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ishmael86
04-27-2005, 19:52
Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew of any good lightweight 20 degree bags (or thereabouts) that came in short lengths? I'm 5 feet tall, so I've decided ultralight is about mandatory for me, since 30 pounds would already be a quarter of my bodyweight, and I didn't want to carry extra sleeping bag space if I didn't have to (plus it makes the toeses cold). Or possibly any good big kids' bags? Usually I find them to be a little too tight in the shoulders and to be made for car camping not backpacking.

Mother Nature
04-27-2005, 21:43
You may want to contact Brawny at www.trailquest.net (http://www.trailquest.net)

She also is short and has modified her sleeping bags to keep her toes toasty.

Mother Nature.

SGT Rock
04-27-2005, 22:44
Make your own. www.thru-hiker.com (http://www.thru-hiker.com) has everything you need including patterns. Just change some dimensions to suit your needs.

Almanac
04-28-2005, 10:12
I'm 5' as well and just starting using the Western Mountaineering Ultralite, which comes in a "short" version. It's worked out perfect for me!

Almanac

Footslogger
04-28-2005, 10:17
[QUOTE=ishmael86]Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew of any good lightweight 20 degree bags (or thereabouts) that came in short lengths?
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Take a look at the REI SubKilo goose down (Womens model). Just bought one for my wife and she loves it. At 5'4" she's just a bit taller than you but I don't think that would make too much difference. The standard (mens) model is rated at 20 degrees but the womens model is rated at 15 degrees and has a different distribution of down (supposedly) based on womens body characteristics.

'Slogger
AT 2003

bulldog49
04-28-2005, 10:18
I highly recommend Western Mountaineering. They make excellent bags and have a good selection in short sizes.


http://www.westernmountaineering.com/

Nameless
04-29-2005, 12:52
Hello,

I'm also five foot tall, and only about 100 lbs. I did long and hard research looking for my sleeping bags, and found few alternatives to western mountainering that were real light and came in short. But, they have some of the most respected bags on the market, and I probably would have chose them even if i needed a regular legnth bag. I personally dont like the REI subkilo. First, it weighs more than a kilo, and the quality of REI gear has gone down recently, and i have seen a lot of people unhappy with the sub kilo. But, it can be a resonably cheaper choice then the WM Ultralight i got.

Hope to help
Pink

Ridge
04-30-2005, 01:33
....any good lightweight 20 degree bags (or thereabouts) that came in short lengths?....
Get a good seamstress to help you shorten a regular length bag, taking care of the zipper part.

Also, My hubby uses a THERM A REST FOAM FOLDING "Z PAD", we took a full length one and cut it for 3/4 (summer) use and he duct tapes the 1/4 piece back on for winter use (its a weight thing with him). You could do the same, but just putting excess in the trash. hope I was some help. hikerwife

Skeemer
04-30-2005, 07:56
When I ordered my Feathered Friends over the phone, they asked me some measurement questions and sounded as if they were "custom making" my bag for me. It's holding up great after a thru-hike plus 1,000 miles. They might be worth a phone call.

I've never had to wash it because of the way I use it...which brings up the question, how long does the loft last in a down bag and how long will the bag perform before you have to replace it.

ishmael86
05-02-2005, 00:02
Thanks for the ideas all around. Looks like if I want to get something cheap or on sale, I'll be modifying it myself, if not making the whole thing! It does go against my general philosophy of never hemming pants (in futile protest against a tall world), but it will give me a chance to hone my sewing skills.

whiteagle
05-02-2005, 00:50
Cool, someone from St. Louis! Born in Cape myself and going to be spending half my summer in Columbia. Anyway, I have to ask you to seriously reconsider if you are thinking about modding a down bag. I've made my own, and that was the most difficult thing I've done to date. I'm pretty good at sewing (or so I'm told, seems pretty simple to me) and make all my own gear, from pack to clothes to bag. I can't even imagine modding a down bag. A syn... maybe, but even that would be difficult. I'm an REI member and will defend their products to the death, but if I wasn't a seriously broke college student, I'd go with WM bags from now on.

Daniel

P.S. Where are some good trails up there? All work and no hiking makes Dan a dull boy.

TakeABreak
05-02-2005, 01:12
I do not have any experience with the above bags, I use Marmot bags, I just looked and the only thing they have close is a womens Helium regular, 5'6" 1lb 13oz, 900 down rated at 15 degree's.

One thing you may want to do to help keep those toe's warm, is as follows. If your rain jacket is gore tex or other breatheable material.

Take your rain jacket, zip it up. With the zipper face down, slide the bottom of your sleeping bag (and pad, if it reaches your feet, some people use pads 3/4 their body length) into the jacket, flip the hood over so it is under the front of the jacket. Snug up the waist draw string just a tad to keep the jacket from sliding out off.

This will keep the cool night air off, of the foot area of your sleeping bag, and keep your feet much warmer, I showed this to some people in february 2000, whose feet got cold at night, and they after doing they did not get cold anymore.

joshribbens
06-22-2005, 15:57
Montbell makes shorter bags in general when comapred to others and many of there bags have a drawstring near the end which allows you to tuck in and close of the last baffle. the bags are super lightweight but fairly expensive. It is definately worth the extra cost.