COLD WEATHER “minimum kit”

[WinstonSmith]

The 3 piece system does work but it's big and bulky. I like to use a lighter bag with the bivy and a long fire in front of my tarp. In winter I'll add a poncho liner and the clear plastic and mylar poncho to the tarp for super shelter. Doesn't work if I'm trying to avoid notice but at that point I think I'd more likely be moving at night and holing up during the day anyway.

 

[thevalueman]

we're talking about GA....right???

 

[rockyfatcat]

I'm confused on what point you're trying to make. There's an intermediate bag that's rated 40 to -15, as well as the bivy bag. And when all three are combined its even better. Sure if I bought the patrol bag alone it wouldn't work well. But the entire system is 150 bucks. Unless I'm missing something.

I looked up you bag online and cut and pasted the technical data from their webpage. At 40 degrees you will survive, you won't be happy, but you will live.

Nothing on their webpage gives different ratings for different layers. A bag rated @ -15 will keep you happy down to -5 f. Their tech page says the bag is rated to 40, which means at anything below 50 you probably are going to shiver...

I understand how sleeping bags are rated. You do what you like. Let me know how that works out for you.

 

[sniper22]

The 3 piece system does work but it's big and bulky. I like to use a lighter bag with the bivy and a long fire in front of my tarp. In winter I'll add a poncho liner and the clear plastic and mylar poncho to the tarp for super shelter. Doesn't work if I'm trying to avoid notice but at that point I think I'd more likely be moving at night and holing up during the day anyway.

Why move at night instead of day?

 

[WinstonSmith]

Why move at night instead of day?

Only if I'm trying to avoid notice. Easier to blend in. Most others will be using lights that can be seen from a good ways off. If it's cold it's warmer in the day. Moving at night keeps body temp up when it's coldest. Although, as pointed out by others, any prolonged cold weather is few and far between in GA. As long as you keep dry, weather isn't going to be a health hazard. Sometimes uncomfortable but not a health hazard.

 

[wnchstrtnfldvlle]

I looked up you bag online and cut and pasted the technical data from their webpage. At 40 degrees you will survive, you won't be happy, but you will live.

Nothing on their webpage gives different ratings for different layers. A bag rated @ -15 will keep you happy down to -5 f. Their tech page says the bag is rated to 40, which means at anything below 50 you probably are going to shiver...

I understand how sleeping bags are rated. You do what you like. Let me know how that works out for you.

Wasn't trying to say you didn't understand. I was confused because the ratings for all three bags are on the midwayusa site, so when you say there was nothing but the patrol bag it didn't make sense. The sale is for the entire system. So again, just not sure why you're focused on just the patrol bag.

The original post was asking for advice on minimum cold weather gear for sustained single digit weather. As a "budget" option this sleep system would work fine for that scenario. (If it performs as advertised) Which is why I posted it in the first place.

 

[sniper22]

Only if I'm trying to avoid notice. Easier to blend in. Most others will be using lights that can be seen from a good ways off. If it's cold it's warmer in the day. Moving at night keeps body temp up when it's coldest. Although, as pointed out by others, any prolonged cold weather is few and far between in GA. As long as you keep dry, weather isn't going to be a health hazard. Sometimes uncomfortable but not a health hazard.

I get it. My reservation is the need for a light at night. I honestly don't plan on having to travel much but if so the situation would dictate when to travel. You do have a excellent point, travel at night when it's could and sleep during the day. I'm a night person anyway so a low green or red light would be easily hidden.

 

[Horsehat]

Most of these people that died probably did so less than a mile from help. If your intent is just to survive getting home in cold weather. Leave the house appropriately dressed. Have sturdy shoes, boots, coat, blanket it the car. Have a working flashlight and another working flashlight for when it goes out. Jumper cables or a jump battery always. If you are in the car you should have a charged cell phone and a handgun with you Regardless of weather. Treat the half full mark on your gas tank as empty. If you have health or mobility issues take that into account before heading to the store to buy Cheetos when it is snowing and 12* out. This is GA, you will not starve to death or die of thirst before the snow melts.

 

[Georgiaboy95]

Thanks for all the comments I just wanted a better picture on what would be some necessities if I was forced in the cold for a few days (for whatever reason) . I took some info from a lot of yall and by gear list ( bag) checks those boxes now thanks again!

 

[Hurricaneshand]

I looked up you bag online and cut and pasted the technical data from their webpage. At 40 degrees you will survive, you won't be happy, but you will live.

Nothing on their webpage gives different ratings for different layers. A bag rated @ -15 will keep you happy down to -5 f. Their tech page says the bag is rated to 40, which means at anything below 50 you probably are going to shiver...

I understand how sleeping bags are rated. You do what you like. Let me know how that works out for you.

This system is modular and has bags and essentially a liner. With both being used it will go down to -15 supposedly. But like you said it is probably more like -5 or zero for actual comfort rating. I used The North Face One Bag during the winter storm a couple weeks ago in Kentucky while camping and it got down to 5 at the coldest up there and was fine personally but I sleep pretty warm. It is a very similar system, but I also have a good quality sleeping pad setup that can get me down to about 0 degrees. I will say though that I need to upgrade my tent to a proper 4 season. This definitely was the limit for my sleep setup lol