The most important of these is the upright toe box, which accommodated my size 14 feet fit with room to spare. Being able to sleep on my back was a huge upgrade in itself. There’s nothing worse than having your toes bent into a fist all night long.
I carried the Wheeler Lake to Northwest Overland Rally (NWOR) this year, where the temperatures dropped down to the mid forties at night -not exactly freezing, but brisk nonetheless.
I should note that I opted for the +20* bag because I rarely camp when the temps drop below that.
As dictated by tradition, many folks were up late catching up on adventures and tossing back a few cold ones. As the sun set, the temperatures dropped rapidly and it got pretty cold -especially if you were caught outside in a pair of flip-flops, shorts and a T-shirt … Okay, so maybe I was the minority, don’t judge me. After freezing my proverbial butt off for several hours, it was nice to crawl into a warm comfortable sleeping bag. Unlike my old bag where I had to wait for the fabric to warm up, the Wheeler Lake was warm as soon as I slid inside.
I had set up a Kodiak Canvas swag tent when I arrived earlier that day. Between the small tent and the Wheeler Lake, I was a little hot. I opened the bag up a little and vented the tent and slept comfortably until 9am the next day. Being a stay at home dad means that I rarely sleep past 6am, so imagine my surprise. In fact, if people weren’t congregating in my neighbor’s campsite for free coffee, I may have slept later.
After a few nights in the Wheeler Lake sleeping bag, I can say that it was warm, comfortable, and provided plenty of room for side or back sleeping positions. The hood converts the bag from rectangle-style to mummy. It never dropped low enough to sleep with the hood deployed, but it was easy to set up -even in the dark. Overall, this new sleeping bag is a great bargain considering the price point and available features.
SJK Wheeler Lake Sleeping Bag
Available in 0*, 20*, -20* temperature ratings
Pillow platform converts into hood for cold weather
Synthetic fill
Toes up footbox
Perception DS camo polyester taffeta lining
Fits campers up to 6’4”
For more info visit: www.slumberjack.com
