Sleeping bags

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slimbuddha

slimbuddha

Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Threads
80
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1,632
Location
Albuquerque, NM
I'm considering buying one of the three following bags.

North Face Snowshoe $183
North Face Goliath $173
North Face Elkhorn $100

They are all rated [FONT=VERDANA, GENEVA, ARIAL][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]to 0°F/-18°C, however the Goliath is an oversized bag. The Elkhorn and Snowshoe are the same size, however they use different fill. They are all synthetic, and under 5lbs.

I'm leaning towards the Goliath for the additional wiggle room, and the zip-open footbox. I'm not concerned with the weight of these, as I will not be backpacking with it.

Anyone using these? Am I better off going with the Elkhorn and saving the $?


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I am not a big North Face fan. What do you plan on using the bag for?

Remember that your body has to heat up the space in an oversized bag.
 
slimbuddha said:
I'm considering buying one of the three following bags.

North Face Snowshoe $183
North Face Goliath $173
North Face Elkhorn $100

They are all rated [FONT=VERDANA, GENEVA, ARIAL][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]to 0°F/-18°C, however the Goliath is an oversized bag. The Elkhorn and Snowshoe are the same size, however they use different fill. They are all synthetic, and under 5lbs.

I'm leaning towards the Goliath for the additional wiggle room, and the zip-open footbox. I'm not concerned with the weight of these, as I will not be backpacking with it.

Anyone using these? Am I better off going with the Elkhorn and saving the $?


[/FONT][/FONT]
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After owning and using numerous brands and types of bags for all types of outdoor camping (back country skiing, snow camping, motorcycle touring, backpacking, RTT, etc.) I upped to Western Mountaineering bags about 10-years ago. WM along with Feathered Friends define quality design, craftsmanship and performance. Yes they are more expensive but you WILL feel and see a performance and longevity difference. And they are still hand made right here in the USA.

I once owned a 0 degree rated goose down mummy North Face bag. I didn't catch the design flaw until after I used it: They had sewn the draft tube to cover the zipper on the bottom of the bag! So that the draft tube succumbed to gravity when you needed it most! Needless to say I wasn't impressed with the NF design team. After contacting NF they defended this POS design by stating their design criteria was to allow mating of bags. Huh? Mummy, high performance winter type bag being used #1 for mating to another bag?!

Just my $.02 from owning and using camping gear over the past 30-years.
 
Go synthetic. I've had to sleep in a wet synthetic bag before while on the AT. Stayed warm. My body heat actually dried the bag while I was sleeping in it. At one point in the night I clicked on my headlamp, I looked like a steaming worm. I'm not too keen on North Face either. I prefer Mountain Hardwear, but since you're not backpacking it's not that crucial. I would price shop. Look on SierraTradingPost.com they always have good deals.
 
I just picked up a Mountain Hardware Switch +5....it has a 2nd zipper so you can expand the girth by about 8" for more shoulder/rollaround room, or zip it shut if you want less air to heat inside the bag....

VERY comfy....combined with the +32 bag and the liner I carry, I've got bags for all reasonable conditions.
 
woody said:
I just picked up a Mountain Hardware Switch +5....it has a 2nd zipper so you can expand the girth by about 8" for more shoulder/rollaround room, or zip it shut if you want less air to heat inside the bag....

VERY comfy....combined with the +32 bag and the liner I carry, I've got bags for all reasonable conditions.
Click to expand...

I'm with Woody on Mountain Hardware. I'd seriously consider checking them out.

I've had a down a crazy legs Nickel bag (5 deg) for the past 10 years. Has been a great bag.
 
spressomon said:
After owning and using numerous brands and types of bags for all types of outdoor camping (back country skiing, snow camping, motorcycle touring, backpacking, RTT, etc.) I upped to Western Mountaineering bags about 10-years ago. WM along with Feathered Friends define quality design, craftsmanship and performance. Yes they are more expensive but you WILL feel and see a performance and longevity difference. And they are still hand made right here in the USA.

I once owned a 0 degree rated goose down mummy North Face bag. I didn't catch the design flaw until after I used it: They had sewn the draft tube to cover the zipper on the bottom of the bag! So that the draft tube succumbed to gravity when you needed it most! Needless to say I wasn't impressed with the NF design team. After contacting NF they defended this POS design by stating their design criteria was to allow mating of bags. Huh? Mummy, high performance winter type bag being used #1 for mating to another bag?!

Just my $.02 from owning and using camping gear over the past 30-years.
Click to expand...

X2 on the Western Mountaineering. I have a Antelope and it is really first class gear. If you can swing the $$$$, they are the cats ass.
 
I have a NF bag and it sucks. I never use it. Wanna buy it cheap?

They simply got too big for their britches and now their quality suffers.

Mountain Hardware has never let me down.
 
Most of the camping will be in late spring/summer/early fall in a Tent. It will be replacing and old Military surplus Intermediate Weight Mummy Sleeping Bag that I received from my father about 18-20years ago. I used this as recent as last October to go on a Salmon run and I was warm as could be. [FONT=VERDANA, GENEVA, ARIAL][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva] Since most of the time I am going with other people who don't appreciate the cold, when it is cold, I will likely be in a camper with a heater. Also, I am planning on buying a good liner next.

[/FONT][/FONT]I figure a [FONT=VERDANA, GENEVA, ARIAL][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva] 0° bag is overkill for this, but I may would rather have something warm, that I can unzip to cool down, than be cold.

I see a couple references to Mountain Hardware.. what about this one:
Marmot Ponder Plus - Regular 25°F
Mountain Hardwear Ultralamina 15° - Regular

I'm getting a killer deal from a particular company, so I am limited to a few brands/styles, but I believe enough of a selection that I am not limiting myself.
[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=VERDANA, GENEVA, ARIAL][/FONT][FONT=VERDANA, GENEVA, ARIAL]http://www.zappos.com/n/br/b/1425/Marmot.html[/FONT]
 
For what you want to do with the bag, any of the ones you listed will probably be just fine. Western Mountaineering does build a superior product, but IMO unless your miles from nowhere they are overkill. I save my good bags for back country travel. For what you have described a $150 bag give or take will do. Go and look at them in person if you can and pick the one that suits you best.

Using a liner offers a much greater comfort range. My favorite: Cocoon CoolMax Mummy Liner from REI.com one of the best purchases I've ever made for camping.
 
I have an old North Face 0' that was actually made here in the states before they shipped everthing over seas. It's overkill, but lasted 20+ YEARS. I just purchased another NF 40' bag for inside the trailer, strike team, etc.. and I'm taking it back. The seams, stitching, and layers just don't look right and feel like they will not last. Looking around I found the bag I want at Marmont and it's a synthetic. Take a look at it and keep your options open. The only problem is they don't seem to be made here anymore.
 
Since nobody has mentioned it, I'm going to throw in my .02. You said you weren't worried about weight. Why wouldn't you go with a rectangular bag? I have 2 Slumerjack Big Timber's (of different weights for different temps). They are always zipped together and I sleep in complete comfort. You could certainly sleep in 1 quite comfortably as well. They are "old school" and that is exactly what I wanted; heavy cotton outer, that couldn't be torn like nylon (the 2 Dober's) and nice warm flannel inside.

I went with Slumberjack because I still have a Slumberjack mummy that I've had for 25 years that's still going strong (probably because it was made in the USA). Although the current bags aren't made in the US, they are still very high quality and consequently, not cheap.

Like I said, my .02
 
619TOY said:
Why wouldn't you go with a rectangular bag?
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I have both 30F and 0F rectangular bags. For colder temps I just stick the 30F inside the 0F one and often end up opening up the zipper a bit.:D I bought two pairs so I can zip them together if desired.
 
Recently got some Browning duck outer -15 bags that kick ass
 
I use a marmot +10 cant remember the exact model. Its synthetic and i love it. It really regulates body heat well and so far seems to be constructed very well. If i was in the market again i'd definately go straight back to marmot.
 
619TOY said:
Since nobody has mentioned it, I'm going to throw in my .02. You said you weren't worried about weight. Why wouldn't you go with a rectangular bag? I have 2 Slumerjack Big Timber's (of different weights for different temps). They are always zipped together and I sleep in complete comfort. You could certainly sleep in 1 quite comfortably as well. They are "old school" and that is exactly what I wanted; heavy cotton outer, that couldn't be torn like nylon (the 2 Dober's) and nice warm flannel inside.

I went with Slumberjack because I still have a Slumberjack mummy that I've had for 25 years that's still going strong (probably because it was made in the USA). Although the current bags aren't made in the US, they are still very high quality and consequently, not cheap.

Like I said, my .02
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X2 on those Slumberjack Big Timbers - for vehicle camping. That's what I have for the Cruiser, two of the -20 model. Can't beat that duck canvas for durability. Wife loves em too.

If you're doing backpacking, I'd go with a Western Mountaineering or Feathered Friends like Spresso said. Those are top quality bags, and are usually warmer than their rating, which is opposite of what you usually encounter. I've been backpacking and climbing for years, and I recommend those items highly. Only thing I like from TNF is their shell parkas and fleece Denali jacket.
 
Remember that the rating is with no clothes on. Add a fleece pant bottom and top and you can take the temp lower. I always used some sort of clothing with my down bag to keep the inside from getting to dirty from sweat.
 
Trollhole said:
I'm with Woody on Mountain Hardware. I'd seriously consider checking them out.

I've had a down a crazy legs Nickel bag (5 deg) for the past 10 years. Has been a great bag.
Click to expand...

You got lucky on the crazy leg bag. I found one on ebay a few years ago. Mountain Hardwear got sued for borrowing that idea from someone else and had to quit making them. Great bag
 
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