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Thread: Down bag

  1. #1
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    Default Down bag

    Looking at possibly purchasing a new sleeping bag. I think I have narrowed it down to one of these three. They all look good but I’m not sure. The prices are similar for the FF and WM but the Marmot is a bit less. Weights are about 2lbs give or take an ounce or two. Any opinions would be appreciated.

    Marmot Helium 15 deg
    Feathered Friends Swift 20 deg
    Western mountaineering Apache 15 deg Western mountaineering Alpinlite 20 deg

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    I’ve been packing a FF for 10 years now with no complaints. It’s an open baffle type so there’s a little learning curve on adjusting the down. No xp with the other two.

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    I put about 2800 miles on my FF bag( Rock Wren) before it got stolen. Loved the open baffels to move the down around depending on temps. Hard to go wrong with any of the three you mentioned though, a good down bag can last 20+ years.

  4. #4

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    I hate to throw another one into the mix but Montbell also gets rave reviews.

    Western Mountaineering is a timeless classic though.

    Feathered Friends makes great stuff.

    I would try to figure out which one will fit you best and has all the features you want and go with that.

    Quality wise, it's pretty even across board.

    Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

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    How do you adjust the down in the FF bags? Doesn’t that leave cold spots and how does the down not move around if you move around in your sleep?

  6. #6

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    You'll do well with any of the bags you listed. The only question mark in my mind is the temp rating on the Marmot. It may be totally reasonable, but I have absolute confidence (from experience) that the other two brands would be comfortable at their listed number. Haven't had a chance to use a Marmot bag yet.

  7. #7

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    Those WM bags are pretty dissimilar...a big difference in width and outer shell material. What are your thoughts on this? Do you need the extra space in the Alpinlite?

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    I am 6’3, 240 lbs so I do need a longer bag with a wider shoulder. I understand the different shells and difference in shoulder widths. The Apache may be tight so I will have to get an accurate measurement for shoulder width. Thanks for pointing that out.

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    Garlic
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    I can attest that the Marmot Helium is good to 15F. It's a serious three-season bag for the price. The other bags are probably better, but pricier.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

  10. #10
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    I have a WM PUMA for the dead of winter, a WM Everlite for summer, a WM Alpinlite for fall and warmer winter walks. The Alpinlite is very roomy and warm. I have wrapped the Everlite around it but it was not that cold that night. The Puma of course I have never even zipped up all the way. I do have a BA Lost Ranger that I let people borrow, but it is no comparison to the Alpinlite.

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    Thank you all for the information. Now it’s time to digest it and spend a few dollars.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by CalebJ View Post
    You'll do well with any of the bags you listed. The only question mark in my mind is the temp rating on the Marmot.
    The Helium is EN rated 13.5F lower limit/25.2F comfort, and the Alpinlite is rated -10C(14F) and -4C(25F), respectively.



    Marmot makes good bags, but it's not gonna have the premium materials or construction quality of the other two.
    You're talking about a "nice" bag vs. ones that are the cream of the crop.
    'Course they're also ~$550, while you can get the Helium for under $300($280 at a couple places, right now).
    Same warmth, more features, about a 2.3oz weight penalty vs. that Alpinlite, and a LOT less expensive.

    Little stuff like smoother zippers, meticulous craftsmanship, more luxurious feeling materials, and intangibles like the joy of ownership aren't things you can quantify, but there are reasons people buy premium bags.
    Whether or not those things are "worth it" is strictly up to the individual.
    I'm a quilt user, and have what is arguably the best quilt on the planet, but get a serious case of lust every time I look at pics of that Swift UL 30-previously the Kestrel. Some people might find that strange(buy the Marmot, then!), but fellow gear junkies will understand. I think...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Storminnorman View Post
    How do you adjust the down in the FF bags? Doesn’t that leave cold spots and how does the down not move around if you move around in your sleep?
    It's just a matter of holding the bag out with both arms and artfully shaking the down around to where you want it. Cold night = more down on top, warmer night = less. Once you get the hang of it you can also swirl your arm around inside the bag to get the down moving. Mine is a 0 bag but since I can move the down around I can use it year round. I've never had a problem with the down moving around at night once I've got it set. I have however guessed it wrong a number of times and had to readjust.
    Last edited by Crossbar; 12-10-2019 at 21:09. Reason: Additional comments

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    Thank you for the explanation. I suppose once you get the hang of it, it can be very useful.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by OwenM View Post
    The Helium is EN rated 13.5F lower limit/25.2F comfort, and the Alpinlite is rated -10C(14F) and -4C(25F), respectively.
    Good info. My intent definitely wasn't to disparage the Marmot bag - I just didn't have experience with their sleeping bags whereas I do with the other brands.

    I also didn't realize that the WM bags were being EU rated. For some reason I thought they had skipped that process.

    Given that Backcountry has the Helium for $280 right now, that seems like an easy decision.

  16. #16
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    There's quite a bit of difference in bag width/girth between the WM Apache vs the WM Alpinlite and the FF Swift. Both of the last two have shoulder girth in the 64/65" range vs 59" in the WM Apache (MF or GWS). The Apache is also 4" narrower in the hip area than the others. The Marmot is around 63" per REI. The WM Badger in the MF or GWS series would be of similar shoulder girth (65") to the other two. Make sure you get a bag with enough shoulder and hip room. While snug bags are technically more efficient, they can be confining and even pose problems like making it difficult to unzip them from the inside. Also make sure you get the zipper on the side you want it.

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by CalebJ View Post
    I also didn't realize that the WM bags were being EU rated. For some reason I thought they had skipped that process.
    I think they have to be, since they have dealers in Europe, and just happened to Google that one right up from a UK dealer. When I went back and checked other models, they didn't have both specs, though some will say "comfort rated at xx".
    Site does have this on the WM bag spec pages:
    * Western Mountaineering state: 'We independently verify own temperature ratings through our own testing, customer feedback and design knowledge. Most of the items in our catalog we have been making for years, which means we have lots of prior knowledge from everyday consumers on what ratings are accurate. We have also EN tested our bags. In every case the EN rating is lower than our posted rating. This means our ratings are more conservative. We do this to ensure that almost everyone will be happy in our bags at the temperature we publish.'

    Here's where I got the numbers for the Alpinlite:
    https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/sleeping-bags-c21/sleeping-bags-c88/alpinlite-wide-sleeping-bag-p9371

  18. #18

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    WM...drop the mike.
    "Maybe life isn't about avoiding the bruises. Maybe it's about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it."

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by coach lou View Post
    I have a WM PUMA for the dead of winter, a WM Everlite for summer, a WM Alpinlite for fall and warmer winter walks. The Alpinlite is very roomy and warm. I have wrapped the Everlite around it but it was not that cold that night. The Puma of course I have never even zipped up all the way. I do have a BA Lost Ranger that I let people borrow, but it is no comparison to the Alpinlite.
    FYI Coach, I followed your lead on this and have obtained all of these....not a moment's regret.
    "Maybe life isn't about avoiding the bruises. Maybe it's about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it."

  20. #20
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    Be sure to compare the Girth of the two bags; my WM Alpinlite was extremely comfortable, size wise. I had a different model of the Marmot Helium (not the Hydrogen, some other model... Lithium?) and I used it for a few months and sold it, it was too constricting. The WM ultralight (my wife owns one) was the same, too constricting. Even though I no longer own it (I went quilt), the WM Alpinlite was probably my favorite all-time bag. I sold it to a lady on here, can't remember her name, I think she loved it.

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