How well do these bags hold up? Regular mummy bags are too restrictive for me and the Montbell seems like a good compromise for comfort and warmth. Are Montbell's temperature ratings pretty realistic, compared with other bags of similar quality?
My experience is that Montbell's temp ratings are close but maybe about 5-7 degrees optimistic. WM bags on the other hand appear (for me) to be about 5-7 degrees conservative.
The rating is about right on for me. Love the bag. It doesn't hold up very well when you flip it open and it touches your cherry red wood stove though.
Glad I didn't spend a bunch more money on a WM or a Valandre Shocking Blue...I'd really feel like crap about it.
I have two of them and they both seem to have ratings on the conservative side. They are very comfortable and the stretch feature make them much more roomier than most.
Have had a 0 degree one for two years with probably 25+ days of use. Backpacking and car camping. Used with a pad.
It has held up great- no problems.
For me the temp rating is pretty close.
This is the time to be looking at closeouts. I got mine for cheap (half price plus $10) on an inventory closeout sale around this time of year.
How would the Montbell compare with something like a WM Kodiak? They're both about the same weight and offer more room than typical mummy bags, but they do so in different ways. The Montbell stretches while the Kodiak is simply a bigger bag. Aside from these two, what other bags should I look at?
I'm a side sleeper and I want a bag that's rated to at least 0 degrees for use on backpacking hunts.
I have the #3 and its about 5 - 10 degrees optimistic for me. Love the stretchiness, it doesn't feel like a mummy at all.
There is so much that goes into whether a bag is "warm enough" or not.
Are you going to sleep warm or cold? Heated shelters rock!
What have you eaten?
Are you well hydrated?
Are you sheltered from the wind?
What kind of pad are you using?
Is your clothing part of your sleep system?
That said, I have used a Mont-Bell 25F bag comfortably to -14F by using the right pad and incorporating clothing into my sleep system. I wouldn't rate that bag at -14 but it does show what can be done.
There is so much that goes into whether a bag is "warm enough" or not.
Agreed. That's why I've been careful to keep the focus on comparing bags in a certain temperature range rather than asking if a specific temp range is sufficient for my needs.
In my experience, Mont-Bell bags tend to be very close to their rating. As of now, outside of a quilt, Mont-Bell bags are all I own.