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View Full Version : Hilleberg Anjan GT w/ Western Mount Antelop Paired with Exped DownMat7 LW



Gambit McCrae
12-07-2015, 16:24
I got to test out several things this weekend-

I have used the Hilleberg a lot this past year but not in cold weather yet. I love what I get out of the tent for the weight, it is huge and bomb proof. If you have a large dog, and like your gear inside the tent I would strongly consider this tent.

The Antelope: I am used to a Montbell but got a steal on a brand new with tags Western Mountaineering Antelope down sleeping bag.
The things I was really surprised with:
The loft wow does this thing poof up
The warmth, I really felt cozy warm at 25* outside.
For how lofty and large the bag is, it really packs down pretty quickly and is worth the weight of around 2.5 lbs I think
I also like how I can turn in my sleep and the bag not roll with me
Its head cavity is very open, Kinda making you wear head gear, but I turn a lot in my sleep so this ends up being a plus

Cons:
Its a pricy little bag but worth the money IMO
Not as stretchy as my montbells which I have grown to love

The Exped Downmat:
Pros:super super warm

Comfy and very thick

Cons:
Weight
I dislike the pump

Venchka
12-07-2015, 18:17
I count my Antelope among the things I won't part with. I do think that for me, 5'-8" & 145 pounds, the Antelope and Versalite have the perfect interior dimensions.
On the other hand, my much newer Alpinlite over a current model Xtherm large inside a Garuda Atman tent was toasty at 25 F a few weeks ago and even roomier.
I'll have to find the time to do some mild winter backpacking in order to justify using the Antelope.
People wonder why Western Mountaineering bag owners are so loyal. Sleep in one and you will know why.

Wayne

Casey & Gina
12-08-2015, 01:59
How do you like the Anjan? Any use in heavy rain? It scares me a bit though I've thought about the Nallo...have a Keron now which is amazing but needs a pretty big campsite and is heavy.

We went with a Feathered Friends Condor 0-degree and like yours the loft is amazing - it's a chore to pack away, especially with Pertex Shield EX as the outer fabric. I need a compression sack to get it small enough to pack. High fillpower down is a whole different ballgame than the cheaper stuff.

Curious how you like the Downmat over the long term...I seriously considered them but baffle failure scares me. The integrated pump sucks - if you upgrade to a Downmat 9 you lose that and can just use a schnozzle pumpsack instead. Love the pumpsack...

Sonds like you have some great winter adventures ahead!

Gambit McCrae
12-08-2015, 09:12
How do you like the Anjan? Any use in heavy rain? It scares me a bit though I've thought about the Nallo...have a Keron now which is amazing but needs a pretty big campsite and is heavy.

We went with a Feathered Friends Condor 0-degree and like yours the loft is amazing - it's a chore to pack away, especially with Pertex Shield EX as the outer fabric. I need a compression sack to get it small enough to pack. High fillpower down is a whole different ballgame than the cheaper stuff.

Curious how you like the Downmat over the long term...I seriously considered them but baffle failure scares me. The integrated pump sucks - if you upgrade to a Downmat 9 you lose that and can just use a schnozzle pumpsack instead. Love the pumpsack...

Sonds like you have some great winter adventures ahead!

I have had a nallo, nallo gt and an allak, as well as the Anjan GT, I like the Anjan the best, It is light, roomy, and same design as the Nallo GT, just a bit lighter fabric. Nights I remember in torrential all night rain: Bull Gap in Georgia during thru hiker season, it was an all night lightning and thunderstorm, woke up with about 3 inches of water all around my tent, the tent floor was like a waterbed, I was completely dry, and slept with a smile on my face knowing I was protected. Second experience I have in it was on springer, Strong sideways winds tenting up above the shelter in the back of all the campsites. It was a small raindrops, sideways kinda rain. Another dry night :)

Exped DownMat: I have had a slow leak in a synmat7, and a baffle failure up around bland a month ago or so. they have replaced both no questions asked so I am now a loyal customer.

Casey & Gina
12-08-2015, 09:35
Nice to hear Gambit! Regarding the Anjan it's not the lighter fabric that worries me but the gap between the outer tent and the ground. I had heard rain would splash up from the ground to the inside tent walls and get inside, but I think they reduced the gap distance since the first years of production. Do you use it in winter or just for the 3 seasons it's intended for? I must say that a 3-person Hilleberg at just 4 pounds is an attractive proposition!

Although I am sure Exped has great service, trying to get a replacement sent while out on an extended hike doesn't seem fun. A leak is manageable but a baffle failure or down clumping leaving cold spots, not so much... Good to hear about good service though.