View Full Version : Gear Questions...........Sorry!
I'm planning on heading out the 2nd week of March. I plan on using a WM 10 Versa Lite bag for my cold weather bag and a WM 35 High Lite for my summer bag. Both of these bags are in the Extreme Lite series. My question is would you opt for the WM Micro lite XP bags over the WM Extreme Lite series. The bags in the XP series would be the WM Apache MF 15 and the Caribou MF 35 respectively. The weight difference is 4 ounces combined. The XP series is suppose to give an added element of water resistance.
Newbie her...........Thanks for the help :)
My advice...I wouldn't spend any money to save 4 ounces as i assume it will be $$$ to replace. Others may disagree. What you have is fine although a 35 degree bag will be overkill in the summer. after buena vista (I started in late March) I carried just a silk liner with a light fleece blanket until I got to Bennington. Good luck on your hike.
Sounds like your focus is more on the weight than the money. Assuming you plan to use the bags for more than this trip, and that your overall base weight is reasonably light, I might disagree with 4shot here and go for the lighter bags. I used two bags in the extreme lite series (20F Alpinelite to start and 32F Summerlite starting in VA), and they worked fine for me. The primary water resistance you need is to just keep your bag in the shelter or tent (or bivy or hammock or whatever). If you think it's on the damp side when you get to town, spread it out in motel or hostel for a bit.
These lighter bags do come with a DWR, FWIW. I actually renewed the DWR on both of them before hiking this year; I have no idea whether that helped or not. The only time I can recall much moisture on my bag was the night that a fairly heavy but soft snowfall was gently blowing inside the shelter, covering everyone's bags. I woke when this was just starting to happen and covered my bag with a light bivy (I was using poncho tarp and light bivy combo at the time as my "shelter", but really just sleeping in shelters), and this of course helped. But we were taking a Nero the next day anyway, so no worries.
FWIW, I wouldn't buy the High Lite, however, as it's a half-zip bag. As 4shot said, it can get pretty warm in summer, and IMO it's a mistake to save weight by only allowing a summertime bag to only zip open halfway --- you want to be able to completely open it up to use like a quilt. The Caribou is okay, but note that my 32F rated Summerlite is actually lighter weight; I picked it because it was a very light full-zip option.
pyroman53
01-03-2011, 16:01
Extra weight and cost of the water-repellancy is not worth it (IMHO).
Side note: the Summerlite is a VERY tight and narrow bag. I love mine, but you gotta be ready to handle tight. Its a great summer bag! For a larger option, I suggest the Megalite...same basic warmth, but with a collar and more room. My buddy loves his.
bigcranky
01-03-2011, 16:12
I have one of each kind of WM bag, and can't find any real functional difference in the shell materials. The Extremelite series will be fine on the trail.
Thanks for the advice guys. Thanks for the heads up BrianLe in regards to the full length zipper on the WM Summer Lite bag. That makes total sense.
I guess my main concern was whether you would opt for the WM XP series because of the added water resistance. It sounds like you did just fine with the WM EX series. There's not much difference in cost or weight when comparing the two. :-?
I'm pumped to get on the trail but a bit nervous as well. Thanks for the well wishes and advice.
if it is too tight, and considering summer conditions, you could always open it up and use it like a comforter.
you will love the versa lite. i have one, and i just ordered my wife one as well. great bag.
Blissful
01-03-2011, 16:18
If money is not an option, I'd always go with water resistance and ounces saved. Why not?
Thanks bigcranky and Pyroman53. I must have been posting at the same time. I love the trail names. I'm going to need one of those at some point! Based on what I'm hearing I think I will stick with my original plan and go with the WM EX series bags.
Thanks
dont forget a liner of some sort. i use a silk one.
it helps keep the bag clean.
That was my next question........thanks Footpad.
bigcranky
01-03-2011, 16:39
Bag liners are personal preference -- I can't stand a bag liner, others won't hike without one. Kinda like trail runners vs. boots.
"Bag liners are personal preference -- I can't stand a bag liner, others won't hike without one. Kinda like trail runners vs. boots."
Agree completely. I used a silk liner when I was borrowing my wife's 20F bag --- wanting to keep the bag nice for her, but ditched the liner (with a sigh of relief) when I swapped for my own lighter bag in southern VA.
For next year I'm buying a Versalite --- so I'll have my own colder weather bag --- and don't plan to use a liner.
Like bigcranky, I'm not saying that liners are inherently "bad", just not my personal preference. A PITA to deal with, just "one more damned thing" to fuss with.
Two main reasons that folks like a bag liner:
(1) keeps bag cleaner. True, but I sleep in my clothes, so don't have a lot of body oils in direct contact (the clothes can be dirty of course). I find that washing a bag after a thru-hike is sufficient (!).
(2) adds warmth. True, but IMO not very much. My cocoon brand silk bag liner weighs 4.6 oz. I would far, far (far) rather have 4.6 more oz of down in my sleeping bag than a silk liner if warmth is the goal !
In some cases a sort of third benefit is when it's somewhat warm out the silk liner acts kind of like a sheet so you have something over you where you've thrown bag the sleeping bag. But again, I sleep in my clothing, and this benefit doesn't seem all that great to me, and certainly not worth the hassle of wriggling into and out of the liner at least once per night.
Each to their own, but the above are my "anti" bag liner thoughts.
bigcranky
01-04-2011, 09:01
I would far, far (far) rather have 4.6 more oz of down in my sleeping bag than a silk liner if warmth is the goal !
Amen, brother!
Blissful
01-04-2011, 10:07
Love my silk liner. Definitely adds warmth. But I can see if some don't like with a confining sleeping bag. If you have a bigger model bag, works nice
I've always used a line but you're right - it does negate the stretch part of "Super stretch" on a Mont Bell bag.
I have decided to go with a tent over a tarp mainly because of my level of experience. I was hoping to get a couple of questions answered.
1) Would you opt for a 2 person over a 1 person 3 season tent. The added weight between the two models I'm considering is about 1lb. The benefit would be app. 10sqft of space and 4" in height.
2) The two models I'm considering are the MSR Hubba HP (45oz, 17sqft) and the Big Agnes Copper Spur (45oz, 22sqft) in the one person models.
Any suggestions or opinions are appreciated.
Thanks,
Hess
Blissful
01-11-2011, 14:14
One person HP MSR Hubba is a great tent. But can be tight if you're a big guy. My hubby can't get into it
springerfever
01-11-2011, 16:10
I sold my Hubba and picked up a BA Copper Spur UL1 about a year ago. I'm six foot/190 and the Hubba was a little too confining. The Copper Spur is perfect. Excellent design and workmanship. BIG vestibule to your left and a small one on right. Sets up tight as a drum and I really like the nearly vertical walls. I use a NeoAir large sleeping pad and its pure comfort in this tent.
I'm wondering how you narrowed it down to those particular two tents? Very much depending on your criteria there might be substantially better options out there (Lightheart Gear, Tarptent, Six Moon Designs, etc).
Agreed that it would help to know how big (in particular how tall) you are. One option to keep in mind is to carry a black plastic yard waste type bag, put things that you don't need during the night into that and keep it outside of the tent --- makes it a bit roomier inside if you have a low volume tent. A pound seems like quite a lot to me, but even that is more or less significant depending on your overall base weight.
I carried a 2 man tent the entire way. I just like the xtra room and didn't mind the weight difference. You will get differing opinions on this as you can already tell. when it comes to gear there is no right answer or we would all carry the same thing(s).
springerfever
01-11-2011, 20:31
I'm wondering how you narrowed it down to those particular two tents? Very much depending on your criteria there might be substantially better options out there (Lightheart Gear, Tarptent, Six Moon Designs, etc).
Agreed that it would help to know how big (in particular how tall) you are. One option to keep in mind is to carry a black plastic yard waste type bag, put things that you don't need during the night into that and keep it outside of the tent --- makes it a bit roomier inside if you have a low volume tent. A pound seems like quite a lot to me, but even that is more or less significant depending on your overall base weight.
The tarp-tents mentioned above are all single wall. I believe the OP was leaning towards double wall and free-standing designs.The tarptent designs are also worth considering as long as they meet your requirements.
BianLe, Thanks for the tip on using a bag at night for gear not needed in the tent. I'm 5'9" and 160lbs. As Springfever mentioned I was mainly focusing on a free-standing tent. I'm not stuck on these two models but time is closing in :) I'm not wanting to use shelters anymore than is necessary so my tent choice is important to me. I don't feel I'm ready for a hammock or tarp. That could change as my hike progresses but I would like to start with a tent in any case. Thanks for the help. I can't wait to hit the trail.
"The tarp-tents mentioned above are all single wall. I believe the OP was leaning towards double wall and free-standing designs."
The Lightheart tents are double-wall. It wasn't clear (to me at least) what particular tent attributes the OP was leaning towards, which is why I asked (!).
Even then, knowing the reason for the attributes can be helpful too. For example, there are at least a couple of different reasons that a person might want a free-standing tent, but that person might or might not know how to mitigate those issues with a different type of tent --- and about how much weight they might save in the process.
If the OP was definitely set on one of those two particular models, then certainly the discussion is moot, but since not ---
I think that folks want free-standing tents in part to deal with tent platforms or perhaps other situations where it's difficult to drive in tent stakes. On two thru-hikes I've always been able to put up my tent; a couple of times on those #$%!# platforms on the AT, and at times in sandy or rocky soil other places. I personally would not want a free-standing tent just for those limitations.
Some cite the benefit of being able to pick up the tent and move it if it's not pitched where you want it, and/or to be able to tip it upside down and shake it out. Me, I'd far rather have a lighter tent.
BHESS, I suggest that you have a look at the Lightheart Solo (which also gets away from the single wall issue).
springerfever
01-14-2011, 00:19
My bad.; yep, the lightheart is a double wall and has gotten some excellent reviews. I have not seen one yet, but it might be what you are looking for. Personally, I love the BA Copper Spur UL1. I would highly recommend it if you like the freestanding feature.