~20F Sleeping bags

Left out:

Kelty Lightyear 3D 25 25F 38 Polarguard 3D $90 campmor.com

Let’s try this again. This was so tedious that a root canal started to sound good :)
Brand………..…..Model……..…….Temp rating…Weight, oz…..Fill material……….Price…..……Vendor

Coleman………..Grey Fox20……..20F…….……….48……..…….Polarguard 3D………$90.00….…backcountryedge.com
Kelty…..………..Sonora 20………..20F…………….50……………Polarguard 3D.….….$90.00….…backcountryedge.com
Kelty…………….Lightyear 3D 25..25F…………….38…….……..Polarguard 3D………$90.00….…campmor.com
Marmot……..…..Pounder Plus……25F…………….34……………Primaloft Sport..……$180.00……Backcountry.com
Moonstone……..Delta Minima……20F……………35……………Polarguard Delta.…..$150.00……Backcountry.com
Mt. Hardwear.…2nd Dimension….15F……………50……………Polarguard Delta.…..$175.00……Altrec.com
Mt. Hardwear.…Switch…………….20F……………48……………Thermolite Extra.….$120.00……REI
Sierra Designs…Wild Bill…………20F……………48……………Polarguard 3D….…..$100.00……Altrec.com
Sierra Designs…Cochise……..……15F……………49……..…….Polarguard Delta.…..$140.00..….LL Bean
Sierra Designs…Volt………..………15F……………40……………Primaloft Sport.…….$210.00……REI
Slumberjack……Ultimate…….……20F……………48……….…..Thermolite Extreme…$70.00….…Campmor
TNF………..…….Cat’sMeow..……20F…………….45……………Polarguard Delta….$159.00…….Altrec.com
TNF………..…….Fission……..…….20F……………36…………….Polarguard Delta.….$209.00……Backcountry.com
TNF………..…….Orion……….…….20F……………38…………….Primaloft……..……..$189.00……Backcountry.com
TNF………..…….Blaze……….…….20F……………46…………….Polarguard 3D….…..$109.00……Moosejaw.com

I guess the hooks are in the accurracy of the temp ratings and weights. Much to look into there.

Have you used the Kelty Light Year and if so, what do you think?

Dale,

Thanks for takin the time to compile the list. One bag that belongs in there is the 20F Integral Designs Renaissance. I haven’t seen this bag(and good luck finding it locally) but ID has a reputation for making quality synthetic bags. Weight for the regular size is 46 oz. Fill is Primaloft Sport.
I recently picked up a TNF Orion. Weight on my scale is 37.1 oz, .9 oz. lighter than advertised! The Primaloft insulation drapes nicely and the bag stuffs easily into the bottom of my Vapor Trail. Not yet sure if it will keep me warm down to 20F , but European websites say “Temp rating to EN 13537:-7C” or 20F. It would be nice if the USA could adopt this standardized rating system, but I suppose that’s too much to ask. :-)

Hi Dale,

Thanks for doing this, one problem I’ve found with the gear guide on this site is a strong bias for down bags (well, duh, they are lighter!). Unfortunately my wife is allergic to down so it has to be synthetic for us. I had a lot of trouble settling on a bag to buy.

I have the lightyear, but so far have only climbed into it in my living room! All my weekends are booked for the month already so it will be awhile til I can give it a try.

I can say I’m quite impressed with the design especially since it is such a bargain. Foot vent, double pull zipper (hip length), good zipper draft tube, little tie points to secure to a sleeping pad, functional hood design. For the record I’m just about 6’1″ and the regular length is just fine for me.

Does it really all work? Can’t wait to find out – certainly wins on the claimed performance, wieght, cost curve. I asked a few weeks ago if anyone had any experience with the bag and got no response.

The other nice thing, for my wife who sleeps cold, is they have a womens short version which even though it is much shorter has the same fill weight – so hopefully she’ll be comfortable at the same temps as me.

Oh, and REI stores do seem to stock this bag (for $110!!!, I remember a decade ago when there was actually stuff to buy at REI – even with their 20% coupons it is hard to find anything – outlet is OK sometimes – but I digress) so you can go check it out if there is one nearby.

Ken

Dale, if you put your table between <!tt> and <!/tt> and omit the “!” your table will look like this –

Brand.............Model........Temp...Weight, oz..Fill material......Price.....Vendor

Coleman........Grey Fox20.......20F.....48.......Polarguard 3D.......$90.00..backcountryedge.com
Kelty..........Sonora 20........20F.....50.......Polarguard 3D.......$90.00..backcountryedge.com
Kelty..........Lightyear 3D 25..25F.....38.......Polarguard 3D.......$90.00..campmor.com
Marmot.........Pounder Plus.....25F.....34.......Primaloft Sport....$180.00..Backcountry.com
Moonstone......Delta Minima.....20F.....35.......Polarguard Delta...$150.00..Backcountry.com
Mt. Hardwear...2nd Dimension....15F.....50.......Polarguard Delta...$175.00..Altrec.com
Mt. Hardwear...Switch...........20F.....48.......Thermolite Extra...$120.00..REI
Sierra Designs Wild Bill........20F.....48.......Polarguard 3D......$100.00..Altrec.com
Sierra Designs Cochise..........15F.....49.......Polarguard Delta...$140.00..LL Bean
Sierra Designs Volt.............15F.....40.......Primaloft Sport....$210.00..REI
Slumberjack....Ultimate.........20F.....48.......Thermolite Extreme..$70.00..Campmor
TNF............Cat's Meow.......20F.....45.......Polarguard Delta...$159.00..Altrec.com
TNF............Fission..........20F.....36.......Polarguard Delta...$209.00..Backcountry.com
TNF............Orion............20F.....38.......Primaloft..........$189.00..Backcountry.com
TNF............Blaze............20F.....46.......Polarguard 3D......$109.00..Moosejaw.com

Screen resolution and window width are factors too.

Dale,
Great list…just what I've been looking for. THANK YOU. I'm going to Philmont at age 56 and need a lightweight but warm synthetic bag. What do you recommend for a compressible pillow. What do you recommend for a pad in the mountains?

I have 2 SD Wild Bill 20* bags (mens & womens), and 1 TNF Cat's Meow 20* bag (mens). The Wild Bill's are really only warm to around 35* for me and 43* for my wife. The Cat's Meow is about 3-5 degrees warmer – but much less roomy / more restrictive.

I tend to sleep around the average, and my wife a little on the cold side. Both of us vastly prefer down. Our roomy 15* Marmot "budget" down bags keep me warm to 10*, and my wife to 15*. Plus they pack a lot smaller (saving about 15 litres of pack volume) and were only $169 (at REI's store, last year) due to the 650 fill power down. In fact, they are so warm, I need to get a 35* version for spring / fall since otherwise we get way too hot on 25-35 degree nights…