sleepingbag question

**tiredhiker** · 08-23-2010, 09:37

OK this is probably the most stupid question you will ever here... but I am looking for a goose winter sleeping bag and am confused.. There is the weight, and then the fill weight. Say the bag is a 0deg and it the weight is 2lb and 9oz, the it says 34.8oz fill weight. Do you add the two together or is the fill weight the actual weight with the shell of 2lb,9oz and the down insulation. Or is the fill weight just a term to express the insulation????. I am just looking for the warmest,but lightest and man are they expensive 250.00-400.00 and you can spend as much as 800.00 on a -40deg nag from montbell

**angrysparrow** · 08-23-2010, 09:41

Fill weight is the mass of the insulation inside the shell. The weight spec will be the total weight of the bag.

Down is indeed expensive....but its warmth/weight ratio is great.

**tiredhiker** · 08-23-2010, 09:47

Originally Posted by angrysparrow

Fill weight is the mass of the insulation inside the shell. The weight spec will be the total weight of the bag.

Down is indeed expensive....but its warmth/weight ratio is great.

yes it is expensive but I will spend a little more to have less weight. and thanks for the info,, I need to put my military bag up on the shelf,,,,, it is -20 but it weighs in at a staggering 10 pounds. its from the early 90's. I cant see hauling that on my backpack hauling the rest of the gear.

**skistrees** · 08-23-2010, 09:49

Another thing to keep in mind is the "fill power" of the down. "For example, sleeping bags or quilts with a fill rating of 800-900 will provide an outstanding level of warmth and are preferred by backpackers who want a warm but very lightweight piece of gear. Sleeping bags with fill ratings of 600-700 are considered very good, 500-550 is considered good, and 400-450 is considered medium quality." http://sectionhiker.com/fill-power-r...on-goose-down/
I got my Mountain Hardware winter bag on ebay, barely used, for about half price...

**Jsaults** · 08-23-2010, 13:30

Down sleeping bags are actually quite a good value nowadays. With the advent of outsourcing (I do not want to start a political argument here!) the price of a down bag has remained amazingly stable for 20-30 years now.

When I was in the outdoor retail business back in the '70s, 550-fill power down was the industry standard. I still have a Sierra Designs 200 bag filled with 550, and it feels heavy and quills can be felt through the 1.9 ripstop. Todays high fill-power down is far and away loftier and softer than yesteryear.

I know that when faced with a $200-$400 purchase my recollections are of little consolation, but you are getting a superior bag for essentially the same price.

Jim