Recommendations on a Down Sleeping Bag

[WiseOwl]

Trying to keep it under $150.

Looking for a down or equivalent bag that will compress to smaller than a football (to be used backpacking).

Down to 0-20 degrees.


Lightweight.

I don't really trust the Amazons and the googles of the world, I'd rather ask the people that may use this stuff.


Suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

WiseOwl

[Rmplstlskn]

You will get opinions all over the place, just like Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Toyota...

I bought my Marmot down bag off an Campmor clearance. I forgot how much I paid, but I know it was well below $100. Great construction and keeps the down IN PLACE. But down does highly compress, so it packs light and small, but it also compresses underneath you, so use a PAD to stop cold rising through...

I think any decent brand will make a good bag...

[WiseOwl]

Was looking at a Kelty that was stealing all of the reviews. It is $125 but I need the long (6'3)

Something lightweight (under 4lbs) but its gotta fit in the lower compartment of my pack.

And I will tell you the best and cheapest alternative to a sleeping pad.............a good ole fashioned pool float. We started this last summer and they work wonders. Wait til Dollar General puts them on clearance and then snatch up the whole shelf. They fold up good in the pack and weigh less than a pound

[Grand58742]

I'd keep an eye on Steep and Cheap. They start running clearance on winter stuff around this time. You just have to keep a watchful eye out as the items change about every twenty minutes or so. Otherwise, as Rmpl suggested, Campmor is a good place to start along with REI and Everest Gear.

[Preppergirl]

Don't know which is best due to down allergy in my family, but I would roll it into a travel space type bag, not necessarily the brand, with a one way valve which can help to evacuate air via compression....won't help with the weight of it but would help with the bulkiness of it. The added benefit would be that the bag would be an extra dry bag in the event of rain

[Edgemont]

I'm an avid mountaineer with LOTS of winter experiance... So take my word when I say I know about bag practicality. I have 4 or 5 bags designed for Different purposes. Somehow I managed to get some serious deals on my bags! Just so you know, you are asking for quite a bit with those requirements. But it's doable. Catch REI on a sale and you can do quite well. Also don't overlook retailmenot.com for online coupons.
I have an older REI model bag that is down, 800 fill weight, weighs 2lbs 8oz, 0degree rating, and cost me $200. But that was a really awesome deal!!! The advantage to down is that it lasts longer than synthetic and it's lighter. But if it gets wet you loose your insulating power. But synthetic is usually cheaper.
Marmont is probably the best brand out there IMO. I have a synthetic marmont bag rated to 15 degrees that weighs around 3+ lbs and I paid $80 somethin. Another awesome deal. I think I got it on campmor.com
Please feel free to ask questions. When I was studying which bag I was going to buy... I went nuts and scrutinized every bag on the market that fit my requirements. I ended up with an REI bag. And I love it!

[Edgemont]

Btw, I don't think you'll get a bag rated 20 degrees or less to compress smaller than a football... My 45 degree bag compresses that small, but my 0 and 15 degree bags don't.

[WiseOwl]

Btw, I don't think you'll get a bag rated 20 degrees or less to compress smaller than a football... My 45 degree bag compresses that small, but my 0 and 15 degree bags don't.

Thanks Edgemont.

My brother is letting me borrow a Kelty that he got for Christmas a couple of years back. Its black and down but.....its a regular and I am 6'3.....it weighs about 2.5lbs and folds down to a football. If I could find that in a long it would be on like donkey kong.

For winter (car camping not backpacking) I have a Coleman extra wide 20degree flannelish and a Columbia Mummy 0 Degree. I usually sleep in one inside another in just boxers in 20 degrees or less and sleep great!

[ridgerunner]

My son uses a Kelty Cosmic Down 20 degree that fits to 6'6" and weighs 3lb 5oz. It stuffs to 8" diameter and 14" long and was shipped for under $80 on fleabay during closeout.

Now this bag uses 550 down which is made with cheaper duck feathers (not goose). I would also say that the 20 degree rating is only good to about 32 comfortably as confirmed by the EN Rating. Now an air mattress or setup location may improve this somewhat.

If you are looking for an 800 fill, or higher, lightweight bag it will probably cost you. But in the long run it will probably be worth it.

I currently use the Marmot Trestles 15, which is synthetic, but very affordable and suits my needs just fine.

[protus]

ive got a klety down bag 20f. its 3lbs packed with sack. 2.8 lbs dry iirc.
got them at TJmax for 29$ i think.

sides that i run a marmot trestles 32f..so far its done good into the mid 20's with no extra layers...

[boltgun308]

Exped makes a down filled air mat that stows very small and is very comfortable if you like sleeping on the ground. Mine is the Exped 9 down mat. Kifaru makes a nice bag but the price will make your heart flutter. Down sucks bad when wet, so a good dry bag is a must. There are now a lot of lightweight synthetic fibers that make down obsolete, IMO.

[Grantmeliberty]

I have had down bags since the 60's, but have recently gotten Wiggy's bags. They have had them on 30 percent off recently, and though they take more space, and weight, the fact that they won't be adversely affected by moisture far outweighs those drawbacks IMHO. They can be compressed enough, by vacuum, to meet your requirement, and the military has them packed to a flat pack to go under seats of planes for survival use. They offer that service at Wiggy's.

[WiseOwl]

I really just need something that compresses the to the size of a football and less than $100.

I have cold weather 0 degree mummy bags but they arent for backpacking unless it was (in my SNL announcer voice) THE END OF THE WORLDDDDDD!!!!

Busted out my 2 cold weather bags tonight to get them ready for my camping trip next weekend and man they are like 8lbs a piece but they are warmer than a polar bears knee cap.

[donweld]

My mindset is that my bag is my most important piece of survival gear, fall into a river with a down bag and your in big trouble. Check out the North Face Dark Star I love mine.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I have cold weather 0 degree mummy bags but they arent for backpacking

Someone forgot to tell the Army this LOL