Sleeping Bag – What others should I consider?

You mention liking room so I'd consider a Montbell stretch:
http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=3203&p_id=2321162

I have two WM bags, but this is the bag I'd be looking at if I had to replace my WM Summerlite right now.

Look at Feathered Friends bags. http://featheredfriends.com/

Thanks Craig. My buddy that I camp with allot has a Montbell SS 30* I believe and he doesn't care for it too much. He says he gets cold well before the temp rating like I do in my 35* bag. So I've mostly written them off.

Have thought about the Summerlite with 2 oz overstuff but then thought for a few more ounces I can get the Megalite and have more insurance against the cold.

Thanks Kevin. I was looking at their website last night. Just so many variants and I couldn't find a comparison table so I could narrow the search down. Do you have specific recommendations of them or have you used any of their bags?

I have three WM bags, so much better coverage than a quilt and I have both a ZPacks and a EE. My 35F Caribou used to keep me good to 28F, but seems with me being older (61), I can get cool in it in the low 30's. I do most of my bping in the Sierra or southern Cascades in CA. Temps in Sept. can get under 30F and in early Oct. the teens. I hate to have to go up slightly in weight to increase my temp rating, but adding a few oz. of down may be better when getting a new bag.
Duane

If you choose any of the high quality bags or quilts you will be getting a more conservative rating but ultimately a lot depends on how warm or cold you sleep along with all the other considerations like pad insulation/clothing worn to bed/hydration/food consumed.

Unfortunately we sleep cold and found it difficult to find a bag that will work in shoulder seasons and summer too. My kit includes a WM versalite for the coldest temps and an EE quilt for the rest. I'm a stomach sleeper also and really like my EE quilt and supplementing with a balaclava eliminates the need for a full hooded bag. I do find when the temps start to bottom I like the snugness of a full mummy bag and just resign to sleeping on my back.

If you don't mind the extra weight of carrying a 20 deg bag in summer you can always unzip and use as a quilt. The wife and I used a single versalite last year on a short trip as a quilt to see if we were going like it. Sure enough we picked up some EE quilts. Love 'em.

jimmmyb

There's a ton of quilt companies and of course people will suggest WM, FF and ZPacks. But there is also Valandre, who is based in France. They make top notch, way expensive bags.
But, you should also look at Marmot. It seems like you're willing to drop big $$$ so I will suggest the Plasma series. The plasma 20 is as light as the WM bags, but has vertical baffles similar to EE quilts. The plasma series are marmots top bags.

But I have an EE revelation 20 I love. Use it for cold weather and an EE prodigy 50 for warm weather. Great quilts.

You will never regret buying the Western Mountaineering Bag.
I sleep cold and use the WM Ultra Lite for late fall-winter-early spring.
For warmer weather I have the Zpacks 20 degree wide. I love it but would not use it in the cold because I like covering my head and do not like the seperate hood.

Have thought about the Summerlite with 2 oz overstuff but then thought for a few more ounces I can get the Megalite and have more insurance against the cold.

If you’re looking for a roomy bag, I wouldn’t recommend the Summerlite. Don’t get me wrong; I have the Summerlite, and I love it. I’ve been camping and backpacking since the 60’s and my Summerlite is hands down my favorite bag ever. But roomy? No. It’s a bit tight.

Please note that I am a side sleeper, 6’0″, 220 lbs. I have the 6’0″ version of the Summerlite for myself and a 5’6″ version of the Summerlite for my daughter. The length is great for me. The width is a bit tight, but I find that it works for me.

I see you’re in So. Cal. If you’re nearby, you’re welcome to try one of my Summerlites for fit and see if it works for you, but I wouldn’t describe it as “roomy” in terms of width.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving
Hikin’ Jim’s Blog

Hey Sam,
I'm hoping to spend less, not more. The Marmot 30* is $579 and is just slightly heavier than the WM bag. It is in the same category but spendy. And I'm not really a spendy kinda guy. Though my objective is always to buy a thing once so I may spend a bit more initially to get what I consider best for me.

Hey Jim,

I appreciate your insight on the Summerlite. I realize now that it is too narrow for me. I may not be a big guy but I do toss and turn and I sleep less comfortably when constricted. I'm in CM, so we are in the same county. Maybe someday our paths will cross. Thanks HJ.

I'm definitely leaning towards the WM Megalite. I like the quality, overall weight, and the fact I can fully cover my head. It seems that the WM bag are price-fixed. Are there any vendors that sell below suggested retail? Any help would be great.

Google Hermits hut. I believe he sells below retail and you have the option of a free 2 oz. overfill.

jimmyb

I've use my WM Megalite to 26 F. and slept OK with a stocking cap, all my hiking clothes on and a 100 weight fleece vest.

After that 26 F. August (yes) in the southern Sierras I sent the Megalite back to WM to be overfilled. Now it looks like the Michelien Man and down can no longer be moved from top to bottom but now I can count on being warm in 20 F. weather.

The Megalite is roomy enough to wear your puffy vest or jacket inside without compressing the bag's down. With that puffy and long underwear, a balaclava and thin gloves you should be good to at least 15 F. if you are a "cold" sleeper.

Hi Eric,

Just the kind of info I was looking for. Very helpful. Thank you.

So, did you do the typical 2 oz overstuff? If that'll get me well below 30* that'd be awesome. And like you, I always have at least a puffy with me so I can supplement if needed.

In the end I want to buy one bag that can do it all (3 seasons) and this seems to be the one. Again, I like to buy quality once and WM seems the right company to do that with.

Anybody else happen to know where pricing below retail may be found for the WM Megalite? Maybe that's not possible, I don't know? Do they have pricing like Apple?

Anybody use the Hermits Hut website noted above? Are they reliable?

Another vote for Feathered Friends as that is what I have experience with. I have a Merlin UL, which isn't what you're looking for, but they do have bags that are. I would give them a call or email as their customer service is very helpful and they can directed you to what you are looking for. I've been very happy with the bag I got from them and wouldn't hesitate to get another.

Warren,
Yes I believe it was a 2 oz. overfill that I got. ("Standard" overfill) So that' another 1600 cu. in. but in reality a bit less since it may be a tiny bit compressed at that extra amount.

After getting the bag overfilled I slept in 12 F. weather in the Ruby Mountains in October when hunting. All I added was an ancient duck down, mummy shaped "topper" that I pinned on top of the bag. I just slept in long johns, no puffy and was fine.

To me Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering are of equal quality. I got a WM bag because I needed the versatility of the wider Megalite for both summer and winter.

In summer I have unzipped it completely, stuck the foot of my Thermarest Prolite in the foot of the bag to anchor it and used it as a quilt due to the extra width of the Megalite. The comfort of sleeping this way is like sleeping at home. Just slip a T shirt over the top of the mattress for a more "sheet-like" feeling if you're a stomach sleeper.

You could save a lot of time and money just going over to ebay. There are some classic vintage down sleeping bags that are roomier and cheaper than the ones that have been mentioned here. Some need to be cleaned and some maybe need to have some new high quality down put into them. Rainy Pass gear can do that for you. A wash is 40.00 and you don't have to suffer in a laudromat doing it yourself and they also can add 700 or 800 fill down for you. Even then the price would be cheaper than and the price will still be lower than paying for a Western or Feathered Friends, or a Valandre. Plus you can lounge in comfort regardless of the temperature while your "quilt companion" spends all night roping their quilt to the foam pad and trying to keep covered. There is a Vintage Camp 7 Basecamp for $69.00 that would be a fantastic bag. Roomy, zips open like a quilt, but warm. It needs a wash and possibly some down added, but it has something the newer bags just don't have and that is style. Love that Camp 7 logo.

I just figured I'd throw out another possibility. I'd personally go with a FF or WM myself as well. I've several posts of people finding the Plasmas for under $300 and I think one for $250. So ig I found one for that I'd go for it.

But I prefer quilts myself. Either way, like many will always say, you can't go wrong with any of the FF or WM bags as long they fit you correctly.

I would probably go for FF myself since you can get more customizations. Same quality as WM, just better options.

Just my $0.02

Good luck, Sir

After trying many sleeping bags my favorite is the FF Vireo Nano with 3 oz of overfill, weighs 19 oz (I had them make it with 900 Fill) and is warm down to 25 degrees with my WM jacket. I'm a cold sleeper. I also have a Vireo UL but prefer the Nano because I don't have to worry about condensation. I put the Nano in the rain for 30 minutes and then weighed it and it hand taken in no water. but no zipper so when it's warm out I just sleep on it with a jacket draped over me.

I froze in a Valandre Mirage.

The zpacks doesn't have good footbox for cold sleepers and the shell material is fragile compared to WM and FF. Also I found the long wide to be tight. I'm 5'11" and 200 lbs.

I had a PHD Mimix but found it clammy.

I had a Marmot Helium from 2007 with a half zip and loved it but it weight 12 oz more than the FF Vireo but was comfortable.

I have a WM Versalite that I use in Winter because it's wide enough for me to put a closed cell foam pad inside the bag which I find greatly increases the warmth and my legs are ice at home even under an electric blanket.

But to each his own, what matters to me may not be the same for you.

This thread has been very helpful. Still accepting advice and opinions.

Putting your head into a sleeping bag puts lots of moisture into it, wetting the down and possibly making you colder. While you couldn't go wrong with a WM or FF sleeping bag, I would look into a down quilt and down balaclava too. I have the Mamba from warbonnet. weighs next to nothing, warm and comfortable. Paired with a down hat or balaclava, very comfy. And the cost is a lot less then FF or WM bags. A whole lot less. Brandon will overfill it if you want to, has hydrophobic down, and stuffs small. Paired with the exped synmat its a good match.

The Terralite is worth a look, it will open out fully as quilt.