View Full Version : The Helium has arrived!
Well, the UPS man dropped off my Helium about 2 hours ago. I ripped that box open! It's awesome. I pulled it out and threw on the sleeping pad I had inflated and laying on the floor just waiting! Climbed in and everything works great, and the bag is super comfy and plenty roomy enough. And yes I do enjoy the hood. Now I just have to get it out there and use it!
My only hang up with it is the weight. According to the site it is listed at 31 oz. When I set the bag on my scales in the 0.7 ounce stuff sack, it weighed in at 2 lbs 3.2 ounces! I thought this was a rather large variation of the listed weight. However, after looking at the hang tags they put on the bag to sell them, the weight listed there is 2 lbs 3 ounces. So, there is no weight variance, the weight is pretty spot on. The weight variation is on the site. So, I thought maybe I had last years model, even though the REI agent assure me that it was a 2010 model. When I looked at the product spec tags on the foot of the bag, it is listed as a fall 2009 bag. So, I contacted REI. She didn't get it. She told me that the extra weight is because sleeping bags did in fact vary in weight from bag to bag. I explained I did in fact understand this, but the listed weight was conflicting between the actual product and the website, not to mention I was told I was getting the new model, and got the old model. She said they weighed another one and it weighed in at 33 ounces. I asked her to look at the hang tag and tell me what the total listed weight was. She told me it was not listed. I don't necessarily believe a total weight is not listed.... Also, the hang tags that is attached to the bag with prices list down fill as 19.5 ounces, and the tag attached to the foot of the bag list 19 ounces.
Anyway, the next time I go near an REI, I will carry this bag and my scales with me. I will check the bags myself, and if I feel like I need to swap them I will.
Regardless, I love the bag, and am happy to have it! It is pretty sweet. I did write up the initial impression, including the weight dilemma on the REI site, and it transferred over to my blog. It pretty much says what I have said here, but it can be read here:
http://stick13.wordpress.com/
Finally my sleeping bag collection is growing! So I collected all the sleeping bags in our apartment (including my wife and kids) and stuffed them in the stuff sacks so I could get a size comparison. Here is a pic:
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu88/STICK13/DSC_0378.jpg
Mountain Wildman
05-20-2010, 17:04
Nice color on the new bag.
Who sleeps in the Powerade bottle? :rolleyes: :banana
When I get in trouble my wife takes my gear away. I gotta sleep in something! :)
FritztheCat
05-20-2010, 17:37
Interesting size comparison shot. I have the standard Campmor 20 degree mummy bag that compresses to about the size of a two liter bottle of soda.
That's pretty good. My Helium does not even get that small. The quilt is the closest thing to that size.
When I get in trouble my wife takes my gear away. I gotta sleep in something! I guess you get sucked into the Powerade bottle, like the kid in the old Pepsi commercial. You know, that doesn't look like a comfortable sleeping arrangement. :D K2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpxGZVQReiI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpxGZVQReiI)
(I did everything I could to prevent this from embedding in the post).
Well, by golly, it didn't embed after all! K2
Haha, that was funny. I hadn't seen that one before.
I don't think that it is possible to post a video on these forums. All I have ever accomplished is pictures. I don't think that I have ever seen anything other than pictures posted on here either.
I pulled my sleeping bag up on the bed last night, and slept in it. (I turned the air down low). My wife decided to get hers out once she realized what I was doing. But then she got called in this morning around 2.....
That is a very comfy bag, especially on a super comfy bed. My son and I will probably pull the sleeping pads back out tonight and sleep on them, you know, so I can try out the new bag!
Mountain Wildman
05-21-2010, 16:08
Haha, that was funny. I hadn't seen that one before.
I don't think that it is possible to post a video on these forums. All I have ever accomplished is pictures. I don't think that I have ever seen anything other than pictures posted on here either.
I pulled my sleeping bag up on the bed last night, and slept in it. (I turned the air down low). My wife decided to get hers out once she realized what I was doing. But then she got called in this morning around 2.....
That is a very comfy bag, especially on a super comfy bed. My son and I will probably pull the sleeping pads back out tonight and sleep on them, you know, so I can try out the new bag!
I received a new bag yesterday also, I thought about sleeping in it last night but I am camping next weekend so I'll try it out then.
I won't make it out this weekend (unless you want to count "indoor camping") however, my son and I will be out for 4 days / 3 nights Memorial Day weekend. I am also looking to do a few nights on the John Muir Trail in Cherokee National Forest the week after, then we have 3 more days in the Smokies week after that.
Of course the Helium will be overkill for these trips, so I will be bringing my new GoLite quilt out for the first time. I will also get to use my Sil tarp (for the 2nd time) and my new kitchen set up. So, I will still get to break in a few new items! Even debating doing some hiking in my new Chaco's. Not sure about that yet though.....
Mountain Wildman
05-21-2010, 17:44
:sun
I won't make it out this weekend (unless you want to count "indoor camping") however, my son and I will be out for 4 days / 3 nights Memorial Day weekend. I am also looking to do a few nights on the John Muir Trail in Cherokee National Forest the week after, then we have 3 more days in the Smokies week after that.
Of course the Helium will be overkill for these trips, so I will be bringing my new GoLite quilt out for the first time. I will also get to use my Sil tarp (for the 2nd time) and my new kitchen set up. So, I will still get to break in a few new items! Even debating doing some hiking in my new Chaco's. Not sure about that yet though.....
Sounds the same as my plan, maybe a short hike this weekend and then camping next weekend outside of North Conway with maybe a day hike on Saturday and an overnighter the following week or maybe something with the AMC.
Mountain Wildman
05-21-2010, 17:48
Oh, and the bag I got yesterday is a Slumberjack 40F Chopper Oversize which should be good for up here since it still gets pretty chilly at night.
Not as nice as your Helium but for $34.95 from Sunny Sports.com it's good for car camping, It's 3 lbs., So I could carry it for backpacking also but bought it mainly for car camping.
Sounds like you have a busy few weeks planned too! Isn't it great! Isn't getting new gear fun too! The quilt I will be using is the GoLite RS 1+ Season Quilt:
http://stick13.wordpress.com/gear/my-current-gear/sleeping-bags/golite-rs-1-season-quilt/
I got it at a killer price from Bent Gate Mountaineering about 2 1/2 weeks ago. It is rated at 40* as well, and truth be told it will probably be too much for me here down south, but the deal was to good to pass up. It will beat carrying my 3 + lb NF sleeping bag, both by weight as well as pack size. It is a recycled synthetic quilt, but I must say it is much softer than my NF synthetic bag.
Mountain Wildman
05-21-2010, 19:37
Sounds like you have a busy few weeks planned too! Isn't it great! Isn't getting new gear fun too! The quilt I will be using is the GoLite RS 1+ Season Quilt:
http://stick13.wordpress.com/gear/my-current-gear/sleeping-bags/golite-rs-1-season-quilt/
I got it at a killer price from Bent Gate Mountaineering about 2 1/2 weeks ago. It is rated at 40* as well, and truth be told it will probably be too much for me here down south, but the deal was to good to pass up. It will beat carrying my 3 + lb NF sleeping bag, both by weight as well as pack size. It is a recycled synthetic quilt, but I must say it is much softer than my NF synthetic bag.
I thought about a quilt, looked into the Jacks R Better quilts but at 100 plus dollars I decided to go cheap, I have already spent way to much money on gear over the last 8 months, I was just going to use a fleece blanket or light sheet for the warmer months but I've used a sleeping bag for the past 25 years and it's what I am used to. I could have bought lighter than the 3 lbs. the Slumberjack weighs but I'd be back up to more than I want to spend. And the bag is Oversized like me so I can move in it.
Enjoy the holiday!!
I thought about a quilt, looked into the Jacks R Better quilts but at 100 plus dollars I decided to go cheap, I have already spent way to much money on gear over the last 8 months, I was just going to use a fleece blanket or light sheet for the warmer months but I've used a sleeping bag for the past 25 years and it's what I am used to. I could have bought lighter than the 3 lbs. the Slumberjack weighs but I'd be back up to more than I want to spend. And the bag is Oversized like me so I can move in it.
Enjoy the holiday!!
I hear ya on the money thing. I got lucky on the quilt. The guy that does the site for Bent Gate accidentally marked the quilts to $15 (instead of $99), so I jumped on it. Bent Gate changed the price pretty quickly once I ordered mine, however they honored the sale price and shipped mine. So, I wasn't in the market or anything, but that was too sweet a deal not to take up. And it is a nice quilt at that. And cheers to Bent Gate on the deal!
Interesting size comparison shot. I have the standard Campmor 20 degree mummy bag that compresses to about the size of a two liter bottle of soda.
good to know, because thats what i'm planning on buying.
RollingStone
05-26-2010, 09:47
The guy that does the site for Bent Gate accidentally marked the quilts to $15 (instead of $99), so I jumped on it.
So essentially you knew the price wasn't right but took advantage of them anyway? <shaking head>
On the Helium, if you bought it at REI you do realize that they have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If that few ounce discrepancy bothers you that much you can obviously return it.
On the weight discrepancy of the bag versus the website, look at the specs on the website again. It does say clearly, and in plain English "Average Weight". If you hover your mouse over that statement, it will tell you plainly that weights vary slightly from item to item.
Just like shoes. When weights for shoes are listed, they usually base them on a size 9. Hence, the weight will vary slightly up or down in size. It would be impossible for any company to be 100% accurate with weights lest they subject themselves to phone calls from customers discussing a few ounces difference.
So essentially you knew the price wasn't right but took advantage of them anyway? <shaking head>
On the Helium, if you bought it at REI you do realize that they have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If that few ounce discrepancy bothers you that much you can obviously return it.
On the weight discrepancy of the bag versus the website, look at the specs on the website again. It does say clearly, and in plain English "Average Weight". If you hover your mouse over that statement, it will tell you plainly that weights vary slightly from item to item.
Just like shoes. When weights for shoes are listed, they usually base them on a size 9. Hence, the weight will vary slightly up or down in size. It would be impossible for any company to be 100% accurate with weights lest they subject themselves to phone calls from customers discussing a few ounces difference.
Rolling Stone, to answer your response.
On the GoLite quilt: No. I took advantage of what I thought was a "I just need to get rid of this gear" price, as some companies on occasion will do. When I saw the price I waited a while before purchasing thinking it may be a error, but after a while when it didn't change I decided to buy one before they were all gone. The fact that it indeed was a mistake came out after the transaction had happened. So, please don't shake our head at me for getting a good deal. I did nothing to cause the mistake. I did not go to the store and swap tags.
And yes, the weight difference on the Helium does bother me. The bag is sold according to REI as a 31 oz bag (that is a sub 2 lb bag which was one of my specs when searching for a bag, and the selling point on this bag.) To make it fair, even at the time I bought the bag, the Marmot site even listed the bag at 31 oz. However, the new weights were posted to the Marmot website after I looked at the site when purchasing my bag, but before my bag arrived at my house. When I received the bag and realized the error, I contacted REI customer service. This is what customer service is for, so yes, in the backpacking world they should expect calls discussing a few ounces. What is funny is that REI says they get their info straight from Marmot. Maybe there is a delay, but what is funny is that even on the hang tag of the bag I received the "listed weight" was 2 lbs 3 oz. If REI wants to have an average weight it needs to be based on the actual listed weight. This is common sense. For this matter they can say average weight is anything they want. Also, REI assure me at time of purchase that this bag was a 2010 model, and the hang tag on the foot of the bag shows it was shipped in the fall of 2009. So, REI was wrong on both weights as well as year model on my bag. And yes, they will exchange it, but why do I need to when the bags will be the same. I will just have to go and do it myself, with my scales.
And just for the record, I do understand what "average weight" means.
I am sorry if you don't agree with my post, but please try and read them before you talk me down, and try to educate me. Thanks.
skinewmexico
05-26-2010, 23:07
It's just not a sleeping bag collection until one of them says Western Mountaineering.
Call me when you get the N2O. :D
It's just not a sleeping bag collection until one of them says Western Mountaineering.
I'm working up to it! For now the Helium will do though!