I am debating the purchase of a winter camping sleeping bag (the price is not an issue at all). I have a credit at TNF which can take care of the entire cost. Is going to a -40 a good insurance policy? The weight difference between the -40 and -20F is about 312 gr or 11 ounce, is this going to be a problem in my backpack over serval days of hiking? If the weather is below freezing but not quite -40, will the seeping back be way too hot and make me sweat my life? The bag is likely to be coupled with Expex DownMat 7 LW and some sort of liner which I have not selected.

I will be going mostly in the Whites and the Greens in NH and VT but within the next couple of years I may want to tackle Denali. Is this way overkill or I will be glad I bought it?

Sab,

You see these threads?:

sleeping-bad-for-white-mountains-t68304.html
0-degree-bag-or-20-degree-bag-t67425.html

The general consensus on the SP Gear forum seems to be that you don't even need a negative two dime bag for lower 48.
Hell, you sure don't need a -40 bag for Denali unless you plan on doing a winter attempt. -20 will serve you just fine for a West Buttress/Rib trip in the standard climbing season. But then, who the hell is gonna really listen to the patron saint of Sinoloan narcotraficantes?

That being said, have you considered using that TNF credit to pickup a nice down jacket or a negative two dime bag? What about an extra TNF expedition duffle to lug all that equipage to Anchorage? FWIW, If price is not an issue for a winter bag, I'd look at other manufacturers.

Stay warm,
JM

A final thought: I do sympathize with your dilemma. Years ago I stood in the Bend North Face outlet salivating over a -40 TNF Inferno bag that was 50% off. I just couldn't bring myself to spend more money on that road trip. Looking back I'm so glad I didn't buy it.

I have a ~-20 Feathered Friends bag. It has been used exactly twice, once on Denali, once on Aconcagua. My other trips to the Alaska Range, Canada in Winter, Rainier in Winter, etc. I used a +15 degree bag. Super warm bags are just not that versatile. Better off getting a bag that is warm enough for what you will do most of the time and then wear extra clothes when it is colder.

SabyR, get a -20 down bag from Western Mountaineering or Feathered Friends. Don't get a sleeping bag from TNF. You'll be buying another one in 2-3 yrs. A reputable/boutique -20 down bag will allow you to tackle things like a Presi-traverse and Baxter. It gets cold in the Whites in the winter regularly. I personally have had little luck wearing all of my clothes to bed in the winter. Just too uncomfortable.

I agree with Hikerbrian, and for the first time ever, disagree with EB, only because my application was different than his.

Get the high quality -20F bag from WM or FF. Then, if you need something warmer, add a bivy sack and wear more clothes.

I first bought a -40F bag for northern MN in winter. It worked great, but it was bulky. I bought a -20f bag and never used the -40F bag again.

I sold my -40f to a guy in western North Dakota, who probably lived in a camper van in an oil field.

I still have my 25 years old Marmot Penguin -40 bag that I bought for my three Alaskan trips and two Nepal/Tibet trips. I think your choice depends on where you are likely to use the bag. I used the bag on Denali, but we were there in early May the first time and tried a new route the second time. The bag was way too warm for any camps bellow about 7,000 meters in Himalaya.

I have not used that bag anywhere else in the lower 48, nor in South America, nor ever since. My wife sleeps in it in winter when we drop bags by the car in the Sierra. I have no other use for it. At four pounds it is too heavy and too warm for me, even today.

My old -5 F Marmot did all the alpine work, all the other fall and early spring season trips in the mountains.

So the - 40 F bag might be useful for NE mid winter climbing and camping without a tent, but unless your plans include some other really cold places, I would go with lighter weight and less protection. If you REALLY anticipate mid winter trips in the NE , -20 bag and a good bivi sack should do.

Anything else, my take would be -10 F bag from Western Mountaineering that could be taken just about anywhere in winter if you stay in a tent.

If in doubt, less is better and lighter than the biggest and warmest. You will always have some down jacket and a pair of johns with you in the winter so if needed, you can increase the bag rating that way.

Also, a tent will increase you bag rating by about 10 degrees.

BigMitch wrote:I agree with Hikerbrian, and for the first time ever, disagree with EB, only because my application was different than his.

I wouldn't expect a Christmas card from me this year.

I use a 20 degree bag with a down puffy in -20 and stay toasty. Things like this are very subjective....no one size fits all. But I agree that -40 in the lower 48 is mega overkill. For that matter, I recently carried a Marmot Nanowave 55 and paired it with a PrimaloftOne ultrlight puffy on a 32 degree night.....was a bit too warm but that will be my combo in the future for spring-fall lower 48 trips as that bag barely weighs over a pound and the puffy is 13 oz. I like the versatility as I'm going to carry the jacket anyway.

Thank you very much for all your input, I now realize how much every pound have an impact and that warmer does not mean better, I ended up getting the minus 20F Inferno, since it is lifetime warrantied and that North Face warranty is IMHO second to none, I am not too worried about the bag lasting only a couple of years...

SabyR wrote:Thank you very much for all your input, I now realize how much every pound have an impact and that warmer does not mean better, I ended up getting the minus 20F Inferno, since it is lifetime warrantied and that North Face warranty is IMHO second to none, I am not too worried about the bag lasting only a couple of years...

Don't worry, IMHO your TNF bag will last far longer than that. Mine have! There is so much hype in the outdoor industry its pitiful!