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Hot take: that fancy 'all weather' sleeping bag I bought for a trip to the Smokies was a total waste of $250
Last week, I was up near Clingmans Dome and the temp dropped way lower than the bag's 20-degree rating said it could handle. I spent the whole night shivering in my long johns, which kind of defeats the whole point. Has anyone else had a big brand sleeping bag fail them like that, and what did you switch to?
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wendy_hill11d ago
Oh man, samthompson is SO right. It's not just a bad night, those ratings are a total fantasy. They test them on a warm mannequin in a perfect lab, not a real person who's tired and maybe a little damp. The number on the tag is basically the "you won't die" temp, not the "you'll sleep" temp. You HAVE to add like 10 or 15 degrees to get a comfortable rating. It's a scam that costs people a good night's sleep.
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ivan_craig1mo ago
Honestly, sleeping bag ratings can be so hit or miss. Maybe you just got a bad night or the damp air got to you? I've had my cheap bag feel fine at its rating and then totally fail another time. It's rarely a perfect science.
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samthompson1mo ago
Ugh, tell me about it. My "15 degree" bag left me freezing on a dry night in the Adirondacks that only hit the mid-20s. I had to wear every piece of clothing I brought, even my puffy jacket. It completely wrecked the trip because I was just exhausted. I don't trust those number ratings at all anymore.
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