Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags

“Sez who?”

“I have a car windshield sun shade that weighs next to nothing and works great for this purpose.”

“Stop worrying, we'll take good care of you.
Gremlin

I know, I always worry about things. I just can't help myself. In fact, just came home and have bought myself a new, warmer thermarest. The Women's Prolite 4, that is twice as warm as the Short Polite 3 that I used in Wyoming. I got the previous model, for 45US $ off price, compared to the brand new model that came out this season.

...mmmmm, it's been sitting there on the floor for half an hour and so far it doesn't self inflate well. I am kind of worried.”

“Brand new will take a bit of time for self-inflating.”

“What non said.”

“Okay, a few hours later and the thing has self inflated. Wow, it's the most comfy thermarest I had so far. Nice.

By the way, the Antelop has a left zip.”

“I have an Antelope with a right zip.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ;-)”

“I could never understand why there was left and right zip other than for mating bags. Does it really matter? I'm not ambidextrous (sp) by any stretch but it never seemed to make a difference to me what side the zip was on.”

“Are you coming to FYAO?”

“If u are right handed, you would want a left zip and vice versa. It is easier to cross your arm over your body than to try and squish your arm up against the side of the bag to zip it up.

That said, I have owned both...”

“You got it, Rose Bob.

Euro, I have several rolls of Reflectix and will bring them.

reflectex
“Where can you buy this stuff - @ building supply stores? Do you have to buy a sh#tload, like Tyvek? Is it fairly durable on the trail?”
lowandslow
6:23:02 AM
1/26/10

Reflectix is sold in 25' rolls.
I cut mine into four equal lengths of 6' 3" each.”

“�Are you coming to FYAO?�
Euro hike
2:37:29 PM

No, but I will lend the bag to the highest bidder. ;-)”

“Oh dear....”

“MarkO, I have just googled Reflectix. You want to wrap me into several rolls of that stuff? Like a silver burrito?! Say it ain't so!
Dear me!”

“Euro, don't let stovie's stuff bother ya. I actually had to take him off ignore to see what he said...heck he even made a good joke. Don't worry AmyG will kick major bootie if anybody gets out of hand.”

“If u are right handed, you would want a left zip and vice versa. It is easier to cross your arm over your body than to try and squish your arm up against the side of the bag to zip it up.

Yeah, I know the reason why manufacturers make them that way and why people buy them like that, I just don't see the need for it. It doesn't take a huge feat of dexterity for a righty to reach across the body with their left hand to unzip or vice versa. Heck, for that matter, how often does it require both hands anyway because the zipper gets jammed, lol?”

“Sticks, that's right. ;)

btw, Euro...I have a Left-zip Antelope and love it. For FYAO, I do use a fleece liner and a bivy for an overbag, but I am typically a very cold sleeper. Don't worry, we'll keep you warm. :)”

“WM zippers don't jam :p”

“AmyG sighting.”

“I am like Punxatawny Phil....I usually only emerge once a year anymore....and it IS the season for FYAO. ;)”

“Well hopefully you're not as hairy and afraid of your own shadow.”

“Oooh too bad, Amy, I had been hoping you had a right zip :-(
So, where are we going to? What's the location of this years FYAO?

So far Stovie only made kind jokes to me. It's true. I guess he knows, if he makes a nasty joke I go straight to the Depression thread and throw a major tantrum, beating myself up over it :-)”

“Who you callin' Punx, AmyGeeeeeeeee?

Euro, I will bring a couple of six-foot rolls of that stuff.
If'n ya want to make burritos, that's cool too.”

“... this one's gonna be a good one.”

“I concur, Monsignor de la Gremlin.”

“Amy would have been my favourite Antelope-zip-sharing friend. No offence meant guys, but you have to understand, she simply looks so much better than anyone else of you ;-)”

“I must agree with that, but I saw her first.”

“That hurts, eh?”

“I thought I already posted to this but couldnt find it.
Have 2 WM bags- the Versalite 10-15 deg,2lbs even; and the Summerlite 32deg, 1.3 lbs. Neither have the microfiber exterior.

The Versalite is quite awesome and well.....versatile. Very true to its temp rating-have used it to 13 degrees (with clothes on, and worked very well).
Havent had a chance to use the Summerlite yet, but Im sure it will be equally awesome.

I tried the 35deg Highlite, 1lb even,and it worked great to its temp rating but only has 1/2 zip and personally didnt like that.

later”

“I've had the zipper stick many times on my WM Caribou, 35 degree bag. You just have to be careful or go to bed when there is still light. The other two I have work great.”

“Duane - inconceivable! That must have been operator error. ;-)

Euro, did I say left?! I meant RIGHT....yep, that's right, it's a right zip. mmmhmmm! LOL”

“I have another story about zippers snagging "equipment", but that's a different subject.”

“Now I am confused. Is it a left-zip if the zip is left while I am IN the sleeping back? Or is it a lift-zep when I am OUTSIDE of the sleeping back? I mean from which reference point viewed is left or right?

Does anybody understand what I mean?”

“Euro....it is the side that you reach for when you are IN the sleeping bag.
:)

Duane.....again, I would have to say that is an operator error. heheheh”

“uhm, let me think about it for a moment...
...?
...??
...!
I reach to the left when I am IN my bag.”

“You got it, Hon.”

“meanwhile...back at the rocket science lab...:)”

“Huh, you gonna launch one at Uranus?”

“I worry about you guys sometimes.”

“AmyG, 10-4, I mean ow, ow, ow.”

“just trying to spread the news, i don't know the guy at all - just say the post on the climber forum and thought the community might be interested.

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/for_sale__wanted/fs_wm_sleeping_bag/106963492”

“I have a WM 40 degree... they are awesome!!!!

'32oz”

“Still wanting to buy a 0 or minus 10 WM bag... I love my 32!”

“I am yet going to get me one of the 0F or less WM bags. I saw one a few years ago at one of the central eastern Indiana hikes...you know..the one around the big dam lake.

Oh, wait a second. It was one of Randall's hikes around that damn lake. Yes...the one's he seems to have every other month or so.

J/K Randall. Love your hikes - truely do!!

It's the Moon! The Moon!!

Anyway, the sleeping bag was Upluver's Kodiak (which he had divulged that he had just gotten as a b-day present from his wife) and, man I was sure there was someone in there already until he came up behind me and suprised me that he was indeed not in the bag. That was how it lofted naturally.

That made me wonder about the bags that I had alwaysed trusted my warmth to. I love my Marmot bags and will continue to rely on them keeping me alive when things are not so nice.

But I think my next bag might be a Western Mountaineering. I think I might go all out with a Lynx GWS. My other bags have always done well with keeping me comfortable at temps when I used them with liners, but I am tired of caring liners around when I do not have too.”

“Hubcap - I have a WM bag that I have had for quite a few years and it still has that famous loft. I have only washed it twice and store it loose. I wouldn't mind upgrading from the Antelop Super MF to the Antelope GWS. Wow...I just checked out the Lynx bag and it is really nice.”

“I hear you Sandyann. Expensive is an understatement. I have a lot of exposible income in comparison to most people, but heck, that is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination.”

“Love my WM bag. I use it just about every day in the winter. (I use it as a cover when I'm on the sofa.) It is 10ish years old and very warm. So good choice hubcap. I agree with you about the cost, but when considered over the years it's going to last, not so expensive!”

“OK so you all are recommending me spend the crazy amount of money that a WM Lynx is going to cost. I am going to need a lot of back up for this you know. That thing is hella expensive.”

“Marmot Helium

Bought one last fall - LOVE IT!”

“The cost is definitely worth it if you encounter the kind of conditions the bag was made for which includes lounging on the couch. I have used mine in -17F temps on a thermarest and ridgerest and been comfy.

Besides the cost the only other downside is you might find yourself finding excuses to go backpacking in ever more challenging winter comnditions.”