Which winter sleeping bag do you need? // Thermarest Polar Ranger vs Parsec -18℃

[@Antonio.V.G]

A gear room tour would be amazing! Knowing where is everything, how you organize your gear, what you have, and what you keep in hand for your trips... thanks :) I am a big fan, living in Calgary as well, vivid hiker and outdoor enthusiast.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I"ll cue that up at for a future vid!

[@gearhead-do1xh]

Thanks for such a thorough in-depth analysis and review for these two bags 👍❄️🏕 🇨🇦

[@VincensoAndolini]

Kane, it's like you read my mind with this video. I have been back and forth on both those bags for a few months. I've been trying to determine if the parsec will handle the conditions i'm in. Keep the good content coming. I've found you have a bunch of super niche videos that you've posted that have hit on topics and gear conundrums i've been working on as well. Cheers.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Thanks for the feedback - what are the conditions like?

[@VincensoAndolini]

@@KaneDoesOutdoors Cold and damp. Not as cold as Alberta, generally, but to - 25C with much more dampness, which puts a twist on bag ratings and overnight sleeping strategy.

[@To-ingAndFro-ing]

@@VincensoAndolini hey! I have the exact same problem, what did you go for in the end?

[@martymorissette]

you couldn't have said that better. You put into words how I felt about both those bags!

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Did you bring the P.R. on your ADK trip? What were the temps?

[@martymorissette]

@@KaneDoesOutdoors -20C and I tried the talon -20 from MEC... I pushed it's limit lol

[@edgartokman4898]

Love it i'll take that over a regular bed....abd you don't have to worry about any dust getting in your nose that's the great thing about being out everyday

[@davidalderson7761]

I live in the UK and its wet, we are great at keeping dry, what were not good at is keeping warm when the temperature goes way down and learning with other people from cold places is outstanding, i am currently looking at 3 sleeping bags for -30 C Comfort LIMIT, and the Polar Explorer is on my list but I need to test it, along with HELSPORT Norway and CUMULUS Poland too.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

@@davidalderson7761 the polar ranger performs so well at -30C.

[@quieroverduras]

Kane, 16:30 to 17:30 was comedy gold. You really channelled your inner Kenny McCormick well. I request that that you do an entire video from inside the Polar Ranger.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Geez that would be like being in a furnace!

[@temeZer]

You made that your profile picture? Haha, reminds me of Kenny from South Park!

[@TeslaPrince]

Just got the polar ranger and tested it at -22C and it blew past my expectations, thanks for this review as it gives me confidence to face the conditions i'll face in northern bc. keep up these awesome videos, learning a lot... share more of your tricks please!

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

-22C is literally a joke for that bag!

[@TeslaPrince]

@@KaneDoesOutdoors here was my test, previously i had a rab ascent 1100 which was cold at -18C (even though its limit is -25c) so with the winter camping i'm getting into around Mt Robson etc this bag should deliver! kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIGZfHWCip6rfLc

[@JefffromCanmore]

Good coverage. I also like the Nikwax DWR treated down. Good loft protection in colder situations 😉

[@snowcelt]

I got the Polar Ranger last year for winter camping here in southern Finland. I am a very cold sleeper and need a sleeping bag rating at a minimum of 10 to 15C warmer than ambient. It seems like an overkill bag but does a great job keeping me warm and packs down with a compression bag. Sometimes I sleep with my head inside the hood and snorkel up OR with a down hood on and the snorkel around my neck. The side zips are very handy and the zip baffles let no cold draughts through the zips. Only downside is that I look like Patrick the Starfish from SpongeBob while in it.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

That's what my kids said when I got inside it to try it out for size at home. Pretty funny looking but it works. I slept in -20C almost completely unzipped.

[@Robin_Olofsson]

Amazing ,no bull, content✌🏻

[@SuperdutyExplorer]

Nice video on the differences between them. I've got something I'd say between those 2. Nemo sonic 0f, tight hood just not that tight. Works best around 0f +/- 10 degrees. But used from -18f to 30f 😂 doesn't do well over 25... I would like to get an over quilt for next year for cold nights

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Looks like a nice bag!

[@camouflage962]

Thank you very much for this most relevant review.... - it made me reconsider purchasing the Polar Ranger....

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Get the bag you need... For the conditions I encounter it's a "game changer" since I can easily go below -30C using it. But if you're not going down to extremely low temperatures it's probably overkill, or if you think the design doesn't match your sleeping style, you might be better off with a more "classic" design.

[@camouflage962]

sure... it actually goes without saying.. but cannot be overstated... the dealbreaker for me was what you illustrated towards the end of your video, i.e., the nozzle-style opening constantly flipping back onto your face... quite annoying, I must say

[@ianmartin1947]

Cheers kane very helpful 👍

[@TunngaviksChannel]

Kane, I value your opinion and would appreciate your advice on winter sleeping bags. I am a side sleeper who tends to toss and turn frequently. Trust me when I say it, it's not my sleeping pad causing me to toss and turn as I do that in every bed I've slept in. Despite using a -30°C MEC Talon down mummy bag, I still feel some coldness, in temperatures as mild as -5° to -10 C. My MEC bag has insulation distributed equally on the top and bottom, rather than a 60-40 fill pattern. Even with another synthetic bag I used before I bought the MEC one, I encountered the same issue. I am not a cold sleeper. I have tried various strategies such as using a high R-value (7+) sleeping mat, consuming high-fat meals before bed, using hot water bottles, changing clothes, doing jumping jacks, wearing booties, taking sleeping aids, and more. However, due to my tossing and turning during the night, I find that my rear end and the back of my legs get cold. The movement causes my sleeping bag to shift with me, potentially exposing my backside to compressed down insulation. . It seems that winter bags are primarily designed for back sleepers who move minimally during sleep. In my situation, would it be beneficial to invest in a larger sleeping bag with more girth so that I can move around inside without disturbing its position? Alternatively, should I consider using a quilt on top of the existing bag? I am 6 feet tall but use a bag designed for someone 6 foot 6 inches (I fill the bottom with gear). I would like to keep weight and pack size down as much as feasible. Any advice would be appreciated.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

One question first - is weight/packed volume important to you or do you just want to handle cold temperatures?

[@TunngaviksChannel]

@@KaneDoesOutdoorsIf I had to pick one, it would be to handle the cold. I usually pull a pulk so the former isn't as important.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

@TunngaviksChannel What is your current ground pad?

[@TunngaviksChannel]

@@KaneDoesOutdoors I use a Nemo Tensor Extreme that I got on sale from Geartrade. I use a closed cell foam pad (plus ~2 R value) on top of it. My current sleeping bag is a MEC Thor -30 bag. It's shoulder girth is 57 inches (144 cm) and I'm 6' 185lbs. Because the bag is tight, when I roll on my side the bag rolls with me.

[@kostanikas3881]

Thanks for the review, Kane. I’m doing a solo expedition this winter in NWT and I’m considering the polar ranger. My only concern is the shoulder room. Therm-a-Rest lists the shoulder girth at 173cm I believe. Sounds amazing, but it kinda looks smaller. I’m 6’1, 230lbs and have wide shoulders. I’m also a side sleeper and roll around a lot. I think you mentioned the ranger was kinda constricting around the neck and shoulders when fully zipped. Looks like a great bag though. I’m also considering the nemo sonic -29. I have to order them and I would hate to make the wrong choice and lose time. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[@praktika1082]

Great review. Your descriptions are so detailed that i felt claustrophobic hearing your voice.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

🤣🤣🤣 I'm not sure that's a good thing.

[@praktika1082]

@@KaneDoesOutdoors I'm using quilts because the last time I tried mummy bag, I just couldn't hack the restrictive space and if it weren't so goddamn cold outside of it, I'd have torn that bag to shreds. Your descriptions of those two mummy bags slammed me back into ptsd lol.

[@j78987]

Very detailed review. Thank you

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stonedapeadventures]

does the snorkel get super wet? I need to learn to sleep on my back. I can't seem to get pass that hurdle.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

It definitely has ice and frost on it. I scrape it off in the morning and it’s all good.

[@zedaprime]

Using a buff over my whole face is one trick that I use. Looks silly. My current -20f sleeping bag is older and has a long foot area for stowing gear which doesn't really work, if its not next to me its frozen. The feathered friends sleeping bag I would like to get is built a bit wide to allow wearing of my puffy jackets. Thanks for the perspective!

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

It's completely normal, I'll have my hat down all the way over my eyes and buff over my face with a normal sleeping bag. Not necessary in the P.R..

[@mrtru1te]

I was considering this bag but I can’t sleep on my back no matter how much I have tried. Kinda annoying. I do sleep during winter with two quilts and it works great but bellow -15c is a big no no. Can’t seem to find great options for a side sleeper…

[@zedaprime]

Innovative idea but this is not a viable for a large portion of people.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I have trouble sleeping anytime I'm not at home in my bed. Takes a few nights to adjust to different sounds and schedule. Unfortunately it's something I've learned to put up with when it comes to camping.

[@mrtru1te]

@@KaneDoesOutdoors Actually I mostly sleep well on my side while camping using a quilt but is's impossible for me to sleep other than on my side. Even at home...

[@ChrisHufnagel_Polymath]

I've had that hurting eyeball effect from cold weather camping. So bad.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

It’s no joke!

[@andrewmacaulay1585]

Excellent New Brunswick Canada 🇨🇦

[@Richard-rk1ru]

Parsec is such a weird name for a sleeping bag. Like can it be used in the outer space? Or is it really long compared to other bags? Why use astronomical units?

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I have no idea how companies decide to name products. I would use names like "-18C model 1.0" They probably wouldn't do very well.

[@ChrisHufnagel_Polymath]

Well, I know where my 20% rei coupon is going this year.