My $300 sleeping bag nearly got me hypothermia in the Colorado Rockies last month

I bought this fancy down bag rated to 20 degrees, thinking the price tag meant I was set for anything. Took it up to a spot near Leadville last month, elevation around 11,000 feet. The first night, the temp dropped to maybe 25 and I was shivering so hard my teeth chattered. The baffles felt thin and cold spots formed right under my hips. I ended up wearing every layer I had, including my puffy jacket, and still barely slept. It taught me that a brand's temperature rating is just a guess, not a guarantee. Has anyone else had a high-end bag fail them when it actually mattered?

2 comments

2 Comments

johns183d ago

Twenty-five degrees and you nearly froze?

taylor9293d ago

Read somewhere that wind chill makes a huge difference. Twenty-five with no wind is one thing, but a breeze cuts right through you. It's all about what you're used to anyway.