Which bag would you recommend for winters (plus shoulder seasons) for use in Northern Sweden, Finland. Sequoia? I temp can dip to -25+, but Im only in these conditions a few weeks a year at most. FO you recommend the MF or Gore fabrics? IS there that much of a packability difference? Thoughts? Selecting the right bag is proving to be challenging. Plus I am a side sleeper... so the rec bags seems a better fit. Thanks!
There are a lot of points to Unpack in your question! But we'll do our best! First, you need to decide what temperatures you will be sleeping at! If you know the range you are camping in it's easier to narrow down what sleeping bag to get. Western Mountaineering rate their bags at the between the Comfort and lower limit rating. Here is a quote from their website: "The ratings we claim represent a temperature that we consider as the low end of a sleeping bag's intended warmth range when used correctly." If you think you'll be regularly camping at -25C in Finland, then you may need to consider a warmer bag like the Puma(-32C) or at the very least the Lynx(-23C) or Bristlecone(-23C). If you are a side sleeper or someone who needs more space, The Sequoia(-15C) and Bristlecone(-23C) are a bit girthier inside diameter. If you like the mummy fit, the Antelope(-15C) or Lynx(-23C) can be good options! You can also special order your chosen sleeping bag and ask for an overfill of Down! Send us an email at wm@climbonequipment.com and we can answer in more detail. A quick note about the Gore before going too far. For the last couple of years, Western Mountaineering has been using the Goretex Infinium Fabric which is a rebranded Goretex Windstopper Fabric. This year Western Mountaineering is moving away from the Gortex because they use PFA and PFCs in the production which is harmful to the environment. This year Western Mountaineering is moving to a new waterproof breathable fabric they are calling Stormshield. We'll still refer to this at the GWS for the time being! When you place your order we'll have to ask which fabric they are using. The MF bags use Western Mountaineering's (WM) MicroLite XP™ 20 Denier microfiber shell. It is the highest thread count at 400 threads per square inch. The intention is to make this highly water resistant, highly breathable, and very lightweight. This would be good for breathability in a wider range of temperatures so you might not sweat as much. The Gore Wind stopper (GWS) material like on the Puma GWS is the most weather resistant/breathable fabric available from WM and provides their best protection against moisture and condensation. The face fabric has a 273 thread count 30 denier. The breathability of the GWS membrane reduces the threat of condensation while remaining plenty water resistant for the needs of a sleeping bag. GWS sleeping bags are intended to be used in damp or extreme conditions to prevent moisture from reducing down performance. Denier is used to determining the thickness of the fibres in the fabric. It’s a unit of density based on the length and weight of a yarn or fibre. A single strand of silk is considered 1 denier. The fibres in a 40-denier nylon fabric have over 6.5 times the diameter of the silk strand, and almost 1.5 times the diameter of fibres in a 20-denier or “20D” nylon fabric. So though the GWS has a smaller thread count, it's less breathable due to the thicker strands in the material. which makes it more weather resistant. but also traps more moisture like sweat inside, which could be good or bad depending on whether you tend to sweat a lot or use it in more of a variety of temperatures. In general the MF fabric is more packable than the thicker GWS fabrics. Cheers, -Erik
Your welcome! It’s definitely a worth while investment that’s worth taking the time to research. Don’t rush it if you’re unsure and if needed feel free to ask us any further questions you might have.
@@climbonequipment this decision is maddening... the Versatile is VERY versatile! LOL But teh Sequoia I can use in winter... :) I use Sea to Summit bags mainly for my summer treks... sometimes Nemo...
@TheTrailDancer no one ever said you couldn’t have just one ;) you could start with the Sequoia and sub in your other two bags when needed and at a later date add a second Western Mountaineering bag. I think it’s a tough compromise to have just one bag for people who use them year round in a diverse climate.
Kodiak is fantastic. And my Badger. Cheers from Norway.
That’s great to hear! The Kodiak is a popular bag for us, here in Canada. Cheers!
Best sleeping bag I've ever owned 👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧
That is amazing to hear!
Love my Kodiak bag. Cheers from Oslo.
That’s amazing to hear!
Here's another happy Kodiak owner from Oslo!
Just ordered a Badger Mf can’t wait
Oh, you’re going to love it!
Which bag would you recommend for winters (plus shoulder seasons) for use in Northern Sweden, Finland. Sequoia? I temp can dip to -25+, but Im only in these conditions a few weeks a year at most. FO you recommend the MF or Gore fabrics? IS there that much of a packability difference?
Thoughts? Selecting the right bag is proving to be challenging. Plus I am a side sleeper... so the rec bags seems a better fit.
Thanks!
There are a lot of points to Unpack in your question! But we'll do our best!
First, you need to decide what temperatures you will be sleeping at! If you know the range you are camping in it's easier to narrow down what sleeping bag to get. Western Mountaineering rate their bags at the between the Comfort and lower limit rating. Here is a quote from their website: "The ratings we claim represent a temperature that we consider as the low end of a sleeping bag's intended warmth range when used correctly."
If you think you'll be regularly camping at -25C in Finland, then you may need to consider a warmer bag like the Puma(-32C) or at the very least the Lynx(-23C) or Bristlecone(-23C).
If you are a side sleeper or someone who needs more space, The Sequoia(-15C) and Bristlecone(-23C) are a bit girthier inside diameter. If you like the mummy fit, the Antelope(-15C) or Lynx(-23C) can be good options!
You can also special order your chosen sleeping bag and ask for an overfill of Down! Send us an email at wm@climbonequipment.com and we can answer in more detail.
A quick note about the Gore before going too far. For the last couple of years, Western Mountaineering has been using the Goretex Infinium Fabric which is a rebranded Goretex Windstopper Fabric. This year Western Mountaineering is moving away from the Gortex because they use PFA and PFCs in the production which is harmful to the environment. This year Western Mountaineering is moving to a new waterproof breathable fabric they are calling Stormshield. We'll still refer to this at the GWS for the time being! When you place your order we'll have to ask which fabric they are using.
The MF bags use Western Mountaineering's (WM) MicroLite XP™ 20 Denier microfiber shell. It is the highest thread count at 400 threads per square inch. The intention is to make this highly water resistant, highly breathable, and very lightweight. This would be good for breathability in a wider range of temperatures so you might not sweat as much.
The Gore Wind stopper (GWS) material like on the Puma GWS is the most weather resistant/breathable fabric available from WM and provides their best protection against moisture and condensation. The face fabric has a 273 thread count 30 denier. The breathability of the GWS membrane reduces the threat of condensation while remaining plenty water resistant for the needs of a sleeping bag. GWS sleeping bags are intended to be used in damp or extreme conditions to prevent moisture from reducing down performance.
Denier is used to determining the thickness of the fibres in the fabric. It’s a unit of density based on the length and weight of a yarn or fibre. A single strand of silk is considered 1 denier. The fibres in a 40-denier nylon fabric have over 6.5 times the diameter of the silk strand, and almost 1.5 times the diameter of fibres in a 20-denier or “20D” nylon fabric.
So though the GWS has a smaller thread count, it's less breathable due to the thicker strands in the material. which makes it more weather resistant. but also traps more moisture like sweat inside, which could be good or bad depending on whether you tend to sweat a lot or use it in more of a variety of temperatures.
In general the MF fabric is more packable than the thicker GWS fabrics.
Cheers,
-Erik
@@climbonequipment Thanks E! :) It's a tough decision... on which bag... I've been leaning towards the Seqouia! :)
Your welcome! It’s definitely a worth while investment that’s worth taking the time to research. Don’t rush it if you’re unsure and if needed feel free to ask us any further questions you might have.
@@climbonequipment this decision is maddening... the Versatile is VERY versatile! LOL But teh Sequoia I can use in winter... :) I use Sea to Summit bags mainly for my summer treks... sometimes Nemo...
@TheTrailDancer no one ever said you couldn’t have just one ;) you could start with the Sequoia and sub in your other two bags when needed and at a later date add a second Western Mountaineering bag. I think it’s a tough compromise to have just one bag for people who use them year round in a diverse climate.
Just got the Lynx mf cant wait to test it out💪🏻😎
That’s amazing! Without a doubt you are going to love it