I bought a Kelty Lightyear 45 degree bag cheap, and I like the bag but it is a bit anemic in the down department. Has anyone taken a bag like this, found a seam to rip and overstuffed it with more down? It would add to the weight, but the higher fill (and more of it) should buy some degrees, right? I don't have $550 for a top-o-the-line down bag, and the Kelty suits me fine, I just get cold in it too often, even at 45 degrees.

I don't have $550 for a top-o-the-line down bag, Certianly not. $300 will get you a top of the line summer weight bag, from Western Mountaineering and elsewhere. But you can get good bags, better than the Lightyear, for a whole lot less. You are starting at the bottom-o-the-line, so anything you get will be better.

I have a 45* Kelty bag, also, but I use it indoors, at a ski club bunkroom. It is worthless below 55*

The difference between a junk bag like the Kelty light year and a quality bag is more than jsut the down. It is in the construction.

I use it mostly indoors and as a summer bag. In the hot months it is a quilt in the tent, and if it does get chilly I can get inside it. I use a Mountain Hardware 3rd dimension 0 degree bag for the cold weather, and it is Polarguard 3d filled. The Kelty was my first foray into down sleeping bags, and I knew I was getting what I paid for. I just wanted to experiment.

So not worth it to try and overstuff it eh?

yes if you have the time and the patience to fill down (which turns into a huge mess) then go for it it will def make it warmer but not much warmer

yes if you have the time and the patience to fill down (which turns into a huge mess) then go for it it will def make it warmer

I didn't think the Kelty bags were that bad, I've been happy so far with my 25 Lightyear.

Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME

If you like the kelty (and I have and love all 3 light year versions) then go with a warmer model - they are all just about the same with regard to sizing. You'll save money (over a $300 bag) and trouble with feathers.

I'm not so sure. As I understand it warmth in a sleeping bag comes from the loft not the amount of down. It's really the dead air spaces among and between the feathers that traps you body heat and then keeps you warm. If you pack the down in too tight you will eliminate those spaces and may find that the bag doesn't work as good as it did.

Maybe if you opened it up and replaced the down, with down of a higher fill power rating (example: take out 650 and put in 800) you might be beter off. At that point I don't think it would be worth the time, effort, or expense to do what would amount to an experiment.

Just my 2 cents

I have made due more than once with bags that weren’t warm enough. I’ve used a Thermolite 32 degree bag a lot, and on those cold nights when the bag alone wasn’t enough, I simply “lofted” extra clothes over top of me inside the bag, worn a fleece vest, and once when it was real cold inserted a wal-mart silver wind shield sun visor above me which made an incredible difference in warmth. I rather have a cooler, lighter bag I can make warmer with what I have on hand than the other way around.

I didn't think the Kelty bags were that bad, I've been happy so far with my 25 Lightyear.I didn't mean to imply Kelty was bad. Sorry.

I have a nice Kelty tent.

But someone needs to give a drug test to the guy at Kelty who labeled their 45* bag as 45*. It is okay for a summer bag at low elevations, and indoors (at huts/hostels/bunkrooms, etc), but not good at all outside.

I would readily agree with that Frosty. A slice of white loaf bread has about as much loft (and insulative capacity) as my Lightyear 45 degree.

But someone needs to give a drug test to the guy at Kelty who labeled their 45* bag as 45*. It is okay for a summer bag at low elevations, and indoors (at huts/hostels/bunkrooms, etc), but not good at all outside.

Now I have had the opposite experience. I have had my 45* bag to about 35* with no problem. I slipped on a hat around 2 AM when I checked the thermometer, but stayed warm all night after that.

I'd say my lightyear 25* is good to about 35. My daughter's fiance, however, swears he's warm in his to at least 25. Some sleep cold, some sleep warm.

Grrickar,

Have you thought of putting a extra layer on top of this bag or making a
over bag. Just by buying Primaloft and Ripstop material ( WalMart has ripstop $ 1 a yd) both Thru-hiker and Quest outfitter sell it, cost of material would be less than buying Down fill or Ripping up a good bag.

Just a suggestion.

Mike

A company in florida does sell 700 Down fill 2.2 lbs for $138.00 plus S&H - here's the link: http://www.hungariangoosedown.com/bulkb.htm

I have had a similar problem with another bag, and solved it by wearing a down vest in the bag. If my chest is warm the rest is warm. I have tried a silk liner but the vest works better for me.
Robusto

I don't think over-stuffing would work simply because the channels or pockets the down goes in are made to be a certain volume. That is where the bag gets it's loft. The larger the volume of these (channels, tubes, pockets) the more loft the bag will have when properly filled, and the warmer the bag will be. If you can't increase the volume (which is determined at the time the bag is first sewn together) adding more down will have no positive effect..

The Primaloft idea would be a good one. I was first sold on the stuff when I tried on a jacket from the clearance rack at REI. I thought it was down fill. I got hot really quick in it. I bought an Orvis jacket with the stuff in it, and despite the lack of attention to detail, it is a very warm and soft jacket. To me it feels very close to down, although it likely will not compress as well.

One reason the higher priced bags are expensive is the quality of the down.
There is a noticeable difference in 800 fil down and the down you might find in an old pillow. 800 down has almost no "quill", those sharp points that stick through your bag. Be careful if you cut open the bag. Down will fly! Fiddler makes an excellent point. Down needs loft to keep you warm (trap in the warmth from your body), ie. if packed or compressed it loses its ability to trap air.

This just in!

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/make_your_own_gear_mummy_to_arc_conversion.html?m= V1xW2ZcOozIXwjy8wIu1sw

I broke down and used my REI dividend and a 20% coupon last weekend to get a REI Plus Kilo 0 degree bag. I looked at a Mtn Hardwear Phantom 32 degree, but I already have a synthetic MH 15 degree bag, and that Kelty 45 degree light year (which is my summer bag). The Plus Kilo will be my cold weather bag, and who knows what I end up using the MH synthetic for. I now have 5 bags, only a couple of which I feel are very useful...