colorado_rob
02-26-2016, 13:19
So, I was looking to get a UL sleeping bag good to down near the low-mid 20's (my older, excellent bag is the WM alpinlite, rated at 20, just over 2 pounds). I came across this stellar revies on outdoorgearlab:
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Ultralight-Sleeping-Bag-Reviews/Katabatic-Gear-Palisade-30
Quote from the review: "To state it simply, the Katabatic Gear Palisade 30 is the best ultralight sleeping bag we tested, and it has held onto this distinction for 4 years. This closed footbox quilt continues its run as our Editors' Choice winner for delivering the best warmth-to-weight ratio and cozy comfort."
These things ain't cheap, but great gear is always worth it, IMHO.
I promptly found out I live about 10 minutes from the actual factory/store, so over I went and wound up buying the "Alsek", their 21 degree rated bag/quilt hybrid (closed footbox, quilt top 2/3rd's). 20 ounces for a 21 deg bag seemed outstanding. So I used the bag on the 2nd (northern) half of the AT, completing the trail last spring and fall (I went home for the summer). It performed very well in mid-20's, though a time or two in a shelter (no extra tent warmth) I felt a tad chilly in the torso area. No biggie, I draped my rain jacket of the outside of the bag and slept fine.
So, getting ready to head out here again in March for some low-20-night trails (Utah), I decided to look into adding just a tad of extra down to the torso area baffles. I took the bag over to Katabatic Gear and we discussed the design, and Kris (the wife, co-owner with Aaron) pointed out that most folks like a lot of down around their feet, and this bag certainly was very puffy in the foot box area. The torso area was less puffy. It was a design decision they made to appeal to the average person. I lamented I wish in my bag some of the down from the foot box was actually in the torso area; I'm upper-body-skinny and that is always where I get chilly first. Kris said no problem, they would add a bit of down for me in the torso. I didn't ask how much they would charge.
Picked it up yesterday, nicely done! No signs of where/how they added the down, but the 5-6 torso baffles are definitely puffier, w/o being overstuffed. I got out my credit card, she said: put it away, no charge! I tried to insist I pay, at least for the down (it ain't cheap), she insisted no. I had carefully weighed the bag before, and now it was 1.4 ounces heavier, the down added to 5-6 baffles, now 21.4 total for what looks like a bag very comfortable to low 20's.
Anyway, long winded, just wanted to share my very positive Katabatic gear experience.
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Ultralight-Sleeping-Bag-Reviews/Katabatic-Gear-Palisade-30
Quote from the review: "To state it simply, the Katabatic Gear Palisade 30 is the best ultralight sleeping bag we tested, and it has held onto this distinction for 4 years. This closed footbox quilt continues its run as our Editors' Choice winner for delivering the best warmth-to-weight ratio and cozy comfort."
These things ain't cheap, but great gear is always worth it, IMHO.
I promptly found out I live about 10 minutes from the actual factory/store, so over I went and wound up buying the "Alsek", their 21 degree rated bag/quilt hybrid (closed footbox, quilt top 2/3rd's). 20 ounces for a 21 deg bag seemed outstanding. So I used the bag on the 2nd (northern) half of the AT, completing the trail last spring and fall (I went home for the summer). It performed very well in mid-20's, though a time or two in a shelter (no extra tent warmth) I felt a tad chilly in the torso area. No biggie, I draped my rain jacket of the outside of the bag and slept fine.
So, getting ready to head out here again in March for some low-20-night trails (Utah), I decided to look into adding just a tad of extra down to the torso area baffles. I took the bag over to Katabatic Gear and we discussed the design, and Kris (the wife, co-owner with Aaron) pointed out that most folks like a lot of down around their feet, and this bag certainly was very puffy in the foot box area. The torso area was less puffy. It was a design decision they made to appeal to the average person. I lamented I wish in my bag some of the down from the foot box was actually in the torso area; I'm upper-body-skinny and that is always where I get chilly first. Kris said no problem, they would add a bit of down for me in the torso. I didn't ask how much they would charge.
Picked it up yesterday, nicely done! No signs of where/how they added the down, but the 5-6 torso baffles are definitely puffier, w/o being overstuffed. I got out my credit card, she said: put it away, no charge! I tried to insist I pay, at least for the down (it ain't cheap), she insisted no. I had carefully weighed the bag before, and now it was 1.4 ounces heavier, the down added to 5-6 baffles, now 21.4 total for what looks like a bag very comfortable to low 20's.
Anyway, long winded, just wanted to share my very positive Katabatic gear experience.