Reviews of Military 3 & 4 piece Sleep Systems ?

[Trigger50]

I foresee myself doing more late season hunts in the future. So I need a better sleeping bag. What do you guys think about the military 3 & 4 piece sleep systems? They claim that they are rated to -30 and -40 degrees. They seem like a good value for the money.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

They dont breathe, that's their biggest down fall. at -30 I'm pretty sure you'd be froze stiffer than a board. While they are probably a good buy for the little bit of money they can be had for, I'd advice spending your money elsewhere.

They are also heavy at around 8lbs IIRC. Not something you'd want to be packing with you if that's what you were thinking.

 

[Trigger50]

There's no way I'm packing in that weather. Base camp only. I usually sleep in my SUV. I don't know much about -degree bags. Do any of them breath well? Given that their most important quality is warmth?

 

[duckhunter175]

Lived in them for many many months to include nearly 9 months straight on a small mountaintop in Afghanistan. They can be very warm when used together as a system but they are definitely bulky. I wouldn't hesitate to use them car camping or in a base camp situation but I wouldn't want to hike the whole system around unless I had to!!

 

[A-5_Guy]

I've used the USMC sleep systems, both the black bag/green bag/camo gore tex bivvy and the "newer" tan bag/tan bivvy, pretty extensively. They are all bulky to pack around, even with their supplied compression sacks, and they didn't breathe much. Once the bags get wet, they're wet for quite a while! I did like the scalability of the 3 piece system compared to the 2 piece. I remember getting a good laugh when they issued the newer 2 piece systems and the instructions said something to the effect of, "if you're still cold, put on more clothes..." Ha!

Also, I'm about 75" tall and 50" coat size and I found them to be really constricting. Once I was zipped in, I was IN! No wiggle room.

I'd suggest looking at some of the sleep systems that AREN'T made by the lowest bidder where the buyer could really give a rip about an individual's overall comfort.

 

[bwcatripper]

they're ok. unless you get them for a steal, you're going to gain much from using it. like A-5 said, once they're wet.... they're wet.

 

[PJ0311]

The USMC system was just a light bag stuffed inside a heavier bag stuffed inside a gortex liner. They work but you won't be happy sleeping in one in -30. The comments about them not breathing well and being bulky are spot on. Unless there is some new high speed low drag sleeping system out now I wouldn't spend much on one. Honestly, most of the gear I was issued was mediocre at best. Unless you are getting military gear real cheap civilian gear is usually lighter, more comfortable, etc.

 

[glass eye]

As far as temp ratings go, for all makes and models out there, figure on getting a bag 20* warmer than what you expect to be using it in. Plan on being in 20* weather, get a 0* bag. Or else put more clothes on

 

[Tjay]

I have used this bag down to -25 and am very happy with it.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-D-deg-F-Sleeping-Bag/1570816.uts

 

[The Colorado Outdoors]

Well my grandfather my dad and I all got those type of sleeping bags. We used it at a elk hunt when it was very cold. I was so hot in the sleeping bag that i slept in it in my underwear because it was that hot. We where sleeping and snow mixed with rain started. We did not have any tarp so the sleeping bags where exposed. It got wet but it kept us dry and warm inside the sleeping bag. There is one negative thing. When you move in your sleep the bag moves with you. Honestly I love the army sleeping bags and I would recommend them for a hard core hunter and tough weather. But consider one more thing they arent that comfortable but if you want to stay warm that is the sleeping bag.

Good luck,
Daniel

 

[Tikka06]

Over the course of my enlistment, I was issued 3 different sets of the sleep system, when I got out, they only had me down for 2. I called it an ETS present. For car/basecamp camping in anything above 10-15 degrees, its pretty good, esp with all 3 bags. Im sure there are much better bags available and like stated above, they are heavy. I personally like the green-summer bag the best. I still use it for warm weather camping on occasion.