Sleeping Bag Temp Rating

[DannyS]

... I contacted the retailer regarding overfilling the Antelope, he told me that you can only special order overfilled bags, in other words they are overfilled while being produced at the factory.

I had my first WM Ultralite overfilled a number of years after I had bought it. I mailed it directly to Western Mountaineering and they charged me $10 per ounce of down, plus shipping. No labor charge. I guess it must be easy to open up a bag and shoot in a little down. I only had two ounces added to the footbox to make spring ski tours a little less chilly.

So does Western no longer offer this service unless you're buying a brand new bag? On their website they list Antelope overfill as 3 oz. / $39.

When I contacted WM they said they could overfill the bag by 3 oz but I didn't pursue the question further because I purchased it from a US retailer through a friend, they can't ship WM products to Australia, I didn't want to cause problems so I left it at that and then contacted the retailer. I was told it had to be special ordered, I can't say if WM can overfill an already purchased bag? Obviously they can as they did your bag, but I don't know if they still do?

[DannyS]

Danny, I may have overlooked the obvious here, but I can find no reference to what you will be using as a roof - tent ? lodge? Alpine hut?.

Some of the European alpine trekking accommodation is pretty flash by Australian standards, and outside temps of -10c would be no problem to those cosily set up inside. They often have heating and all sorts of comfy stuff !.

If you're not sure what you will be staying in perhaps a little investigation of that aspect of your trip may help the decision making, and possibly save you some money and some weight.

I'll be taking a Duomid and bivy, won't need the tent for climbing though as like you say they have huts. A lot of the climbing will be done in Slovenia, my partner is from there and her brother has climbed all the peaks in that area, his advice was to get a -20C bag. But I'd also like to head for Austria and Norway, not necessarily for climbing, just general hiking.

[stry]

The opinion of your partner's brother is pretty valuable as he has local experience BUT the difference between 15c and 20c isn't much and would be pretty well covered, IF necessary, with your bivvy bag, I would expect.

Add a contingency plan of wearing some extra clothes in the bag if you run into a really cold night and you may well be covered.

If you check the cost of mailing your Antelope back to the US and the cost of getting it (or another bag) back here again, I think you will find the total exceeds A$100.

The next WM bag up from your Antelope is the Kodiak, which is much bigger internally and claimed to be only a little warmer. Unless you are a pretty big bloke, I think the Kodiak would be colder than the Antelope.

Next up from the Kodiak is the Lynx. This is a seriously warm bag (I have one) but ridiculously overkill for most use here and very bulky in the pack and in whatever luggage you will be travelling with.

Norway has brilliant trekking accommodation, and if you join the DNT and use their facilities, you won't even need to carry a bag. No experience with Austria but I am told that good huts are commonplace.

Being as thorough as you are being is the best way to avoid problems, but I think the process is gradually narrowing you down to your first choice of the Antelope.

[DannyS]

The opinion of your partner's brother is pretty valuable as he has local experience BUT the difference between 15c and 20c isn't much and would be pretty well covered, IF necessary, with your bivvy bag, I would expect.

Add a contingency plan of wearing some extra clothes in the bag if you run into a really cold night and you may well be covered.

If you check the cost of mailing your Antelope back to the US and the cost of getting it (or another bag) back here again, I think you will find the total exceeds A$100.

The next WM bag up from your Antelope is the Kodiak, which is much bigger internally and claimed to be only a little warmer. Unless you are a pretty big bloke, I think the Kodiak would be colder than the Antelope.

Next up from the Kodiak is the Lynx. This is a seriously warm bag (I have one) but ridiculously overkill for most use here and very bulky in the pack and in whatever luggage you will be travelling with.

Norway has brilliant trekking accommodation, and if you join the DNT and use their facilities, you won't even need to carry a bag. No experience with Austria but I am told that good huts are commonplace.

Being as thorough as you are being is the best way to avoid problems, but I think the process is gradually narrowing you down to your first choice of the Antelope.

Thanks for your input Stry, much appreciated.

[roysta]

I think the process is gradually narrowing you down to your first choice of the Antelope.

I agree, a good choice and by regulating your clothing you could be comfortable up to -20, more than good enough for what you're planning.

[DannyS]

I think the process is gradually narrowing you down to your first choice of the Antelope.

I agree, a good choice and by regulating your clothing you could be comfortable up to -20, more than good enough for what you're planning.

I returned the antelope already, I had to make a quick decision in order to return it. If I order another antelope it will be with the overfill, but there are two other bags I'm now looking at also. The kodiak and the valandre shocking blue, I recently purchased the valandre b loody mary and had the opportunity to try it out on a 4 day hike, I didn't get to test the temp rating at all with maybe 0C temps, but it left me very impressed. Because of this experience I started looking at the shocking blue and even the kodiak because of the internal measurements. My only concern is how much does the extra internal space effect it's capacity to keep you warm?

[stry]

For me, a bag the size of the Kodiak would have cold spots and very likely draughts.

Unless you are big enough to need a bag that big internally, you are carrying the additional weight and bulk for, at best, no benefit. At worst diminished performance when compared with a similar, but snugger bag.

I'm not sure of the sizing on the Shocking Blue, but seem to recall that it is sized to suit those wearing a duvet, or big people not wearing a duvet, which potentially would create the same problems as the Kodiak.

[roysta]

yep, you should've stuck with the Antelope.
But, I'm sure you'll work it out.

[DannyS]

For me, a bag the size of the Kodiak would have cold spots and very likely draughts.

Unless you are big enough to need a bag that big internally, you are carrying the additional weight and bulk for, at best, no benefit. At worst diminished performance when compared with a similar, but snugger bag.

I'm not sure of the sizing on the Shocking Blue, but seem to recall that it is sized to suit those wearing a duvet, or big people not wearing a duvet, which potentially would create the same problems as the Kodiak.

Stry I tried wear my down jacket inside the antelope but I could clearly see that the down in the bag was being compressed, I like the idea of being able layer with the jacket if needed, do you feel that's not necessary?

[DannyS]

yep, you should've stuck with the Antelope.
But, I'm sure you'll work it out.

Yeah I'm starting to think your right, but nothing lost really as I would have had it overfilled anyway.

[stry]

Danny, I can only recall a couple of occasions when I have resorted to wearing a down jacket in the bag. Each time there was definitely some compression of down. Whether it was the jacket or the bag, or both, being compressed, I can't say. What I can say is that despite whatever compression was happening, I was definitely warmer with the jacket than without it.

[DannyS]

Danny, I can only recall a couple of occasions when I have resorted to wearing a down jacket in the bag. Each time there was definitely some compression of down. Whether it was the jacket or the bag, or both, being compressed, I can't say. What I can say is that despite whatever compression was happening, I was definitely warmer with the jacket than without it.

Thanks for all your input stry, I think I'll go with the popular advice and get an overfilled antelope.
I really appreciate all your help! Thank you.

[Joomy]

I believe they do offer it still to US customers, so don't see why if you pay shipping they wouldn't do it. But you have to contact them somehow first. How do they not have an email contact...?