Thread: Tent & sleeping bag HELP!

I am looking for input on a moderately priced tent and sleeping bag for winter camping.

tent- must stay dry! it'll be spending a lot of time in the rain and snow and "other" weather Mother Nature dishes out. a tiny 1 man mummy tent wont cut it, im fancy and sleep on a cot.

bag- must be warm. Im not worried about weight and pack size, just warmth and price.

im keepin an open mind on overall price but im not lookin at top shelf stuff. just something thats gonna get the job done. If its something you been happy with and performs well but is on the expensive side please mention that too, thanks guys...

I use a Wiggy's sleeping bag. you may not have heard of them but check them out at wiggys.com. airforce and navy use his gear. I go on a drop camp elk hunt in Co. about every other year and had this bag since 2000. It has never let me down and this year the temp one night went a little below zero. We do a third season hunt (first week of Nov) and are at 9400 ft. you cant go wrong with their bags. as for the tent i use a Big Agnes seed house, but you want something bigger. I would go to campmor.com and look at their selection of four season tents. DO NOT get a single wall tent and the condensation from your breath will form ice and water on the INSIDE of the tent. Hope this helps, and happy camping

you can get a good warm sleep bagging just about anywhere. you can spend between $75 - $500 on a bag. The biggest differences are going to be compressibility and weight (more expenseive = lighter and smaller). I'd suggest shooting for something rated for around 20 degrees and then plan on wearing a hat and more while you sleep. A sleeping pad, even if you use a cot, will add a lot of warmth.

Eureka, Sierra Designs, Kelty and others make affordable quality tents that I have used extensively while spending time in the backcountry. A 2 person tent would be my suggestion. If you intend to put you + gear + dog/person in there, go for a three person. I'd get something that is intended to be used for backpacking or expeditions. Going for a car camping tent (aka big and tall) can be nice, but there is usally a lot of wasted space for standing. Expect to pay between $150 - $300 for a tent that will last you a lifetime if taken care of properly.

Enjoy!

We decided to dish out the cash for a North Face tent when we drove across country for 6 weeks and we've used it backpacking many times. The tent held up great even in heavy downfalls we got a few nights. I'd buy another North Face if something were to happen to this one. Like someone mentioned, Eureka and Sierra Designs are also very good. Heard of Kelty, but never used one.

In my experience 4 season and big (at least big enough for a cot) means expensive. I have a 4 person, 4 season Kelty that has served well over the years. It's pretty comfy for 2 plus gear, fine for 3 and tight with 4 people. I don't think it would really fit a cot though. About 8 years ago it was $400. When the day comes to replace it though I'll probably buy a Marmot (likely this one: Marmot Thor 3P | marmot.com).

One other thing, make sure you have a ground tarp (called a footprint) that matches the tent or make one out of waterproof fabric (marine fabric store is a good choice). It'll protect the bottom of the tent from punctures.

One last thing, visit Sierra Trading Post. Good deals can be had there.

Tent..Cabelas XPG..great price and great tent.EASY set up and extremely dry!I've been in mine in some brutal rainstorms(wind and downpours) and not a drop inside.Like me,with a cot you'll want the four man.($239.00)For a bag I use a cabelas Expedition III($130.00).Good for 30 below(mummy type).Never been cold in it but I think if I bought another I would go with the 3D in the rectangle -30 just for more leg room($150.00).Good luck.If you can spend more,I'm sure there may be even better but for this kind of cash,can't beat em.

Years ago I bought a Cabela's XPG 3-season model, I finally used it this season after several years of just having it. It poured like crazy on the Beaverkill and I stayed dry all night. Two shock-corded aluminum poles made for fast, reliable setup. I think they also have an XPG 4-season model too that is reasonably priced. Also Cabelas has an Alaskan Guide Model series that you might want to look into. No matter what a ground cloth is essential. Some guys even use two- one for inside on the tent floor, and one for outside on the ground.

For a sleeping bag, I have LL Bean Mt. Katahdin model rated to -20F and this bag is incredibly warm and was very reasonably priced as well.

I have a sierra designs tent that I think is great, but I think they are a little pricey. When I was in the market for a tent, I remember that Eureka was really the sweet spot in terms of value for your dollar. I remember that I really liked their A-frame tents.

A word about design - I much prefer the tents that set up by clipping the tent to poles that are external to the tent wall, rather than the the tents in which the poles have to be be inserted into sleeves. The clip style is a much faster and easier set-up, which is important to me since it seems that half the time I'm setting up in the dark.

As someone else mentioned, check out Sierra Trading Post for great deals. Also, if you are close enough, visit Campmor's store and look at their bargain/clearance section - great deals there too.

Originally Posted by gadfly

I have a sierra designs tent that I think is great, but I think they are a little pricey. When I was in the market for a tent, I remember that Eureka was really the sweet spot in terms of value for your dollar. I remember that I really liked their A-frame tents.

A word about design - I much prefer the tents that set up by clipping the tent to poles that are external to the tent wall, rather than the the tents in which the poles have to be be inserted into sleeves. The clip style is a much faster and easier set-up, which is important to me since it seems that half the time I'm setting up in the dark.

As someone else mentioned, check out Sierra Trading Post for great deals. Also, if you are close enough, visit Campmor's store and look at their bargain/clearance section - great deals there too.

Good point about the clip-style, the Cabela XPG is clip-style and I know I also liked that style a lot better as opposed to the traditional method of snaking the poles through the sleeves in the tent.

I use my 3 season, single wall tent in the winter without any issues. If the tent is well ventilated, moisture isn't going to be an issue unless you're talking weeklong trips or extreme weather conditions.

In general, down bags are lighter, better insulating, and smaller for the same temperature value. However, you'll pay close to double the price over a synthetic bag. Synthetic insulation is also easier to keep dry in wet climates. Don't buy a 20 degree bag for winter camping, unless you like sleeping cold. Figure out the lowest temperature you may be camping in, and subtract 15 degrees. My 20 degree down bag starts to feel cold around 30 degrees. For winter I use a -40 degree down bag from EMS. The cheaper the bag, the less features it will have. Draft tubes and collars, as well as baffled zippers are all things that a winter bag should have. Theres nothing worse than rolling over and getting a shot of cold air down the bag. You should also consider buying a Long size bag, it will give you extra room to stick your boots, water bottles, etc at the foot of the bag so they're not cold or frozen in the morning.

Also, sleeping on a cot, you'll want some sort of insulating pad under your back. Any bag will compress and lose insulating value underneath of you. Without a pad(foam, air, an old blanket) you'll end up with a cold back all night, which is not pleasant when the temp drops.

Originally Posted by Tight wouper

I am looking for input on a mans man.......

His ball bag- must be warm. Im not worried about weight and pack size, just warmth and price and how gentle he is thanks guys...

Have fun wanker.........

Neat little all purpose trailer...
http://www.jumpingjacktrailers.com/