New sleeping bag

[Josh Newkirk]

At the moment i have a montbell super spiral bag rated for 15 degrees. Im thinking that i need a different bag for the summer. Im thinking somewhere between 30 and 40 degrees.

Should i get a feathered friends bag rated for 30, a WM highlite or summerlite, or a montbell ul super spiral down hugger 3 or 5?

Or what about even the marmot pounder?

[Ultralite Hiker]

Lafuma x600 Cheap and light. It is 45 degrees, if it is enough for you I can confidently recommend it. I have taken it to 50 without trouble, so I do not think 45 would be an issue.

http://www.rei.com/product/798906

[Josh Newkirk]

Rob, do you think between my 15 and this 45 i can cover most of the year in the pacific nw?

[Josh Newkirk]

any other sleepin bag people would recommend for these conditions?

[. .]

Western Mountaineering HighLite for PNW year-round in the lowlands; 3-season in the mountains.

[James holden]

whatever en-rated 800 fill sleeping bag with a full zip is on sale after xmas … you wont need it till next summer anyways … lol

[Allen Butts]

Well i guess ill rep the summerlite here. Its an awesome summer bag as well as an all around 3 season bag. I prefer it over the highlite because of its continuous baffle construction which gives you the ability to shift the down around from the bottom to the top. If you're willing to spend the money i can tell you first hand it a great bag.

[Ryan Jordan]

I'll +1 for the SummerLite.

I've mostly used two bags since January in Montana this year: the BPL UL 240 Quilt and the WM SummerLite.

The SummerLite is the warmest full-zippered sleeping bag I've ever used for its weight. I further lightened it by hacking out the lower half of the zipper and sewing it shut down there. I highly recommend that modification if you can stomach the reduction of girth in the lower half of the bag by an inch. It saves a couple ounces.

Combined with the UL 240 Quilt, I have a < 3 lb setup that has taken me to minus 10 in great comfort (I've not used it below those temps yet).

The disadvantage to the SummerLite relative to the other bags you mention is its narrow girth. Especially when compared to the MontBell Huggers — the MontBell bags are astoundingly comfortable, and they are truly onto something magical with that Super Stretch system. I love these bags, too, and recommend them above most others to all but the hardcore, because they come with a little bit of a weight penalty.

[James holden]

odd that the summerlite is en rated to +2C lower limit comfort … or 35F

[Josh Newkirk]

according to the specs i have looked at the summerlite is the same weight as the montbell ul super spiral 3.

considering this though do you think that only paying 200 for the montbell on sale is worth it over the summerlite?

also is it worth the extra 2 ounces and 30 bucks to have super spiral rather then normal spiral?

[Mike W]

…

[carl becker]

I use a Montbell spiral #3 as my only bag. It would probably be a bit much above 50 degrees. It is very comfortable but the zip only goes 1/2 way. At 20 oz with added clothing taking it lower it works for me. I did get a WM for my daughter as she only needs a short version. Either way you will be getting a good bag just decide what is most important.

[Ultralite Hiker]

"Rob, do you think between my 15 and this 45 i can cover most of the year in the pacific nw?"

I have not done any backpacking in the PNW.

Does your current 15 degree bag zip out to a quilt? If so, I think your 15 degree bag, and the 45 degree bag I recommended would be all you needed.

I have a 25 degree bag, WM Alder MF, and I use it from about 20 degrees to around 45 degrees. At 45 I switch to the bag I recommended.

[Richard Nisley]

Eric,

Please share your source for this bag's EN 13537 test rating.

[. .]

"The SummerLite is the warmest full-zippered sleeping bag I've ever used for its weight. I further lightened it by hacking out the lower half of the zipper and sewing it shut down there. I highly recommend that modification if you can stomach the reduction of girth in the lower half of the bag by an inch. It saves a couple ounces."

You turned it into a Highlite(!) ;) (of course with a nicer hood and baffles – but who needs those at 35 degrees. That actually sounds like a great set-up.

@OP – The montbell UL Spiral #3 (not super-stretch) sounds like it would be a good value for you and if you change your mind, it should be easy to sell on the Gear Swap. I would suggest not mulling over the decision too much, since you can always sell there if you change your mind. It can be quite the fun to try different bags as well and will help you to fine-tune your kit and preferences.

[James holden]

Eric,

Please share your source for this bag's EN 13537 test rating

Komfortbereich (abhängig von Geschlecht, Körperstatur etc.) ca 2°C für Männer, ca. 6°C für Frauen nach EN-Norm 13537-2002

http://www.sackundpack.de/product_info.php?products_id=1627

Temperaturbereiche, gemäß EU-Norm 13537 (°C):
+6 +2 -14

http://www.super-tramp.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p3219_Western-Mountaineering-Summerlite-red.html

[. .]

Vielen dank, Eric. Ich war auch neugierig, wo du hast diese EN Zahlen gefunden.

[James holden]

ca va rien monsieur … lol

[. .]

ah, Oui merci beau coup, d'autant plus!

[Ken Helwig]

Summerlite

[Brad Groves]

I'd go Summerlite (no surprise to many). Fully baffled & able to shift the down, which I do occasionally find myself doing. I also really like the fact that it's a full-length zip; most UL bags are half-zips, & you just can't vent them as well in warmer weather.

The Feathered F. Merlin or Osprey could be good bets; they're spec'd with more fill than a Summerlite for roughly the same cut; they do weigh 4-6 oz more, but theoretically that should just be down weight. Playing with some Ospreys in the shop a while ago I felt that there were some more thin spots than I found in Summerlites/etc, but I could have just had a wonky batch.

[Josh Newkirk]

why is the summerlite so good?
is it a lot better then montbell or other brands and if so in which ways?
im not really against spending that sort of money, i was just wondering, because on face value the montbell ul spiral down 3 looks very similar to the summerlite.

[Aaron Reichow]

Personally, I'd go with the Montbell UL Spiral or Super Spiral #3 or #5. My older UL Super Stretch #3 has kept me warm into the high 20s with nothing but a base layer and socks, so if I were in your position I may be considering the #5 to keep it on the warmer end of things. *shrug*

Something that may help you decide between the SummerLite or a Montbell Spiral is how much room you like in a bag. Like Mike W said- what are your priorities?

MB UL Spiral #3:
Inside Shoulder Girth: 61.4-73.7"
Inside Knee Girth: 49.2-59.1"
MB UL Super Spiral #3:
Inside Shoulder Girth: 57-81"
Inside Knee Girth: 47-67"
WM SummerLite
Shoulder: 59"
Hip: 51"

The hip measurement of the SummerLite can't be compared directly to the MB knee girth, but you can get pretty close by taking off an inch or three from the SummerLite's hip girth to get a comparable number for the MB bags at the knee.

IMHO, the Feathered Friends Merlin or Osprey seem like overkill for what you seem to be looking for- a light bag 30-40 degrees. Nice bags, but sounds like you already have the warmer end of 3+-season bags covered.

[Brad Groves]

Some specs to consider:

MB Super Spiral DH#3
650 fill- $200
12oz fill (9oz 850equiv.) – 1#15oz
Shoulder girth to 75"

MB UL Super Spiral DH#3
800 fill- $279
10oz fill (9.4oz 850equiv) – 1#5oz
Shoulder girth to 75"

WM Summerlite
850 fill- $315
9oz fill- 1#3oz
Shoulder girth to 59"

Short version: you have equivalent amounts of insulation in each of the three bags, but the two MB bags expand to 16" more shoulder girth. Lots more space to fill w/an equivalent amount of down = colder bag. WM is known for extremely conservative ratings; my experience w/MB is that the bags seem noticeably underfilled.

It seems that a $35 price difference for a lighter, warmer bag is quite reasonable.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

I got the WM Megalite for:

1. it's width when fully unzipped and used as a quilt on warm nights

2. the extra girth to accomodate mid layer insulating clothing, like a light down jacket, to extend the bag's temp range down into the low teens.

[Author]

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