Overheard a guy at the trailhead say his new sleeping bag was 'too warm' for summer

I was packing up my car at the Mount Rainier trailhead last Saturday when I heard a guy complaining to his buddy. He said he bought a fancy zero-degree bag for a summer trip because he 'didn't want to be cold' and spent over $300. He said he was sweating all night and had to unzip it completely, which kind of defeated the point. It made me think about how I almost did the same thing a couple years ago, just grabbing the warmest rating I could find without checking the actual expected temps. Now I always look at the forecast and pick a bag rated for about 10 degrees warmer than the low. It saves weight and money, and you actually sleep better. Has anyone else had a similar experience with buying gear that was totally wrong for the season?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisa83921h ago

Honestly, I always buy the warmest bag I can afford (like a zero degree) and just use it year-round. You can always vent it or sleep on top if it's too hot, but you can't make a summer bag warmer when a cold snap hits. That one heavy bag is cheaper than buying two separate ones for different seasons.

loganhart20h ago

That's a solid point from @lisa839 about buying for the worst case. It feels like the same logic behind always carrying a rain jacket, just in case. Getting caught without the right gear is the worst.