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hey looking for advice on a < 0-degree down bag -

looking for light and compact. mostly will be used for bc skiing outings.

would like to keep it under $400-500 if possible.

looking at these two:

http://www.rei.com/product/811078/big-agnes-pomer-hoit-sl-0-sleeping-bag

[url]
http://www.rei.com/product/762530/marmo ... eeping-bag[/url]

the weight is right on these.

any pointers/other suggestions?

thanks!

I like my Marmot alot, it's the 15 degree version of that one. They are pretty honest about the temp ratings. Note that the comfy range of any bag really is about 15 degrees more than the rating.

Note Big Agnes assumes you have a compatible pad (no insulation on bottom).

I am selling a Feathered Friends Widgeon for $325. Light, warm, compressible. Waterproof/breathable Epic shell. Used twice. http://themountain-life.blogspot.com/p/ ... -sale.html

MoapaPk wrote:Note Big Agnes assumes you have a compatible pad (no insulation on bottom).

Not true any more - they are now making the sleeve for pad a half sleeve to allow rectangular or mummy configuration AND there is now down in the "back" of the bags.

Deb wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:Note Big Agnes assumes you have a compatible pad (no insulation on bottom).

Not true any more - they are now making the sleeve for pad a half sleeve to allow rectangular or mummy configuration AND there is now down in the "back" of the bags.

Doesn't appear to have down on the backside in the one he's interested in, at least not from the reading on the link.

To the OP, I'd either take a look at Excitableboy's bag, or go for the Marmot. Marmot makes very nice bags, esp. I think, that one. Have had my eye on it for awhile. I do have a Marmot 15deg. bag and it's great.

If you want a true 0 bag, in your price range, check out the Marmot Couloir (E.N. 1) or the womens version, Ouray (warmer, probably -5, but heavier). Marmot makes great bags; the loft is retested in Santa Rosa, bags have radial baffles, forever guarantee, so on. Compare to the Lithium bag that has 800 fill down and Pertex shell, a Ferrari in my opinion.

Take a Valandre Mirage. You'll get similar temperature ratings, half the weight and double the quality. See the comparison here: http://www.tribevine.com/products?open=true&ids=6287,6168,6291&title=Down%20Sleeping%20Bags

It will propably cost a bit more than your target, but the Valandre quality is superb.

- Juho Risku / http://www.climbingextreme.com

If cost is an issue you might want to check out Eastern Mountain Sport's house brand sleeping bags. EMS has a pretty good selection of bags in general (e.g., carry high end like Western Mountaineering) so worth checking out their online catalog. When I was a poor college kid in Boston I bought a -25F EMS "Mt. Robson" bag there for winter use in New England, and I still use it 30 years later. Several other people on here seem to have had similar experiences with their bags.

When they say 0F / -18C "extreme" I always wonder what that means. Does that mean "I survived the night but didn't sleep at all"?

jrisku wrote:Take a Valandre Mirage. You'll get similar temperature ratings, half the weight and double the quality. See the comparison here: http://www.tribevine.com/products?open=true&ids=6287,6168,6291&title=Down%20Sleeping%20Bags

It will propably cost a bit more than your target, but the Valandre quality is superb.

- Juho Risku / http://www.climbingextreme.com

Juho,

I am not sure if that is accurate. Valandre's site has the Mirage listed as a 30°F bag at 27.3 oz weight, not sure if that is the small, med, or large size for the weight.

The lithium is listed as a 0°F bag at about 48oz according to Marmot's site.

Not sure if these two bags are really equivalent, I am guessing the Marmot ratings might be on the lower end, like their 0 bag is actually equiavalent to a 15 Valandre bag maybe??

My experience with the Marmot Helium (15F) is that you were toasty without additional layers down to about 30 and then needed some layers to take you down comfortably to 15 or so. Beyond that you are in for a cold, wrestless night but won't be hypothermic.

the valandre bags do like quite nice though.

My understanging is that the temperature ratings assume you are in a tent or shelter with adequate ground insulation and you are wearing all your clothes and are properly fed and hydrated.

ExcitableBoy wrote:My understanging is that the temperature ratings assume you are in a tent or shelter with adequate ground insulation and you are wearing all your clothes and are properly fed and hydrated.

Which we know is almost never the case.

I love my Western Mountaineering 0F bag (forget the name). Got it on a clearance deal in Texas for around 40% off list. Good deals are out there.

Think of the temp rating as 1/3rd up from the point were the bag does not keeping you warm at all (the jumping jack stage). Marmot, Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends, REI, they all use Hungarian Goose feathers. So take a close look at the type of shell, and if the bag was E.N. tested.

[quote="fluxlib"]

My experience with the Marmot Helium (15F) is that you were toasty without additional layers down to about 30 and then needed some layers to take you down comfortably to 15 or so. Beyond that you are in for a cold, wrestless night but won't be hypothermic.

Yeah, temps really seem to vary bag to bag, even from the same manufacturer, etc.
Ex. the bag you speak of, my friend also has, Marmot Helium. However, he's complained about it not being quite as warm as the bag he was intending to replace(due to a little less weight), which was/is the Marmot Pinnacle. He claims the Pinnacle, also rated to 15f, is warmer than the Helium. I also have the Pinnacle, and though I haven't quite got it down to 15, I've been warm in it in low 20 temps on an icy night up in Yellowstone.