You can't put a price on a good night's sleep! You’ll be kicking yourself for skimping out when you are trying to sleep in high altitude, but shivering the whole night. A good sleeping bag will keep you warm, comfortable and safe, so your body is able to function properly the next day. In case your sleeping bag is slightly under-rated for the conditions you are in, you can use a liner (bag inside bag) / sleep in your thermal underwear / cover the bag with your down jacket to boost your insulation. (Just don’t put a heavy blanket on top – it squeezes all that nice insulating air out of your sleeping bag.) But the main point here is that you find the best sleeping bag for what YOU want to do!
How warm do you need your sleeping bag to be?
Use a sleeping bag that will keep you warm during the lowest possible temperature you expect on your trek. What that means in the Himalayas is typically a rating between -10 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (-23° to 0° Celsius). No need to over-do it, just get one that’s warm enough. The extra warm sleeping bags are just heavier to carry (and/or more expensive), so just figure out what you need. Some sleeping bag hints below:
How cold does it get in the Himalayas?
Our atmosphere has what meteorologists call a 'lapse rate' of 6.5°C per 1000 meters (3.5 Farenheit per 1000 feet). In plain speak, that means that when you walk a further 1000 meters (vertical) up a mountain, the temperature drops about 6.5 degrees. So if it's a comfortable 25°C at sea level, it will be -1°C up at 4000 meters. (That's 77 F to 30 F going from sea level to 13,000 ft.) These numbers, I should say, are just average numbers and there will be much variance throughout the day and from one place to another. It's not exact, but it gives a general idea about how much temperature change with altitude, assuming you don't change latitude/longitude or go beyond the summit of Mt. Everest. (Source: USA Today / Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators). So what does this mean in practice?
High passes around 5000 meters : In places like the high passes of Annapurna Circuit and the Everest Area in Nepal, the temperatures you get are typically at or a bit below freezing during the summer time (May - September) in the nighttime at this altitude. A -5C bag should be able to keep most warm. If you go in mid-winter (December – February), temperatures frequently go down to -20, -25° C during nighttime and your sleeping bag needs to be rated for these conditions. In the high-seasons between winter and summer (October-November & March-April), a -12 degree sleeping bag should do the trick on the high passes.
Trails around 4000 meters : A lot of treks in Nepal, India and Bhutan hover around this altitude, ideal for trekking with fairly “easy” conditions and spectacular scenery. You probably won’t need the toughest rated sleeping bag, but don’t be surprised to see a bit of ice on the trail and freezing nighttime conditions. Specially from October to April/May, depending on the exact locality in the Himalayas. Generally speaking, I’d prefer and recommend you a ‘minus 12 degree (Celsius)’ sleeping bag during mid-winter and a ‘minus 5 degree (Celsius)’ sleeping bag in the beginning and end of this period.
Trails around 3000 meters : A -5°C sleeping bag should be ok during the cold season, a +5 C sleeping bag sufficient during warmer season.
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| Down or Synthetic Sleeping Bag? Down-filled sleeping bags have the best warmth-to-weight ratio which is important for trekking on foot. Less important if you’re going on a road trip and can throw it on top of a jeep. So for trekking in the Himalayas, down sleeping bags are the best way to go. They are also very compressible and have good long-term durability – they’ll work for years and years, making good on your investment. | : : : : : : : : : : : | Annapurna - Sleeping bag necessary? For Annapurna and other ‘tea-house treks’ in Nepal (IE, not camping), keep in mind that typical lodge rooms are not insulated. When it freezes outside, it freezes inside. The lodge owners will provide you with a blanket, but in the winter season and in high altitude, it still gets pretty cold up there and you will need more than the blanket to stay comfortable and warm. Many trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit and the Everest Base Camp treks bring their own sleeping bags to be sure to stay warm – and to avoid getting filthy and bed-bug infested blankets that has been used many times before, without a wash. |
Best Sleeping Bags for Trekking in the Himalayas:
Having hopefully now figured out the temperatures you'll be experiencing on your Himalaya Trek, it's time to decide on a sleeping bag. Unfortunately it's not as simple as just looking at the temperature ratings, since some manufacturers tend to be optimistic and overestimate the warmth. But looking at the manufacturers, the weight and quality of insulation material used, I've found some solid options you can choose from here:
For COLD Conditions (-5°C):
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| Marmot Sawtooth Weighs 1.4 kg (3 lbs) Goose down (600+ fill) Rated to +15 Fahrenheit (-9 °C) Although rated for 15F, 20-30F seems more realistic, making it ideal for high passes in summer and many typical treks year round. Down collar, full-length double zipper, spacious mummy-design. | Eureka! Casper 15 Weighs 1.4 kg (3 lbs) Synthetic material Rated +15F (-9°C) Holds out cold amazingly well for a synthetic sleeping bag this size and prize! Compresses well in stuff sack (included), although not as well as down. Can be used a bit below freezing point, but not -9°C as rating say. Perhaps with a good fleece liner... |
For COLDER Conditions (-12°C):
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| Marmot Lithium Weight only 1.2 kg (2.8 lbs)! Goose down (850+ fill) Rated 0 F (-18°C) Very good goose fill factor and still super lightweight. Great for long treks on high Himalayan trails in all seasons except mid-winter. Editors Choice in Backpacker Magazine 2008. | North Face Elkhorn Weighs 2.3 kg (5 lbs) Synthetic Rated 0 Fahrenheit (-18°C) With a price of less than $100, it is an excellent choice, but not for -18°C as the rating says. Temperatures down to -12°C are still comfy. |
For COLDEST Conditions (-25°C):
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| Marmot Col EQ Weight 2.1 kg (4.1 lbs) Goose down (800+ fill) Rated to -20F (-29°C) An amazing sleeping bag that will keep anyone warm in the toughest conditions. It is quite expensive, but if you are attempting icy and snowy high trails and passes in winter-time, this is a fantastic bag that will make your otherwise impossible trek possible! | Eureka! Eagle Point Weight: 2.9 kg (6.4 pounds) Synthetic Rated to -15F (-26°C) It's another two pounds of weight, it doesn't compress as well and it's temperature rating is a bit less, compared to the down bag. But the price of this Eureka! bag is about 1/10th of the Marmot down bag! It's the cheapest sleeping bag in this selection, and one of the warmest! |
Sleeping bag liners
A liner (bag inside bag) is a good way of adding a bit extra warmth to any sleeping bag. And it allows you to be flexible: On the lowest parts of the trail, just sleep in the liner, on mid altitude sleep in your sleeping bag - on high parts of trail sleep in both! Check out these nifty ones:
| And finally, whatever sleeping bag you get, if you plan on sleeping on the ground / in a tent, a sleeping pad is mandatory. Without it, you'll be pressing your body weight straight through the sleeping bag and effectively lying directly on the cold ground. The self-inflating Therm-A-Rest is just fantastic for this purpose. Everybody deserves one! Well worth the extra bucks. Only thing to consider here is if you want to save money or get the lightweight Therm-a-Rest. It's either 1½ or 2 pounds weight. See prices on the right. Is the Therm-a-Rest really worth the extra pound or so, compared to a simple foam sleeping mat? I've tried both and I think so! But for the minimalist the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Mattress  might be a better option, weighing slightly less than a pound.Enjoy your sleeping bag. And sweet dreams! Related posts: |
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