winter bags

Any innovative ideas out there to add more warmth to my 0 degree down mummy bag? bivy's, liners?

An inexpensive nylon outer shell is a great thing. Light weight, protects bag, keeps pads and bag packaged together, cuts drafts, gives you something to pull over your face to breath into that's not the bag and adds, probably, 10 degrees to the rating.

Add a second pad, regardless, if you haven't already.

VBL's are more dramatic, requiring experimentation prior to really testing the combo.

DLhiker said:

Any innovative ideas out there to add more warmth to my 0 degree down mummy bag? bivy's, liners?

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I have used this liner with very good results.

Essentially it is a black mesh "sack" with a drawstring. It is very light and compact (I put it inside my sleeping bag, rather than waste space with the liner in a stuff sack. The manufacturer claims an increase of up to 15 degrees. I have no way of testing that number, but there IS a significant increase in warmth. It is difficult to enter and (particularly) to exit this thing in the middle of the night (should the 'urge' overcome you to do so).

I've had no experience with other 'liners' for comparison.

But maybe the first question is what climate/temperature are you planning on using your bag?

Before any purchase, have you considered light exercise before bedtime, your food/water intake before retiring, clothing, etc.? Might help both your sleeping comfort and your wallet!

We use REI Polartec liners in our 0o bags and it works well. There is a zipper down the entire length of the liner for easy use. Also,with the liner you have warm and fuzzy against you instead of nylon.

I haven't used a liner, primarily because I expect it would get all twisted up inside my bag. Is that a nonsense concern? Or are liners only workable for people who sleep very "quietly?"

DLhiker said:

Any innovative ideas out there to add more warmth to my 0 degree down mummy bag? bivy's, liners?

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...Nicole Kidman

I use a silk liner with my winter bag (I think the brand name is Coccoon, but I could be wrong.) It makes a noticeable difference in the warmth of my bag... it is billed as adding 10 degrees... don't know how accurate that is though.

I've never had any problems with tangling... since you're inside the liner it just kind of spins with you. At least that's how it works for me.

- Ivy

kmorgan said:

...Nicole Kidman

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I like the way you think, but I don't think she is an economical option.

I was going to say Sterno. Plenty warm, plenty cheap. Hmmm... along those lines, I guess Courtney Love fits the bill as well!

Double Bow said:

I was going to say Sterno. Plenty warm, plenty cheap.

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On the rocks or straight up?