Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Synthetic Sleeping Bag Recomendations

I am considering upgrading my Integral Designs, North Twin Model Primaloft insulated bag rated at 10F and weights 3.5 lbs. The hood only covers the bottom portion of my skull and it is not really warm enough. I think the temperature rating is optimistic at best and 3 lbs. 8 ozs. is not so light. The shell is Pertex, which is nice.

The above bag replaced a North Face Snowshoe 3D 0F rated bag which was warmer, but heavier, I lost in Chugach State park Unit 14C while relocating from one camp to another, just fell of the pack and was gone. Went into Anchorage and bought the above one.

The bag will primarily be used for Goat and Sheep hunting so it needs to be as light as possible. Temperature range from 0 - 20F. I usually sleep in long john base layers, socks, zip neck shirt and a thin hat.

This bag will likely last me the rest of my life, price is not a consideration, weight and warmth are. I think about 10F would be perfect, but it seems most are 0 or 20F. Thanks.

The Mountain Hardware Lamina seems like a possibility, but 4 lbs. 3 ozs. is heavy.

https://www.mountainhardwear.com/la...hetic&prefn3=genderGroup&start=0

I also have the Brooks Range Jacket in Gore Tex and Camo that Integral Designs made for Barney's, that jacket is warm. A bit heavier than the Pertex version he usually sold, but I think the Gore Tex is more wind resistent and sheds the water better than the Pertex. That jacket is warm, it does not compress as well as the Pertex version, but I put it in a compression sack and it works. Double zipper too.

The North Face Cats Meow bag has been around for a long time. This one is only rated to 20F, but is only 2 lbs. 4 ozs. I am not really a fan of TNF, not the same company since they were bought out years ago. Anyone try either the MH or the TNF bag ? Any other ideas ?

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/equipment-sleeping-bags-5f-25f/cats-meow-nf0a3g69?variationId=3UC

I switched to down 15 years ago and never looked back. Im also a sheep and goat hunter, and for weight to warmth, cant beat down. Good luck in your search.

I wasn't looking at Down, since I was always concerned about it getting wet and being a safety issue. Is there a particular Down bag that you recommend ?

Hollow fill. Bought one for Cookie30 years ago when she complained of being cold. She used it once, as it is way too warm.

You mentioned weight so go with a down bag. Synthetic is so 2003. Any of the name brands will work. I have an REI brand that’s going on 5 years now and no issues.

I have the WM Versalite and Terralite. One is a 10, other a 25 degree bag. During sheep season, very rarely take the 10 degree bag unless its late. WM and Feathered Friends make great bags, and both made in the US.

I would suggest a down bag in a Goretex bivy sac. I am very fond of my Western Mountaineering Sequoia. Bought from Hermit Hut, came with free down overfill. Highly recommend both.

GF1 too funny.

I beleive the above story I related from 14C happened in 2002, so you would be exactly correct. That TNF bag may have rolled out of the Park and all the way down to the road.

I think based on the above, I have it narrowed down to 3 bags and perhaps I will add a Pertex Black Diamond Bivy that weighs less than one pound, to add some warmth and water resistance.

The bivy and a good insulating air mattress really add warm and important comfort. I like my Sea to Summit mattress a lot, FYI.

Wiggy Glacier Hunter, good down to I believe 15.

Look at the newer Hydro Down which is a Teflon treated down that only looses a little loft but is water resistant and will still provide some insulation when wet.

I like a modular system with a silk or fleece liner, down bag, and then either a synthetic bag or bivy cover. I also go full length on a Thermo-rest type self inflating pad. The synthetics have not lasted as long as my down bags by less than half. They are easy to clean and best for float trips and continual rain though. Go with any of the name brands and it is worth paying for the higher loft ratings with those over 600 fill having fewer feathers in the mix. The 800 fill power bags feel like sleeping on a cloud. The Cat's Meow is too restrictive for me, I get a bag listed for at least six inches taller than I am so the hood covers well with no restriction. A good base layer and a balclava or beanie will extend the range of the bag. With a roomy bag you can keep extra clothes by your feet and get dressed inside the bag.

The comfort rating IME will keep you alive at those numbers - has nothing to do with "comfort". For that, you need another 15-20 degrees. In the right direction of course.

Wear a medium to heavy balaclava, stocking cap, or best, a pull-over face mask/hood at night that comes well down your neck. Even a bandana around the neck helps. 75% of your heat loss is through head and neck. HUGE help! Wear heavy dry socks to bed. I don't know if it helps much, but is absolutely decadent!

And you might consider a Gore-tex bag cover- those are supposed to add about 10 degrees and are "waterproof" in case the tent leaks or you are sleeping under the stars. Can't say, haven't tried it. Probably adds a couple pounds also.

Bag lines as per above should help also. Haven't tried them myself. Theoretically, modular systems make sense.. Me, I just open the bag or add a dog...

Or buy a new bag....

Down is much lighter than synthetic, but there is that wet thing.....If you can keep them dry, down is the way to go.

I don't own one anymore. Maybe a combination down/goretex set up?

FWIW, The snowshoe has been replaced by the snow leopard bag. I have both and like the leopard better.

With my set up, although I did not mention it, the bag was on top of a Thermarest Prolite 3 full length pad, which I found to be good.

If you really want synthetic, then you may want to look at Big Agnes. Get a new insulated blow up pad to fit.

If you are Right handed, would you want a right or left hand zipper bag ?

This sounds like very good advice, maybe that explains why my Integral Designs 10F bag was not so warm, plus the hood was lousy, like half a hood. Who wants half their head covered ? Maybe a 0F bag you can always ventilate if you get too warm would be a good rating to focus on. 15-20F for comfort puts me at a 0F rating bag.

OK, I have learned a few things and I appreciate the input. I hve narrowed it down to the follwing in no particular order. Comments on the below options are encouraged, certainly if anyone has mountain sleep time in of them.

Feathered Friends
Lark 10F
900 + Goose
2 lbs. 1 oz
$499

Western Mountaineering
Versalite 10 F
850 Goose
2 lbs
$605

The North Face
Snow Leopard 5F
Synthetic insulation - unspecified
3 lbs. 11 ozs
$200

Mountain Hardware
Phantom Alpine 15F
850 Goose
2 lbs. 2 oz
$550

Mountain Hardware
Phantom 0F
850 Goose
2 lbs. 11 ozs.
$620


Is the difference between 850 and 900 fill noticeable ? Or, is a rate difference of 5F also noticeable ?
Hard to beleive that the Snow Leopard would be close to the warmest ?

I don’t believe there are any standards for temp rating determination. Each company sets their own method, AFAIK.

Of your list this is the only one I would buy. Western Mountaineering
Versalite 10 F

As for zip I think it is more a personal preference, I prefer a left hand zip and I am right handed

I have a 15 degree Marmot Helium that I like a lot. But I would say in my opinion the Western Mountaineering is a slightly better bag.

Marmot Lithium or REI Expedition.

The Lithium is a great bag. But it is a very warm 0 degree bag

Feathered Friends Lark looks to be the best value weight/price/temp./fill. I would see which is the roomiest as they are all close in specs. Sorry no first hand experience with those models. At 2Lbs. 1 oz it leaves room for a liner and/or bivy or both if weight is not too critical. Is there any place near that you can do a first hand comparison? Do any of these have the Hydro Down treatment? That would be a big plus for me. Nik Wax has a wash in version which is not as good but it is similar to the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatment and worth a look esp. for SE AK. For less than 8 bucks you can improve the performance of any bag a notch or two.

The Snow Leopard I suspect has less internal room or volume like the Cats Meow which is the reason for the lower temp. rating, but just guessing on this.

Just a BTW I had a snow leopard sniff my head when I was in a very confining mummy bag. I thought I was dreaming until it let out a low growl about four feet from my face. I froze at first and then frantically had to extricate myself from the bag before it became a very wet bag. Hence one of my preferences for a more roomy bag.

No need or value to treated Down. It is pretty much just a gimmick

Western Mountaineering makes a variety of sleeping bags. You'll probably find something that meets your criteria.

Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags

I own the Versalite and love it, but for the price point, the FF sounds like a better deal. I dont think you will be disappointed with either one. I have the FF puffy pants and they are toasty and well made. Let us know what you decide on.

If cost is no object, then I urge you to check out Western Mountaineering - specifically, the Puma. The best bag extant.

The WM Puma -25F is a nice lofty looking bag, but is outside the temp range of 0-10F that I am foucusing on. The only place near me for sleeping bags to look at is REI, which has none of the ones we are discussing on their web site. I think several of the bags could do the job WM, FF, MH, as one poster above said, the differences seem slight. I did look at the Marmot Lithium, but it has only a 2/3 zipper and reviews say there are issues with the zipper quality, the weight was by far the best at 1 lbs 3 ozs unbelievable.

WM does not sell direct, anyone know of a vendor who may sell for less than the full retail ? UpTop where did you buy your Versalite ?

Western Mountaineering for quality, warmth and light weight. My son has two. He pulled one up when he was climbing in Yosemite.

As others have said here, you really don’t want to match your sleeping conditions to the bag’s rating. The rating in most cases simply means you won’t freeze to death; it is not a comfort rating.

That said, it is my sense that the WM bags are a little closer in terms of comfort/rating. Mine, a Sequoia MF with factory overfill that pushes the rating below zero, was toasty comfortable in the low 20s and I’m sure down to single digits.

I also dislike being cramped, and my bags semi rectangular shape was perfect for me. Weighs about 3 1/2#.

I am not sure why you would need a full zip? 2/3 zipper has less area to allow heat loss and also makes it a touch lighter. I have never totally unzipped any of my bags. Hell I probably only unzip about 2' of it to get in and out.

I personally have never had a single Zipper issue with Marmot and I own four of their bags. One has been in use since the early 90's and still going strong. I own two WM's.

I do think the Western Mountaineering Bags are slightly better bags overall. But they also cost a bit more as well. If you want to spend the money and buy the very best then you should probably go with a WM Sequoia (the only word with every vowel in it except Y) But if you are going to be using the heck out of it I would save the cash and buy the Marmot.

I ordered straight from the website. Prompt shipping w no hassles. You will be very pleased with the bags warmth and weight. Use it as a quilt if its too warm during early season. Good luck!

I won't comment on down bags, but I can say in a rather authoritative manner that there are more 5-vowel words out there. As to the zipper question, I open zippers ambidextrously, but I still prefer to have the zipper on the right.

I don't think WM sells directly anymore. I don't even see prices on their website.

At least this topic will be available for folks in the future who also need to replace their old bag. I did a search and there was not much to look at recently. This was pretty thorough


I am just used to a full length zipper, force of habit I guess. Not a big deal either way. But, the reviews on the Marmot said issues with the zipper other than the glow in the dark color and the zipper seems like a great bag that is the lightest by far. No denying the WM bags seem like state of the art. I think the WM Puma will be too warm for me, no sense carrying more weight than I need to.

Now that I think about it, the bags were ordered thru AMH in Anchorage. If youre in the vicinity of the Valley, you are more than welcome to check them out before you buy. I also purchased the FF puffy pants at AMH.

Look at the tabs on the top of the page!
https://www.westernmountaineering.com/pricing/

Chill out boomer. Those poor geese n ducks need their feathers.

#thosepoorgeesenducks

This thread has appeared regularly on 24hr for going on 20 years. I dunno the right answer, but the consensus has always been that the Mtn Hardware Ultra Lamina and Lamina were good buys, the Lithium was good, and everything WM was great, and Wiggys and Big Agnes used to be. Nobody can answer the down/synthetic question but the user. What works on Mt. Everest is immaterial for most hunting and backpacking. We get wet from the outside and bad. For myself, I have concluded that high-quality down is worth the price dif from average down.

Good to have you here again!

How's about an axe post? Did you see the harsh torch and used motor oil offering up top? LOL!

So needy.

Western mountaineering, I have a few of them and love them. You can get an ultralight Bobby cover if you want.

If you are not backpacking your bag, anyone have any experience with this bag?

https://www.bigagnes.com/Diamond-Park-15

I like the idea of having extra room to more around if I am going to live out of it for 2-3 weeks at a time.

This and with the down treated for water repellent and the cover with a DWR finish. These can be added with Nik Wax products but the factory finish is probably better. I like Big Agness brand but have had other good ones from the North Face, Marmot, Kelty and others. Start with at least 800 fill power down as this is where there are very few feathers. Get a light weight shell, when weight is not as much of a concern you can use inner and outer liners. A gore-Tex bivvy is good for really wet conditions but unless it is more of the tent type it will get condensation or frost at below thirty degrees.

Do a search as there are many reviews and comparisons. REI has good info on the bags they carry. If cold I will sleep in the wool long johns and put down jackets, vest whatever is soft between the bag and outer liner. Also get the next size up if there is not too much weight penalty. It will be warmer and more comfortable and the down won't be compressed creating cold spots. Also decide if you like the snug fit of the cats Meow type where you move the entire bag with you when you change positions or if you like enough room to turn inside the bag. I used to use the snug ones but now they feel too confining to me so I get the larger sizes now. I used to sell back packing equipment way back when, so hence the long winded answer.

Not that one but Big Agness makes quality gear. The cut would suit me fine as it has enough room to move around in. It is not a light weight and the down is 600 fill but given the quality I would not expect too many feathers, and it keeps the price down. That would be a great base camp type bag. It is also big enough another sleeping bag could fit inside of it for extreme cold weather.

Couple things friend. Unless your a big guy you'll find the Big Agnes bags cold. Your body will be trying to heat to much space. I'm a big guy and still found them on the cold side. Did you mention temps 0 to minus 20? Regardless I'd use a closed cell foam pad under a air mattress in cold conditions period. I like my Thermarest Ridge-rest. I couldn't imagine using a big agnes bag with no insulation on bottom ever in cold weather. I love love love my sea to summit cocoon silk liner. Adds up to 5-9 deg warmth to bag and its gets rid of any clammy feeling inside of bag. Helps keep inside of bag clean also. I've friends that climb Mt Hood and spend time on Mt Rainer every winter and like their Sierra Designs bags. Little extra weight of a bag def worth my life. lots to consider at zero degrees. Best of luck to you on your trips and let us know which bag you go with.

Shag:

I am not using this bag for backpacking, but in a base camp. I am not a big guy, avg. size. I will not be seeing temps -20 to 0F, but more likely no colder than 15F. I do have a Black Diamond Bivy sack that weighs less than one lb. and does warm up the bag a bit. I don't know whether the Big Agnes bag, which I have not purchased yet, will even fit in the Bivy sack.

In colder temps, I pack a closed cell pad below a $10 Walmart 8" thick air matttress that I blow up with a pump.

When final decision is made I will LUK what I went with, why and how it is working out the same as I did with my tent thread for this same Wildland Fire Medical Suport job.

I picked up a Kifaru Slick 20 degree bag this year to replace my down bag. It did great for three sheep hunts and a goat hunt on Kodiak. I would highly recommend, it seems to be the best option on the market for synthetic bags. I was very happy I didn't have down for my Kodiak hunt, everything was soaked from start to finish.

I have a one. Great bag, it has so many features I like.
I just got back from a week long trip through Voyageurs NP. Night time temps were from +18F to +28 with 10-15 mph winds most nights. I used a Klymit insulated Static V-lux pad.
I slept in a light pair of wool socks and Thermosilk top and bottom. Stayed plenty warm every night in a 3 season tent.
The only complaint is that it is bulky and doesn't pack down very small but that is the price you pay for a big comfy warm bag that doesn't break the bank.

I just found out that from Big Agnes C.S. their sleeping bag temperature ratings are survival ratings, not comfort ratings. They recommend for 15F temps, I should go with the Diamond Park 0F bag that will be available early next year, instead of the DP 15F bag that I was going with unitl I called them.

If you sleep on your side, and predominantly one side, you probably want it to your front, not against your back. But that's my preference.

[quote=Cold Zero]Shag:



In colder temps, I pack a closed cell pad below a $10 Walmart 8" thick air matttress that I blow up with a pump.

quote]

If this is a conventional air mattress it will be a warmth robber. Get a Thermarest or similar or put some insulation between you and the air mattress.

Tejano, thanks for the tip. I did put a closed cell pad beneath the Walmart conventional air mattress.

Here are some websites you can get nice synthetic bags at fair price,they all offer free shipping.

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBED0

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBEEI

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBEFQ

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&am...KEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQvhd6BAgBEDQ

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eddiebauer.com%2Fp%2F82302246%2Figniter-0-synthetic-sleeping-bag%3Fsp%3D1%26rrec%3Dtrue&psig=AOvVaw3i1glGRhLen8exa_kC9ORE&ust=1604403243659000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwiAqsv84ePsAhXpGzQIHW2EDUAQr4kDegUIARDXAg

Sorry to necro post guys. If you look at the start date of this it was the D Day for Covid and this just fell off the radar with all that has gone on. So, I did not make a purchase and some new products have come out so I would like to take another look and get some input from guys who may have sued some of these items please.

Here are some bags that I am looking at that are Down bags, I pretty much gave up on the Synthetic bags, as one poster above so aptly put it, its not 2003 anymore.

Western Mountaineering: Sequoia MF 5F $810
3 lbs. 4 oz.
I like the semi rectangular style and extra room, seems like a popular bag.

Western Mountaineering: Versalite EL 10F $625
2 lbs
Also a popular bag, due to its warmth to weight ratio. Perhaps, I should get the overfill
which will subtract another 8-10 degrees and that will put me around 0F where I would like to be.


Big Agnes: Blackburn UL 0F
2 lbs. 10 oz.
$500

Big Agnes: Diamond Park 0F
4 lbs. 14 oz.
$400


Marmot: Lithium 0F
2 lbs. 9.5 oz
$512


Feathered Friends: Snowbunting EX 0F
Winner of Backpacking Magazine Editor's Choice award
2 lbs. 13 oz.
$639

Feathered Friends: Ibis EX 0F
2 lbs. 13 oz.
$669

I can vouch for the versalite. That’s my sheep bag. I can’t recall if I have the overfill or not.
It’s been comfortable with pad down to about 15° - haven’t tried it below that.

Can anyone recomend a vendor who sells Western Mountaineering or Feathered Friends and has a sale every once in a while ?

Not sure about feathered friends, but western mountaineering has a policy with their dealers of no discounts. Unless you catch somebody going out of business or buy them used, I don’t know of a way to get them cheaper. Moose jaw does give points if you buy them there.

Lamina series bags have received much praise here over the years.

all my boss runs and all we run are wiggys. Yep he is a butthead sometimes.

But the bags are good. Heavy. but good. I typically don't backpack hunt much anymore. Weight not an issue. We run the combo bags with the overliner, 40 degree bag the over is I think. Keep a zero bag under that and I'm covered pretty well all the way around for most hunting seasons.

Easy enough to wash and keep clean too.

Yep we have down. Yep we have carried it with bivy too. But real hunting in a real wet season. Synthetic all the way for us.

I use a wiggys glacier hunter (I think?). Don't see it on their site anymore. It is not overly light, but I stay warm. I have tried lighter bags and quilts and I don't enjoy being cold all that much. That said, I always wish my bag were lighter too.

Buddy runs one of the lamina bags and he is not impressed with it. I think it is just too tight, and he is compressing the fill by the time he's zipped up. Never tried one personally.

I have the ultralamina 15, vintage 2011 or so. Zippers are a royal pain, as the little flaps beside them are too flappy and get eaten by the zipper, opening or closing. Not the warmest...probably has to do with its modest measurements and my prodigious girth. It doesn't work for me below freezing without some sort of augmentation, like my puffy coat over my legs or torso outside the bag (and holding still...).

The MH Phantom 15 down bag that I have from 2009 or so is a good one and fairly true to its rating if you're super strict with the hood and keeping the collar connected and cinched.

The gamechanger for cold weather is a 7' x 4' primaloft blanket I bought a few years back. Secure that over either one of these and you're warm, period, down to single digits with no issues, without having to keep the collar cinched down to covering all but your piehole.

I think that to be warm and comfortable in a synthetic bag, you need also to be okay with some weight and packed bulk.

Helium for me. Seems to do ok.

If you want the best, go with Western Mountaineering:

Western Mountaineering Puma

The Puma may be more than you need, but they have many others.

Looks good. Would have a hard time coughing up 1k for a fart sack though.

For a hard use base camp bag Wiggy's are hard to beat for value. The Hunter Superlight w/ hood sounds perfect. Having a bag that will withstand multiple washings at home is not a small thing and is an advantage of synthetic bags. High quality down is luxurious and efficient but not ideal for all environments. Even the best down bags are much slower to dry out once they get damp, which will happen eventually. I have used Wiggy's bags in a variety of models since 1992 and prefer them for most uses when weight is not critical. If your goat and sheep hunts involve packing in the gear on your back high quality down and a bivy sack are the obvious choice.


mike r

IMO for a base camp operation, one has much more flexibility. Getting a good bag isn’t nearly as pricey as getting a great bag. For example, find a comfy $150 bag at Cabellas and throw another one on top if needed. My wife has found no fewer than 7 good down and synthetic bags from Kelty, North Face, Eastern Mtn. Sports, and similar at Good Will. All were in great shape. We throw them in the washer and run them in our unheated cabin and when truck camping. She’s also found a couple good old green Army wool blankets.

Backpacking is a very limiting factor in sleeping bag requirements.

Another bag you already open I mean.

I have read that the Temperature rating on the Wiggys bags is optimistic, like a 10F bag is really only comfortable at 25F bag. Have you found their ratings to be accurate ? Also, I read when a customer brought 2 bags back to him due to the temperature rating issue and they the guy and his wife were both cold, Wiggys owner would not do anything to satisfy them.

As for me for the upcoming Wildland Fire season for 2022 I bought

Western Mountaineering: Sequoia MF 5F $810
3 lbs. 4 oz. plus the weight of the overfill, so I was told I am good down to at least 0F.
I like the semi rectangular style and extra room, seems like a popular bag.

The OP started this thread two years ago and has probably got a bag by now so excuse my irrelevant experience.

I'm mostly a truck camper and my Wiggys is the best money I've spent. I really can't explain it but it's just comfortable. If I was carrying it, I would probably be looking at different options.

Just went back through old posts. I bought my Wiggys in 2008. Can any of you old farts believe it is 2022? What happened to you guys?

Anyway, I'd say of the bags I've had, Wiggy's ratings are the most conservative. But, I've not had a truly top tier down bag either. I think your use case is the perfect one for that type of bag.

I like a wide cut synthetic bag, with a thinner down or one of the many fleece liner bags .
Synthetic is Heavier, but cheaper and better performing in wet / humid conditions.

For backpacking in dry conditions down still has the best warmth / weight ratio.

PrimaLoft Gold has an interesting insulation “ boosted “ with CrossCore Aerogel.
Very lightweight aerospace material with amazing weight and insulating characteristics.
Don’t know how well it stands up to washing. Might be a hand wash proposition like down.

LlBean had a couple of PrimaLoft synthetic bags with this insulation. They seemed a tad pricy.
Patagonia has a lighter weight iliner bag with CrossCore.

If I sleep sans clothing like you should then I'm good with their ratings, if I have a bit of clothes on I find the temp ratings about 10 to 15 degrees off for me.

I always carry one rated about 20 degrees or so cooler than I expect. And generally thats one of the double bags, inner and outer so I can adjust.

We have also found that holds true rating wise for most bags. Have a couple of other brands of bags, big names too, and the ratings thing seems the same.

Cheap bags I find the ratings to be way off.

As noted for a non backpack bag they have been cheap enough and fine. Washable. Pretty tough. Carry a zero bag for moose, as it dips to 10. The outer bag is a 40 degree bag IIRC and when in a camp building instead of tent that we warm up just a bit, I run the thin 40 and have never had an issue.

I don't use extra room though I like the idea, but extra bag just makes me colder it seems. Cuts down on the draping effect.

I suspect everyone is different though.

I see the young kids with super light down bags that shouldn't be more than a 25 or 30 degree bag and they never seem to get cold. LOL

I should add I've never been happy talking to Wigutow. He seems very arrogant and not consumer friendly. He does put out good products at least we like em but as far as customer relations he could be the worst I've ever heard.

I have and use this exact bag, and say nothing but good about it.

Also, I highly recommend Hermit Hut as a vendor - nobody discounts Western Mountaineering gear, but these guys give you free overfill down (a $75 value), free shipping, great to work with.

https://hermitshut.com/collections/western-mountaineering

I started this thread March, 2020. Covid hit with a vengeance and I just put this on the back burner since I was not going hunting and more important things were going on.

I did finally order the Western Mountaineering Seqouia bag since it was recomended here, but I have not even received it yet, it is on the way. Since I do expect to deploy for Wildland Fire work this season and I was told by my employer to bring a bag with at least a 0F rating, as guys were cold at altitude late in the season at Lake Tahoe. We get little enough rest as is, so when it is time to sleep I need to be warm and comfortable. Staying in a tent for weeks on end with no heat, the sleeping bag is the only place to go to get warm at night.

You are confirning what I have heard about him, so you are not alone. Maybe it is time for him to retire.

Since I was in no rush for this bag and for $800 I wanted to be sure I was getting the best bag possible, I took my time researching and shopping. You are correct W.M. prices are the same everywhere and finding an authorized dealer with inventory is difficult. Even though Hermt's Hut web site shows out of stock, I called them anyway. They had one bag left, which was exactly what I wanted, so it was meant to be. I dealt with the owner, who told me W.M. raised their prices for 2022 by $40.

I did get the free overfill and free shipping. I am glad I did not wait until summer to buy the bag shortly before I leave, I would likely not be able to find a bag, as it was I got the last one that was around on the interwebz.

I am glad to hear you have the same one and are happy with it. Hopefully, it will last a long time. I am sure it will smell pretty bad, like smoke by the end of this Fire season.

You are going to love your WM bag, WM bags are in a league of there own,
Really liked my Antelope, But my Kodiak rules,
You'll see, Enjoy.

Wiggy has been showing his ass for at least 2 decades,

It's just the nature of the beast.

That's what she said.......