Need help choosing a sleeping bag

WM USA made vs. MH imported

WM bag is a few ounces lighter (colder though?) and probably uses a higher quality down fill power than MH. WM is extremely conservative with fill-power rating and they use only the best stuff that is higher than 850 fill. The WM bag should return to like-new down with a wash.

Might be hard to find anyone who has used both of these bags to compare.

The Phantom has 4 more ounces of fill than the Ultralite when new – it should be considerably warmer.

The Phantom has 4 more ounces of fill than the Ultralite when new – it should be considerably warmer.

 

Considerably warmer? A “bit” warmer more likely. Maybe.

It’s doubtful Mountain Hardware is using down of the same quality as WM. Howerver, the MH bag is cut for 6” of loft vs. the WM Ultralite’s 5”. The MH has a 58” shoulder girth vs. the WM of 59.” I have the WM Ultralite, albeit mine has 2 oz’s overfill. I like the Ultralite, but I’d go with the MH new vs. the WM used.

another question is, what’s the definitions of “minor down loss”? A few feathers that have penetrated the shell, or a rip that had to be repaired?

Supposedly the WM has only ~20 nights slept in it. If it was well taken care of, that’s acceptable. But how would you know? How was it stored? crammed in a stuff sack? What about the bowl of soup that got spilled on it, etc. If 20% is well within the rating that you need, despite the great rep of WM, for a bag, I’d probably go with the MH. I’m pretty scrupulous with how I treat my bags. With a new one, I’d know what I was dealing with.

I love it when someone says used once. And then you find out one thru hike or one trip to Denali with no vapor barrier. I have bought a lot of used bags and I ask a lot of questions like are all the baffles stuffed evenly w/ no low filled baffles,  is it clean with no smells or stains does it loft as new, has it been washed ? I bought one bag off gear swap that was priced great but misrepresented  it was dirty  had no loft.  I contacted the guy who said send it back I asked if I could wash it first? And  then at least it would come back better than it was.  I ended up keeping it and it’s been one of my favorite bags. Either of those bags could be a great buy or not. Ask a lot of questions and pay with pay pal goods and services, if it’s not in the best shape ask for your money back.