I took a chance and purchased a sleeping bag on eBay, not really knowing much about it besides the fact that it's a Kelty, which is a good brand. I know that this was not the best decision for me to make, but 1) I was lured by the pretty colors, 2) I knew it was a good deal no matter what and 3) I've got a fast trigger finger when I'm on eBay- one of the reasons I'm downsizing my life.
I did a search for key terms of this bag on google- i.e., what I knew about it, and managed to come up with the entire information list from the seller (who, I guess, does not know how to copy & paste). Perfect! ...??
It's a 40* Kelty Light Year Down and weighs 1lb, 12oz. For the record, I paid $30 for it with shipping.
Okay, so I know that information, which may be bad for two reasons: 1) it's not rated at 32* or below and 2) it's down, which means it's probably going to be hot in the summer.
I am a very warm-blooded person. I prefer the cold, especially at night. If you're camping with me and you're cold, you want to snuggle up next to me for my warmth, and I want you next to me to cool me down. Long ago, I learned that I need layers in the winter- you will often catch me in a camisole top when it's literally freezing outside, with a puffy jacket and thermal shirt tied around my waist (or thrown in the backseat of my car).
So I've got this sleeping bag, and now I'm getting pretty confused. The hiking and camping closest to me gets hot and muggy during the summer, but of course, I want the option to camp in cold climates... I think I am trying to do too much with one bag. I think maybe I need cold-weather sleeping gear AND separate warm-weather sleeping gear, or I am going to be miserable. The question is: since the down is going to make this too hot for summer, can I make this one work for cold weather? (The other questions are: where am I planning on hiking?? What conditions are there in those places??)
Which leads me to sleeping liners and sleeping pads. With the proper one of each, my setup should work (though it may be heavier than I need or want). While I'm figuring out my own best system through trial and error, I have two compact emergency blankets to get me through cold nights if needed. I also plan to get a Kelty Bestie blanket. And, of course, Dexter and I can cuddle for warmth.
Let's start with the sleeping pad.
There are SO MANY options for both. REI pulls up 120 matches for "sleeping pad". I'm in the middle of Hike Smart, a book that I highly recommend for beginners like me. The purpose of a sleeping pad is twofold: one, it provides cushion from sleeping on the ground (with possible sticks, small rocks, etc), and two, most importantly, it provides warmth (since the ground isn't warm- heat rises). The book says that there are basically three kinds of sleeping pads for camping and hiking: foam, inflatable, and a combination of both. Foam will be most insulating, but also heavier, while an inflatable will be lighter but not as warm. Hike Smart authors say it's best to invest in a high-quality pad.
To be continued...
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| It's a Kelty; it looks warm; it looks PRETTY; SOLD! |
I did a search for key terms of this bag on google- i.e., what I knew about it, and managed to come up with the entire information list from the seller (who, I guess, does not know how to copy & paste). Perfect! ...??
It's a 40* Kelty Light Year Down and weighs 1lb, 12oz. For the record, I paid $30 for it with shipping.
Okay, so I know that information, which may be bad for two reasons: 1) it's not rated at 32* or below and 2) it's down, which means it's probably going to be hot in the summer.
I am a very warm-blooded person. I prefer the cold, especially at night. If you're camping with me and you're cold, you want to snuggle up next to me for my warmth, and I want you next to me to cool me down. Long ago, I learned that I need layers in the winter- you will often catch me in a camisole top when it's literally freezing outside, with a puffy jacket and thermal shirt tied around my waist (or thrown in the backseat of my car).
So I've got this sleeping bag, and now I'm getting pretty confused. The hiking and camping closest to me gets hot and muggy during the summer, but of course, I want the option to camp in cold climates... I think I am trying to do too much with one bag. I think maybe I need cold-weather sleeping gear AND separate warm-weather sleeping gear, or I am going to be miserable. The question is: since the down is going to make this too hot for summer, can I make this one work for cold weather? (The other questions are: where am I planning on hiking?? What conditions are there in those places??)
Which leads me to sleeping liners and sleeping pads. With the proper one of each, my setup should work (though it may be heavier than I need or want). While I'm figuring out my own best system through trial and error, I have two compact emergency blankets to get me through cold nights if needed. I also plan to get a Kelty Bestie blanket. And, of course, Dexter and I can cuddle for warmth.
Let's start with the sleeping pad.
There are SO MANY options for both. REI pulls up 120 matches for "sleeping pad". I'm in the middle of Hike Smart, a book that I highly recommend for beginners like me. The purpose of a sleeping pad is twofold: one, it provides cushion from sleeping on the ground (with possible sticks, small rocks, etc), and two, most importantly, it provides warmth (since the ground isn't warm- heat rises). The book says that there are basically three kinds of sleeping pads for camping and hiking: foam, inflatable, and a combination of both. Foam will be most insulating, but also heavier, while an inflatable will be lighter but not as warm. Hike Smart authors say it's best to invest in a high-quality pad.
"Sleeping bags are given an R-value rating, which measures how well the pad will insulate your body from the ground. The higher the R-value, the warmer... R-values of 2-3 are good for most conditions. R-values above three are good when the temperature drops freezing or below, which it often does in summer nights in the high mountains. If you're planning to snow camp, you want an R-value of 5 or higher, and you may even want to pile up two pads and sleep on them."
To be continued...
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