A 90% sleeping bag

So I'm in the market for bag that will handle 90% of my hunting trips, think spring bear, sheep in the early fall, moose in the late fall, and maybe deer on Kodiak. Basically every thing but deep winter. I am leaning towards down, with the shells and treated down today I feel safe with down. This is a 2 part thread I have some ideas on some bags but for now what would be a good temp. I'm leaning towards a 0* bag or should I go with a -10 to -15 bag or am going over kill. Not a cold sleeper about average I won't be buying it till this spring so I have time to over think it and pick my bag 4 or 5 times thanks for the help guys.


This is a great forum guys and gals good work.

I figured the lowest temps I expect to see and bought a Western Mountaineering bag rated for that temp with the expectation that the bag would be good to its rating and have not been disappointed.

My 90% bag is a WM Megalite with overfill. It has been warm for me into the mid 20's. In fact, I usually use it like a quilt without zipping it up unless it gets below about 30 degrees. You probably see colder temps than I do, but a WM bag will be good to its rating.

Western Mountaineering bag and be done with it. You wont be disappointed.

For me 15degr would do most everything except winter. Western mountaineering is primo for down, with Kifaru leading the way for me in synthetic.

My thought is go with the lowest temp. rating you can afford. I've always found temp ratings to be fairly inexact. You can always open the bag to cool off, but can't add more bag if you're cold. Plus with the use you're suggesting, it could dip below zero easily on occasion. Case in point--sheep hunting in mid-Sept. here in Wyo. this year and it got to 9 degrees one night! My bags are always rated in the negative numbers. Just my .02.

A 0 degree down bag has been my go to for 90 % of my use the last 5 years or so. The regions I am usually in get below freezing late at night or early morning year round (including July and August due to altitude) and it is easy to keep the bag unzipped if it is feeling warm. This has never ended up being too hot and worked fine in freezing and below. I learned the hard way that using 30 or 40 degree bags in the mountains can leave you in a suffer fest as well as buying multiple bags and wasting money. Based on you being in AK I agree with your thinking that a zero degree treated down bag is looking good as a 90 % set up. Down is still lighter and more compressible than synthetic and with the new water resistant coatings seems tough to beat. Comfy too.Good synthetic options out there as well but I haven't used them in a bag (only coats and pants). I have never used WM bags but many guys on here with alot of experience swear bye them. If I buy another bag I will be looking at them. A 0 degree quilt by hammock gear is something I am seriously looking at for my trips next year. Let us known what you decide on.

I bought a EE 20 quilt. While it's the best I have ever slept in, I figure I can use one of my mummy bags with it if it ever gets really cold. I love it for everything north or 10.

MountainHardwear UltraLamina 15 -

Under 3lbs, synthetic
Can crawl into this completely soaked, cold & wet and you're body heat will dry you out and keep everything warm.

Western Mountaineering Versalite. 2lbs and pure downy goodness.

I have the EE quilts in 0, 10 & 20 degrees, they are fantastic!