A 20deg Bag for Dude Who Hates Shopping

[Adan Lopez]

I am cold in my Montbell UL SS #3 30deg, I think it's more like a 40deg bag. So I want to sell this and get something warmer. Problem is, I hate shopping. I just spent 30 minutes reading reviews and I've had enough. Somebody help! You folks always know what's hip, so I trust you. Have a fav bag that fit's the bill? Know of a decent bag on clearance? Hook a brother up.

Around $300
Honest 25 degree warmth with baselayer only
Size Long
Less than 3lbs

[Jeff M.]

Would you consider a quilt or are you set on a bag? You could get a long 20 degree Revelation X down quilt with 30% overfill from enlightened equipment for around $200. Weight would be around 26 oz. The only downside would be if you don't want a quilt and it would be a little bit of a wait…although he could probably rush it if you need it for a trip.

If not, the Sierra Designs Nitro 30 or 15 in long could be a good choice for you. BPL did a review of the Nitro 30.

[Andy F]

I have that same MB #3 bag. I'm ok down to 30F with an R 3.1 pad under me. That's in a tent with a light fleece hat on. But, I'm a fairly warm sleeper. If you already carry a jacket, maybe sleeping in that help avoid another purchase and carrying more weight?

I seriously considered a Marmot Hydrogen. It looks like a nice bag with a conservative rating (EN rating is 30F). There's a good review of it here in the articles. I think it's around a half a pound heavier than the MB #3.

[Ben F]

Hard to go wrong with the Western Mountaineering UltraLite

[kevin smith]

if you want to save some cash and don t mind synthetic check out the mountain hardwear lamina 20 i had one and it was a great bag for under $200
it checks in right at your maximum weight rating but will be warm down to its rating
and has a nice draft collar in it to keep you toasty

if you want something lighter but more expensive western mountaineering is the way to go BUT

make sure you look closely at the specs for those bags the ones that have 59 inch cut

in the shoulder are tight for a guy with wide shoulders yesterday i tried the wm highlite regular right zip and it was like slipping into a rubber glove and i could not turn inside the bag at all the bag rolled with me whatever side i tried to turn on

jumped into my wm alpinlite and went ahhh now thats the ticket lol

anyway for a bigger guy like you adan make sure to look at the wm bags cut to about 62 inches plus in the shoulder and you will be fine

kevin

[Adan Lopez]

Jeff, Revelation quilt: wow! I did the quilt thing for a year and found it too fidgety for this active sleeper but man what a value!
Jeff, Nitro 30 $280: I totally missed this one, awesome find! Super warm but maybe too narrow (Kevin's point is spot on)
Andy, MB#3: I end up having to carry my down jacket and warm underwear and only use them to sleep, much heavier than just getting a warmer bag.
Andy, Hydrogen $330: warmth, width, good reviews. Wets out though and I usually use no shelter.
Ben, : yeah WM would be optimal but their $100 higher, that's a lot of money right now.
Kevin, Lamina: that's an awesome value! Space is at a premium in my pack though, so down is preferred.
Kevin, alpenlight: yup, this or the Megalite would be my first choice if I can't find something cheaper. You're so right about roomy shoulders.

Thank you guys for like the awesome/instant ideas! Keep em coming! Nitro 30 is my favorite non-WM option so far, any big guys out there that use this bag? How's the fit around the shoulders? Anybody wanna sell me their alpenlight or Megalight for a good price? :)

[Kattt]

Adan, maybe you are done with the Montbell SS; if not, I have the #2 that Emma used in Big Sur. You are welcome to borrow that to see if it would work. I am not going to need it in the forseable future. I have the 4 and the 2 and the difference is immense.

[Ben F]

One other suggestion is the Stoic Somnus 15- http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-somnus-15-sleeping-bag-15-degree-down

The specs simply can't be beat, for the money. Only hangup is if you're ok with the top zip.

[Dustin Short]

Adan, what sleeping pad are you using at the temps you're getting cold in? I used to get cold at 40F no matter what bag/clothes I was wearing. Focused on changing my sleeping pad and now my bag insulation goes MUCH further than I thought possible.

[Adan Lopez]

KAT: Thats awesome thank you! But, do you mean the #3 and #1? I cant find any #4 and #2. The UL SS #1 sounds pretty good.

Ben: $244! That's a great price. i noticed the shoulder circumference is 33", that sounds off. I wonder if they meant 33" radius for a girth measurement of 66".

Dustin: Thats a great point about the pad. I have taken it to about 35 on a 3/4 inch ridgerest and ive tried 30 degrees with an additional 1/4 ccf pad. Both times i needed to wear all my clothes.

[BlackHatGuy]

Have you considered a Zpacks Cloudliner VBL for your current bag? Only $99 and 1.8 oz. Might just fit the bill perfectly.

[Kattt]

I meant # 4 and #2. Someone said they have been discontinued. These are Super Stretch, not Super Spiral. Let me know if you want to try it out. If you do and it's what you are looking for, maybe we can work out a trade or something,

[David Lutz]

Adan –

Poke around for RAB sleeping bags.

Very nice, well-made down bags. Since the bags are not popular here they can sometimes be bought cheap.

I have two, a ten degree and a 28 degree. Paid mid $200's for each. I think from Backcountry or their outlet Department of Goods.

Run slightly heavier than WM but I can't see a difference in quality.

[Adan Lopez]

Kat, the #2 sounds very cool. is that thing bright yellow? and is it a long? Not sure i have anything to trade though. I think its rated 25, if thats accurate it would work nicely.

[Kattt]

It is blue/purple. It is long, but has a draw cord one foot from the bottom, so it can be cinched for short people ; ) or kids.
Let's move this to pm. No hurt feelings if you keep looking while you try this out.

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

I wish that MB would have kept the # 2 bag…I really wanted to get one of them but by the time I saved the $$$ up they were gone pretty much everywhere… but, I am really loving my Marmot Helium though so I cannot complain too much…

[Art Tyszka]

There's a Montbell 0 Long on Gear Swap for $350, that's a hell of a good deal. http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=59421

I think it's hard to beat the form and function of the MBULSS bags. I have the 3 myself andy LOVE it, but I am a warm sleeper and haven't used it below 35F yet.

[J-L]

Adan, I've always heard good things about Feathered Friends. Check out this bag: http://www.moontrail.com/feathered-friends-merlin-epic-long.php

Also, looks like Montbell is adding 1 extra oz of down to their UL Spiral Down Hugger #3: http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=795&p_id=2321151

It used to have 10 oz of fill, now the website is showing 11 oz and "Available Soon". The picture shows it's been EN tested to 33. Wonder when it will come out? Anyways, this probably means the old UL Spiral Down Hugger #3 was probably more of a 35 degree bag.

[Anonymous]

I have a lightly used 1/2 zip 2009 model Marmot Hydrogen that have used in a single wall tent or tarptent in baselayers comfortably at 25 degrees. I would sell mine for $165 shipped CONUS. If interested contact me at [email protected] is black and a long!

[Joshua Billings]

Adan, you crack me up. I had a thought. If you like your bag you have and there is enough space in the baffles you could get some down added to yours and save some cash. Down works in santa cruz does it. They use good down. Plus one for the alpinelite from western if you want a new one. I had both monte bell and western and i think western is better, personally, and worth the extra money. Maybe someone has one used.

[Donis Jeffs]

Have you considered adding a silk liner (4 oz +9 deg)or even the STS Reactor liner (9 oz +15 deg) to your current system? This has the added advantage of helping keep the bag clean. I use the silk liner in a MH Phantom 32 and have no problem keeping warm to below freezing with just base on a Thermarest prolite reg pad with my pack under my feet.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Adan wrote, "…I usually use no shelter."

That makes a big difference. Do you use a bivy?

[Ben F]

Josh, do you know what Downworks charges to add a couple oz?

[Kyle Meyer]

I'd suggest a custom quilt from someone like Ben at Goosefeet. For roughly your high end price, he made me a 56" wide quilt with 15oz of 900FP down (good to ~15º for me). I've taken it snow camping twice now and had no trouble with drafts or staying warm, and I'm coming around to the idea that I'm a cold sleeper. It weighs 24oz.

[Casey Bowden]

Josh wrote "Adan, you crack me up. I had a thought. If you like your bag you have and there is enough space in the baffles you could get some down added to yours and save some cash. Down works in santa cruz does it. They use good down. Plus one for the alpinelite from western if you want a new one. I had both monte bell and western and i think western is better, personally, and worth the extra money. Maybe someone has one used."

A few months ago I went to Down-Works with my MB SS #3 and asked about getting extra down and he wouldn't do it. I think he said the baffles were to complicated compared to a conventional bag.

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