Lightweight 0 degree sleeping bag.

[Malbena]

What are your thoughts on the Sea to Summit Micro Mc II Sleeping Bag, it's only 2c but I think that's all I really need, when I wear my thermals and maybe some extra cloths if it really gets cold.

It's only 550 grams as well, though not sure about the lengths and pricing and weight.

Just trying to get a bag thats available in Australia. at a decent price.

Thanks for any info.

John, I have a STS Micro McII and am really happy with it. I sleep warm and use a a Downmat but certainly I have not been cold at down to 0 degrees in the tent.

I got sick of carrying a large heavy sleeping bag and always being hot. This has solved that.

[ULWalkingPhil]

My Hammock Gear Burrow has 900 Goose down good for -7 temp and only weighs 20 ounces, which I believe is apx 580 grams. It is a Top Quilt, inclosed at the foot end with a drawcord and snaps, can be opened as a blanket. A perfect match for my Hammock, as well as ground use, as I own a Exped Downmat 9 Dlx. I find it to be the perfect solution for me.

[John Sheridan]

Would you concider the Highlite as well, I would prefer that had a full zip, but from what I have read the halzip saves weight, the Hightlite is also a 2c bag.

It's only 453.59237 grams, but I have heard the bottom is a little snug, has anyone got one and are about 6 feet and have the bag, how much leg room do you have is it too cramped or ok ???


Thanks for any info.

[geoffmallo]

John I have the Highlite in the long. I'm 6"1' and find the bag is a great size. It's a tad long for me but that doesn't really matter in colder conditions. The foot box is ample in my opinion.

For colder weather I pair it with a western mountaineering vapor barrier (@180g) call the hot sac. Once you get used to regulating your temp this works very well. I've slept around 0c when it snowed at lake promontory in the western arthurs in just the highlight during a time when I was sleeping cold due to an injury but was warm enough.

I also sleep with the bag upside down (this is for all my bags). In my opinion hoods work far better this way and don't need to be cinched tight around your face. Only works for side sleepers though with your mouth just poking through a hole at the edge.

[etrangere]

For those interested Paddy Pallin website has their whole WM sleeping bags at big discounts..........only problem is that it seems they only have the 6 foot options available to click on under "options"

[nq111]

To through another into the mix - Marmot Plasma 30 (degree F) http://marmot.com/products/plasma_30 . 635 grams. Very efficient and light construction but without skimping on comfort and good interior space. Hood is the best i have tried (actually usable). Genuine to conservative temperature rating. Only been available a few months, but two gear of the year awards already.

[mattmacman]

And backcountry gear has it 20% off =) How do you find the zipper? Is it true to the rating?

[nq111]

last 30 cm of zip is a little fiddly but not enough for me to worry. Full zip so quiltable when warmer.

Haven't tested temp limit (I actually have the 15) but compared to the old macpac which is more down / much heavier / colder rating i have no reason to doubt it on loft or construction. It is hard to move down about in it which i consider a good thing (less likely to develop cold spots)

All reviews to date including independent (e.g. UK Climbing) say temp is accurate to conservative. It is EN rated so benchmarked by the best standard.

Other options (e.g. WM) are very good and are not going to disappoint but I think as good quality down but smarter/more efficient construction with this one. They have put a lot of thought into it - e.g. mixed synthetic / down in draft tube and footbox to give better distribution of fill and durability and the hood which is a fully contoured design borrowed from their down jackets.

[JohnM]

Bit of an update.

I was in Paddy's Melbourne today, and they've adjusted (downwards) their RRP for WM bags.

So the WM Summerlite now has a sticker price of $399 (the 180cm version). You can sign up on the spot for their loyalty club (free) and get 10% off everything, so that makes it $350. You can still get it a little cheaper OS, but when you consider postage... you're really not saving much doing that.

Nice to see a local retailer being able to make their prices competitive with O/S online stores. At that price, I'd happily take the 10% hit to support the local retailer.

[etrangere]

Bit of an update.

I was in Paddy's Melbourne today, and they've adjusted (downwards) their RRP for WM bags.

So the WM Summerlite now has a sticker price of $399 (the 180cm version). You can sign up on the spot for their loyalty club (free) and get 10% off everything, so that makes it $350. You can still get it a little cheaper OS, but when you consider postage... you're really not saving much doing that.

Nice to see a local retailer being able to make their prices competitive with O/S online stores. At that price, I'd happily take the 10% hit to support the local retailer.

Totally agree with you John. I have bought quite a bit of gear online from O/S and have been eyeing off a WM sleeping bag to get. To buy from Paddy's would only be an extra $60 or so, something I would be more than happy to pay to support Paddy's as they have always been extremely helpful in buying gear in the past. Plus there is the peace of mind of having someone to deal with face to face if you have any issues/problems with the bag. Luckily I havent had any issues ordering products online but after hearing some peoples stories I like you would be happy to pay 10% more to avoid the time/money/inconvenience of any issues and deal with someone locally.

[mattmacman]

Yeah im considering it!

[mattmacman]

Now its just a matter of, Marmot plasma 30 vs WM summerlite, both are great, apparently the Plasmas a better fit?

[nq111]

Check the internal measurements to be sure.

Marmot generally tailors more to comfort than ultralite - this is on the slim fit for them but roomy none-the-less.

Yes - if you think you will make use of the hood it is superior in the plasma.

Two top choices - i wouldn't stress - either way would be excellent.

[pmack]

so from reading here, the summerlite seems like a good option. but having to go through a freight forwarder is a pain
i'm buying a tent from this place, and want to get my order up to 400 so i can get free shipping, and figured I might as well get my sleeping bag from here.
can anyone reccomend a sleeping bag out of this bunch?
http://www.campsaver.com/camp-hike/slee ... t_range=45
cheers!

I currently have a Kathmandu pathfinder with 440g of down (700 loft whatver that means). I think it probably weighs about a kilo total, but i'd prefer to halve that if possible (560 g for the summerlite would have been pretty damn good), and i'm also not happy with how it packs down, I want something smaller as i'll be taking this across the world backpacking!

[cams]

There's only so light you can go. What temps are you hoping to stay warm in? The Summerlite may not keep you as warm as the Kathmandu as it dosn't have as much down fill. But it is a higher loft so is a bit tricky to compare.

I bought a Sierra Designs bag from campsaver without any issues for my girlfriend. It's not on their restricted list. She's only used it once but was very happy with it. I quite like the design of it. Fairly minimal zip though.

Did you see the comments above about Paddy Palins new pricing on WM? Not that bad now, especially with the lower exchange rate.

[blacksheep]

you can compare bags quickly..lay them side by side. Insulation is pretty simple- it's how much they slow down heat loss that determines how well they work in a given temperature. The thicker the insulation, the slower the heat loss, the better in colder temperatures.

[JohnM]

so from reading here, the summerlite seems like a good option. but having to go through a freight forwarder is a pain
i'm buying a tent from this place, and want to get my order up to 400 so i can get free shipping, and figured I might as well get my sleeping bag from here.
can anyone reccomend a sleeping bag out of this bunch?
http://www.campsaver.com/camp-hike/slee ... t_range=45
cheers!

I currently have a Kathmandu pathfinder with 440g of down (700 loft whatver that means). I think it probably weighs about a kilo total, but i'd prefer to halve that if possible (560 g for the summerlite would have been pretty damn good), and i'm also not happy with how it packs down, I want something smaller as i'll be taking this across the world backpacking!

???
freight forwarding costs $8.50 and take about 3 minutes to set up. Couldnt be less of a hassle really.

But why not just go to paddys and buy locally? You'll get a WM Summerlite for $360 Oz (don't forget Oz dollar is below parity now, so you need to add a little to those online US prices). And you'll have no postage to pay, you'll have it in your hands on the day you buy, you're supporting local jobs, and best of all, you can actually eyeball the bag in store.

[wayno]

i think the loft no is something to do with the percentage of down to feather, the higher the no the more down. the lighter it will be and the better it will pack down and probably more expensive

[wayno]

explanation of down loft here
http://www.downmark.com/consumer_inform ... s_down.htm

[cams]

you can compare bags quickly..lay them side by side. Insulation is pretty simple- it's how much they slow down heat loss that determines how well they work in a given temperature. The thicker the insulation, the slower the heat loss, the better in colder temperatures.

Not so easy when you can't lay them side by side and when manufacturers don't list the loft thickness.

[mattmacman]

Lof thickness dosent matter as long as the sleeping bag is true to its rating (hence why EN ratings are becoming standard now). Got yo back Blacksheep =)

[ninjapuppet]

Lof thickness dosent matter as long as the sleeping bag is true to its rating (hence why EN ratings are becoming standard now). Got yo back Blacksheep =)

Given the choice of same weight sleeping bags, despite whatever their EN ratings are, i would still trust the thicker one.

[mattmacman]

Lof thickness dosent matter as long as the sleeping bag is true to its rating (hence why EN ratings are becoming standard now). Got yo back Blacksheep =)

Given the choice of same weight sleeping bags, despite whatever their EN ratings are, i would still trust the thicker one.

That may be the case but it boils down to, 'do you trust the rating?'. Also if your using a down bag in warm conditions the down wont be as 'stiff' as down naturally stiffens and expands the loft and warming capabilities in colder conditions, just another reason to love down =)

[blacksheep]

An en test is an en test, just ensure a given rating is actually an en tested rating. Also a ruler is a handy tool to pack when going from store to store..or just get a macpac express bag , we have already done the homework for you

[mattmacman]

An en test is an en test, just ensure a given rating is actually an en tested rating. Also a ruler is a handy tool to pack when going from store to store..or just get a macpac express bag , we have already done the homework for you

Hahah, love the marketing Blacksheep, although i countered the your comment ninja puppet about the thickness i do agree that i would choose the thicker its just that id consider features, materials and price before that and with sleeping bags now features vary HEAPS!

[pmack]

so from reading here, the summerlite seems like a good option. but having to go through a freight forwarder is a pain
i'm buying a tent from this place, and want to get my order up to 400 so i can get free shipping, and figured I might as well get my sleeping bag from here.
can anyone reccomend a sleeping bag out of this bunch?
http://www.campsaver.com/camp-hike/slee ... t_range=45
cheers!

I currently have a Kathmandu pathfinder with 440g of down (700 loft whatver that means). I think it probably weighs about a kilo total, but i'd prefer to halve that if possible (560 g for the summerlite would have been pretty damn good), and i'm also not happy with how it packs down, I want something smaller as i'll be taking this across the world backpacking!

???
freight forwarding costs $8.50 and take about 3 minutes to set up. Couldnt be less of a hassle really.

But why not just go to paddys and buy locally? You'll get a WM Summerlite for $360 Oz (don't forget Oz dollar is below parity now, so you need to add a little to those online US prices). And you'll have no postage to pay, you'll have it in your hands on the day you buy, you're supporting local jobs, and best of all, you can actually eyeball the bag in store.

you sure they're selling it for $360? Might have to check it out.
But I didn't realise freight forwarders were that cheap, might give priceusa a try if I don't get it through paddy pallin
problem is I can't find any US retailers selling the summerlite cheap atm

[mattmacman]

Backcountrygear.com has a one item 20% off and they DO ship the bags to AUS!

[JohnM]

Backcountrygear.com has a one item 20% off and they DO ship the bags to AUS!

Excluding WM and Hilleberg unfortunately. But yeah, they do ship to Oz.

Price at Paddys for WM Summerlite is 399, and if you join their loyalty club (free on the spot) you get 10% off. They've dropped their RRP on all WM bags.

Re freight forwarding: I used shipitto last month for some WM gear, and it's a one-off cost of 8.50 with those guys. Cheap and easy.

[mattmacman]

Sorry you are right i was thinking of the marmot plasma!

[photohiker]

Just came across Joe from zpacks new creation.

Crazy light bag/quilt setup. A long/wide -1* C runs 459g/$325, Multiple sizes and fill weights, $US300-350

Shortcomings are no hood and bottom zip.