I’m going on a camping trip to Moab in early March with a group of friends. We did the same trip a couple years back in April. Well, I froze my butt off in the sleeping bag I took with. This bag was just a generic one lying around the house that is probably 20 yrs old. It’s time to upgrade. I’ve been reading up on new sleeping bags and like everything, everyone has a different opinion. What I’m looking for is something simple and warm since I will seldom use it. Suggestions please.

Well from taking Winter camper s on winter survival trips.

and making a mistake on a hunting trip to Alaska by believlng Manufacturer tags.

*** The Air between layers heats up - traps body heat. A Sleeping bag insideanother bag WILL 100% Keep you warm. Bring one "good" bag and freeze.

#2 Sleep in your Skivies/ Iong undies at most - With your mornings close rolled up next to you inside your bag. Your body aclimates and you will be warm and have warm clothes to put on when you wake.

Sleep bag??? Or bedroll?

The magnum 44 from cabelas has been my choice for a long time. It’s big enough that I can roll around in it and I’ve never been cold. It comes with a zip in insert blanket that I’ve never used.

Hiking in or driving to the campsite?

Have a buddy camps in cold all the time. He swears by sleeping nude with clothes in bag. When the circumstances allow of course! lol

Also, put your dry boots behind your knees in the bag. They will be warm and supple in the am.

Are you going backpacking? If so a wool blanket folded in half between you and the ground helps a bunch. If not take two bags. One of those "trapper" styles to lay on top of whatever your sleeping on. You need good insulation under you.

Mummy or rectangular. I am not comfortable in mummy bags, but they will be rated warmer per pound of bag weight all other things being equal.

Buy a bag with a 20 degree colder rating than what you expect.

You don't sound like you will use it often so stear away from down. For long term storage they need to be loose not compressed.

For a synthetic Take a look at Wiggy's. a bit more expensive than "name brands" . A quality product though that will last a long time.

DON'T forget the sleeping pad, Just as important as the bag

I camp in Alaska every fall, winter. I've learned bag ratings aren't always accurate. Test them out BEFORE.

One big thing people also miss is drying your bag out by the fire after a night or two, (carefully of course) or in the sun/wind. You will add condensation to your bag while you sleep often times. This also goes for your clothing. Always dry what you're going to wear to bed by the fire before crawling into you bag. Don't just jump in with the days long johns and socks. They have moisture in them even though they may feel dry and warm when you go to bed.

Also a DRY pair of wool socks or some booties just for sleeping is a must when it's cold. Once your feet get cold, you're screwed.

Just food for thought.

Get one that is wider than average. Easier to turn over or bend your knees while zipped into the bag.

[/quote]Hiking in or driving to the campsite?[/quote]

Were just driving to the site.

Another tip is to have a dedicated set of sleeping clothes. Don't want to get into your bag wet.

Makes it easy then. no size or weight concerns.

Google says March low temps in the 30s.

I have a few like this for drive in camping. Nice and big so a guy can flip and flop around.
Cabelas Sleeping Bag

most basic bags are 25-30 degree bags so really good for 40-50, but a breeze on your feet will make even a -20 bag make you feel cold at 25 above

you can help yourself a lot with some insulation between you and the ground

it depends what you have for space to pack or what you need to bring in
on the small side something like a therma-rest
but a sheet of 1 inch styrofoam board will get you off the ground and insulate the conduction of cold

a bag cover in nylon or some other wind shell fabric will help the air intrusion and you can make any bag go a little better with a inner bag
either fleece or wool you can just take a wool blanket and fold it in half and sew 2 sides

since your driving .
it would depend what you already have and what you are comfortable sleeping with
if you slept fine on the ground but were cold a sheet of foam board you can cut it and duct tape it so it acordians out for easier transport
some pad or cushion might be nice over that even an air mattress since your not trying for real cold the thicker it is the more air that needs to get heated. like a big roll of egg crate type foam might be around you could use put a sheet around it to keep it clean.
a canvas tarp that you fold into a bag to put your sleeping bag into to help air intrusion
and a wool blanket sewn into an inner bag and you will probably do well

plenty cold to test that combo in MN right now and see how it works for you , you may have half the stuff to do it already. which really makes it cheap.

lots of places selling pre made fleece sleeping bag liners , they make any bag work 10 degrees colder than it did without the liner.

an old wool blanket and a needle and thread can do the same if you have it

fleece makes me sweaty and sweaty is bad

Get a good pad under you and sleep with a knit cap. You lose a lot of heat from your head exposed. Use a liner in your bag and open the bag to air out every day. At 30 degrees you don't need an expensive bag.

If you want to go the cheap route borrow another bag and stick it inside the bag you have. My wife makes bag liners out of polar fleece which are nice. Wiggies makes great sleeping bags but they are spendy, worth it though. I put one of those space blankets on the ground and then a pad, really helps

I like the Cabelas idea. I forgot I have a couple hundred Cabelas bucks to burn up from a Credit card