[at-l] 5% hiking

[bennettk at wfu.edu (ken bennett)]

> Let's see if anyone can help me with some suggestions on this, too.  I'm
> looking for a bag that is very light-weight, will allow me to move (I'll be
> in forty-eleven positions by morning time!  LOL), will dry quickly, and
> doesn't send my pocketbook into another spasm of pain.  Anyone got any
> suggestions?

Define 'light weight.' Also, define the usage -- summer, 3-season, winter?
Are you a cold sleeper?

Summer, inexpensive, lots of room: the Kelty Light Year 45-F down bag. I
have used this as my summer bag for 3 or 4 years now, and it's not bad.
About 28 ounces total with the stuff sack, plenty wide enough, with a decent
hood. It only has a half zipper (with another zipper for your feet at the
bottom), and the chambers are a little under-filled, so it can get flat
spots, but overall it's a nice bag. It's on sale now at backcountrystore.com
for $85. 

http://www.backcountrystore.com/store/KEL0211/c3/s18/Kelty-Light-Year-Sleepi
ng-Bag-45-Degree-Down.html

Kelty also makes a 25-F version, which isn't on sale, but the regular price
is only $160. It's 2 pounds even. I think this is exactly the same bag as
the above, with more down in the chambers.

Both of these bags have, um, generous temperature ratings -- the 45 is
probably good to 50, and the 25 is maybe good down to freezing, but all of
this depends on your specific circumstances.

In the 15-20 F range, finding a down bag under three pounds is common. When
you get under two pounds, they start getting expensive. The Marmot Helium EQ
15-F bag, for example, weighs 2 pounds and costs $450. (But it's much more
likely to be warm at 15 than the Kelty is to be warm at 25.)

Eastern Mountain Sports has everything on 20-% off this weekend. They market
several nice-looking bags under their house brand. A 20-F Mountain Light
down bag weighs 2 pounds and is on sale for $160. This particular bag is an
unfortunate shade of rust that makes it look like a circa-1975 kitchen, but
it could be worse -- it could be avocado <grin>.

Hope this helps.

Ken