Let me get this straight. You bought a 32-degree bag (the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32聴$245; www.mountainhardwear.com聴is rated to 32 degrees, weighs one pound, five ounces, and has down fill), then immediately began taking steps to add to its thermal qualities? I聮ll discount the save-the-lining theory; it聮s true that you need to keep a bag聮s lining clean, but wearing long underwear and the occasional laundering takes care of that. To put it another way, I have never seen a bag lining fail from 聯wear.”
Western Mountaineering’s Apache Super MF
Apache Super MF
So, I guess what I聮m working up to is the question of why you didn聮t just buy a warmer bag. Western Mountaineering聮s Apache Super MF, for instance, is rated to 15 degrees, weighs two pounds, one ounce (or, about the Phantom plus a liner), and retails from $350 to $380 depending on length.
That, however, would appear to be a horse that has left the barn. What to do about the Phantom? A liner of some sort isn聮t really going to work, as it聮s a very trimly cut bag and, as you mention, it will be too confining. Seems to me the best solution is to upgrade your long underwear to at least a medium-weight (REI Midweight MTS bottoms and tops are $30 each; www.rei.com) or even expedition-weight (Duofold Varitherm bottoms and tops are $37 each; www.duofold.com). Along with gloves, socks, and a hat, that聮s good start to keeping you warm.
A bivy bag works, too, albeit at fairly steep expense ($110 for Mountain Hardwear聮s Conduit SL Bivy) and extra weight (one pound, two ounces聴same as your bag!). Mont-Bell聮s Breeze Dry-Tec U.L. Sleeping Bag Cover (www.montbell.com) uses a somewhat similar material, costs the same, and weighs half as much. There is some risk, in certain weather conditions, that moist air escaping from your bag will condense inside the bivy. But you will be warmer.
The votes are in: , including the year’s hottest sleeping bag.