[at-l] Re: Sleeping Bag for Tossing & Turning

[MManzano@aol.com]

On Sat, 05 Dec 1998, Timothy Clough wrote:

<< I am looking for a sleeping bag that is user friendly to a person (like
myself) who tosses and turns a lot before falling asleep, and again and
again throughout the night.

What features should I look for? (Some bags, for instance, have less
insulation on the "bottom" than the "top", which for me could be anywhere.)
Does anybody have any particular brands/models that you have found helpful?
I still haven't made up mind over down vs. synthetic, so suggestions for
both are acceptable.>>

I am the same way - turn from side to side and from sleeping on my back to
stomach all night long.  I always avoided the mummy style bags for that
reason, and the thought of them made me claustrophobic.  A week before I
attempted my thru hike in '97, I tried out the Western Mountaineering
"Antelope", 10 degree down bag, and I've never regretted it.  (Note: It won't
work in warm weather.)  When I tested it I was wearing jeans and thought they
would constrict my movement in the bag, but they didn't.  There is lots of
room at the shoulders which makes it less confining and easier to move around
in.  I was never cold in this bag, even when temps went way down past
freezing, and lots of other hikers remarked on the loft of the bag.  The shell
became damp numerous times from condensation on the inside of my tent, or from
rain blowing in the shelter, but a few minutes in the sun was all it took to
dry out.  I carried it in the stuff sack which came with it, in the bottom
compartment of my internal frame pack, and never bothered with extra plastic
bags or such.  Lots of folks stay away from down on the AT for fear of
moisture, but I wouldn't want to use anything else.  Try to find an outfitter
that carries Western Mountaineering and check it out.

Gypsy
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