[pct-l] Buyers remorse?

[cvano at tmail.com]

No, I don't think so. The new bag that I purchased is rated at 15 
degrees. This of course is derived from an 'average' sleeper in lab 
conditions. YMMV. I also tried a 20 degree bag that was $20 cheaper with 
the same fill but almost a pound heaver! What's up with that?

My last bag was a 0 degree down bag and 10 years old. I was almost 
always too warm except on the last trip where it and I were both wet. On 
looking seriously at new bags, I realised it had lost more than half its 
loft over the years as well. It also weighed around 4 pounds.

Granted, this wet, survival, and rescue senerio will hopefully only 
happen to me once in this lifetime. Lesson fresh in mind, however, I 
wanted a synthetic bag. Two weeks ago, a sales associate tried to sell 
me a heavier (almost a pound) and more expensive ($100 more) bag, 
extorting the superior qualities of a triangular shaped fill, but still 
rated at the same temperature. A fill fiber was sticking out of the bag, 
so I pulled it out to examine it. I couldn't discern any differance in 
that fill and the fill in the Zephyr or other bags.

My purchase criteria, in order, was: synthetic, roomy (able to zip, and 
I'm an active sleeper - I need room to move around) price, weight, 
features and aesthetics. Hey, I gotta look good while stealth camping in 
a tent 30 miles from the nearest human! Why is that? Does anybody else 
ever feel this way?

I like the pillow flap, a 'must have' for me and both had it, but the 
rubberized dots on the zipper pull of the Zephyer was a small touch that 
I felt I couldn't live without. This small insignificance may have been 
one of the final deciding factors! I needed a long ($10 more) in the 
cheaper, heavier bag, but a regular ($10 less) in the one I got.

So why is it, given two bags with the same fill, rated at the same temp, 
the heavier bag both wieghed and cost more? The Kilo is down filled and 
6 oz lighter, but more than twice the price. It was not right for me at 
this time. As a matter of fact there is about a $200 price spread in 
similarly rated bags with the same fill and features.

Buying a sleeping bag is sort of like buying shoes. You try them on and 
walk around on carpet for a couple of minutes while feeling self 
conscious. Wearing them all day is sometimes quite another matter. 
Notwithstanding, I made my purchace based on the afore mentioned 
criteria and used the bag last night. I was warm and comfortable and am 
not considering returning it. I just wonder what I may be missing for 
twice the price and a few ounces less.

It's not the Mountain that we conquer,
but Ourselves.  Anon.

Ol' Three Toes aka Chris
S/V Drifter ~~~_/)~~~
Anacortes, WA.