Opinions on Down bag manufacturers

[jfb]

I just bought a FF Peregrine bag last summer, haven't used it yet. The quality looks very nice, but it's hard to stuff in a stuff sack because it just doesn't want to be small. When shopping for bags, I considered WM but their bags are made slimmer in the hip than the FF bags. Because the WM bag dimensions closely matched my EMS MM -20 bag (which I donated to Boy Scouts) and I couldn't even change my socks in the EMS bag, I chose the FF bag. The FF bag dimensions are similar to my Marmot Pinnacle bag and I can change clothes inside easily. Another problem I found with narrow bags was that if I slept on my side (fetus position) the outer shell would compress the down behind my back and I'd get cold after I fell asleep. It was barely noticable at first, but after a while I figured it out. With more hiproom in the wider bag, I can bend my legs inside the inner shell without compressing the down.

I have spent over 20 years using a combination of 15-degree and 40-degree bags that were designed to be used together for -20 degree weather. It was a very cost-effective solution for year-round sleeping, just a bit on the heavy side when both bags were carried. I've washed those bags several times and never noticed any significant loss of loft.

 

[rambler]

Pricey, but with a Warmlite bag you get three down bags in one with built in vapor barrier to help with the moisture-in-the-down issue. They also have a built in slot on the bottom to fit your pad, or one of their down insulated pads. http://www.warmlite.com
Of course, my favoritre bag is the one I made myself (15 degree F) from a kit at thru-hiker.com. The 880-fil rated down has almost no quills in the fluff of feathers which means no down is lost through the shell of the bag as I have seen on WM bags and others. This also may have to do with the "down-proof" material used. From my experience, down is a lot more difficult to work with than other fill, so it must be the labor as well as the expense of the down itself that one pays for in buying a down bag over a synthetic one.
For me, too, the best way to improve the temp rating of a bag is to wear more clothes to bed!

 

[Ken999]

I have spent over 20 years using a combination of 15-degree and 40-degree bags that were designed to be used together for -20 degree weather. It was a very cost-effective solution for year-round sleeping, just a bit on the heavy side when both bags were carried. I've washed those bags several times and never noticed any significant loss of loft.

Who makes your two bag system?

 

[jfb]

Ken999,

Moor & Mountain. I doubt they make these anymore.

 

[Halite]

There's no question you're getting a better bag when you pay up for the WM or FF bags. Only you can decide whether the extra $$ is worth it.

afka_bob would rather have a Ferrari. My wife would rather have diamond earrings. Me, I'd take my WM bag any day. And I know I will be more comfortable than both of them winter camping

One way to lessen the damage of buying the better bag is to look for sales. Tent & Trails in Manhattan often puts these bags on sale. Bentgate sells these bags on line. They just had a sale where everything was 20% off. Still more expensive than the lesser quality bags, but shrinks the $$ gap a good amount.

 

[NYBRAD]

While working in the outdoor industry for awhile, I was able to acquire a bunch of bags.
I own a WM Puma -10, WM mighty light, a TNF Super Kazoo rated +10, TNF Dry loft 0 degree Foxfire, and a Wiggys Ultimate Thule rated to minus 20 I think.
Hands down, nothing compares with the Puma. It's truly the ultimate lightweight winter bag. I've been toasty down into the minus 30 range many times. The only bags that even compare to them are the FF.
Well worth the money for a good nights sleep in my opinion.

 

[Ken999]

Brad- What are your thoughts on the Ultima Thule? I am looking at one of these for a Winter bag.

 

[NYBRAD]

Ken, The Thule is rated about right, but needs a compression sack. It was actually issued to me back in the early 90's while serving in a Mountain unit in the Marines. It's durable but not as light or compressible as other manufacturers synthetic bags. Still made here in CO as far as I know. It's a good bag for the money, just a bit bulky though.

 

[Jasonst]

In case anyone's interested, On Tues the 21st, EMS will be having 21% off "anything insulated" I called to check that it included sleeping bags and was assured that it does. That's a pretty big savings on some pretty sweet sounding bags.

 

[Francis]

Yea, I've been eyeing the 21'st ever since the EMS catalog came out a while back. I think I'm going to spring for the EMS Mountain Light -40.It has 800 fill goose down, pertex shell, etc. Yes, real sweet. $399.00 less 21%, can't beat it. I was going to go for the WM or FF, but I already have a second mortgage !!

 

[Ken999]

Thanks Brad! I've got a Wiggys already, just not one suitable for true winter camping. I've been looking at the Ultima and once I saw you owned one, I had to hear how it performed.

 

[coldfeet]

Backside -25F down bag on e bay..read a while ago some of you like those bags..think the bid was around $75