Mountain Hardwear gear

[Collin]

I'm looking into getting a good light weight sleeping bag and tent. Can anyone give me advice on Mountain Hardwear products. I have a friend that has a friend that can hook up a big discount through them. I was looking at the "Cheops SL" bag. It's a 2003 model but I don't care. Also I was checking out the "Airjet 2" tent. Anybody using those? Alternatives?

[Rodchester]

I think that MH sleeping bags tend to be heavy "as advertised" and that on top of that they tend to actually be heavier than advertised. I did a little test a while bag on lightweight sleeping bags (2lb range & 15-25 degrees) and found that MH sleeping bags (Phantoms) weighed were consistently over the advertised weight, by between 5-7 ounces. On a "lightweight" sleeping bag, that is a HUGE difference.

 

I’ve used a few of their tents, and can’t say they suck or anything, but I am not impressed either.

 

Overall I find MH stuff to be bulky, heavy, and not very innovative. That said, I do tend to agree that their stuff is well built. So its not bad, and a deal is a deal.

 

Good luck...

[Greg_W]

I would concur with Rodchester: MH stuff is heavy, but the designs are good and the shit is bombproof. A little too bulky. But, a deal is a deal; skimp weight on other shit.

[John Frieh]

Mtn Hardwear was recently purchased by Columbia so keep an eye on production changes/locations. So far it appears the ownership change hasn’t affected quality, but something to be concerned about is what if down the road you need something replaced due to warranty issues and all they can offer you is bunk. Just a thought.

 

I think people on this page could give you a more definitive answer if you specify what you will be using these items for: a lightweight tent for backpacking is one thing; a lightweight tent for climbing is another.

 

If it is climbing, check out:

 

Sleeping bag: Nunatak (my 20 deg. bag weighs 25 oz.; they custom fit them to you)

Tent: Bibler (worth every penny)

[Stephen_Ramsey]

25 oz for a 20-deg bag is pretty darn light.

 

Second the endorsement of Bibler.

[John Frieh]

I got the very first orange one he ever made back in 2001ish... no zipper, epic fabric... I love it. I'm ordering a double wide from him next... snuggle time!

[marylou]

I have a MHW Phantom 15 that I'm trying out.

 

Advertised weight is 31 oz, though actual weight is 34.4 oz. That seems to be about par for the course on how far off the actual versus advertised weights are in sleeping bags. I find it interesting that the advertised weight seems to be always less than the actual weight.

 

Phantom's an okay bag. I find it fairly comfortable, though I think it doesn't have continuous baffles. Sorry I can't say for sure, I looked at their site and can't get the details to pop up. Fiddling with one of the baffles, though, it looks like it's sewn to me. The draft collar is quite comfortable. The hood is easy to adjust, and you can adjust the top cord independantly of the bottom one. The zipper is not full-length. No major cold spots, though I wish it were a little fluffier.

 

At full retail, the Phantom competes with the WM and FF bags, and frankly, I don't think it's as nice as either.

 

I agree with others here who say the MHW bags (or at least this one) are decent, but not spectacular.

[thrutch]

If you are looking into a light weight tent, I say go with some parachute cord and a hardware store tarp. Much more cost effective, lighter and versatile. I save the tent for when there is real weather for a longer durations of time.

 

If money is an issue then I say buy what you can at a deal as equipment should not be an excuse for an adventure.