north face or mountain hardwear

Any reason you want to go synthetic for a bag that warm? Not only do I not trust the ratings (if I were really going to have to take it that cold), but they are very bulky and heavy compared to down. I wouldn't mess around at -30 and would go with Marmot, WM, Feathered Friends, etc.

From what I've gathered from the OP is that he needs a bag for an adventure race/bikepacking and is not sure if he will need it after that.

this is true. i'll be bikepacking not backpacking. weight is not as import though lighter is always nicer. bulk won't matter as the bag will be strapped to a rack.

i went to a local outfitter. he showed me a WM bag for almost a grand, ouch. he then showed me the MH which will fit my budget.

i have a friend who said he would loan me his slumberjack -30F bag. I can fall back on this if nothing else works out.

How cold are you really expecting to get? At those temps, I would go with the one with the most insulation (in oz) as I assume it would be warmer. The North Face bag does use Climashield Apex, which is a top tier synthetic insulation.

it's hard to say what the weather will be like. most years it gets down to-20F. last year was mild, above 0.

the NF bag is 7oz heavier and has a colder rating.

If its a one-time deal, why not rent a bag?

EDIT: found this on geartrade, cheap: http://www.geartrade.com/item/277688/dark-star-sleeping-bag-40-degree-asphalt-grey-r

i couldn't find anyone who rented a -20F bag.

that's the bag in question. the MH would be from a local outfitter.

they will have the temperature range you are looking for.

Wow. What kind of adventure race is this?

I've done limited bikepacking and adventure racing. My experience was that both hobbies required even stricter attention to weight and bulk than backpacking did. There simply is not room for bulky stuff when you're carrying it on a bike. Just 10 pounds on a bike feels like a tremendous load, slows me down considerably.

– Elizabeth

arrowhead ultra 135.