FEATHERED FRIENDS Tanager 20 CFL Sleeping Bag

nunatakusa sastrugi zipper less sleeping bag is also a good choice, more roomy than the Tanager. I’ve had both.

it doesn’t readily accommodate any overfill without compromising the loft of the down that’s already in the bag

I didn’t know that overfill can compromise loft. How does that work? (I imagine that, in this context, “compromising” the loft in the bag amounts to limiting or reducing it.)

I picked a zipperless bag because I’m a cold sleeper, I ended up owning both the 30 degree and 18 degree sastrugi  after using the FF Tanager which is also a great bag. It’s weird to tie it round your neck with your hands inside the bag. It’s a pain to get in and  out if you have to pee but great warmth for the weight as long as you have a warm hat and can relax. Never had to worry about problems with loft with the sastrugi. I had the the 18 degree down to 0 degrees but I cheated and had a dense foam mat inside the bag which for some reason magnified the warmth generated inside the bag. I also used a montbell breeze dry tec sleeping bag cover to keep from rolling off the other inflatable thermarest pad.

I’ll check out nunatakusa sastrugi zipper less.

One thing I struggle with is which is which temperature I really need. I have only backpacked with a night low in the 30’s once. Usually, it’s a low of 40’s. I’ve had a feathered friends 20 degree sleeping bag before and I was never cold. Too warm a few times. Also though, being cold at night while I sleep is probably something that causes me a little anxiety.

My rationale when choosing the 30 degree wide is that I always wanted the extra room for general comfort, and my night temps are typically in the 30s and 40s. So it might be a little warm for 40s, just right for 30s, and if I need to push the limits into the 20s I can always where extra clothes for that, especially with the wide bag. However, if I chose 20 degrees I would most of the time be too warm and always carrying an extra 2 oz, which gives me more anxiety ha! I tend to sleep warm so not too concerned if it dips below the bag rating, especially given FF’s reputation and quality down.

I have a Tanager 20 regular width, pretty sure I bought it from Anthony Weston a few years back. I’ve only used it a few times, but coincidentally took it out last night to re-test it as it’s been a few years and I’m re-evaluating my sleep systems. I am a cold sleeper and typically need a bag rated 15-20 degrees warmer than the low temps to stay warm. I found the Tanager warm enough at 35 but my legs were cold when the temp dipped to 30 last night. I was in an Xmid Pro 1 on a Nemo Elite pad, wearing just capilene thermal weight tights on the bottom, on top had an alpha 90 hoody plus beanie and an arcteryx cerium down hoody. Legs got cold, upper body stayed warm. So for me the Tanager is rated appropriately, I would just need a warmer layer on my legs to be comfortable at 30 degrees. I find getting in and out of it is fairly easy, not really any harder than dealing with a zipper. The single drawcord works well and is very easy to manage, and unobtrusive. Drafts are not an issue. The Tanager actually works surprisingly well for how simple it is.

I’m pretty slim so the regular width works for me, but I think the wide would be a better choice for anyone with a more medium to stocky build.

Thanks all! I think the Tanager 30 degree wide is what I’ll be getting.