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View Full Version : Montbell ULSS #1 cold temp bag review.



buz
02-01-2010, 10:43
I actually own the #2, but have modified it with extra down, (long story) and spec wise, it is very close to the #1, a 15 degree rating. Slept in it two nights this weekend, in open shelter, on plywood bunk, with TR camprest and torso length ridgerest. Temp lows were 8 on friday, 11 on sat., no wind to speak of. Slept in light poly long undies, ragg wool socks, light fleece hat. No problems, really warm, love the ss feature, as I am a flippy floppy side sleeper, this bag is perfect for that. I am 6' 170#.

Just fyi.

McPick
02-01-2010, 20:45
Hi ya, Buz. I think this is the second time I've read that you added down to your Montbell #2. I am very curious about how you did this without wrecking the bag?

After coveting another hiker's SS#2 on the latter part of my AT hike in '08, (that would be you Ms Bigglesworth!) I purchased the Montbell SS #1 for my CT hike this past fall. Believe me... I realize I am in the minority about this, because so many people rave about the Montbell SS bags, but I was so dissappointed in the performance of this bag - even in the upper 30 degree range - that I sent it back.

After my first cold night's sleep, I held the bag up to the sun and noticed that more than a few of the sections contained precious little down. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I ended up using a liner and wearing fleece clothing in the bag to stay warm in those higher elevations until I got off the trail.

So... You added down to your bag? Do tell!

buz
02-02-2010, 10:12
Well, sorry your bag didn't perform for you. Bought my #2 at outfitters going out of business sale for ridicoulous price, less than $100, was on business trip not close to home at the time.

Got home, started reading what I bought over the 'net, read about underfilled pockets. "Hmmm, lets look at this in strong light" Sure enough there were maybe 5-7 pockets with significantly less down in them than the others. Well, I wasn't going to be able to return it, so I slept in it, and wasn't cold at 30, but decided to fix it anyway. I happened to have a old, very hquality Eddie Bauer mountaineering parka that had an accident with a car battery. It was patched up, but now only was my "throw it in the trunk for winter emergencies" coat. I took it apart, sorted the down, (a tedious process) and got a lot of very nice down when done.

Looking carefully at the bag, the nylon is ripstop pattern both ways, vertical and horizontal. I simply cut a small slit in the pocket, making sure I stayed within the horizontal ripstop pattern, not cutting the vertical ones, if you get my point. Then I used about a 1/2" tube that I filled/jammed full of down, pushed the tube end into slit, used rammer to push down into bag pocket. Very clean way. Then simply hand sewed up cut, and put seam grip on the repair. That was the thing that got me to do more, the seam grip really makes the repair bombproof, IMO. I ended up adding just about 5 ounces of down in about 22 pockets including the hood, only on the top of the bag. It now weighs 2#5 ounces, and is seriously warm, like 10 degrees with no additional inside clothes needed.

The project got a little out of hand, but I am very happy with the results, and have a very warm 15 degree bag or lower for less than $100. I wasn't real scientific about weighing the amount of down I put in each pocket, went by feel and look. Not all pockets got down either. It was a winter kind of time killer project MYOG thing.

McPick
02-02-2010, 17:05
Great post, Buz. I've seen Seam Sealer, but never Seam Grip.

Googled Seam Grip and got this site:
http://www.mcnett-outdoor.com/Repair-Guide/Sleeping-Bags/221.aspx

Good info on care and repairs. Got me wondering if using a soda straw-sized hole and applicator, using suction (to load down into straw) and then using your ram device idea to get the down into the bag compartments, would work as well as the larger hole?

Also learned to "hotcut" a nylon patch from another site...

"To hotcut, simply use a thin end on an electric soldering iron and lay the material on a clean board... no paint, obviously... and cut it into a small circle. Lightly glue it on, let it dry and sew it neatly and tightly."

Looks like I may have another "winter project" on my other dissappointing 25 degree bag as well, Buz.

Thank you very much!!

buz
02-03-2010, 09:53
Couple comments. The "straw" i used was some old piece of hard plastic tube that gutter nails go thru and it helps hold the gutter, I guess. Just random piece of plastic tube. Size turned out to be perfect for filling, about 1/2" diameter. To fill it, I used needle nosed pliers to grab down, then rammed the down into the tube, until full. Down was in paper bag, great for down, doesn't cling, can close up carefully and not make mess. Tube was like 7 inches long. The dowel rammer then pushed the compacted down out into slit. Worked great.

I don't think suction would work, but trial and error. Using a larger tube gave me the ability to jam it full with the needle nose pliers, pushing the down in there, then compacting it with the pliers. Good luck.