WM Highlite vs. Nunatak Sub-Alpinist

They're both good. Do you want a quilt or a bag?

Chris,
The Nunatak Sub-Alpinist is a sleeping bag and not one of their great quilts.

For warm weather use I would opt for the WM Summerlite with its longer side zip for venting. The Nunatak has a short top zip and the WM highlite has a short side zip, either will making venting difficult.

I'll second Thom– venting of (19 oz) Summerlite makes a big difference, IMO.

Another consideration: In your comparison, the Highlite has 8 ounces of down whereas the Sub-Alpinist has 5.5 ounces of down. Both are great bags, but which one do you think will be closer to its stated rating? I own several WM bags, and I can say that they're the only ones I've used that are true to their ratings. But I haven't used the Nunataks, and you could get some overfill.

Nunatak 1.5" loft 5.5 oz fill baffeled

WM 3.5" loft 8 oz fill sewn through (have heard of cold spots with wind being an issue)

If you are a warm sleeper that can make it though the night comfortable without moving then the Nunatak's weight can't be beat. But if you aren't a sleep disciplined adverture racer the extra couple ounces makes a large difference in terms of comfort.
Both bags are from top tier companies and the subalpinist is a great looking bag but its impossible for 5.5 oz of 800+ fill down to insulate as well as 8 oz. Unless you are expecting to never drop below 40 I thing the nunatak will simply be too cold. Also on the sub a 34" foot girth is pretty small, if you like any wiggle room I would suggest carrying an extra couple ounces for some more space to move around. The highlight will have the same foot girth as your phantom. The nunatak 4" less.

I have the Highlite, haven't used it since purchasing the JRB No Sniveller. I too would go for the Summerlite, much more versatile.
Franco

I've never really understood the long zip fetish. My sleeping bag has NO zip and I just sleep with it on top of me in warmer weather if needed at all.

Full zip options :
Fully zipped (max warmth)
Half zipped (some ventilation)
Fully unzipped (more ventilation)
Fully unzipped and used on top as a quilt…
Franco

Chris

I still favor a mummy bag over a quilt since I roll around alot at night. I just roll my Phantom bag with me. The insulation on the bottom of the bag lofts when I am sleeping on my side and keeps my backside warm. Plus with a full bag I can get away with a skimpier pad or sometimes none at all.

+1 for the summerlite

It can be really annoying when it is too cold to sleep outside your sleeping bag but too warm to sleep in it. A full zip gives you the option of laying it over you like a quilt, which is much cooler. I wouldn't buy a sleeping bag without a full zip, because conditions are sometimes a little warmer then you expect and being hot makes for a pretty bad night's sleep. The small extra weight involved gives you a whole lot more flexibility.

So get the quilt, or get a full zip bag. A half zip bag just doesn't cut it for me.

i dont have these excat bags BUT – i do have a custom built 10F Alpinist with longer central zip and cinch cord foot opening like in their Raku model. I love that bag:
center zip makes the hood design so efficient and is more practical for sitting in camp etc. with the opening at the bottom i can either vent OR walk around in camp a bit (say for taking a wee). fro comparison i have had a WM Verslite which is a great bag…but side zips are just IMHO not that good….it vents in the wrong place: your arms, instead of venting your torso which is where the real heat is.

Talk to tom at nunatak – you can make a cutom subalp with anything you want – UL material..or water repelleant, any length zip…you can also add some extra fill if you want and pockets and what not.

RE the weight diff – althoug there is a point in looking at the fill weight diff – remember that the sub is baffeled AND has a more efficient hood design which together mean that less fill goes a longer way.

BTW – i am looking into a UL 40F bag as well and contemplating buying a custom trimmed down version of the sub…also looked at PHD designs minim ultra and minimus (both 900fill)

Another thought for you (and i would LOVE to have people with experience comment of this) – i dont like quilts or top bags because i often side sleep and toss around alot at night. I thought of getting a half bag (like the nunatak akula)and use it with a good top and balaclava…wonder how it will work with the 30ish temp range
Mike

Mike,
It's funny that you wouldn't consider a quilt as you often side sleep, and toss and turn all night.
I bought a Nunatak Arc Specialist quilt, BECAUSE i often side sleep, and toss and turn all night! :)
No more do i get twisted in knots inside a tight bag. Now i can toss and turn to my hearts content. Just like i do at home.:)

Mike Reid –

Did you get a 'standard' Specialist? Or Custom?

And if so, have you measured the width of bag?

I'm curious as I have an older Arc Alpinist and it is around 52" versus 55", and just narrow enough to be a bit drafty.

I do like it for all the room it affords will order one a bit wider to suit my needs. (5'9", 175#)

Thanks.

Greg-

That's interesting. I'm 5'8 and around 170 and find 48" to be plenty…no draft problems.

Like Mike, I recently ordered an Arc Specialist because I side sleep and move around a lot. 55" seems like quite a large quilt dimension for shoulders considering that a lot of WM bags are only 59". (I'm 6'1" and 190)

Mike – intersting indeed….
I have never used a quilt (unless you count sleeping in my bed, spooned with the wife with our down comforter and the AC on in summer…) but my rational is quite the opposite – if the weather is nice – then it doesnt realy matter what you do – youll b warm enough. On the other hand if its cold (e.g. i slept out on a -4F night in western sichuam china in elevation of about 16000f and it was darn cold with my bag, mat, UL montbell down jacket, gloves, hat etc) so i wanna know that no matter what i do there will be no draft issues. I know the theory of the quilts with pad straps or top bags and such – i just dont buy it ;) I realize that if you are careful etc etc – buy i dont want to be careful – i want to sleep and be safe. same reason i dont like hoodless for cold weather. Side sleeping in a mummy is a piece of cake – just roll over and thats it – no need to think about where the pad is, or lift yourself so the quilt doesnt move or something. of course i realize that quite a few people use quilts so YMMV

Horses for courses…
The OP's question was about 14-16 oz summer bags
Franco

time to bring this thread back to life! 8)