sleeping bag help

[Dogwood]

I'm also in the market for a 15-20f bag and I've been casually browsing around hoping to find a good clearance deal during this off season.

Can you name any specific treated down bags? The only ones I recall coming cross are the Sierra Design DriDown bags (like the Zissou line). But those seem to only be 600 fill-power with no better specs than the best synthetic bags I can find.

A Few example Specs (weight, stuff size, regular price):
North Face Cat's Meow 20 _______ = 2#12oz 6.5"x21" $190
Mountain Hardware UltraLamina 15 = 2#13oz 7.0"x13" $260
Sierra Designs Zissou 15 _______ = 2#11oz 8.0"x16" $340

Look some more HooKooDooKu. There's 850 treated down(Down Tek, DriDown) on the market now. About a yr ago I was asking the same question but upon looking further found it more widely available. Look to some of the UL cottage manufacturers that make high end UL sleepingbags/quilts and the top end sleeping bag manufacturers for 850 treated down.

[Bison]

Ignite DriDown™ 20 / EN 16

[Drybones]

Unless you're really in a hurry, I'd say watch for sales to get a good deal. I got my wife a 15 degree, down, 2 lb bag for $134, I got myself a 15 degree Marmot Helium for $294, I've seen the REI 15 degree Sub-kilo for $126...all good bags. If money is no issue I'd get a WM and be done with it but the Marmot and REI are good bags also. As for the Plasma, doubt it's worth the price and doubt it is as warm as the Helium, for $100 less.

[Treton]

I just got the Sierra designs zissou 23 and am in love. My $.02

[HooKooDooKu]

I do all my hiking in the Southeast, year 'round, and use nothing but down sleeping bags and quilts. Two things to consider: it's really not that hard to keep a down bag dry, and a wet synthetic bag is plenty miserable too.

The issue I'm trying to point out isn't one of the bag getting "wet" but one of simply absorbing moisture from the air.

Now my experience is limited to hiking around the GSMNP... a place known as the salamander capitol of the world. I have an older brother with even more GSMNP experience than me. Years ago, I asked his advice on sleeping bags and he told me about a 2lb sleeping bag he had bought and took on a week long trip in GSMNP. While he didn't have any problems keeping his bag "dry", by the time the trip was over, the bag weighted 4lbs from simply absorbing moisture out of the air.

Not I don't know what the conditions are like along the bulk of the AT or the rest of the south east. But I can easily believe my brother's story, because most mornings that I'm breaking camp on a morning in the GSMNP, the only dry spot in camp is the ground under my tent.

[Venchka]

... Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends... What do you like?

Keep a neighbor employed.
I like, no LOVE, my Western Mountaineering Antelope. I plan to buy either an Ultralite or Alpenlite after I try each on for size & then flip a coin.

Wayne

[Starvin Marvin]

+3 for the WM Alpinlite.
GF and I camped this past Sat on top of Mount Sherrill in the Catskills. 0-5 degress, both on X-Therms, we stayed plenty warm. She has a WM Versalite.

[Vthiker77]

Western mountaineering badger 15 here. 2lbs 6oz. Used it down to 10 degrees with long johns.

[Chubbs4U]

I believe EE and Zpack both offer treated down.

[snail2010]

I've bought sleeping bags. Sleeping bags that I could afford at the time. I have decided to buy a good one. I've read reviews, write ups, Blogs and am now more confused than ever. Maybe you can help. I want a 15-20f bag. I want it to be light, as close to two pounds as I can keep it, and highly compressable. I also like a semi rectangular bag, or at least a roomy mummy. I am leaning towards a Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends or a Marmot Plasma. But I am open to your ideas. What do you like?

Montbell super spiral down hugger! Awesome bag. Mine is a zero at a little over two lbs but my bf has the 30 degree which is less than two lbs. super snugly bags that are very flexible, you can even easily dress and undress in the bag.

[saltysack]

Marmot helium 15 deg is a great bag. I got mine a few years ago for $275. Light, packs small and true to rating. My jack Russell sleeps in side by my feet if it's under 30 deg. It's been a great bag. Backcountry runs good sales on them.


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[ndwoods]

Westen Mountaineering...

[ricksavard]

Consider a Nemo spoon bag. Roomy and warm. Very pleased.

[paraguay]

I would check out Zpacks' sleeping bags. I took a 10 degree with me on a late Feb start and was warm the entire time while others were cold. Even though they are expensive, they are a good value for what you are getting. It also acts as a quilt if the weather gets warmer. Probably the most best piece of gear I carried the entire trip.

[scope]

I was jut looking at Enlightenments quilts. From a post here on Whiteblaze. I might e-mail Tim.

...Can you name any specific treated down bags? The only ones I recall coming cross are the Sierra Design DriDown bags (like the Zissou line). But those seem to only be 600 fill-power with no better specs than the best synthetic bags I can find...

Since you're considering a quilt, there's a whole cottage industry of quilt makers out there, mostly associated with hammock camping, but quilts started with ultralite grounddwellers. Ones made by "hammock" folks are pretty much the same - in some cases you might want a wide version for extra coverage on the ground. Most of them offer the water resistant down. My zero degree wide top quilt from HammockGear cost $300 and weighs 24oz. Here's some suggested links... (without www and .com)

jacksrbetter
hammockgear
undergroundquilts
arrowhead-equipment
wildernesslogics

Additionally, there is Underquilts.com that sells quilt "shells" that you fill with your own down that you purchase separately. And for what its worth, the EnlightenedEquipment quilts are great, as are all the ones from makers mentioned above.

[theGABE]

Love my Western Mountaineering bag. Would not buy Enlightened Equipment quilt. I bough one myself and I still wish I had my $200 something dollars back instead of that cheap, ineffective, POS quilt. Great 20* bag for when it is above 40*...... Lots of problems with down shifting and creating cold spots because of the "design." I saw a few guys with Jacks R Better quilts and let me tell you, they look like they are much better quality. But overall I would go with WM.

[snail2010]

[QUOTE=LuckyMan;1831560]I have a Montbell U.L. Super Spiral Down Hugger, my most expensive piece of backpacking equipment, and unfortunately cannot recommend buying one. It is a great design, but sabotaged by shoddy workmanship. Montbell is charging steep made-in-America prices for a subpar made-in-China product. My bag tore at a seam the very first time I used it and leaked down; I had to repair it with tape. My less-expensive made-in-America backpack and TarpTent had no such problems and worked great. I will never buy a Montbell product again.[/QUOTE
Sorry to hear about your bad luck. My boyfriend and I have been using Montbell spiral down hugger bags for years with no troubles. I'm sure that Montbell would replace that for you, it's a great company. I've bought several items from them over the yrs and all are still performing fab.

[Praha4]

I'm a fan of 3 brands of down bags. Montbell, Marmot, and Western Mountaineering.

a. Montbell: I love Montbell's UL Super-Spiral line of down sleeping bags. I have the Montbell UL SS #1 (15 deg), and never had any problems with it, and I think it's temp rating is conservative, I've used it to lower temps and been plenty warm.

b. Marmot: My first down bag was the Marmot Hydrogen (30 deg). I use this bag for the majority of my 3 season trips on the east coast, except for mid summer. It's a fantastic, roomy bag. Just put it thru a wash cycle last month using the Grainger Down detergent, and the original loft is fully restored.

c. WM: I also have the WM Summerlite (32 deg) bag and use it mainly in summer-shoulder season. Has a snugger fit than the Marmot Hydrogen. Weights just a couple ounces over a pound.

good luck!

[Berserker]

Yet another WM fan here. I have a Caribou and a Versalite, and used to own an Ultralite. They're awesome bags...warm, light and pack up small. As for the cut I would agree with those recommending the Alpinlite. I myself am going to be getting one as I love the cut on the Caribou (same cut). I didn't like how confining the Ultralite was so I sold it. I'm also comtemplating selling the Versalite as it just doesn't get used at all since it's a 10 deg bag and I don't go out when it's that cold anymore. Plus, I want the extra girth of the Alpinlite.