[pct-l] Pinching penny gear questions

[Erik The Black]

I love Marmot bags! My sleeping bag is my most expensive piece of gear. I
have the Hydrogen which is just a little lighter and colder than the Helium.


A comparable manufacturer that a lot of people like is Western
Mountaineering. 

I've owned both, but I prefer the Marmot. It just fits me better and the
materials are more comfortable.

Both Marmot and Western Mountaineering bags are in the $350 range.

A cheaper down bag a lot of hikers used to like was the REI Sub Kilo. But I
guess they don't make it anymore. I think REI's replacement for that bag is
called the "Halo", which looks nice, but I've never used it.

It costs around $250

Personally, I wouldn't spend less than that. 

Kelty makes an inexpensive down bag called the Lightyear. It costs around
$165. I used to own one of these. Didn't like it at all. It was rated at 25
degrees and I was cold at 50.

Even cheaper than that is the Campmor 20 degree down bag, which costs only
$100 (last time I checked).

Any of these will work. They will keep you alive. But the higher end bags
are lighter, warmer and more comfortable. In my opinion, the Marmot is well
worth the price, if you can afford it.

Happy Trails!
Erik The Black
Author & Publisher
www.pctatlas.com