Kelty sleeping bags?

I've used a Kelty Lightyear +15 and found the bag rating optimistic. That said, it would definitely keep me warm to about 25F, so its' not that much of a variation. I imagine a 20F Kelty bag would be just the thing for comfortably down to freezing.

the kelty light year uses 19oz of 650 fill for a 20* bag, so 20oz of 550 def sounds low. my personal rule of thumb is:
reported low temp + 10* = actual low temp

if it's a discount bag like you're talking about, i may actually revise that to:
reported low temp + 15* = actual low temp

Campmor seems to sell a fair amount of Kelty 550 bags, some in non-mummy configurations. You may want to check out reviews at their site. I think many Scouts have used these bags, and earlier this spring some were on special sales.

Thanks for the input! Since I can't afford better quality down bags (need to buy 3 of them), would I be better off buying synthetic bags in the same price range?

Bob- what did you end up buying? If it was the 550 down Kelty at Target, what were your impressions? I noticed it at Target recently myself and wondered what the quality was like compared to other +20 and +30 down bags under $100. Not in the market myself, mostly for recommending to friends who may need to get a sleeping bag for a trip quickly, situations when there isn't the time to research, compare prices, buy online, try it out, send it back, buy choice number two, etc etc.

Just thought I'd follow up on this. Someone PM'd me to ask if I knew what they weighed. I was in Target yesterday and checked, but thought I'd reply here in case anyone asked in the future. Weight claimed is 2 lb 8 oz. That's heavier than most BPLers would like for a 20-30 degree bag, but it doesn't seem too bad considering the price. Compares well on the weight and compactibility front to a synthetic bag like the Marmot Trestles 30.

If Target had a more liberal return policy I'd be tempted to buy it just to try out on a 25-35 F fall night…

@Kieran Actually the fill isn't too far off when compared to the Kelty Light Year +20.

Fill/Wt Std to @ 600 Price Wt
Kelty Light Trekker +20 550/20 oz 18.3 oz $90 2.5 lb
Kelty LY +20 650/19 oz 20.6 oz $190 2.3 lb
Marmot Never Winter +30 600/14 oz 14.0 oz $200 2.1 lb

FWIW the 2010 Light Years are EN rated.

The new 20deg is as big as the zero deg from last year. I take this to mean that they were lying by about 20deg.

Went up to the Upper Peninsula this weekend with these bags. The lows were down in the low 40's and I found myself very comfortable through out the night. My wife and daughter (both cold sleepers) where also comfortable. My wife pulled the bag around her head and said that really helped. We sleep on cots with folded blankets as a sleeping pad. If it where colder a more formal thicker pad would be needed. They seem to be very well made, but since this is our first down bags, I don't have anything to compare it to.
Our old bags were the basic 5 lb Coleman overnight type bags, so the improvement is incredible!

Good to hear that you tried them out! I took one out of the box at Target a while back- they seem well constructed, aren't stored really compressed, etc. given the specs, I think I'd recommend them to friends needing something quick who weren't ruling to spend $200+ for the Marmot and Mountain Hardwear bags available locally.

I bet they'd do better with an insulating pad…

Just saw these at Target myself. Paced back and fourth in the isle for about 35 mins reading about the bag on my iphone. Part of me thinking it may be too good to be true and the other worried that if anyone else in the store on Black Friday discovered these they would gone in seconds. Against my better backpacking instincts (that say only buy from tested and true outfitting stores) i purchased one and will be taking it this weekend to a 40 mile stretch of the AT in North Carolina. Lows are expected in the 30's. I'll let you know what I experience.

Finally, someone bites! :)

Were they on sale on Black Friday?

$79.99 I think. So no I do not believe they were on sale black Friday. I leave Wednesday for the trip… looking at the weather I am going to take a fleece liner just in case the bag is not all its cracked up to be.

I've been testing a Kelty Cosmic Down 20 for an upcoming review. Short version, I've found it surprisingly warm in the mid 20s.

WELL HERE ARE THE SPECKS BETWEEN THE TWO

Kelty Light Trekker (According to Target Web)

•Features: Two-Way Zipper
•Lowest Temperature Rating: 20º
•Shell Material: Polyester
•Polyester
•Material Fill: %100 550 Duck Down
•Dimensions: Length: 80.0 "; Width: 62.0 "; Height: 1.0 "
•Product Weight: 2.8 Lb.
•Sleeping Bag Lining Material: 100 %
PRICE = $79.99 Target.

Kelty Cosmic Down (According to Kelty Web)

Fits to 6’ / 183 cm
Length: 80” / 203 cm
Shoulder girth: 62” / 157 cm
Fill weight: 20 oz. / 0.6 kg
Total weight: 2 lb. 8 oz. / 1.1 kg
Stuffed diameter: 7" / 18 cm
Stuffed length: 14" / 36 cm
Material Fill: 100% 550 Duck Down

PRICE = 99.00 Kelty.com

You be the judge but they seem to be the exact same bag.

I just brought this bag home from target today, i got it for a mere 48$. thats why it made it into my shopping cart. upon opening it, it seems to be a decent bag. and being at 48$ it was just to good to pass up. and my girlfiend really needes a decent lightwieght bag for mild temps, so i figured what the hell. anyway its lofting on the bed right now, i hope to have a review of it soon. seems to pack comparably small to other 20 bags, yet i dont think it will live up to rating. course i dont expect it to see many nights around its rating, so i hope it will do the trick!