My old 3-season bag failed hard on a surprise cold snap in the Blue Ridge Mountains last October, so I finally got a proper 15-degree bag and realized I'd been gambling with comfort for years.

What's your go-to temp rating for shoulder season trips, or do you just layer up in your summer bag?

3 comments

3 Comments

Same pattern I see everywhere honestly. My friend bought a "starter" tent that lasted two trips before the poles gave out, now she's on her third tent in three years. People do this with kitchen knives, phone chargers, even car tires - get the cheap version first, suffer through it, then finally buy the thing they should've got from the start. Sleeping bag temp ratings are the same gamble. You convince yourself you'll be fine with a 40-degree bag and a fleece liner, then you're curled up in a ball at 2am eating hand warmers. A 20-degree bag for shoulder season just stops the whole circus before it starts.

henry_webb682mo ago

We do this with gear, jobs, relationships, everything.

bethcarr2mo ago

Been there, shivering in a bag that's basically a fancy sheet when the temp drops. My old summer bag plus every piece of clothing I owned was a bad plan. Now I just use a 20-degree bag for spring and fall, no more hoping my puffy jacket counts as a sleeping bag liner. Gambling with sleep is a terrible way to end a hiking day.