featheredfriends

Okay, point taken, but anatomically it is a more accurate analogy than the tonsil. I guess we could use that other technical term, the thingamajig. Ideas for new descriptions of the "uvula" collar are welcome! Dave, thanks for the recommendation for the one-person version. I'll run it by the folks at the factory. My first thought is that for one person a Vireo still gives you the most efficiency. We have offered a one-person floorless bag in the past (called the Great Auk, a more fitting name was never given), but it was designed more as an overbag and weighed about two pounds. A slimmed-down Great Auk style bag a la Spoonbill For One could be significantly lighter. Keep the great feedback coming, folks.

After months of development and reworking the design, Feathered Friends is pleased to announce the latest addition to our nest: the Spoonbill. This bag is the first and only one of its kind, and is the first new design we have come out with since the Vireo. The Spoonbill is a two-person ultralight alpine bag for climbers/hikers who place a high importance on weight savings and efficiency. Colin Haley came to us with an idea for this bag that he wanted to take to Alaska and Pakistan, and together we came up with the design. The version that we made for Colin is rated to zero degrees and weighs 2lb 11oz, or 1oz less than our lightest zero-degree mummy bag. The production version will be rated to +20 for use in the lower 48 and the weight will be closer to 2lb 4oz, which is in the neighborhood of most +20 mummies. Features of the Spoonbill include - one piece fabric floor: you cut your foam pads to fit inside, which leads to further weight savings because you are only carrying 1.5 pads between 2 people. - two hoods permanently attached, with drawcords. - contoured 3D collar: full width coverage with a uvula that seals the space between the occupants' shoulders. This snaps to the floor to stay in place. - unique baffle construction: the Spoonbill uses a slant-box baffle construction with vertical side baffles. This creates a rectangular cross section resulting in more efficient insulation on the sides of the bag. - efficient fit: there is just enough room inside the bag for two medium build climbers to sleep side by side on their backs. - drawcord across top opening. Each occupant gets their own drawcord to adjust his/her side of the bag. Colin and Jed are taking the Spoonbill to Denali on June 1, so it will be going away then. If you want to stop by and check the bag out before then, hurry on down to see it in person. We will be taking orders in a batch to do a single production run on this bag. If you live far away and can't visit the shop to see the bag for yourself, I will be posting photos here in the next day or two. Check back. The question you have been waiting to ask: how much will it cost? We haven't determined an exact price yet, but the 20-degree production version will be less than the price of two lightweight mummies. Probably between $570 and $620. If you are interested in ordering one of these bags, please email retail@featheredfriends.com We are starting a list of customers so we can make a gaggle of Spoonbills in one production run. It is a fairly complex bag, as you will see, so we're not too keen on making it on a one-off custom basis. We will probably stock a few of these in the store, but we don't expect to sell a flock of them. Begin flurry of commentary.

I just heard the same on KUOW. The other climber was Mizuki, a frequent customer of ours and attendee at our "How to Climb Denali" clinic earlier this spring. She was very excited to climb the West Rib. This is sad news. More details will surely arise, it is another great loss for the NW climbing community.

Just a reminder for folks to reserve their spots in the free clinics! E-mail me at rockfest@featheredfriends.com Highlights: Gear placing and anchor building clinics from the Black Diamond and Petzl Reps. Light and Fast Multi-Pitch Climbing with Roger Strong Leading on Gear for Beginners with Dean Lords from Mammut Rock Rescue: Escaping the belay with a guide from the Northwest Mountain School. http://www.featheredfriends.com/rockfest/2007/event.html See ya there! - Eddie

In a Corona-fuelled round of Cinco de Mayo price slashing, Feathered Friends has marked down all remaining backcountry skis, boots, and bindings to 50% off! Here's what we have left- the format is a little screwed up but y'all can figure it out: SKI LENGTH PRICE DISCOUNTED PRICE DAWN PATROL '06 160 509 254.50 DAWN PATROL '06 167 509 254.50 HIPPY STINX '06 169 589 294.50 HIPPY STINX '06 179 589 294.50 JANAK 163 551 275.50 KAILAS 163 544 272.00 PUMORI 163 445 222.50 PUMORI 172 445 222.50 REVEREND 170CM 685.95 342.98 REVEREND 185CM 685.95 342.98 SCHI DEVIL '06 160 499 249.50 SCHI DEVIL '06 167 499 249.50 SHE'S PISTE '05 174 469 234.50 SIREN 157CM 599 299.50 TACORA 190 525 262.50 WORK STINX 'O6 167 529 264.50 WORK STINX 'O6 174 529 264.50 WORLD PISTE '06 167 499 249.50 WORLD PISTE '06 174 499 249.50 Boot selection is extremely limited, bindings include some Naxos and Silvrettas. Come and get 'em 206 292 2210

Join us for more good times this year! Hang out with Katie Brown, attend free clinics and eat free food. What else do you need? Okay...don't answer that... - Eddie http://www.featheredfriends.com/rockfest/2007/event.html

Lotsa stuff on sale - get here early for the best selection. - Eddie

Bump. See y'all tonight. Even if Mr. Phil can't make it. That makes me sad. Okay, not really. Cool adults tonight - Eddie

Thanks for the feedback, folks, there are some interesting observations and comments to consider. Keep them coming, we appreciate it.

Feathered Friends is developing a new sleeping bag. I would like to hear ideas and feedback from the CC community on the design of this bag. First off, take the spray elsewhere. This is a sincere inquiry, and while the topic may seem ripe for smartass commentary, I would appreciate it if we stick to the subject at hand. The main points I would like to hear about are 1. Is there enough demand for this bag to make it commercially viable. In other words, is this something you would consider buying? 2. Are there any features you would like to see added to this bag? 3. Are there any features you would like to see removed from this bag? Please keep these questions in mind while reading about the bag, and focusing your replies on these general areas would be most helpful. Design summary: This bag is intended to be a two-person, ultralight alpine bag. The design is totally new and not based on any existing Feathered Friends model. It is narrower than our existing two-person sleep systems, much lighter, and not as robust. This is a highly specialized bag to be used on multi-day alpine routes or through-hikes where weight savings is of the highest importance. Target weight: 2.25 pounds Dimensions: top secret. Just kidding, they are not finalized but this bag will be narrower than our current two-person sleep systems. The idea is to shape this bag so two medium sized climbers can just barely fit inside, side by side, lying on their backs. Features: - single piece fabric floor. No down in the bottom of the bag. Floor is made of water resistant, light weight fabric. Climbers either (a) cut their foam pads to size to fit inside the bag or (b) velcro their ground pads together and set the sleeping bag on top of them. - integrated permanent down-filled hoods. These will be slightly lower volume hoods than we put on mummies since the shoulder girth of this bag is pretty slim. - 360-degree filled lower foot section. The end-most down chamber of the bag (the one around your toes) is filled entirely with down throughout the circumference of the chamber. In other words, the single piece fabric floor stops short of the end of the bag by about 5-6 inches. The occupants get down all the way around their toes. Hooray for warm toes. - Permanent collar with yoke. The collar is specially contoured to fill the space between the shoulders of the occupants. This reduces heat loss through the large opening at the top of the bag. - No zippers. Both people have to wriggle in from the top. - Total loft of about 4" will give this bag an estimated rating of about 0 degrees F. Obviously the fill can be adjusted depending on the application: more down for the Cassin Ridge, less for the Pickets. - Drawcord at the collar - Snaps that hold the yoke collar in place and also allow the occupants to snap the shell of the bag to the floor at the shoulder. Kind of hard to describe in words, but hopefully a vivid imagination will envision it. There are some other design elements to this bag, but I either don't want to discuss them or they are not of great importance. This bag is going to be a snug fit for two people, and using it may involve a bit of spooning. The idea is to maximize the efficiency of two bodies inside the bag while reducing the heat loss normally associated with this general design. The collar and foot sections are essential to this goal. Obviously this bag is highly specialized. The market for a design like this is the hard man or woman who has a high tolerance for being in close confines with a stinky climbing partner on route if it means they saved 2 pounds over taking two sleeping bags. So what do you think? Is this something you would use? Is a bag like this commercially viable? How much would you pay for something like this? What features sound good? What features sound bad? What changes do you suggest? Thanks. FF

Colin Haley and Kelly Cordes score a new link-up on Cerro Torre. See y'all there! - Eddie

This may sound blasphemous coming from such a source, but the warmest synthetic parka we have seen is the Mammut Stratus Hoody. True, it does have the bulk of one of our massive down expedition parkas when you try to stuff it, but it has more loft than any other synthetic parka we've ever carried in the shop. Right now there are 7 different models on our racks, which is a new record. Have no fear, though, down still reins supreme in our book and we won't be changing our name to Synthetic Friends any time soon. A spendier alternative would be the Arcteryx Fission LT Hoody. This combines the fancy new shell technologies discussed above with Primaloft insulation. The best value out there right now might be the OR parka- Gore shell fabric with Primaloft for a pretty reasonable price. Not the most loft, though, so probably not well suited to conditions colder than the Cascades. Oh my gosh, this has now become the longest post FF has ever made devoted exclusively to synthetic insulation.

The Cloudveil Switchback pants have a more relaxed fit to them than many other softshell pants, and are reasonably priced, as well.

We have already sold 1/3 of the tickets available for this show. The last time we had this many advance sales we ended up having to turn people away at the door. Show up early or phone in your ticket purchase.

Feathered Friends has had good results with inserting a piece of foam into the heel area of Arctis shells. Feedback on the field usability of this method has been positive. Taping the foam in sounds like a good solution- replaceable but keeps you from losing them when you take your boots off.

Ah, the travails of having so many good climbers in one town.

Okay - all's ya'll sprayed about it...now talk to the man himself "Sacrificing his own summit bid to help a dying Lincoln Hall high on the flanks of Mt. Everest last May, climbing guide Daniel Mazur kicked off a firestorm of debate over the ethics of high altitude mountaineering. He’s been seen and interviewed on Dateline NBC, The Today Show, People Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Outside Magazine, BBC, CNN and many other media outlets around the world. Join us for this special presentation and fundraiser for The Mountain Fund and the Mount Everest Foundation."

Jedi, in theory your point makes sense, but in practicality my experience is that down dries out quickly. Over 4 separate 4 to 6-day trips in the N Cascades last year I tested out bag prototypes in conditions from 20 degrees with snow to 4 degrees with rain. Even when my bag was damp from repeated entry and exit from a Bibler in the rain, each morning I awoke to a dry bag because my body heat had dried it out during the night. Adding a hot water bottle to the bag accelerates the process. This is an easy thing to do once you make camp and get the water going. Plus it is nice to have a pre-heated bag to climb into at night. One difference between synthetic fiber insulation and down that many people don't realize is that down is much more breathable. This is one reason why a zero degree down bag is more comfortable on a +40 night than a zero degree synthetic bag. More breathability means better ability to transport moisture out of the insulation. A slightly, or even moderately, down bag is easy to dry out, even in wet conditions. The catch is that there is a tipping point past which, if you get your down TOO wet, it is hard to recover from. Getting your bag this wet, however, is pretty hard to do and is usually the result of an unforeseen catastrophe or incompetent gear management. Correct. Epic and Event work great for an open bivy, but their benefits are equally valuable on long trips in a tent where prolonged exposure to condensation can be a problem. Another problem is cold conditions where water vapor freezes to the tent walls and creates an indoor blizzard. It's true that neither Epic nor Event breathe as well as untreated taffeta nylon, but just because they are less breathable doesn't mean that these fabrics are not breathable enough. Have you ever slept in an Epic or Event shelled bag for a few nights? The breathability of these fabrics is pretty darn good. It's like the speed difference between a Ferrari and a BMW. Sure, the Ferrari can go 190mph, but you can still outrun the cops at 140mph in your BMW. There is definitely a weight difference between heavier water resistant fabrics and their not-so-water resistant nylon counterparts. In an expedition bag this weight difference can be six ounces, in a summer bag it can be three ounces. Is the performance benefit worth it? It's for you to decide. There is always some tradeoff when you save weight. In many years of stuffing and unstuffing sleeping bags, I have observed no appreciable difference in the compressibility of an Event bag versus a nylon bag. This is a myth. Just yesterday I had no difficulty compressing a nylon bag and an Event bag into the same stuff sack to demonstrate this point to a skeptical customer. I don't think there is some objective superiority of one sleep system or insulation over another, just different pros and cons. It's like ice tools. Everyone finds something that works for them and suits their style of climbing and hopefully can focus more on the climbing than on their gear.

Stefan, can you explain your reasons for wanting a synthetic bag? For the application you describe, a synthetic bag would be bulkier and heavier than a down bag, both of which are considerable drawbacks for alpine climbing. I would be greatly surprised if you found a -9 C synthetic two-person bag that weighed less than 1700g/3.75 lb. The main reason most people seem to want synthetic bags these days are because of the old "it keeps you warm when it's wet" story. Now that shell fabrics (like eVent) have reached the point where they are waterproof, highly breathable, and reasonably light, that is a harder argument to make. Furthermore, since synthetic bags are much less durable than down bags, that is another disadvantage to them. Regardless of fill type, the 2-person bag design is inherently inefficient in colder weather (i.e. below -9 C). The enormous opening at the top of the bag doesn't do a great job of preventing warm air loss, and in the interest of saving weight a lot of 2-person bags forgo the ever important zipper draft tube. That being said, Feathered Friends makes 2-person sleeping bags rated to as low as -20 F. This sounds a bit excessive for your needs. If your intended use for the bag was summertime alpine climbing below 4200m in the lower 48 or Canada, then a Penguin model rated to 20 F/ -6.7 C and an ultralight groundsheet would be a comfortable option. Total combined weight is 3.4 lb. or 1560g. The total cost for a Penguin 20 with groundsheet is in the neighborhood of $460. Not the cheapest, but you get the premiums of excellent water resistant fabric, 850+ fill down, and the ability to add hoods to the bag later. If you don't want the hoods we can make it without the extra zippers and that would save another couple ounces. Link to Feathered Friends Penguin sleeping bag

Martin, you might be interested to know that FF rents expedition down gear. If you do not intend to use the gear beyond your Denali trip then renting makes sense, but if you have expedition aspirations beyond the great one then purchasing your own stuff is the way to go. Not everyone knows about our rental program, so I thought I'd mention it. If you are interested, give the store a call. Cheers. FF

Congratulations to the raffle winners. Some lucky people took home some nice prizes. Even Gator won!

Hey gang, we recently had some leaky pipes drain our roof into the store, and this made a whole bunch of our books wet. Tonight at the show we are going to offer a huge selection of our damaged book collection at huge discount. Depending on the state of the book, we'll knock 30% to 60% off the sticker price. There are lots of guidebooks, lots of instructional books, and a few pieces of mountain literature that all got damp, so we'll have something to please everyone. First come first served. We won't be fielding telephone calls or emails with requests for specific titles, this is rummage sale style.

Hey gang, we recently had some leaky pipes drain our roof into the store, and this made a whole bunch of our books wet. Tonight at the show we are going to offer a huge selection of our damaged book collection at huge discount. Depending on the state of the book, we'll knock 30% to 60% off the sticker price. There are lots of guidebooks, lots of instructional books, and a few pieces of mountain literature that all got damp, so we'll have something to please everyone. First come first served. We won't be fielding telephone calls or emails with requests for specific titles, this is rummage sale style.

Here ya go: