Sleeping bag question

[Thumper 2006]

Getting ready to purchase a feathered friends hummingbird sleepin bag. There are 2 different materials to choose from Epic, and Event materials. Epic is cheaper than Event but the Event is supposed to be top notch. If any of you have experience with this company and with these particular fabrics, your help is much needed thanks.

[blhmsoc]

I own a Feathered Friends EVent Volant Jacket. I carried it on the start of my AT thru hike in 03- super warm, worked beyond my expectations. Just recently I ordered a bag similar to the Hummingbird with Epic. I had the same question as you. I wanted top notch...and FF told me to go with Epic. I was shocked. Epic is more durable and more breathable. I will be using the bag on a PCT attempt this year. If rain is your main concern: I hiked 2/3 of the AT with a Sierra Design top bag. The SD down bag was nylon, not water resistance. I slept under a tarp for the thru hike, and never had a problem. 2003 was quite a rainy year!

[mweinstone]

the epic material is much more everything good then anything.its stronger,lighter,more h2o proof even though their lables claim highly water resistant, i cant get thru it under the sink i waited and rubbed and tryed the un sealed seames and no water can be forced in.its the best if yavonne chuinard uses it.its better than your mamma.

[fiddlehead]

I've used a hummingbird for years and think it's the best (if it fits you) these new terms (epic and Event) are materials i have not heard about before. but, i think it's best to get whichever one they claim is more breathable. Don't worry so much about waterproof, you probably will not be sleeping out in the rain so waterproof is a moot point. But drying the bag out from your bodies persperation is very important and the quicker this can be done, the better. Usually the lighter, materials dry the inside of the bag out quicker. (the heavier, so called waterproof materials take a long time to air your bag out) good luck, i think you'll enjoy that bag.

[namehere]

I own a Feathered Friends EVent Volant Jacket. I carried it on the start of my AT thru hike in 03- super warm, worked beyond my expectations. Just recently I ordered a bag similar to the Hummingbird with Epic. I had the same question as you. I wanted top notch...and FF told me to go with Epic. I was shocked. Epic is more durable and more breathable. I will be using the bag on a PCT attempt this year. If rain is your main concern: I hiked 2/3 of the AT with a Sierra Design top bag. The SD down bag was nylon, not water resistance. I slept under a tarp for the thru hike, and never had a problem. 2003 was quite a rainy year!

the follow article seems to indicate that the Event material is favorable over Epic in most every condition. though i haven't read the backpackinglight article linked in the article, i am assuming that the conclusions reached in that article are similiar to those reached in the prolightgear article. unless there is any compelling reason not to choose Event over Epic (other than price), i would pick Event. i'm confused as to why Feathered Friends would have recommended the Epic shell for the sleeping bag. perhaps it has to do with the type of shelter you were using?

http://www.prolitegear.com/site/xdpy/kb/00034/index.html

[highway]

Getting ready to purchase a feathered friends hummingbird sleepin bag. There are 2 different materials to choose from Epic, and Event materials. Epic is cheaper than Event but the Event is supposed to be top notch. If any of you have experience with this company and with these particular fabrics, your help is much needed thanks.

They are an outstanding, quality manufacturer. I have three of theirs and have used a Wren till it stunk. They washed it, repaired it and I swear its just like it was new. I cannot recall my outer material but I paid extra for one of their water resistant ones, Epic, maybe, but, of course, water enters through sewing thread holes mostly, if ever. Pay a few bucks extra and get it overstuffed. My Wren was 35 degrees, I suspect, but I overstuffed I have used it below that. It is just a few bucks more for a little more fluff, that keeps you warmerr. Just a suggestion.

plus it comes with a center zipper, where they should all be anyway, but arent!

[The Will]

I have several Feathered Friends products (the Lark and Rock Wren sleepings bags, a Volant jacket and the Husky fleece suit) and I have never been disappointed in the quality of craftmanship. Often when I've received one of these products there will be features or thoughtful additives that were not included in their general description of the product--I've always gotten more than I expected.

In the past, I've had some less than adequate customer service from this company but that all seems to be remedied and now the customer service equals the quality of the product.

Recently I sent my Rock Wren back to them. It came in a material they no longer use called PTFE lite. That shell material had become delaminated and now I am getting a new bag under warranty. I choose the Epic fabric over the EVent. I expect that the Epic fabric is going to give adequate moisture protection for conditions such as snow caves, bivies, or open air beneath the sky type situations. I don't expeect it to be as water resistant as EVent, but on the other hand, Black Diamond and a few others make tents out of Epic so that speaks of a fairly high degree of water resistance. Plus the Epic fabric should be more breathable and much much softer than the laminated EVent.

I think the Epic will make a stellar shell material and you will not regret you decision to purchase a FF bag. As one previous poster mentioned, I'd consider haveing them through an extra 2 ounces of down in there.

[Boat Drinks]

I have a Mountain Hardware Trekker and a Dupont ThermoLite liner. http://www.backpacker.com/article/1,2646,7690,00.html
and http://www.trailspace.com/gear/sea-to-summit/reactor-thermolite-liner/

Will this get me from GA to ME? Early March start?

[namehere]

the follow article seems to indicate that the Event material is favorable over Epic in most every condition. though i haven't read the backpackinglight article linked in the article, i am assuming that the conclusions reached in that article are similiar to those reached in the prolightgear article. unless there is any compelling reason not to choose Event over Epic (other than price), i would pick Event. i'm confused as to why Feathered Friends would have recommended the Epic shell for the sleeping bag. perhaps it has to do with the type of shelter you were using?

http://www.prolitegear.com/site/xdpy/kb/00034/index.html

i got my answer regarding the use of Event material on sleeping bag shells. the main drawbacks for it are 1. extra weight & 2. stiffness. many of you attested to the waterproofness of Epic. seems like the way to go for sleeping bags if given a choice. i wish WM had an option for Epic shells on some of their bags.

[ARambler]

I think WM would say thier micro fiber is pretty close to Epic (on the water resistant/weight basis) and Dry Loft is pretty close to Event. I'm pretty happy with the Epic shell on my FF Swallow bag. (slightly bigger 20 deg bag)
Rambler