Magma 15

What’s wrong with the magma 15 from REI? It’s a great bag. I had one on my thru and in the summer I just unzipped it and had it as a blanket with a toe box, no problem at all. 

Gnarly! Sounds like some top tier "type B" fun. Early on in backpacking, after several uncomfortable, borderline worrisome nights sleep in my 20°f Kelty bag I learned the advertised temperature ratings of sleeping bags are actually the "survival rating,", meaning you won't lose any appendages to the elements. The comfort rating is always significantly warmer than the survival rating and you often have to research equipment in advance to find thst figure. I'm PNW-based, and personally, fall-winter I use a rei magma down 15 bag & neoair xtherm pad. I might not ook like Jeremiah Johnson all bundled up but I sleep like a baby. Risking death chasing the bushcraft aesthetic in a cold, damp environment isn't worth it if you lack the ability or materials to craft an adequate sleep system.

I'd go with down, honestly. I've backpacked in some extremely humid areas and have never had a problem. Nemo Disco 15 or Riff 15 would probably do you well. REI Magma 15 is great too.

Everyone sleeps different, wether hot or cold. I would say if you're camping in cooler temperatures to wear thermals or a winter hat in your bag to be more comfortable. My input here is that R value air matts are typically the issue by not breaking the cold from the ground. The insulation tends to separate and drop to one side or another, and the R value is significantly ineffective. Even if you have a rated bag for the temperatures, conduction from the cold ground will make you much more uncomfortable than the ambient temperature. For my sleep system, I use a magma 15, a non-insulated sea to summit air matt with a nemo switchback, silver side up. It does very a very good job breaking the cold from the ground. The combo is slightly heavier then an insulated matt alone, but much more effective for heat retention back towards the body and separation from the cold ground. Even in the mid 20's im quite comfortable. Overall, take ratings with a grain of salt. But good to test it out before you end up on trail on a cold night and be miserable. Find what works and keeps you comfortable.

Since you asked for some insight, It doesn't matter if your stove is light if you're brining canned food. You've negated the weight with the cans. If you pack it in, please pack it out. On a short trip or even a week or two, a chemical treatment like iodine or bleach is fine as long as you measure and add it appropriately. However not necessarily faster than a microbial filter such as a sawyer, though there are many other brands. If its tablet form, most take 10 to 20 minutes to purify. Deodorant is not important whatsoever. After 5 days you're going to smell like a locker room. And it will attract insects, critters and bears. Bug spray is far more useful. Bring an extra layer or thermal underwear if you have them or have money for a cheap pair as April in upstate NY can still get cold at night or with bad weather. At higher elevations it will be colder than in town. Have a rated sleeping bag for the temperatures you will be exposed to and something like an emergency blanket to break the cold from the ground. Most importantly as other have stated, plan an itinerary and let someone know where you are going, and the route you are taking. Dont expect your phone to work if you need to call for help. Other than that, yeah go have fun and enjoy your hike. But planning is far more important than anything. 🍻

Not for that length but good gear will allow you to take more trips and become familiar with your load out. My rule of thumb is never pay full price for anything. Wait for a sale, get used gear or borrow from a friend if you can. Since your new to it, I wouldn't recommend you go and spend a lot of money, but if you do feel like you want some better stuff, things like the rei magma 15 sleeping bag is very solid and I use it for 3 seasons. Like 300 but you can get a good deal on a used one or wait for a sale. Usually around march they have huge sales. The only down side to cheaper gear is weight but they perform very similar. Just do what youre comfortable with. But I always urge caution because even people like me with my experience are subject to unforseen circumstances, so always be prepared.

Did you get the new magma 15? I got each the 30 and the 15 and while I love them, I feel like there’s such a huge gap in temp conditions. The 15 I’ve slept in down to about 22 and it was WAY too warm still. If I slept in the 30 down to 22 I’d undoubtedly be cold. I just think it’s bizarre they came out with two bags that seemingly have a huge gap.

Oh nice! I’m kind of jealous of that 15. I’ve used it before and it’s really awesome. When they made the new ones they started making them unisex, so the lower limit became more of the men’s comfort rating and the actual number became more of the women’s. Your 15 fills the gap in talking about a whole lot better. Granted I did get the wide version and it’s so so comfy so I guess I’ll deal

After years of budget backpacking, I sprung for the magma 15 last fall and couldn’t be happier with it. I find it very comfortable at sub 20°. My only complaint is the size. It’s a bit large but not a dealbreaker

Got it. I think it’s the Kelty Eclipse 15. If that’s right, it’s very heavy for a backpacking bag at over 5 lbs, but will do you just fine for car camping. You may not care about the weight as much if you’re just doing a couple small backpacking trips a year that are relatively low mileage, and you’ll probably struggle to find a true high-quality backpacking bag in that price range. Just a question of priorities—if you’re on a strict budget and don’t mind the extra weight for the occasional backcountry trip then go for it. If you’re flexible on the budget and want something that’ll be just as good for car camping, but lighten your load while backpacking, then see if you can find a down bag. Just as an example, if you wait for REI to put their branded stuff on sale for 30% off, you can get the REI Magma 15 for $300 or less. The Magma will put you closer to 2 lbs. depending on the size you get.