Who makes the lightest sleeping bags?

[Chris Jones]

Who makes the lightest sleeping bags, considering warmth for weight?

Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends seem to be popular bag choices in the BPL community, but I am wondering if there are any makers, besides the obvious commercial manufacturers, that I am unaware of.

I am a cold sleeper, as well as a side-back-side sleeper, so any recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[Franco Darioli]

well I use WM but you could take a look at :
http://www.yetiworld.com/en/produkte/schlafsaecke.html
or
http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/sleepingbags.php?cat=26
Franco

[Nathan Watts]

Try Nunatak as well

[James holden]

careful on the "lightest" …. as you could easily end up something that is "less warm" … the only real way to tell is to also compare the en-rating

[Katy Anderson]

There is really nothing magic about sleeping bags, it's just down inside a nylon shell.

You get the warmest / lightest bag possible if you use high fill power down, a thin nylon shell and the smallest dimensions that would be comfortable for you.

Western Mountaineering have been making Ultralite / Summerlite bags for years using this recipe: 850 FP down, Pertex Quantum shell (they call it ExtremeLight), and a circumference at the shoulder of 59 inches.

You'll find that other high end sleeping bags use similar materials with similar results.

[K C]

http://www.tenpoundbackpack.com/gear-lists/lightweight-sleeping-bags/

According to this chart, I make the lightest full length sleeping bag at 297 grams. Well, I'm sure another myog BPL member has me beat!

[Tommy Franzen]

The new Rab Infinity series are pretty darn light for full sleeping bags, starting at a stated 15.6oz for the SL. The new Mountain Hardware Mtn Speed 32 weighs about the same, 15.7oz. Although, these are probably cut really slim, and designed for fast/light alpine ascents, so might not work well for a side-back-side sleeper.

[Mike R]

It's hard to beat Western Mountaineering. As mentioned above, the recipe for a light bag is pretty basic [super light materials like Pertex Quantum and high quality 850+ down] and WM's ExtremeLite series is pretty light. I have a Feathered Friends bag too and I find the quality and construction of the WM to be superior … mostly in a fit and finish kind of way. Another good manufacturer of light, warm bags is Valandre [a French Company] though I have no experience with them. Feathered Friends, WM, and Valandre and largely considered by most to be the finest sleeping bag manufactures around.

[jscott]

No love for Marmot? I own the Hydrogen and just bought a Helium. They're both pretty sweet imo.

[Anthony Weston]

I started with a Marmot Helium (the older version with the breathable shell) which I loved. I have also owned over the years:
a WM UltraLite
a FF Vireo
a Marmot Hydrogen
a Valandre Mirage
a Zpacks sleeping bag
an Older Moonstone sleeping bag made in SF
a Sawatch quilt and a few others etc

I'm a cold sleeper, currently I use a EnlightenedEquipment quilt as my go to bag, 14.5 oz and good to 15 degrees. It has a non breathable cuben shell which is soft to the touch and warms up much faster than conventional bag's nylon or polyester shell. I sleep on my side so I use a bivy to limit drafts to one side. The Sawatch would be my 2nd choice at 24 oz and again good to 15 degrees. The Sawatch allows you to wear a down jacket to bed and so you can use it for temperatures lower than 15 degrees. If I tried that with the cuben I'd come out all hot and sweaty so I don't push my cuben quilts past the advertised temperature rating – if I expect it to be 30 degrees than I take the 15 degree quilt, if I think it will be colder than I take the 0 degree cuben at 20 oz.

[Mark Primack]

I have two Montbell bags: The #5(40F) at 18oz for summer, and the #3 (15F) at 2lb 2oz. I combine them in the winter down to -10 or -15F. What I really like about these bags is that they are roomy and stretch. I'm a side sleeper and roller-arounder and lightness and warmth are both worthless if I can't get comfortable. I'm a light sleeper as well, and if I don't sleep well, I may not have as much fun out there and up there. I have owned numerous other bags but the MBs are the most comfortable for me.

[M B]

the MH speed 32 is 15.5 oz, EN rated at 32F. Narrow cut, and about 1/4 zip.

[Ben Whitsett]

Hey brother,

Being a cold sleeper do you find that a 15 degree quilt is really good to 15 degrees? I've been looking at the Enlightened Equipment quilts and debating the temp ratings. I am a very warm sleeper and have a 30 degree WM and a 40 degree Marmot that I can take a good 7 or 8 degrees below their temp ratings.

[Anthony Weston]

Only had the 15 degree cuben quilt down to 25 degrees so far, it snowed in Golden Trout Wilderness last year while we were there. I was toasty. On colder trips I've been bringing the 0 degree quilt.

However, the qood thing about a quilt is, if it's warm you just loosen it up a bit or just keep my legs in it and wear a jacket.

They are fragile however and you can not jam them into a stuff sack; I made that mistake and had to duck tape here and there, the stressed out cuben.

[Heather Hohnholz]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Zpacks. I have a 20 deg regular wide for about 17 oz. Love it!! And Joe is super customer friendly, and will pretty much do any customizing you need.

[Roman Vazhnov]

Sivera Vezha
386 grams (13.6 oz) for 200 cm (6.56 feet). Tlim = +3C (+37.4F). 900+ FP down, 10d inner and outer fabric.

[Jace Mullen]

As far as classic sleeping bags go (i.e. not quilts), my knee jerk reaction would be that Zpacks makes some of the lightest. I have no experience with them however.

[K C]

True zpacks are light, but have 6oz of down in them. At 40F+ you would want a synthetic bag, therefore have to myog to break the sub 300g barrier.

[Dirk Rabdau]

Are all 20 degree bags equal? Obviously, there is quite a bit of discussion on these boards in regards to standards in testing sleeping bag ratings (particularly in regards to the relevant comfort of men and women). I find it difficult to believe from my own limited experience that my lighter bags are as warm as some of my heavier bags, even if the same temperature rating applies. My Helium bag, rated at 15 degrees, doesn't feel as warm as my Feathered Friends bag, also rated for 15 degrees. Both are good bags, but the Feathered Friends bag is substantially warmer.

I really would like to try other very light bags. I just wonder if they are well suited for where I hike – the Pacific Northwest primarily. The cold, moist air does a number on my down bags compared to the relative dry air of the Sierra, for example.

Dirk

[Rusty Beaver]

"Try Nunatak as well"

Too bad they're priced so high. I'd like to be the owner of the Alpinist but the prices are 15-20% higher than other acclaimed bags. I would not have an issue with this if there was something that clearly made them worth that much more but (sigh)….I just don't see it.

[Anonymous]

I have a 20 degree Zpacks quilt/bag in long/wide w/2 ounces of overfill, total 14.4 ounces of 900 wht. down. I have it w/both zipper, and straps. It weighs 22.6 ounces. For me it is good to 15 degrees w/clothes, and in one wall tent, or tarptent I use( BD Highlite2, and TT Rainbow), particularly the BD tent. Plan to use on JMT early/mid September. I also have and use a Marmot Hydrogen, and a couple Tim Marshal 3/4 length synthetic quilts.

[tomba]

How do REI sleeping bags stack up?

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