air matress to inflate. It works very well, once inflated and keeps me warm, but I like quick. Anybody els e been here, done that? I have used the regular twin air matresses from WalMarts,etcetc., but they get cold at night. They do indeed pump up quickly and deflate very nicely as well, but COLD. Warm weather camping, nothing beats the latter air matress mentioned from WalMarts,etcetc. They sleep like home. I do a fair amount of freezing at night camping and need the lined air matresses for warmth, so here I am, pumping and a pumping for what seems like eternity every night. I have not heard a good answer to this. You? Thanks, Randy13233

I have one too and it is a pain in the butt. However, like you say, it keeps you warm and toasty.

 

[Wallowa]

Hmmmmm..

I have one too and it is a pain in the butt. However, like you say, it keeps you warm and toasty.

We have two Agnes bags...here at altitude (7,000+) even in Summer they are marginal for warmth...never had any trouble inflating the pads...they are open cell like Thermarest (sp?) pads...we 1/2 inflate, then insert into bag and finish them off...no more than 3 minutes to do this on our Agnes bags.

Over all...I prefer my Marmot bag with a Thermarest...bag is not stuck to pad as with the Agnes. Agnes bags are stuck in one position, you move inside the bag and the bag can't move with you..

 

[James.A]

1)open the valve on the Big Agnes bag. 2)place the nearest oversize outlet from the little battery powered air pump. 3)seal the joint with a piece of duct tape. 4) turn on pump. After the bag is mostly full, you can finish if off the hard way.

 

[cardno7]

Some good options are the Therm-a-Rest pads or Cabellas' self inflating pads; Just lay them out in the tent for a while and then blow a few breaths in to make firm. No pump.

I have the deluxe Therm-a-Rest for camping solo; the large Prolight Therm-a-Rest for space and weight saving (long backpack trips and on the motorcycle) and the ultimate Cabellas' double size self inflating pad when camping with my wife out of, or close to the truck.

Most decent outdoor outfitters will carry the Therm-a-Rest pads; Cabellas' mail order is good and reliable.

 

[empeg9000]

We have two Agnes bags...here at altitude (7,000+) even in Summer they are marginal for warmth...never had any trouble inflating the pads...they are open cell like Thermarest (sp?) pads...we 1/2 inflate, then insert into bag and finish them off...no more than 3 minutes to do this on our Agnes bags.

Over all...I prefer my Marmot bag with a Thermarest...bag is not stuck to pad as with the Agnes. Agnes bags are stuck in one position, you move inside the bag and the bag can't move with you..

Well I have the Summit Park and its a 15 degree bag and I find it warm except for the last time I went. Its a down bag and needs some cross quilting to prevent the loft from going all to the sides. The pad and bag being stuck in one position is what I DO like about them. I am a thrasher in my sleep and I used to always slide off the sleeping pad in my sleep or the bag would end up twisted all around me. So I like that the bag/pad stay stationary. I suppose that's why there are lots of different vendors, different people like lots of different things.

 

[tommcgee]

Well I have the Summit Park and its a 15 degree bag and I find it warm except for the last time I went. Its a down bag and needs some cross quilting to prevent the loft from going all to the sides.

Same bag here. Agreed on the shifting down. It was warmer when it was new and before it was washed. I also wish the insides were contained better, as in staying inside the bag. I look like a chicken when I roll out in the morning.

 

[PGlaves]

Some good options are the Therm-a-Rest pads or Cabellas' self inflating pads; Just lay them out in the tent for a while and then blow a few breaths in to make firm. No pump.

I have the deluxe Therm-a-Rest for camping solo; the large Prolight Therm-a-Rest for space and weight saving (long backpack trips and on the motorcycle) and the ultimate Cabellas' double size self inflating pad when camping with my wife out of, or close to the truck.

Most decent outdoor outfitters will carry the Therm-a-Rest pads; Cabellas' mail order is good and reliable.

After 25 years of insisting that nothing was as good as Thermarest, and fitfully sleeping until I almost stopped camping, Voni bought me a Big Agnes mattress. I started sleeping well again, and again like camping. I now have a Big Agnes sleeping bag, and after Voni tried my mattress she got one too.

YMMV

 

[kbasa]

It only takes a minute to blow them up, probably less time than mucking around with the pump and all that.

 

[Wallowa]

Agreed..No Pump Needed..

It only takes a minute to blow them up, probably less time than mucking around with the pump and all that.

Actually these pads are self-inflating, to a point, just open the valve and leave it... then a few puffs of air later and it is inflated..a word about how inflated..too much air and it is too hard and not as comfortable as it would be with less air...

David..Dog Team? Are you coming to Wallowa sled dog races in January?

 

[empeg9000]

Same bag here. Agreed on the shifting down. It was warmer when it was new and before it was washed. I also wish the insides were contained better, as in staying inside the bag. I look like a chicken when I roll out in the morning.

Just so you know they are working on a fix for that where they will be putting the cross stitching in there. They are going to send me a prototype one as soon as its ready. I'll give a review when I get it. It will more than likely be spring time.

 

[The_Veg]

IMO, Thermarest and similar products SUCK. I found them to be limiting as far as packing-options, and they required very flat ground to be comfortable at all.

I now carry a cheep air-mattress that takes a little time to inflate (I have small lungs and so does my mini-compressor), but it is SUPER-comfy and packs down to the size of a textbook. Did I mention cheep?

 

[kbasa]

IMO, Thermarest and similar products SUCK. I found them to be limiting as far as packing-options, and they required very flat ground to be comfortable at all.

I now carry a cheep air-mattress that takes a little time to inflate (I have small lungs and so does my mini-compressor), but it is SUPER-comfy and packs down to the size of a textbook. Did I mention cheep?

Cold in the winter, though. That air underneath you will freeze you. That's really what the Therma part of their name means.

 

[kbasa]

Actually these pads are self-inflating, to a point, just open the valve and leave it... then a few puffs of air later and it is inflated..a word about how inflated..too much air and it is too hard and not as comfortable as it would be with less air...

David..Dog Team? Are you coming to Wallowa sled dog races in January?

No, I'm sorry to say. The Sled Dog Touring Team is a group of nuts from the Yankee Beemers. We're sort of like the Order of the Arrow in Boy Scouts.

 

[JK]

Cradle and Caress

Cold in the winter, though. That air underneath you will freeze you. That's really what the Therma part of their name means.

Sorry KB -

But it's the air underneath you that'll keep your warm. A big fan of winter camping (-30F), no better insulation than a soft bed of pinebows under the floor of your tent. Likewise, a bed of straw will also keep you toastie, when things aren't snow covered. My trusty thermal rest of a dozen years has yet to let me down. When it comes to saving weight and space, it's the best bang for the buck.

Simply said, even wild animals have the sense to "bed" down. Anybody that stakes their tent to the hard cold ground gets what they deserve.


J.K.

 

[JK]

Sleeping Naked

FWIW -

Winter camping/sleeping is designed to be done, naked. Not a big fan of vapor barriers, my experience recommends using two below-zero mummy sleeping bags, one inside of the other. Ventilate the tent, to avoid an unnecessary build up of frost and moisture. Make sure to drape bags over the tent (inside-out) prior to packing up. Beating the frost out of them (socks and clothes, too) will avoid getting them damp and lossing their insulation/warming qualities.

In short, the biggest challenge is keeping your stuff dry, when winter hiking/camping. The next is keeping hydrated.


J.K.

 

[kbasa]

Sorry KB -

But it's the air underneath you that'll keep your warm. A big fan of winter camping (-30F), no better insulation than a soft bed of pinebows under the floor of your tent. Likewise, a bed of straw will also keep you toastie, when things aren't snow covered. My trusty thermal rest of a dozen years has yet to let me down. When it comes to saving weight and space, it's the best bang for the buck.

Simply said, even wild animals have the sense to "bed" down. Anybody that stakes their tent to the hard cold ground gets what they deserve.


J.K.

Yeah, but those are those little pockets of air, not 4 inches of air that bleeds heat out of you. You're right in that those little pockets get you off the ground, but a big pocket of air will chill you right through. You'd never use one of those big blow up mattresses in winter camping would you?

And -30F? You're a better man than I, sir.

 

[JK]

Yeah, but those are those little pockets of air, not 4 inches of air that bleeds heat out of you. You're right in that those little pockets get you off the ground, but a big pocket of air will chill you right through. You'd never use one of those big blow up mattresses in winter camping would you?

And -30F? You're a better man than I, sir.

Agreed. With that much surface area, it'll will suck the life right out of you.

Best to keep things sane and simple. When it comes to winter snuggling, down gets my vote. A Space blanket that reflects IR is also a wise choice.

J.K.

 

[kbasa]

Agreed. With that much surface area, it'll will suck the life right out of you.

Best to keep things sane and simple. When it comes to winter snuggling, down gets my vote. A Space blanket that reflects IR is also a wise choice.

J.K.

My combo for cold weather camping exactly.