Touring - Sleeping Bag Size

I've been reading alot of packing lists for people touring. Quite often I've found that people have listed that they put their sleeping bag and a number of other things in one of their front panniers. Any recommendations for a small sleeping bag that would be ideal for biking the transam in the summer?

My current bag is rolled into a bag that is roughly 17" long and about a foot in diameter. The fill weight is 3 lbs and it is ThermaAir fiber (whatever that is?) and it is rated for 20 deg F. I picked it up b/c it was on sale at Dicks for only $25.

Even if I cut mine in half I doubt I could fit it into one of my panniers. Let alone put other stuff into a pannier with it!!

Would I be better off bungeeing my tent, thermarest, and sleeping bag to the top of my rear panniers. Bungeeing the tent and thermarest doesnt look to bad, but once I put the sleeping bag on, whew it adds some girth!!

I can take some pictures of my setup once I get my bike back Thursday, so you can see what I'm talking about.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Mark

Mark,
I use an older version of The Northface Cat's Meow (http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?productId=235) it has been an excellent bag, both weight wise and size wise. I usually carry mine on the rear rack in a "dry" bag that is also a compression bag. It compresses down to about a 14"x7" package. I like the fact it is a synthetic bag so if it gets damp no big deal. The older ones had a fleeced liner that really adds to the comfort in my opinion. Not sure about the newer ones. On things that matter to me I usually prefer to go with a name brand product, that way I have recourse (sometimes) if something goes wrong with it.

Aaron

I like to go light and I'm pretty hot blooded when sleeping so I found a "sleep system" from Go Lite that is more of a blanket than a bag. It is down and it only weighs 21 oz. It squeezes down to the size of a football and I can easily put it in my front pannier which I do. It keeps me warm down to about 30 degrees and if it's colder than that, I just put on more clothes. It doesn't work for my wife because she would get cold with it, but it works great for me. I bought it on closeout from REI a couple years ago for $69 and I haven't seen them around since so I'm not sure if they are still making them. I do know that golite.com has several sleeping bags in the 1-2 pound range that would pack pretty small. My wife's Go Lite bag is a full sleeping bag and weighs 37 oz. and packs down to 8" round by 12" long and it will also fit in a front pannier. It keeps her very warm. Of course, the risk you run with down is if it gets wet, it won't keep you warm like a fiberfill bag will. It sure is convenient to be able to pack the sleeping bag in the front pannier.

The most compact sleeping bag I could find was the snugpak merlin. Packs pretty small and the best part is that I don't have to roll it up. Just shove it in there and do up the straps. I can't seem to get it to the same size as on the site, I think they had a machine pack it for that shot.
Snugpak Merlin (http://www.snugpak.com/30_codegreen/31_01_softie3merlin_popup.htm)

Mark - that's an awfully big bag. I think you should spring for a new one if you can. For summer, you could get a bag that's good down to 30. I now use a down bag like that, which stuffs easily into an Outdoor Research Advanced Hydroseal stuff sack (#2 size). It measures about 7" X 13" on the rack (the yellow bag in the photo), but could fit into a front pannier too. If the temp dives lower than 30, I just wear some polypro to take off the edge. (Just behind the yellow bag is another of the same size, which carries my Thermarest. It makes for good symmetry on the rack. My tent rides in a front pannier.)

I'd suggest that you use 1" webbing straps with buckles rather than bungees. You can cinch the straps very tightly. Bungees can allow side-to-side play, which constantly wastes some energy to counter.

Lew

IMHO get a marmot goose down bag. Light stuff real small. Only problem is and it is a really big one, do not let it get wet. Synthetics are better when wet, but do not stuff down as much in volume, as goose down. I have a 20 degree three season bag that weighs about 2 lbs, add a silk bag liner and it is more comforatble and adds a few degrees of warmth. The thing about a silk bag liner is it is far more cormfortable against your skin than nylon when its cold and even more so when the bag is too warm. I have always used down bags, never had a problem, always kept them dry.

Try a Western Mountaineering Hilite or a Mountain Hardware Phantom 32 or a Marmot Hydrogen

Both are NOT cheap but will compress to the size of a large grapefruit. I'm particular to the WM myself, owning an Iroquis (predecessor to the highlite) and an Antelope SMF.

Jay

I've been pleased with mine, a North Face Kilo http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?productId=194

32 temp rating.... sleep in clotes/add a liner for colder.... light, small, the least expensive of it's type/size I found while looking around.

I have a cheap 40degree down bag from EMS. It packs small, and when I use my silk bag liner it's added a few degrees. I will usually bring lightweight (?100wt) fleece pants, and a 200wt fleece jacket+hat/gloves on tour/backpacking-and if it gets too chilly I'll sleep with them on. Seems to add "20 degrees"-no idea actually, but I've never sleept cold yet.

EMS Mountain Light bag (http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442585139&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574488340209&fromTemplate=search%2Fresults.jsp&bmUID=1107961161663)

I picked mine up for an incredibley good deal (40%off or some such madness), so this also may acount for why I'm so happy with it.

I also bought one of those newer "orange" thermarest 3/4 length sleep pads, instead of the closed cell foam "Z" rest I used to use. These are very nice-folds/rolls up about the size of a large nalgene.

Orange thermarest (http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442584016&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574488340217&fromTemplate=search%2Fresults.jsp&bmUID=1107961816395)

Thanks everyone.

I checked them all out and while I was cruising ebay looking for a deal on any of them I saw this. Halo 3 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=588&item=2260533056&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V)

Any ideas on whether this is good. For 60 bucks it looks pretty compact and has a good weather rating.

Western Mountaineering makes the best down sleeping bags. They use the highest-power down fill available. I have used many bags over the years and I've been most pleased with these. The temp rating they use is way conservative. For example my bag (Apache MF) I have used way below zero and it's toasty warm, and it's rated only down to +15F. They are also the most expensive. The ultimate in weatherproof sleeping is a down bag with Gore Dryloft shell material. However, ANY sleeping bag is miserable to sleep in when wet so learn how to keep any bag dry (down or synthetic). Other brands to consider would be Marmot, Feathered Friends, Mountain Hardware, North Face, Sierra Design, Dana Design, or the in-house REI and EMS brands.

As others have said, down is the way to go for compressibility. Its one of those pieces of gear worth spending money on. My Marmot has lasted for years. Buy a dry sack, I believe the brand I have is outdoor research.

Finally, Campmor has some web deals / closeouts on down bags right now. You'll pay more than $25 for a good bag, but that's because you're getting a good bag.

You seem to have an affinity toward cheap bags. In that case, down is probably out of your budget. Fortunatly for summer bags the difference between cheap and expensive is not a big a deal as with winter bags. Expect to pay at least 75-100 dollars.... any thing less should be on sale. Try backpacker.com for info on brands and prices. I used an inexpensive Slumberjack on my AT hike and it still works just fine. Avoid places like Dicks and ebay. Getting another crappy bag will not help out much. Generally places like campmor, REI and EMS do not sell crap.
Good luck,
scott

I have two Slumberjacks that I got from Sports Authority, the tour lite and the ultimate I think. The tour lite is rated to 40 and the ultimate 20, they roll up nice and tight, like 6x16. They changed the names and the designs cosmetically right after I got mine last year but still you should be able to find them. The 40 degree bag is on sale for 50 bucks at Campmor.com and the other one I think runs like 70.

Surprised i havent seen anyone mention the REI Travel sack.
Ive had mine for 3 years, and i bought it specifically for my Seattle to Santa Cruz tour between Sept and Dec.
Synthetic, tough, ideal and warm. weighs a pound and is the size of a small football.

Get that one i highly reccommend it. I paid 45$

Oh and even though its rated at 45-55 degree, i was fine on colder nights with a thin fleece airline blanket inside. oh and its a pound and a half, sorry.
Google it, there are many reviews.

cant get much better for the value i think.

There's a new bag on the market that looks pretty nice TNF Propel. It's 1 lb, synthetic, comfort zone is 40F/4C but can go down lower. A little pricey...Campmor for 160.00. Here's a link to North Face for info

REI has a down summer weight bag that packs extremely small and is very light. Good to about 35 deg F as I recall. Pair it up with a silk liner and you should be good for just about everywhere on a summer trans am ride.

Most nights you won't need much more than the silk liner.

There's a new bag on the market that looks pretty nice TNF Propel. It's 1 lb, synthetic, comfort zone is 40F/4C but can go down lower. A little pricey...Campmor for 160.00. Here's a link to North Face for info
Sorry here it is
http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?productId=1624