I've started buying gear for my October Musk Ox hunt and now need to buy a sleeping bag. Being from Alabama I don't know much about cold weather gear, the last time I saw snow was 3 years ago in Wyoming, but I've been looking at the following bags.

North Face Darkstar Polarguard rated at -40.

Marmot Never Summer rated at 0.

Wiggl's Ultima Thule rated at -20.

Which would you recommend?

Mark,

I use a Big Agnes(down) now but will upgrade next year to a Nunatak custom bag......www.nunatakusa.com.....check them out.....a friend has one and it is a fine piece of gear....spendy, but if you want the best......

Joe

Mark
Having spent alot of time in the extreme weather of Montana I can state IMHO there is no such thing as the perfect sleeping bag. In buying a sleeping bag the first thing to do is to take the temp rating with a grain of salt. The temp rating are very subjective. I have had bags that were rated down to -20 and would not keep me warm at +20 and visa versa. One of the major problems I have found in sleeping bags is they don't cover a very wide range of temps. For example if I have a bag rated for very cold weather (<-20) and the temp in much warmer say >20 then I get to warm. If the bag is rated for a moderate temp(+20) and it gets really cold I then freeze.

The solution I worked out is to use two sleeping bags that are rated in the 0 to +10 degree range. One sleeping bag is a full rectangle bag and the second one is a mummy or modified mummy bag. How I use it is I put the mummy inside the rectangle. If it is really cold I sleep inside both. if it is just cold I can unzip the rectangle bag and stay just about right. If it is warm out I can sleep on top the mummy and use the rectangle as a blanket. The only real drawback is the two bags are heavyier than one.

I hope this helps. If you want any more tips for sleeping in cold weather let me know.
Russ

I have found that the canvas "bed roll" covers will increase the comfort level by at least 20 degrees. They are heavy also.

Mark-

FWIW, I have a Wiggy's bag. I've used it from Alaska to PA to the hills of one of the -stan countries (in the Jan-Feb part of the year, plenty cold). Never used it "outside" (unprotected) in frigid weather, but in a tent or cabin, it works great. Very comfortable, lightweight, and easy to pack.

I like it a lot...

Wiggy's!!
It's been up and down the alcan 4 times and on numerous cold elk hunts. I've yet to be cold in it. The ability of it to wick moisture away sold me. Mine is the antartic system with the outer bag. I bought my wife the ultimata thule with the outer bag and it's just as nice. There are some Wiggy's hunting gear in my future too.

Keith

I have a Wiggy's bag now and love it!

I couldn't believe haw bad my Mil-surplus mummy bag was after I used the Wiggy bag.

Wiggy's.

He supports his customers and he puts out a good product to begin with.

Russ

Get a -40 degree bag from North Face, Marmot or Mountain Hardwear. Saving money on a sleeping bag just guarantees misery as almost all of the makers (except the ones listed above, and maybe a couple of other very expensive specialty mfrs) LIE about their temp rating. For example, I have a Slumberjack -20 degree bag, and it is useless if the temp drops below +25 degrees.

My current bag is a North Face -30 degree bag, and I have slept in it outdoors at -20 degrees, lying on a sleeping pad with NO TENT. And I slept all night in perfect comfort.

Suggested bag:

Marmot CWM EQ



http://www.marmot.com/products/product.php?cat=bags&subcat=33&style_id=F2180

Take a look at http://www.ajungilak.no There you get all the inforamtion you need to choose a sleepingbag. And you don't need to choose a Ajungilak ,but they make excellent sleepingbags.

Screw all that China made crap buy Wiggy's it made in the U.S.A..

Feathered Friends, made in Seattle, WA, U.S.A., to your specs. This bag is the absolute best to be had, and I've used mine on backpack sheep hunts in Alaska, elk hunts in Utah, Coues deer hunts in Mexico, and many points in between. Eleven years later, it's still just as good as when it was new.

http://www.featheredfriends.com

AD

I have replied to this on the other forum, but, will repeat it here. If, you want the finest bag currently available, Integral Designs of Calgary, AB. Canada makes them. The next choice is a Western Mountaineering bag made in Kalifornia. After 41+ years of serious, cold country camping and the ownership and use of more than a dozen bags, including Marmot, Feathered Friends and even Wiggy's, this is my best advice for whatever it is worth to you.

My hunting partner who has climbed and hunted in many parts of the world just decided to replace his Feathered Friends Snowy Owl winter bag and Asolo summer bag with a pair of I.D. custom bags. I am replacing my 15 year old Feathered Friends summer bag with an I.D. and currently have a custom I.D. winter bag.

I have used bags, often for several weeks without a break in temps. down to a measured -41F (not really fun) and these came from Britain, Canada, Europe and the big American companies; I have never seen or used bags as good as I.D. is making, period. This is one item of gear that is really worth spending serious coin on and I.D. bags ain't cheap.

I have used most of the brands mentioned and when it comes to cold weather I turn to my Western Mountaineering which is or was American made.

I stopped at Wiggys today and checked out their
product line and chatted with Wiggly for an hour
or so , was very impressed with their product
line and facility. If I needed a extreme bag or
clothing I would not hesitate to buy from them.
they told me that they figured how to quilt thier
insulation and that Redwing and some other boot
makers were going to put it in their boots.
Could blow Thinsulate out of the water.
They are the largest supplier of extreme bags
and gear to the U.S military.
Charlie

baboon
Do you think Ajungilak is Chinese? Well then I can tell you Ajungilak is the oldest sleepingbag brand in the world. This year they are 150 years old. It's a norwegian brand,but from 2001 the swiss company Marmot is the owner of Ajungilak. If you prefer american products that's OK for me, but quality products are also made outside USA.