Slumberjack sleeping bags?

[Double Bow]

I was just looking around for an inexpensive winter bag and I found a Slumberjack Latitude mummy bag rated to -20 degrees for $60. It weighs 6lbs 3oz, has a storm collar, insulated draft tube, and a 50/50 mix of hollow core and solid core poly fiber insulation.

It sounds like a good deal to me (despite being a little heavy) but, I know to be weary of things that sound too good to be true. So, I want to know, do people have experience with this company's bags and if so, how have they performed?

 

[SherpaKroto]

No experience with their bags, but I have bought their sleeping pads. Backpacker rated their inflatable pads highly a few years ago, so I figured, good price, why not? I bought 3 and my buddy MtnBob bought 2. 4 of 5 failed withn the first 3 trips with the tops separating from the bottom within the pad, rendering them useless. No leaks, just these huge pillows of air. Makes me believe that their quality control wasn't up to snuff. YMMV.

 

[sapblatt]

Ross -
That is an insane amount of weight to carry (car camping it would be fine)...I know they hawk a lot of these on Campmor...I cannot remember the name, but SherpaKroto told me about a winter bag last year that he has...I think it is rated to - 40 and costs around $110...it was synthetic and weighed a lot less than nearly 7 pounds.
You could PM him...

 

[giggy]

Ross - I would probably stay away for that. like mike said - wayyy too heavy. and I wouldn't play games in winter with mights and maybe's. Not saying price always equals quality, but for the most part a MH, marmot, etc.. will give you decent bags, and peice of mind. There will be some people who question that statement. But - this is just my opinion. I would not want to be caught out a few miles from the car on a minus 20 night with a bag that is junk. Not sure I would trust that rating either. I wouldn't test it!!

I skimp on many items - but stuff like boots, packs, tents, and bags, I don't.

really think about what your going to be doing w/ it - IMO - the price goes way up below 0 rating - but really think - are you going to be sleeping out in this??? below zero - is damn cold IMO. I actually try and avoid it. I have a -40 bag - and its pretty much overkill as while I have been in minus 30 one night - that will not happen again by choice.

you can get some decent winter bags cheap if you look. even an EMS/REI/LL Bean bag would be good - not much now - but keep an eye out here:



http://www.sierratradingpost.com/d/319_Sleeping-Bags.html

http://www.rei.com/outlet/category/29290840.htm?vcat=OUTLET_SSHP_CAMPING_HIKING_SA

 

[sleeping bear]

I bought 3 and my buddy MtnBob bought 2. 4 of 5 failed withn the first 3 trips with the tops separating from the bottom within the pad, rendering them useless. No leaks, just these huge pillows of air.

I had this same problem with a pad of theirs "it's not a tumah". However, they made good on their warranty and sent me a new one right away. This was about 5 years ago, I think they have changed their design since then.

Their sleeping bags seem to be decent for the price. If you're going to go cheap- get a slumberjack other than a no-name. They're bottom of the line, but decent. Campmor sells a lot of their stuff.

 

[Double Bow]

I'm glad I asked! Good feedback so far. I'm thinking that this is a bag I'll use mostly to sleep out in the Whites, though it may see a Rainier attempt. Is -20 too warm for an "average" night in the Whites? Would -10 or 0 be more appropriate???

 

[Rick]

Hi 2XBow - You can get the same bag here and save another $10, but as the others have said, I would keep looking.
If it helps, I have had 4 Slumberjack bags over the last 14-15 years - all prodeals and all "reasonably good"

My original SJ bag was a Synth microlight 20d which I returned in 1992 for a down bag. I also have 2 45d "down the road" bags that I got in '91 and love for summer use.

The flaws that I find with SJ is that their nylon seems to be a little thin and either loses down or tears easily, Their quality - while fine for occasional use - doesn't seem to stand up to more aggressive or more continual use

Keep in mind that I am still using the bags years later, despite the loss of a half dozen down pluffs each per trips.

The fill "...Slumberloft HQ insulation with 50% hollow core and 50% solid core polyester fibers for great warmth and loft..." is older generation fill - Especially the solid core. The hollow core is early 80's technology and the solid core, for the most part was prior to that. Hollofil 808 & Hollofil II While the fill promises warmth when wet, it comes at a price - weight, bulk, heft and loss of loft over time.
Unless you are car camping, there are many other better bags out there and the bitter cold is no time to start trading off features for price.

In addition, many times these bags are close-outs - Usually several years old - and have been stored compressed tightly in their original packing as packed by thee manufacturer and suffer from loss of loft right out of the gate.

 

[SherpaKroto]

... though it may see a Rainier attempt. Is -20 too warm for an "average" night in the Whites? Would -10 or 0 be more appropriate???

If you are talking Rainier in summer, +20F will be the bag of choice for Camp Muir or Shurman.

I think -20F for a winter bag in the Whites is what most would think of as the "standard". That being said, I have a -30F (synthetic) and a 0F (down).

 

[hikerbrian]

Hey dude, I have a Slumberjack something, rated at -30 when I bought it about 7 years ago. I imagine it's more or less the same thing you're looking at now. Here are my observations: the bags weigh a lot, don't compress well, and lose their loft fairly quickly. That said, My dad and I have been out in these bags to maybe -20 or -25, and we did just fine. Had to use the hot water bottle in the sleeping bag trick, but who doesn't when it's that cold.

My first two observations are not fatal flaws, IMO. You can always pay more for a lighter, more compressible bag. Another problem with the bags, however, is that the hood area that cinches up around your face is very poorly designed, such that it's impossible to get a good seal. I always had to stuff something around my shoulders to keep out a draft.

The loss of loft, however, should make you think. If the $100 Slumberjack lasts 5 years, while a $200 bag lasts 10, then they are the same price.

In summary, my Slumberjack has treated me reasonably well over the last 7 years. Do I much prefer my MH and Marmot bags? You better believe it. Would I buy another Slumberjack? No. I'm not unhappy with my "Slumberjack experience", I simply believe that a better bag will last longer, be more comfortable and reliable, and in the end, not cost that much more. Hope that's helpful.

Brian