marmot helium eq or mountain hardware phantom 15

[shoty2982]

after freezing my ass off last trip to the adks, i'm looking for a new sleeping bag. i've narrowed it down to one of these 2 and was wondering if anyone here owns one or has used one or has any knowledge about them. i'm really loving the pertex material and the 900 fill of the helium but the price tag is a little steep. on the other hand the phantom is rated to 15 also but i'm worried about the 800 down fill with no type of waterproofing. thanks for the help guys.

[percious]

I don't know much about pertex, but I have a 20 degree 750 fill down bag that I use for 3-season. I havnt had much problem with moisture, and believe me, my last trip was cold AND wet. You just have to be careful with a down bag to:
a) Keep it inside your pack, inside a garbage bag.
b) Make sure you take it out in a dry place.
c) Don't breath into the bag while sleeping or any other time. Waterproofing won't make an ounce of difference on this one.
d) put dry clothes on before you get in the bag. Any moisture on you will go into the down.

Down is really great, and it is all I have used for the last 3 years now. I don't plan to go back.

If you can afford the Helium, you may look at western mountaineering bags, they are suposed to be the shiz-nit.

-percious

[shoty2982]

yeah i heard the western mountaineering bags are pretty nice. i was just really worried about the down.... i've been using a kelty light year 25 degree with the 3d polarguard and ive loved it, no wetness at all , but after my trip to the dacks about 2 weeks ago, i was way too cold, also to keep the pack weight down and pack size down i think i may need to switch down. if anyone else has any other dieas lemme know.

[Johnnycakes]

Shoty,

How old is your Kelty bag and how do you keep it stored when not in use? Synthetics do lose their loft with time, and hence their ability to insulate. Storing the bag stuffed will only excellerate that process. Also, what are you using for a pad underneath you?

I might suggest the EMS Mountainlight 20 F as an alternative to the two bags you have suggested. It has a Pertex shell, 750 down fill, and is a deal at the regular retail price of $200. If you wait for a sale, you might be able to get it for around $160-$170.

[shoty2982]

thanks johnny, i keep my bag completely unrolled when not in use and as for a slep pad i have a thermarest prolite 3 3/4, it really insulates well. ive only had my bag for about a year, i think the rating of the bag just doesnt meet the rating they gave it. do you know how much EMS mountainlight 20 weighs?

[Johnnycakes]

It weighs 2 lbs, as per the manufacturer's specs, and my scale agrees with that. Add another 4 oz. for the compression sack that comes with it. The bag compresses to a volume less than a football with the stuffsack. If you're really looking to save weight, you could by an ultralight stuff sack (1 oz.) or skip the stuff sack altogehter.

I checked the specs on the bag, and I was wrong about the fill. It is 725 down fill, but it feels like a very high grade down fill, higher than 725. It really is a very nice bag for the price. I own one myself.

Just to sweeten the deal, you can get $50 off the bag between now and 6/15/05. Here's how. If you get the EMS Catazine in the mail, there are some coupons in it. One of the coupons is for $50 off a purchase of over $200. The Mountain Light 20 F retails for $199, so you'll have to throw in a power bar or something. If you didn't get the Catzine, no problem. Go to EMS and buy one for $2. Then use the coupon to get $50 off the sleeping bag.

Disclaimer:
I do work for EMS, but the information above is truly unbiased, as I am not an investor, nor are we paid commission in any way. You can buy the bag, and if you're not satisfied with it (warmth, etc.) you can always return it to EMS.

[garboon_syr]

For what it's worth, I also have an EMS mountainlight 20, love it, never had a problem. ( and I don't work there! )