Hallo Everyone!

If you would help me please? I am designing a 4 season sleeping bag that will be used without the need to carry a tent. I have the basic materials and design in mind but am wondering what features would be most popular. All suggestions will be taken into serious consideration.

Thanks,
William E. Hearn
"The Sassafrasshaman"

I'm thinking more of the warmer of the four seasons hear....

Small, lightweight, framed mosquito netting for the facial area. I find that most bags with framed mosquito netting tend to over do it.

A good method for keeping rain off the facial area for the warmer seasons when it may be hot and rainy. I hate having to seal myself in to even a 40 degree bag just to stay dry when it's hot enough outside to makes me hot and sweaty inside the bag.

Brian,

Thanks for your imput. The lightweight I already have and definately able to use cold or warm weather with great comfort in each. Thanks to the use of modern materials. I also considered the mosquito netting for the head and face. I swear that I sometimes think that God put those infernal bugs here just to torture me. The masquito net I call, "Sanity".
However, I did not think of a water shed for the face. The bag you can just lie on the ground in any kind of terain or weather and stay dry but the face is another issue. I know what you mean about being closed up in a bag. I once spent an entire day closed up in my bag with my head covered because of bad weather. It was miserable.

Again, thanks for the suggestion. I'll go to work on it right away. I am hoping to get this bag into production by June. I don't know when it will actually go on the market. If I can't get a manufacturer to pick it up I may market it through Backpacker magazine. You will know it when you see it. Keep in touch. I'll send you one when I've got it perfected.

To everyone else...... a question. Why use a sleeping bag? I mean - Why not a blanket and pillow? And - what problems would you like corrected in a bag? No one bag settles them all but I will do my best.

Look forward to reading your responses.

William E. Hearn
The Sassafrasshaman

The first image that comes to mind is a winter bivy bag with a good sleeping bag. Is that what you have in mind? Or are you looking for a one piece product?

Two quick thoughts. One, you want to make sure you have ventilation for foul winter camping to allow fresh oxygen in. Folks have sufficated in freezing weather when they got iced in with non-breathing material and no vents. Two, an outer sleeve that can be easily cleaned would be important, especially if there's no tent. Otherwise you'd have wash the bag more frequently and shorten it's lifespan by degrading the insulative properties faster.

Keep us posted. It's certainly interesting.

Weight mostly. I used a blanket when horse camping as a kid. Weight was not an issue as the horse carried it. But it was heavy!

The standard for us was a very thick wool blanket and a canvas tarp. We wrapped up in them so that the canvas projected over our heads (it was quite a stiff canvas). Sometimes we tied the part over heads to something to keep it up off of our face. Did not seem to remember doing anything about bugs, but this was in the midwest so bugs may not have been an issue.

Very warm and versitile system and I spent many a night looking at the stars. Blanket and tarp were both multi-use items. When ever we stopped for anything we spread the tarp on the ground. Made for a nice sitting spot and we lost much less stuff when we used the tarp as a ground cloth. Small things just could not burrow down in the dirt. Actually, I still do that, but now I use a space blanket. They do not last as long, but much lighter.

Now I carry two space blankets and a bivy sack when hiking and NOT planning an overnight. OK for mild weather like here in Florida. Marginal for desert use though.

I made my own 3 season (which I use 4 seasons, the season rating relates to the thickness of the insulation) and followed a design by Ray Jardine. He has a book out that you could probably find at your local library or they could get it for you. I recommend a zipper-bag rather than his quilt-only design to save weight. Don't forget about insulation from the ground-- 1/2" blue closed cell foam pads are the da bomb.

check out http://www.owfinc.com/ for fabric and insulation.
I used polarguard 3D as insulation and very lightweight breathable ripstop nylon as the shell. Cost me about $45.

As mentioned in other posts you want breathability. I usually carry a small tarp made of parachute type material, silicone impregnated ripstop. I think you can still get seconds of this cheap at noah lamport online, they do have a 5 yard minimum! Remember that "yards" is length. Most fabrics come in 64" widths so 5 yards of this stuff is a ton. I'm still making stuff sacks for my friends as christmas gifts three years later.

The other option to the tarp is to make a bivy bag mentioned by others out of a gortex or gortex-like material on top and somekind of plastic coated nylon on the bottom. I don't like bivy bags though. Tent, tarp or nothing for me.

I think Big Agnes is a good design. Don't put any insulation on the bottom, where it's wasted anyway. Put a sleeve in the bottom that can accept various thicknesses of closed cell foam pad, therm-a-rests, etc. as dictated by the season and the owner's budget.

I prefer a half-zipper up the middle.

If I did it, I'd just make the top bug-proof, warm, and breathable, and rely on a tarp for waterproofness.

Bear

Bear,

The sleave in the foot is an excellent idea. I actually have it designed like a canoo on the underside because it is to be used without a tent and must survive the night keeping you dry. I've been wondering about the zipper placement.... I settled on a half zipper but am still uncertain about placement. It looks like I will have to offer several styles using the same materials. This will be a high quality bag at a reasonable price with a 5 yr. unconditional replacement guarantee.

Thanks for the input. I'll definately take it under advisement.

I am an extreem outdoorsman. I take the bare minimum into the wilderness and pack it all out with me. The less weight and junk to carry the better.

It will be May or June before this bag is done. If you're interested I'll get you one to try out. Keep a lookout for my "Bag ready" post. I'll hook you up.

Peace,
William Hearn
The Sassafrasshaman

Thanks for the info. Doubt that I will check out the book. I've had this bag in mind for over 4 years from a trip I took starting in Florida up to Minnisota accross to Washington down through Oregon, accross to Utah, then a jaunt to Arizona & New Mexico. I finally returned to Florida believing that there has to be an easier way to hike. This is a beautiful country and walking is an excellent way to see it. (If you can physically handle the weather). I have decided on materials for the bag but will definately use your info for materials for a back pack I have in mind. One project at a time though.

Glad to hear that you had the initiative to make your own bag though. That is encouraging! Thanks for responding.

Peace,
William Hearn
The Sassafrasshaman

Willie,

Great minds and all that.....

This bag is definately vented. That was my first innovation next to water proof. Even with my down bag, keeping warm in subzero weather forced me to close up every opening. It wasn't long before I was breathing hard and running out of air. Especially at Mount Estes, Colorado. Opening my bag to breath was horrible because I faced frost bite on my face. That's when I started dreaming of a better bag.

As for the material.... the ENTIRE bag can be shook out in the morning and will dry almost instantly and can be dumped into a stream to be washed. Keep your eye out for my announcement that the bag is ready. (probably May or June) I'd have it sooner but materials are EXPENSIVE and I am just a regular guy. Hopefully this bag will become popular and help many people. I hate to think of others out there suffering the way I did.

My bag will carry a 5 yr unconditional replacement guarantee. That should help some who are concerned about duarbility.

Thanks for your post. Good to have your input.

Peace,
Wiliam Hearn
The Sassafrasshaman