What Temperature Rating Should I Use for Thru-Hiking? Most thru-hikers on the Triple Crown trails should be fine with a bag rated between
15-30 degrees
. You know yourself, though. If you tend to sleep cold, opt for something rated to a lower temperature.
What temperature sleeping bag should I get for the PCT?
Most hikers find a quality
20-30 degree
down sleeping bag or quilt to meet their needs for almost every night of the trip. PCT hikers are also increasingly choosing sleeping quilts to get the warmth of a bag at 2/3 the weight and volume. We recommend the Therm-a-Rest Vesper 32, which uses 900 fill power down.
Should I get a 15 or 30 degree sleeping bag?
It depends on if you want to stretch the envelope or not. If you do, then
get a 30 degree bag
along with a nice puffy jacket (which you may own anyway) and be prepared to sleep in that most of the time. You have to know your own sleeping and hiking style. For example, do your legs or feet get cold at night?
What temperature should Appalachian Trail be quilted at?
Temperature Ratings
We asked hikers the temperature rating of the bag (or quilt) they started with and swapped to. The most common answer for hikers was to start with
20-29 degree
bag with 44% choosing this rating.
What degree is a bag?
Based on our survey responses and my own experiences on the AT, I would recommend that a
20-degree bag
is most likely sufficient for most conditions on the AT. Still, keep in mind that, for the same level of comfort, women usually require bags of a warmer rating than men do.
How much should my pack weight Appalachian Trail?
Ideally, your backpack should weigh
between 15-25 pounds
, so you’ll probably need to find ways to cut weight when it comes to your gear. Luckily, we put together this guide for you with a few specific tips for one of the most popular thru-hikes of all.
How big of a pack do you need for Pacific Crest trail?
Most PCT hikers carry
between a 40-65L capacity backpack, with a main pack volume of 30-50 liters
. This means the pack volume, minus the capacity of minor pockets and mesh pockets. However, in the Sierra, most hikers are carrying at their limit, so the weight of their backpack is over the comfort-loading suggestions.
How should I pack for a thru hike?
- Shelter. Most AT thru-hikers carry a tent. …
- Pack. As the contents inside hikers’ packs get lighter and more compact, so too does the pack itself. …
- Sleeping Bag. The vast majority of thru-hikers are going to see sub-freezing temperatures. …
- Sleeping Pad. …
- Clothing. …
- Footwear. …
- Water Purification. …
- Hydration Reservoir / Water Bottle.
What do you need to thru hike the PCT?
- Shelter. Most thru-hikers carry a tent. …
- Pack. Backpacks are getting lighter every single year. …
- Sleeping bag. …
- Sleeping Pad. …
- Water Purification. …
- Stove. …
- First Aid, Repairs and Hygiene. …
- Navigation.
Is a 20 degree sleeping bag too warm?
As a rule of thumb, I was always taught that a sleeping bag’s temperature rating was a survival rating. In other words, a zero degree bag is designed to keep you ALIVE down to 0 degrees, not comfortable.
It will keep you warm and comfortable to about 15-20 degrees
.
Will a 30 degree sleeping bag warm enough?
What Temperature Rating to Choose – When deciding how warm of a sleeping bag is needed, a good “rule of thumb” is to take the bags advertised temperature rating and then add 10-15 degrees to it. Thus,
a bag rated to 20° degrees will keep you warm in temperatures of 30-35° degrees
.
Can I use a 30 degree sleeping bag in the summer?
A 40 degree bag wouldn’t be enough for some summer nights, but I think
a 30 would work fine except for the really hot nights
. Get a cheap nylon liner and carry it in the bag… extra warmth if needed, and great on hot nights alone, until you wake up at 2:30 a bit chilled…then into the bag.
Do I need a sleeping bag at 50 degrees?
Sleeping bags are recommended for temperatures below 64°F (~18°C).
Hypothermia can occur at 50° F or even higher temperatures
.
Is a 0 degree sleeping bag too warm for summer?
It most certainly will be too warm
. My first sleeping bag was a 0 degree quallofill bag, which was originally bought for shoulder season camping where min temps would be ~15-20C. I also used it when car camping on kayak trips during the spring/summer.
What are the 5 types of sleeping bags?
- Rectangular sleeping bag.
- Barrel-shaped sleeping bag.
- Mummy sleeping bag.
- Double sleeping bag.
- Quilt.
- Elephant’s foot sleeping bag.
How much does a empty backpack weigh?
Traditional Backpacks
Traditional packs are available within a range of 3.69 lbs to 5.67 lbs and a volume of 55L to 105L. When eight of such packs with varied weights are taken, the average weight of an empty traditional pack equals
4.58 lbs
with a volume of 68.8L.
How much water should you carry on the Appalachian Trail?
Hydration: Whether you use water bottles or a tube hydration system, have the capacity to carry
at least 2 quarts
.
How many miles a day on the Appalachian Trail?
Most hikers start out slow, averaging
eight to 10 miles a day
. They will eventually work up to 12 to 16 miles a day. Don’t worry if you end up doing less some days and more on other days; as long as you set a goal for where you need to be each month, you will survive and successfully complete the trail before winter.
Do you need a passport to hike the PCT?
You will require a passport for entry into both Canada and the U.S.
Do I need rain pants on the PCT?
Rain pants are not considered an essential item by all hikers
, but if you’re going to bring rain pants, you want them to be good rain pants (in case you didn’t catch this when we were talking about rain jackets above).
Where do I put my sleeping bag in my pack?
How long is a thru-hike?
Essentially, a thru-hike is an end-to-end backpacking trip on a long-distance trail like the A.T. or the PCT.
More than 2,100 miles
long, the A.T. runs from Georgia to Maine, while the PCT, at more than 2,600 miles long, runs from Mexico to Canada.
What is a bear bag?
Bear bags are
intended to protect your food on backpacking trips and to prevent bears from becoming accustomed to eating human food
.
