Sleeping bag

[178000]

I have a 2006 r1200rt that I love to ride I also like to camp. Can I get your opinions on sleeping bags? I want a bag that packs fairly small, is waterproof, dries out well and most of all is nice and warm. I am retired so I hope it will not to expensive. I know this is a lot to ask. Ride safe everyone Steve from Iowa

 

[178000]

Sleeping Bag

I have a 2006 r1200rt that I love to ride I also like to camp. Can I get your opinions on sleeping bags? I want a bag that packs fairly small, is waterproof, dries out well and most of all is nice and warm. I am retired so I hope it will not to expensive. I know this is a lot to ask. Ride safe everyone Steve from Iowa

 

[frenchnew]

Wiggy's , do a search for Wiggy's, he has the best sleeping bags.

I am a happy customer who bought one last summer.

 

[rangerreece]

There's a lot of different sleeping bags on the market these days. Pay attention to the rating. They rate sleeping bags based on the temp. I bought a couple of really small light weight compact bags, turns out they are only rated down to 50*F. Found out the hard way, that's not good enough. Though I still use them often for summer camping, I had to get another for cold wx camping. Try Amazon, and before you purchase log in register for Amazon smiles and place the BMW MOA foundation as your charity so .5% of your purchase will go to he foundation.

 

[Omega Man]

Hi Steve, I merged your two posts, Good luck with your search.
Gary

 

[Bud]

I have a 2006 r1200rt that I love to ride I also like to camp. Can I get your opinions on sleeping bags? I want a bag that packs fairly small, is waterproof, dries out well and most of all is nice and warm. I am retired so I hope it will not to expensive. I know this is a lot to ask. Ride safe everyone Steve from Iowa

Beware advertisements.

Your requirements: 1. Packs small 2. Waterproof 3. Dries out well and 4. Nice and warm will most likely never be found in one bag.

If you camp inside a tent, 2 and 3 should be non issues.

1 and 4 can be found in a good down filled bag. The warmer the bag, the higher the cost due to the cost of down. Some down is now nano-treated to be water repellent.

This new style bag is what I have.

This video shows features and benefits.

If you are considering cold weather camping, . an insulated mattress pad will make a big difference

Neither of these are inexpensive and I'm sure others can point you towards a less expensive solution based on their experiences.

 

[REBGEN]

Hey Steve,

I learned about Big Agnes sleeping bags many years ago at the Falling Leaf Rally. They are not exactly cheap but mine has reliably served me for years. One of the things I appreciate most about it is that the inflatable sleeping pad is part of the bag and is inserted in a sleeve under the bag. No more sliding off a sleeping pad in the middle of the night if you are on any kind of uneven ground.

I use the Encampment 15 but there are many good options to check out. Good luck!

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/SleepingBags

Mark...another fellow Iowegian

 

[jkersh1]

+1 on Big Agnes, but also pay a visit to a backpacking / outdoor store like REI. Talk to the staff. Remember that a good bag will be expensive, but will last for decades.

 

[lee]

I like down bags the best because they pack so small. I have not shopped for a bag in a long time but I believe some of the new bags are made with waterproof breathable materials like Gore tex.
Where do you live in Iowa? If you're close to Des Moines, here's a few stores where you can go in and check out bags.
REI
Active Endeavors
Scheels

If you're close to Iowa city there's a Scheels store there.

If you're not packing the sleeping bag in the trunk, buy a good dry bag to make sure your sleeping bag stays dry.
Do not back your sleeping bag in the same bag as the tent.

 

[Bud]

Hey Steve,

I learned about Big Agnes sleeping bags many years ago at the Falling Leaf Rally. They are not exactly cheap but mine has reliably served me for years. One of the things I appreciate most about it is that the inflatable sleeping pad is part of the bag and is inserted in a sleeve under the bag. No more sliding off a sleeping pad in the middle of the night if you are on any kind of uneven ground.

I use the Encampment 15 but there are many good options to check out. Good luck!

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/SleepingBags

Mark...another fellow Iowegian

I don't own one, but I know many people who use big agnes with the built in sleeve and everyone comments on that feature.

 

[Paul_F]

for a down filled sleeping bag.

It has been my sad experience to discover that a sleeping bag's low temperature rating is much like our BMW speedometers; overly optimistic. I would recommend buying one that is rated at a temperature much cooler than you actually think that you will require. Mine is rated to 34F. With such a bag, in really hot weather, I sleep with it unzipped with the top cover thrown off. I then wake mid sleep when things cool down and pull up the top layer and zip it up. It keeps me quite cozy down to the mid-forties; not interested in sleeping outside below those temperatures.

Like Rangerreece, I discovered that an extremely compact sleeping bag I once bought, rated at 40F, left me cold in the mid-fifties.

When buying your sleeping bag, also buy a stuff sack that will reduce the size considerably, making it that much easier to pack on your bike.

A final suggestion for keeping warm at night which may or not work for you, depending on the size of your tent, would be a candle lantern found at REI stores. You should have an overhead loop from which to hang it. On those especially cool nights, this device can generate enough heat to remove the condensation/chill from a tent. However, as Bud will testify, this does not seem to work if your tent is extremely large. These lanterns are designed in such a fashion that should it be knocked unwittingly, they immediately extinguish themselves.

The reason that I steered away from the Big Agnes sleeping bags with the sleeve for the air mattress was solely due to what I perceived as the additional size of the bag. However, when sleeping on an incline (or a hillside), that feature would be quite useful.

At the 2006 Vermont National, I required a bag that dried out well and was waterproof and the solution was simple. I got a new waterproof tent.

Best of luck with your search for the perfect sleeping bag.

 

[rangerreece]

A lot of good input on this thread. I'm getting my learn on and I'm not even in the market for a new bag.

 

[rangerreece]

I hope the OP is catching all this.

 

[manicmechanic]

I might add that the sleeping bag should fit you. It's not good to be a taller person trying to stay warm in a regular-sized bag. Of course, a larger bag won't pack down as small. Something you can pack inside the bag is a stocking cap, which will help keep you warmer at night, and takes up almost no room.

 

[AKsuited]

I switched to a down-filled bag because my cheapo Walmart bag was way too big: it was so large it blocked my vision to the rear while riding. The down-filled bag packs much smaller.

I went with this bag: https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Bag/lostranger15

It has worked well for me.

Harry

 

[lkraus]

The reason that I steered away from the Big Agnes sleeping bags with the sleeve for the air mattress was solely due to what I perceived as the additional size of the bag. However, when sleeping on an incline (or a hillside), that feature would be quite useful.

I'm not sure if you were concerned about the shape of the bag, or the addition of the sleeve material. Any "additional size" caused by creating the sleeve (one layer of fabric) is outweighed by the lack of filler material on the bottom of the bag. The sleeved Big Agnes bags rely on the sleeping pad for all the insulation on the bottom, so pick your pad carefully. The BA Buffalo Park 40º and a Thermarest Evolite pad together in an 8"x15" bag fit nicely in a Shad 50 top case with my 3 man tent, cooking gear, rain suit and a few small items. The pad and bag worked well on a couple three day rides last summer (hope to test more extensively this year). I slept better than at home. A mummy style bag would be smaller, but I need room to move and don't sleep well with my feet restricted.

The "military modular sleep systems" on Ebay always looked interesting for their flexibility, price, and the option of leaving unneeded parts at home.

Like seats, windshields, boots,and most other gear, a bag has to fit your needs and budget. There will never be a consensus on one bag. Most all the info you need is out there on backpacking websites. Remember that you need not be as concerned about weight as a hiker would be, so you can consider slightly heavier options that may be sturdier and cheaper.

 

[lee]

It's not good to be a taller person trying to stay warm in a regular-sized bag.

Good point. A lot of sleeping bags are available in long lengths.

 

[lee]

When buying your sleeping bag, also buy a stuff sack that will reduce the size considerably, making it that much easier to pack on your bike.

.

Bags usually come with a stuff sack. It sounds like you're referring to a compression sack.

 

[Paul_F]

I might add that the sleeping bag should fit you. It's not good to be a taller person trying to stay warm in a regular-sized bag. Of course, a larger bag won't pack down as small. Something you can pack inside the bag is a stocking cap, which will help keep you warmer at night, and takes up almost no room.

For very cool nights, I pack a winter toque and wool mittens. I actual get a better night's sleep in my tent than at home in bed.

I'm not sure if you were concerned about the shape of the bag, or the addition of the sleeve material. A mummy style bag would be smaller, but I need room to move and don't sleep well with my feet restricted. .

I found a mummy bag to be just too restrictive and hence prefer the rectangular bottom.

Bags usually come with a stuff sack. It sounds like you're referring to a compression sack.

Right you are Lee. I did mean a compression sack.

 

[rangerreece]

I love this thread.