-20° Sleeping Bag for Alaska

What do you guys use and recommend for a -20° sleeping bag? Looking for comfortable, warm and bot to heavy. Doing a DIY Alaska caribou hunt this September and a DIY Alaskan Yukon hunt next year. Thanks

I have a 3 piece gore Tex bag I was issued while I was in the service. I’ve slept in a tent in below zero conditions in my underwear and was almost too warm still. You can add on each of the layers as needed, all the way up to the waterproof bivy. It’s the end all be all sleeping bag system in my view. They can be found on eBay for a good price!

Were regulated on weight. Also needs to be light.

You sure you need a -20? That’s pretty extreme

Biggest question how big are you and how do you sleep?


Synthetic the best bang for buck is the Hyper Liama from Mountain Hardware

If you are a big ol boy 6+ and wide, go with kifaru Wide slick bag.

If you trust hyperbolic down, Mountain Hardware, Western Mountaineering, stone glacier are at the top.

I run a 0 degree and 20 degree quilt just about everywhere now. Most the mummy bags are just too constricting for me now. But I don’t advise a quilt for a single hunt.

The outfitter for both hunts has suggested -20° sleeping bag. I'm 5' 11" 230lbs. I have a muscular build so I need.some room.

This ^^^^^. I question the -20 degree bag though. Seems way too extreme. At most a 0 degree but probably fine with a 15 - 20.

Brands as Bobo listed above. Mountain Hardwear, Western Mounatineering & Feathered Friends are my recommendations. Need to decide on down vs synthetic. Pros and cons to both.

Sleeping bags are like boots. No one size fit all.

I’d double check the -20 again, just to be safe.

I hate mummy bags but I would call Kifaru, Western mountaineering, Stone glacier and feathered friends and see what they have in a 66” ish+ girth in the appropriate bag and have them sell you on why you need it. Honestly it’s a flip of a coin. All four are also pro hunting. Nemo is another one but I don’t know if they make a below -15 bag

I’m pretty sure All of them us a EU rating system so they are pretty spot on temp wise.

Also remember you can wear clothes in a bag to increase warmth . Synthetic bags are also good for drying clothes out while you sleep in them. Heard people swear you can in a dwr down too, but never tried it.

I like the Kifaru wide. They have it in a -20 but I think you guys have convinced me to go with the 0°. I like the fact that its synthetic as both hunts will be in wet areas and I really like the wide bag. I cant do a mummy bag. I wear a 50 r jacket and they just wont work.Thanks for the input

In my experience a -20 bag just means you may not die at -20 but you won't be warm. I have spent plenty nights below zero in a tent, on the ice or in the back of a pickup truck from Alaska to Montana. Yes they are too warm when it's nice out but you just unzip them, but it is hard to get proper sleep when you are shivering all night.

I doubt your outfitter would lead you astray but I would double check. Also Aaron at Kifaru will be able to advise you on what you need. That center zip is incredibly handy. I wish my hyper liama MH bag’s zipper was as deep as the Kifaru.

Those EN ratings are normally between comfort and alive. The alive on an EN rated -20 bag might be -30 and comfort -10. If that makes sense. It’s best to just call and have them walk you through it.

Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. This is my first trip to be dropped off in the middle of bow where so I want to make sure I'm prepared!

To all the comments about -20 is too much:

Did ya'll miss the part about Alaska?

Nope, season starts in Aug and runs until Dec. He is hunting in September thus why I said double check with outfitter.

I can tell you, my -20 wrath Mountain Hardware bag is miserable above 15 degrees, and because it’s a true -20 bag it’s designed to be restricting so it’s hard to vent, the Goretex out membrane doesn’t work real great at letting moisture/sweat out. I also have a cabelas guide bag that’s a zero and although is the most comfortable bag I own, I wouldn’t take it below 25 ish degrees with out adding a ton of layers on

Once you've used a Wiggy's bag, it's all you'll ever own. I have three of them. You are very likely to get wet and nothing even comes close to working as well as Wiggy's when damp/wet. Their Ultima Thule and a light weight bivy is all you'll need. You can order direct from their website Wiggy's.com. Made in Colorado as well.

I can tell you that a -20 bag is not unreasonable. I personally use a North Face Bigfoot XL. After two or three days in a tent, in that bag, you will appreciate room, warmth, and the ability to put your arms outside when sitting around.

Call the people here at Barneys in Alaska, and listen to what they tell you. They do it all, 12 months of the year and carry not only the best but will steer you in the correct direction for your own choices. Their Frontier brand of equipment is unrivaled.

https://barneyssports.com/product-c...g-systems-and-accessories/sleeping-bags/

The above recommendation for Wiggy's is spot on too. Lifetime warranty and available in large and wide sizes, if you can move your feet they will stay warmer.

I will agree 100% that the guys at Barneys knows their stuff. They outfitted me for my upcoming Alaska trip this year. They will know what you need but I would also listen to your guide. A -20 degree can definitely be reasonable if temps require that or entirely unreasonable if you don’t approach those temps at all. I have the Mtn Hardwear Phantom 0 degree bag and if it’s not below 20 degrees it’s way too hot to be inside of. Talk with your outfitter and confirm what they recommend. I would hate to have the wrong bag. It’s rated a temp range for a reason. Outside of that range and it has lost its purpose and comfort.

Barney’s is a perfect example of what I’m trying to state, they only handle top end.They don’t have a -20 degree bag on their website, they have some with a EN rating extreme limit of -20, but it’s not stated as a -20 bag. Why I referenced EN rating earlier, it’s the only true rating scale. Moral is don’t look at the bag number look at the EN rating.

A true -20 bag is expedition grade

Get you an army sleeping bag, the OD green mummy types and you'll never feel cold or have to look back. Believe they are -10 rated. I spent the winter of 1990 sleeping in one at Fort Knox, KY, several nights approaching 0-10 degrees and never felt anything but warm.

I'm a spoiled dude. Even though I hate to admit it. If weight isn't an issue I do a cotton sheet and wool blanket inside the bag- along with the clothes I'm going to wear. Then I use my regular bag.

Basically a wiggly’s with flame retardant exterior shell, just really heavy when you are limited to x amount of weight

I keep shopping for quilts have even clicked in buy but haven't pulled the trigger. But I fight the mummy bag all night I hate being constricted. That stone glacier bag looks pretty roomy for the weight though.

Lower 48 fall hunting, I love the quilt. You will either love it or hate it. No in between. Weight wise it really adds up to about the same when you toss in beanie and insulated pad, but much more comfortable and versatile.

I run synthetic wide long EE’s, about the same weight as my higher end goose down bags of equivalent rating



Oh OP. Ask your outfitters if you need to bring a pad. I highly suggest an insulated pad w/moderate to high R rating, compressed insulation isn’t that warm

Kinda off subject but I'm transferring to hammock camping this fall. Slept some in Oklahoma in April and loved it did not wake up sore because I was laying on an inch of thermarest then the ground. I was already planning on buying a klymit insulated pad for more cushion. Now I'm back and forth between pad and underquilt. I'll get more use out of pad and of something happened like my strap broke or no trees bla bla I can set my tarp up and be good.

That settles it new pad.

Look at outdoor vitals also on Hammock specific

I was there earlier today after listening to a podcast they did with hunt Backcountry.

Go with a Western Mountaineering bag. Depending on your physical size, look at the Badger, Antelope, Sequoia, or Kodiak. Buy from Hermit's Hut and they will include the overfill.

Pay close attention to "Comfort" and "Lower Limit" ratings. Most bags show the "Lower Limit" (will survive but can be cold).

Grab a high quality pad with a high R rating. Look at the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm.

The advice I was given: buy a bag from a company that specializes in bags and not from a company who specializes in other things such as clothing or backpacks.

Buy a 4 piece US military modular sleep system on eBay and sleep comfortably in any weather down to -40. I got mine for about a hundred bucks and it looked brand new.

This is what I was recommending

Would those who recommend the military sleep system also recommend Trozacky bring a 15 pound range rifle on this hunt? Both will do the intended job extremely well. Both are 6+ pounds heavier than required where Trozacky will be hunting.

There is typically a 50 pound weight allowance excluding your weapon. Why use 18% of it just on a sleeping bag when you can get that number down to 6% or so. What other gear, both essential and non, would he have to leave behind to carry this sleeping bag?

Depending on animal movement, you may have to relocate camp a considerable distance over uneven, spongy ground over a 10-14 day hunt. The extra 6 pounds is going to suck as well as take up a lot of space in his pack compared to other types of bags.

600 bucks to save 6 pounds. I don't come from money so it's not an option for me. Not sure about the OP though.

3 lbs is a lot of weight. Especially when you care capped.

There are a lot of good four season bags under $600

Thanks again for all the posts. Were are allowed 80lbs for all personal gear including our rifle. So I'd really like to cut as much weight as possible. I'd also like to keep the budget around 500$ or less. Still leaning to the Kifaru slick bag wide. Got a few weeks before I have to pull the trigger on something. I believe the outfitter supplies a cot with our camping supplies but I'll probably get a pad also. Keep the ideas coming and thanks again.

Western Mountaineering all the way, if you can afford it. You can find deals on eBay and Rokslide classifieds. I picked up a WM Versalite for $400. its a $650 bag. 10 degrees, 2 lb 2 oz total weight and packs down small. Kifaru slick bags are nice but pretty heavy and don't compress as much. Also have read they aren't always true to temp ratings esp if you are a cold sleeper. Don't get me wrong, I love Kifaru...top notch gear for sure. I drank the coolaid and bought one of their packs. WM is known for being extremely conservative on temp ratings on their bags. Also, look at WM bags on HermitsHut. If you are cool paying full price you can get free overfill from HermitsHut and they say it lowers temp rating by 8 to 10 degrees. My WM bag isn't waterproof but a good shelter is. You could also double up and run something like an OR helium bivy for additional protection of your sleeping bag from moisture and still be lighter than some of these heavier bag recommendations.

All the guys suggesting a military bag....not trying to bash the idea but you must not have packed 20+ miles with that on your back, let alone try to cram that thing in a pack and have room for the rest of your gear + quarters/cape/horns of whatever you kill. I'm sure they are great for car camping where weight is a non issue but I'd much rather have my 2 lb Western Mountaineering bag than something that is 4+ lbs and bulky. My entire shelter and sleep system is less than 6 lbs when I take my Seek Outside Eolus w/ nest. A little heavier total weight with the Cimarron but if I take the Cim I have a partner to carry half the weight of the shelter

If you want a mountain hardware bag pm me. They just revamped the line. I didn’t/havent tested any of the new line so I can’t attest to sizing. Now the older line I pretty much used every thing in the 30<

Went with the Kifaru. Thanks again guys!

Yeah suggesting a military bag would be about like saying use a Colorado canvas tent on a bivy hunt.

Lots of comments about hating mummy bags and then raging on weight restrictions. Mummy bags are effective because they keep the heat in at a light weight. -20 is too extreme, but if it's really the case, be utilitarian. Get a zero degree bag with a silk liner, and you'll be fine.

My $0.02 from backpacking through Alaska and Colorado range

Good deal I look forward to the pics of the trip!!! Will be an amazing season for you

Good choice on the bag. When he says you want at least a -20 bag, he means it. I would personally go with at least -40. Where you will be hunting in September will most likely be in the hills and weather can be below zero to very warm. You can always unzip the bag and let heat out. You can not make the bag much warmer when you need it other than sleeping in clothes. And from experience, you will end up damp in your bag if you do this, just from your own body perspiration. Where we are at, we are not restricted to weight so we all have the Cabela's Alaska Guide square bottom bags to -40. I have been cold and miserable on a hunt in a less than adequate bag. Don't skimp.

You will also want a sleeping pad, like a Thermarest, even when sleeping on a cot. It is there to provide insulation, not so much for comfort. Sleeping in the bag, you will compress the fill with your own body weight and the cold, either from the ground if on ground or air if on cot, will go right through the bag and you will be cold and not sleep well. Seeing as how you will be supplied a cot, go with a thinner one. And don't go cheap with some blow up thing. You will want something that insulates you. If you were to be on the ground, I would go with the thickets you can get for comfort. Nothing on the Alaska ground is flat or comfortable.

-TJ