Oregon Hikers

I have my mom's old Camp 7 Down Sleeping Bag. It has been stored properly in a cotton sack (not compressed, I don't even have a stuff sack for it), mostly in my basement (which is cool and dry) and I've been needing a warmer bag for winter/early spring backpacks. I haven't weighed it yet but it doesn't feel too heavy and it still has plenty of loft. I am guessing it weighs around 3 lbs. I've been checking the labels but haven't been able to find a temperature rating for the bag.

I am curious....anyone else using "vintage" gear from the 70's? Anyone have a clue on how I can figure out a temperature rating aside from setting up my tent in my backyard when it dips down below freezing again? (an idea I am not opposed to, BTW...it would give me a chance to try out my new-to-me Big Agnes tent)

This bag is solid. It is still in great shape.

How many inches of loft? Put in on the floor, fluff it up, hold up a yardstick across it, measure thickness to floor

I still have and use a Camp 7 North Col down bag rated to 0 or 5 degrees F,cant remember.It is black,the original North Col was a purple that was stolen.It is amazing how long a good down bag or garment will last when taken care of properly.

retired jerry wrote:How many inches of loft? Put in on the floor, fluff it up, hold up a yardstick across it, measure thickness to floor

Scampers off to go find some measuring equipment....thanks Jerry! I will report back soon...

renegadepilgrim wrote:I am curious....anyone else using "vintage" gear from the 70's?

For day trips and for super wet backpacking, I use an internal frame Swiss backpack from the 70's. It's vinyl and leather and heavy as hell. You could dip it in water and the contents will stay dry. Because of the leather conforming to my body, it's surprisingly very comfortable.

This one is of a similar style.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=vintage+ ... 9,r:1,s:82

"How many inches of loft? Put in on the floor, fluff it up, hold up a yardstick across it, measure thickness to floor"

If you take the "one sided loft" - that is, the thickness of the top half of the sleeping bag

Ray Jardine calculates lower temperature range for synthetics as T = 90 - 40 * loft

So if you had 1 inch of synthetic loft it would be good down to 50 degrees F.

For down, it's more complicated, but maybe something like T = 90 - 32 * loft

if the down is more tightly compressed in the sleeping bag it's probably more like synthetic. If it's really loose then use 32 as the multiplication factor

Or I could call my parents...why I didn't think of that sooner, I will never know! So my dad seems to think they are sub-zero rated (either -5F or -10F, he wasn't sure)....I am not entirely convinced, but he did say they spent a lot of money on them back in the early 70's and they did take them backpacking in Yosemite a few times. Either way, I am going to try out my bag sometime in February for a winter backpack I am hoping to do....

I also might try measuring it and seeing if the formula matches with what my dad told me.

This is an older thread, but the only one I can find talking about vintage Camp 7 sleeping bags. I recently came into possession of my dad's Camp 7. It is orange and the tag says 10521 High Camp Lg 6' 6", 44 oz of fill of goose down. I'd like to find out if this bag was probably made before the Sport Chalet buyout. Dad doesn't remember what year he bought it. He says it's rated down to -40 F. If anyone has any expertise ans can enlighten me, I'd love some more info.