Sleeping Bag vs. Sleeping Liner vs. Sleeping Pad vs. Blanket?

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.

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...

My Hiking Gear Thus Far: Bags

So I've been really excited to share the amazing gear I've gotten recently, at really great prices. (Well, hypothetically it's "amazing" to me. Time and experience will tell.) My first purchase, that sort of got me going with this, was Dexter's hiking pack.

REI Adventure XL Dog Hiking Pack

Now, they don't make these packs anymore, but I can tell you from research that dog packs are not cheap... and EXTRA LARGE dog packs are not only expensive, but can be hard to come by. Dexter isn't a particularly large dog, but the girth of his neck and chest are larger than most dogs. Going with an XL was a good choice- it seems to be just the right size. (We've only tried it on briefly.) This bag was less than $20!!! Finding such a bargain was a thrill, and I've since been on the lookout for more great deals...

Like my daypack:

Women's XS/S Osprey Sirrus 36 Daypack

That's right: I got a 36L Osprey backpack- that is not only a gorgeous color but basically brand new- for $75! This is a $170 backpack. It fits wonderfully- again, so far, just trying it on.

I'm still not totally sure about the capacity. From what I've read, a 36L seems to be right on the border of "heavy day pack" to "light overnight". My goal is to get to doing some overnights with Dex, but I am a bit worried it is a little too heavy for what will be my normal use. I've been debating on purchasing a smaller one (have I mentioned I have an addictive personality? No? Well, I do, as I'm sure you'll see). Somewhere in storage, though, I should have a small Camelbak I purchased years ago. I haven't been able to find it, but I'm really hoping it's there. I don't remember which one it is, but I'd like to at least get the bladder out of it, and put that in my Sirrus, and possibly rig the Camelbak to attach to my daypack for shorter hikes from base camp, or short hikes in general. Which still leaves me with the question of whether I should have gotten a smaller pack.

As you see, this is going to be a lot of trial and error for me.

I'll post about my hiking boots next time!