Tent and Sleeping bag for Denali

[OlegV]

Need your advice . Trying to save some weight and money on these expensive items. I need a tent light and tough enough for cold, windy technical routes. Definitely, can't pay $600.

 

I got 0F down bag. One option to get the second down bag, another option to go with -40F and pay $0.5K.

 

Thanks!

[hydroman]

I borrowed a friends -30 bag for Denali this past spring. Two folks in my group went with the two bag option and I wished I had also. I sweated in that bag every night until I hit 14k. That was wearing nothing but boxers/socks and having tha bag fully unzipped. It was fine for 14 and above though. If I do it again I'll probably take my 0 bag and supplement it with an overbag or my 30/40 ultralight bag inside like two of my partners did. I would have not been happy if I had spend $600 on that thing rather than using two bags I already had.

[ketch]

I have not tried it on Denali yet but, I have a Volendre bag that is a little loose and accomadates either another bag or my puffy. I really like that system in the cold. Most versatile setup I have ever had.

[kurthicks]

mountain hardwear Annapurna $425 (I've seen it for a lot less used on cc.com)

DPS & I took one this year. plenty roomy for 2 and gear at about 4 pounds less than the Trango 2. nice vestibules on both ends of the tent.

[Kraken]

i got a marmot cwm for a steal of a deal ($300) and am almost worried about it being too warm.

[genepires]

what routes are you talking about? When you mention technical, I hear bibler single wall. There is a big difference in gear between w buttress and something more techie.

 

The mountain can crush people with good gear. If the crap hits the fan, the extra money you spent on SURVIVAL gear will seem trivial. Denali (especially a technical route) is no place for inappropriate gear.

 

Be wary of people saying that they didn't need this or that. They may have had excellant weather. What you need is to be prepared for the worst possible weather or else you may end up in next years accident in NA.

 

Yeah, others have climbed it with wool and blankets and whatever but no one I know is as tough as they were. Plus lots of them die early.

[ivan]

as a totally inappropriate addendum to genepires, my dear oleg - you're a fawking russian! for christsakes, all you need is long underwear and a bottle of vodka!

 

better make it a big bottle though...

[genepires]

He's russian? I would like to adjust my opinion. Wool pants, sweater and a blankey are fine. No worse than a typical russian winter.

[griz]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bibler-I-Tent-4-seas...1QQcmdZViewItem

[OlegV]

He's russian? I would like to adjust my opinion. Wool pants, sweater and a blankey are fine. No worse than a typical russian winter.

 

Couple of winters ago, I took a bottle of Russian conyak to the summit of Mt. Washington, NH - it froze on me, I had to melt it under my underware. For this matter, 100% technical aviation-proof alhohol works better

[OlegV]

Well, is there a tent out there, which would work both on the West butt and let's say on speedy ascent of one of the Denali ridges? Weight vs Vollume. Too small of the tent would drive you crazy during the long hours in the base camp. Lets say I-tent, as an example (thanks griz for betta). Wouldn't it feel claustraphobic having spen weeks in it?

 

I am still toying around with the idea of a double sl. bag. Got to try this system on Rainier this winter, maybe just slepping outside the tent.

[Jedi]

May sound silly but you could take 2 tents (I-Tent type of tents). You would have room for gear in the other tent or you could sleep in your own tents. Then just take one up on a ridge. Two of these tents roughly weigh what a nice roomy "West Buttress tent" weighes.

[DPS]

Well, is there a tent out there, which would work both on the West butt and let's say on speedy ascent of one of the Denali ridges? Weight vs Vollume. Too small of the tent would drive you crazy during the long hours in the base camp. Lets say I-tent, as an example (thanks griz for betta). Wouldn't it feel claustraphobic having spen weeks in it?

 

 

Maybe the Mountain Hardware EV-24 (or whatever that thing is) would fit the bill? Light weight but roomer than an I tent. We camped next to a couple of guys who had one and used it with three people on technical routes.

[featheredfriends]

Another option is to rent a bag for Denali. If this is the only time you expect to need an expedition sleeping bag of -30 to -40 rating, then it is more cost effective to rent one than to buy. There is a certain shop in Seattle that rents high quality down expedition bags at a fraction of the cost of what they cost new. If you want the best bag to keep you warm during that -40 week on Denali, as others here have suggested, but don't want to fork out top dollar, consider the rental option. FF also has expedition bags that allow you to shift the down around from top to bottom and vice versa, so you can be comfortable at warmer temps/lower elevations as well as colder temps/higher elevations. Keep it in mind.

[rbw1966]

Hey Oleg--

 

Be wary of people telling you they worry about being too warm in their sleeping bags. Don't you guys know how to unzip them and open them up when you get too warm?

 

I used a Western Mountaineering bag for two trips to Alaska that was rated at something like -35. Yeah, it was warm down low but when we pitched our tent at 17K in a storm I had to put on my down parka in my bag to stay warm. As I'm sure you know, a good nights sleep can be the difference between success and failure so why sell yourself short? I didn't think I'd ever use this bag again but its served me well on two trips to south america too.

 

If you can't afford to buy one, then rent or borrow one.

[tomtom]

eBay