Sleeping bag question (WM vs FF)

[Dustin_B]

I’m trying to decide between a Feathered Friends Swift (20 degree and add 2 oz of overfill) or a Western Mountaineering Versalite Super (10 degree). I think these two bags would be about the same warmth, but that is just a guess based on various things. Light weight and packability are critical which leans me too the WM but I do like the Epic shell I can get on the Swift. The FF Swift would weigh 2 oz more than the WM at advertised weights.

 

The thing that scares me about the Feathered Friends bag is this; I own a FF Ibis 0 degree bag and it weighs 5 ozs more than the advertised weight. I didn’t get any options on the bag and I even talked to the guy at length when I ordered it about how to make it lighter. I decided against any lighter options. The advertised weight for a size Long Ibis is 51 oz. My bag weighs 56 oz. I know sleeping bags weights can vary, but that is almost a 1/3 of a pound and seems like too much variation. I weighed some WM bags at Jim’s shop and they weighed the advertised weight (to within .5 oz).

 

Any opinions on either of these bags are appreciated. Has anyone else noticed a significant weight discrepancy in their FF bags? How water resistant is the Pertex Quantum?

 

Yes I realize the Epic fabric weighs more than the Pertex quantum fabric that WM uses.

 

Thanks.

[specialed]

What will you using the bag for? and where?

[olyclimber]

This line of questioning seems vaguely familiar, but I know it isn't the case because Specialed would never troll.

[Jedi]

I think you know the answer. If WM is more consistant with their bag weights, you will not be disappointed if the bag weighes as advertised.

Fill weight is fill weight. 22oz of down will give a certain amount of warmth. If the FF bag comes to you weighing 3oz more, you can only hope it there is 3 oz more of down and not shell material. If weight is not critical, then it is to your benefit as the bag will be warmer, if the increased down causes more loft.

Maybe FF's can confirm the bag you will get will be as advertised, then you be happy.

[featheredfriends]

Dustin,

 

I think your concerns about weight discrepancies may be moot in this case. I just weighed a 6'0" Epic 800+ fill Swift, and it tipped the scale at 2lb 4oz, which is one ounce more than our advertised weight. This is within 3% of the advertised weight, which is probably a reasonable margin of error. Being 5oz off on the Ibis seems a bit strange, so I wonder if there is something else going on with your bag. There are plenty of possible reasons why there is a discrepancy.

 

If weight savings are important to you, I suggest you consider a Hummingbird or a Swallow, both of which are lighter bags at 20 degrees. By contrast, a 6'0" Epic half-zip Hummingbird weighed 1lb 13oz on the scale this morning. That is pretty light for a bag of this warmth with the moisture protection of the Epic shell. If you chose a Hummingbird with Pertex Quantum, the total weight would be a good bit less, since the weight/yard of the two fabrics are 1.8oz and 0.9oz respectively. And Quantum is nowhere nearly as water resistant as Epic.

 

So I suggest you decide which performance attribute you care more about- weight savings with low bulk versus water resistance with higher durability- and base your choice on this. Either way, one of our 20 degree bags will be light and compact.

 

Other features of the Feathered Friends bags which distinguish them from WM include the tuck stitch construction, which is cleaner and more durable than top stitch, the wider range of fabric and color choices, and all the custom options that are too numerous to list here.

 

Come on by to chat or give us a call if you have any other questions. Cheers-

 

Feathered Friends

[thelawgoddess]

personally if i had to choose between a 10 and a 20 i'd go with the 10 (and probably still get overfill) ... :-)

[Dustin_B]

specialed -

For sleeping in, outside and in a tent. Seriously though, if this is a serious question, I’ll be using it internationally and domestically, in dry and wet places, respectively. Mostly spring and fall (and winters like this year’s) in the Cascades, but I’m buying it for a trip to Tibet and Nepal (yes drier areas than Cascades). I’m expecting to use this bag down to 10 or 15 degrees. I generally sleep warmer than average.

 

FF-

I need the Swift because I’m ‘big boned’ - 6’2” and 210 lbs (so yeah this is where everyone says I shouldn’t be worrying about a few ozs when I’m carrying around an extra 10 lbs…). I have yet to get into a Swallow but I’m pretty sure it will be too small. Both of my other bags are 63-64 inches in the shoulder and that is a good fit for me. I also need a size long bag (6’6”). I’ve tried 6’ bags and they simply don’t work for me. Which leads me to the heavier, size long, Swift.

 

I’ve weighed other FF jackets and bags in the store and found their weights to be accurate. My XL Helios jacket weighs 19 oz (advertised weight for a size M or L (?) is 15 oz so this is probably in line). I’ve weighed my size long Ibis on two different scales and get 55-56 oz. I am planning to come in and talk with you before I make any decisions. And I agree a 1 or 2 oz discrepancy is completely reasonable, but a 5 oz discrepancy just seems a bit on the high side. I’m willing to accept it’s a fluke though.

 

Thanks for the input.