Marmot - Trestles Elite Eco 30°

I'd been using a Marmot for 30 yrs, what they called a 10-20 30. Don't remember the price but it was the most expensive thing I bought for a very long time and glad I did. There were not as many choices back then and I don't think they are the same now. Point is it was annoying when it was warm. Couple of years ago I got a Feathered Friends Flicker 40. It's a hoodless sleeping bag that can also open all the way to a quilt. (no it doesn't attach to a pad) Had that down to mid 30's cowboy camping in the desert and was fine with a puffy on. I had wanted a 30 but out of stock. This year sold the 40 and got a 30 for a trip to Iceland in July. I'm very happy with it; works well across temps. Combined with the Marmot gets me down to 0. Since it is a bag when I want it's less fuss than a lot of the quilts out there. (love the draft collar and the foot closing completely). You can rent one and they will credit up to 2 nights rental cost toward a similar purchase. May help but likely incur some extra shipping costs unless you're in their area.

For casual three-season camping around 0°C, synthetic’s way easier on the wallet. Marmot Trestles or Kelty Cosmic Down alternative bags hold up fine, and you don’t freak out about melting water or sweat ruining insulation.

The comfortable temps are definitely not always accurate. You COULD use a liner and a bivvy sack to make this a bit better but I don't recommend you buy all that and take it out for a trip without testing it. I bought a semi-expensive (it was on sale at a REI event) Marmot Trestles Elite mummy bag that's comfortable to 0*. Then bought a 14 dollar crap Amazon bag for 50*+. The cheap bag is plenty and can bolster it's warmth with a USGI Poncho Liner, camp quilt, etc...

Check out the Marmot Trestle Eco. Down packs smaller but it's more $. Expect around a 8x16" pack size... Maybe slightly smaller but not much at that price point. North face trail lite might another option. I have the trail lite and it packs down pretty small (maybe 7x14?) on sale should be under $200...just keep it dry.

Love my Marmot Trestles!

Marmot Trestles line are good deals on good bags. If you’re younger, just get a blue foam pad.

For a lot of backpacking brands, if you buy 2 bags; one with a left zipper and one with a right zipper ; you can simply zip them together (along with using them independently. I have Marmot bags that do this so my wife and I can carry our own gear but sleep together.

I used to use a Sea to Summit Womens Etherlight Xtreme pad. It turns out it's just too cold for me. Even though it has been tested, I believe it's so thick that the air moves around when I toss and turn, churning up cold air. I tried a Neo Air Xlite. It's not comfortable for me, but incredibly warm. I settled on the Nemo Tensor All Season. I also have an Exped pad. While it's warm enough, it's not as comfortable as the Nemo. Make sure your pad is warm enough. If the cold is coming from the ground, it's the pad, not the bag that needs to be changed out. I found that I sleep about 20 degrees colder than most ratings. So, I use an Enlightened Equipment Conundrum 10 Degree for the colder weather. Then go to a 20-degree Enlightened Equipment Revelation. The Conundrum has a 3/4 zip, which allows for the warm air to stay inside the bag. It does not unzip the way, so it won't lay flat. I sleep with a buff on my neck and a fleece hat. I'm warm at 34 degrees, but I also need to use my fleece or puffy. At 25 degrees, I start getting cold. I have also tried a Marmot bag and an REI bag. They weren't warm enough for me. I believe Katabatic and Featheted Friends may use more down, thus making their bags or quilts warmer. They are more expensive than EE. In April and May, I can switch to my Revelation, which does open all the way. I would not use the Conundrum in zero degree weather because I sleep cold. Nor would I ever choose to be out in zero degree weather. I have a 40-degree quilt that I made for summer use. I sleep cold enough that I am uncomfortably chilled in it when it's about 60 degrees at night. Some people will tell you the EE quilts are not warm enough. They used to use less down but have changed it to match the standards that most others use to achieve the loft needed for a designated temperature. You should be able to see the fill weight on each manufacturers website. Pay attention to the width and length of the quilts or bags. It will help you compare apples to apples. Only you will be able to tell what will be warm enough for you. I don't like using a mummy bag, so the quilts work well for me. You could consider using a liner. It may help boost your bag or quilts rating. I think you will get more warmth for the ounce by getting a warmer sleeping pad. You will probably need to practice in your backyard or some safe place to help you determine what works for you. It frequently test my gear in my backyard, so if it fails, I'm steps away from the house. You may also want to consider purchasing from an entity that allows returns, like REI or MEC. I also sleep with warm socks. I tried Alpaca wool, which worked well. However, I found that using two pairs of Alpha Direct fleece socks works just as well. I bought one a size bigger for layering. This allows me to bring two pairs when needed or leave one pair home in warmer months. You have to look at your sleep system as a system, not as individual components. Combing my puffy, fleece, hat, socks, and yes, even gloves, help me adjust to different temperatures.

I second the 2 sleeping bags instead of one, that way you can really bundle yourself up in there. I have a Marmot one and it’s excellent!