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Western Mountaineering Tamarak Question

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PostedMay 19, 2009 at 10:43 pm

Hi Guys. I am new here. Hello to all.

I am thinking about purchasing a WM Tamarak as my main 3-season bag and am wondering what your thoughts might be about this bag and my intended use.

I am a 5'8" male, medium athletic build and average to warm body heat/metabolism. I would use the Tamarak in conjunction with either alone in summer, or my Mont Bell Thermawrap jacket ((7.5 oz) or my REI Gossamer hooded jacket (pertex shell, primaloft insulation – 13oz) on the far side of 3-seasons, along with a beanie, gloves and possibly my Mont Bell neck gator if necessary. The Thermawrap has successfully kept me warm in the low 40's to high 30's and the REI Gossamer has been great down to about 20 F. I plan on sleeping in a tent in most circumstances, using either my REI Quarter Dome T2, my MSR Missing Link or a TarpTent Sublite. I live in California and pack thoughout the state, including Big Sur, the Sierras and locally here at Henry Coe state park. At trip to the Grand Canyon in the fall is also in the works. Does this idea make any sense, or should I just save an additional $120 for a WM Summerlite? Thanks for your help and thoughts. Cheers!

PostedMay 20, 2009 at 8:23 pm

Hi David,
Just a suggestion; you will likely get more responses to a gear question in the “G Spot” forum.

The Tamarak is essentially a climber’s half-bag, and given your height will likely come up around the armpits. These bags make good sense when you are carrying a substantial belay jacket on a climb, but the lightweight jackets you listed would never be sufficient to keep me warm in a half-bag below 40 degrees. It might work for you- but the design is meant to be ultra-efficient for climbing and a bit of suffering is expected.
Also note that it does not have a full-zipper, which may make it overly warm in summer heat.

If you really want a half-bag, check out the Feathered Friends Vireo. It is a tight fit in the legs, but will give you full coverage to the neck. Note that for 3 season use they recommend pairing the bag with a Volant parka, which is a substantial down coat that is many times warmer than a Thermawrap or Gossamer.

Lastly, some people do not like having their arms free of their sleeping bags, which can occur with a half bag unless you tuck your hands into the opening. This, however, can percent a good seal and means you can’t thrash about at all.

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