Down Sleeping Bags

[Kopper]

I’m looking for a high end down bag to finish off my inventory of top end gear. I backpack in northern BC right until the end of the stone/goat season (Oct 15) and usually alone so it can get pretty cold at times. Money isn’t a factor in this bag but certainly weight, compressibility, warmth and quality are. Id like to cut down on weight but more importantly would be using less space in the pack and keeping warm.

For the record and what it's worth; I currently use a Bozeman Torch, synthetic and rated at -18. About 4lbs and takes up 15-20L using rough math. Usually, find myself using a liner and still bundling up to deal with the cold at times.

Looking at the Valandres Shocking Blue or Odin Neo, Stone Glacier 0 and various Taiga bags. Not too interested in Mec or VP lines. As of now I’ve read that the draft collar on the Valandres is the sh*ts and the SG bag is basically a default for me since I don't find their gear overly impressive (I own their pack and tent).

Anyone got any real experience with these they’d like to share? Actual compression size? How the temp ratings actually stack up? Overall quality? Anything? Recommendations?

Cheers

[Weatherby Fan]

I own several different Valandre bags shocking blue, Bloody Mary and a cpl lighter models, some of the very best bags made and and shocking blue is one of the nicest bags Ive owned and used, packability is great, draft collars are vel-crowed in so if it bothers you ?

Other bags to look at is Western Mountaineering GWS ( Gore Windstopper Series ), Im looking at the Badger GWS 6'6", I was all set to order one when a Feathered Friends Gortex Bag come up for a great price so I couldn't say no.

WM GWS bags or Feathered friends Gortex models would be the ones I would look at if spending lots of time up north.

[Kopper]

I own several different Valandre bags shocking blue, Bloody Mary and a cpl lighter models, some of the very best bags made and and shocking blue is one of the nicest bags Ive owned and used, packability is great, draft collars are vel-crowed in so if it bother you ?

Other bags to look at is Western Mountaineering GWS ( Gore Windstopper Series ), Im looking at the Badger GWS 6'6", I was all set to order one when a Feathered Friends Gortex Bag come up for a great price so I couldn't say no.

WM GWS bags or Feathered friends Gortex models would be the ones I would look at if spending lots of time up north.

Thanks for the suggestions. Any input on the actual compressed size of the shocking blue or the warmth of the bags you’ve used? Temperature approximates?

[knothead]

I have a Western Mountaineering Versalite, 2lbs rated for -12, love the bag and have no complaints. Sleeping in -10 last year was toasty warm, I had to get used to sleeping with the draft collar but it did it's job and the one night i tried seeping without it I quickly realized the benefit and but it back in.

So I think any of the high end bags(upwards of $800 US for the WM) will do what they say they will do, by that I mean if they say minus 10 or minus 15 the bag will keep you alive in those temps toasty warm not so sure but the bags from someplace like MEC I don't believe live up to their claims.

I did find that if my feet got cold before I went to bed it was tough for me to heat them up so I bring down socks now to keep my feet warm before bed. They add about 8oz to my pack and squeeze down about the size of half of a pop can.

[northernguy]

Really happy with my Taiga bag. Its the Morning Star M40 and I think the rating is pretty accurate...never been cold at -20. Packs small enough so it's not a fight to get into my pack. Pretty good deal at $450 as far as I can tell. Not sure that spending double for an equivalent WM would get a guy double the bag.

[Pemby_mess]

I've also got a WM versa lite as my favourite bag. Packs down to the size of a nalgene, and weighs sub kilo. I've been comfortable down to the low negative teens. Great bag. I've also got an MEC Thor. Also a fantastic bag, but I don't use it as much as the WM. If you are the type to sleep cold, it's definitely worth considering for the money.

[huntfish]

I have a Big Agnes Moon hill 0 degrees, over 10 years now using it, love the pad sleave on the underside

[CSG]

I'm not answering your question here about the packability/warmth etc of specific bags but since space is one of the factors thought I would present another possibility

I run a couple different down bags, my favourite being the WM Versalite. A couple months ago I did a late season goat hunt. We spent 6 nights above the tree line and temps got down to -18 every night. Because of the frost and my experience from previous winter goat hunts I packed a big ass/heavy -18 synthetic bag. It did the trick the previous year. A buddy brought up a spare synthetic bag that was rated at -9. Due to space in my pack I decided at the trailhead to go with the -9 bag. My plan was to sleep in most of my clothes and it worked well. Really well. I get cold VERY easily and was impressed with this system.

Exercised my entire system. I pack synthetic puffy pants/hut booties/big down puffy jacket etc on late season trips regardless so sleeping in them just makes sense. Pack all those items up the mountain so might as well use their warmth for every hour of the day.

The only thing I would caution is make sure to test your bag ahead of time to check that your bag is big enough for you to wear your clothes inside. If its too tight and it compresses your bag or your insulating layers then it defeats the purpose. Also make sure that you dont wear too many layers to bed. Insulation works both ways, if you have on a ton of layers then the heat might not be getting out to your bag which essentially makes it useless. Be thoughtful about what layers you wear to bed, dont wear a bunch of minimal insulation layers

Also with the synthetic, never have to worry about moisture at all. You can get dunk into a river and climb directly into your bag and never worry about it.

Synthetic bags have made some pretty big leaps in the last couple of years, they are worth checking out IMO

Just an idea

[IronNoggin]

My vote goes to the Valandres Shocking Blue.
Few years back a very fine Gentleman from this forum offered me the use of one of these for an impending mountain hunt.
I hungrily took him up on that!
Best damn sleeping bag I ever used!
Liked it so much that when the same fellow suggested a decent price on it, I jumped with both feet!!



Home for near a week. Yes that is just sub-alpine, and yes that is snow in the background.
Water bottles froze completely solid the first night.
Was never even slightly chilly.
The bag packs down very small for what it is.
Does weigh a hint over 3 pounds though.
And is real down, so synthetics might be a worthwhile option for those who encounter wet stuff.
For me, I'll be sticking with this one.

Cheers,
Nog

[SaintSix]

I have the Wm terralite and I love it. I’m a big guy who side sleeps and it’s the only bag I’ve been able to get a comfy sleep. But if you can sleep in a true mummy style that will always be warmer. But the quality of material is there and would recommend the brand.