High Sierra Topix

I spotted this sleeping bag on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CDWAO30?psc=1
The only reviews are here http://www.amazon.com/Hyke-Byke-Ultrali ... B01CDWAONK, where the price is strangely higher. The product looks to be new, and none of the reviewers seem to have actually used the bag. Too good to be true?

what is your intent on use of such a bag? It doesn't look bad, but 32 is a little dicey (for me.) My Sierra bags are 15-20 degree, because I don't know what i might run into. Also depends on if you are using a tent.

Also in the "too good to be true" contingent here - be wary.
Why?
- Says made of duck down...which (IMHO) is inferior...additionally, duck down can reek/ funky stink, especially if it gets at all, wet. All the best bag manufacturers always proudly use/ clearly state - "made from goose down."
- No mention at all of what quality of down used either...(always suspicious when this detail is not specified.) Again, the better down manufacturers (WM, FF) always state something like "850 goose down"...which is premium down, better/ lighter than 650 goose down, etc.
- No mention of any EN rating...a big red flag.
- No mention of what the outside fabric of the bag is really made of.
- No mention of bag girth...could be made for skinny, bean-pole hikers only...confining?
- Draft tube? Type of zippers used? Full zip or only half? Hood? Type of baffles/ construction?

The old adage: Well made, cheap, light...pick two...
Without trying it personally, seeing it beforehand... would probably pass on this bag - High Sierra.

markskor wrote:No mention at all of what quality of down used either. Again, the better down manufacturers (WM, FF) always state something like "850 goose down" which is premium down, better/ lighter than 650 goose down.

To "expand" on what Mark said, 850 fill power means 1oz of down will fluff & expand to fill 850 cubic inches (in³/oz). In comparison, 650 FP will expand only to 650 ci, a 25% drop in loftiness - but while carrying the same amount of weight.

CLO value is the measure of how much insulation/loft/fill you need for a given activity & temperature. So, while you're hiking & active, if it's cold, you still rarely need much more than (heavy) fleece and/or perhaps wind/wet protection. However, when you are asleep, you need maximum loft to insulate and hold in body heat.

Typically, top quality sleeping bags - like WM - that are rated around 10 degrees have +- 20oz of 850-900 FP down:

http://www.westernmountaineering.com/sl ... versalite/

All other things being equal, a 650 FP bag will require around 30% more fill (think packing bulkiness), or an additional 6oz, to achieve the same warmth factor.

A good quality sleeping bag is perhaps the single most important investment one can make. A bag like WM can literally last 30 years - they can be gently washed to restore loftiness. You an go through many different packs, tents and other gear, but a great bag is the cornerstone.

There are better deals. Yes, that's not great.

Even more fishy, piling adjectives right and left without actual numbers is a hallmark of marketing hype. Premium Quality Ultralight?

Anything being imaged and marketed with a flip phone camera, be suspicious.

For another $150.00, buy a quality down product from a USA manufacturer such as Enlightened Equipment. Use some stratagy to make it even more affordable. For instance, in leu of gifts, ask for gift certificates, then when you are ready to purchase, use them. I did this recently and received a very nice 10 degree down quilt and only used $100 of my own money.

Just the fact that it says the best lightest weight bag for thru hiking is like ummm no lol.

Sleeping bag, tent, backpack, and shoes are your most important purchases! A good sleeping bag is extremely important, by the best you can afford.
Had this offer up a while back, if your interested PM me: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11017

Your responses confirm my suspicions. Almost any bag would be better than the one I have. Maverick I may take you up on the purchasing offer, but I'll have to do some looking around first. All I know now is I want it to be light, cheap, and good (I know, as stated above, I can choose two of the three). Falling between ultralight and ultracheap leads to some interesting gear, especially because ultracheap usually wins. (My rain gear, for instance, is an emergency blanket poncho that cost $2.50 and weighs an ounce. Yes it looks ridiculous, but I used it for 20 minutes on a 6 day trip in the Sierras last summer).

I did just find a great deal on a Granite Gear VC 60 backpack. Free shipping and return if I don't like it. Even found a coupon code that knocked off another 15%, for a total of $136. http://www.luggagefactory.com/hiking-ba ... orso-5453x. I think they have the regular torso size too.

I'm hoping to find a deal like that on a sleeping bag too. It would save a good bit on my pack weight to have a better bag.

Craiglist and Gear Trade. I'd search for Western Mountaineering, Marmot, Feathered Friends, and similar. Even a ten year old down bag, if kept clean and not left compressed in a closet, can be worth the effort.

Use a pop can stove, use an emergency poncho or trash bag or DriDucks poncho for rain gear, but don't make my mistake and settle for cheap sleeping gear. I ended up giving away the first two rounds of cheap junk -- then I bought a down quilt for $240. It's nine years old now. If I kept using cheap junk I would be replacing it over those nine years -- perhaps multiple times, adding up to more than what I paid for the quilt.

No need for you to kick yourself in ten years....