Another bag question

So I'm looking to buy a new spring/fall bag for the northeast. Unfortunatley FF and WM bags are out of the price range right now but Marmot is looking good.
So two questions-
1. Is the Marmot Pinnacle worth the extra cash over the Saw tooth?
2. I keep reading reviews that talk about how roomy these bags are.. but I don't know if they will be too big to keep warm. I'm only 5'7", 155lbs. I can fit into some of the woman specific bags. So is there a better choice for someone my dimensions?

Thanks in advance for any info!

Hi odyssey11,

I am not a gear head and don't know all the specs. ect of different bags. I used to have a Marmot and loved it and will probably get another one.

I did notice that we are about the same height and weight, I use a Mountain Hardware bag for cold weather, I have ample toe room due to my height (lack of it) and have found it quite convenient to store certain items in the foot of my bag.
Such as:
Water filter..to protect from freezing.
Batteries or anything with a battery in it.
Bottle of water..to keep from freezing.
Lighter
Extra clothing just 'cause it keeps them warm for morning.

Some people don't like to do that because they toss around a lot I guess, and you could always wrap those things in your coat or jacket to insulate them.

Anyway, I have found some extra length can come in handy, and who knows I might have a growth spurt yet.
Is that medically possible? I'm only 43.

Thanks for the reply :)
LOL I'm still waiting for my last growth spurt too! I know at any minute I'm gonna shoot up to 6 feet. Maybe I should get a long just in case? Just kidding.

opps

Too bad REI discontinued the Kilos...

But too much room will definately make you colder. The more room, the more air you need to keep warm.

But having a pack be too tight will compress the loft and cool you down.

So if I were you, I'd take drive down to your local outdoor store, and try them out. There's nothing to lose. You can just buy it online if you find a good deal.

I went down to my local store to try out some bags. Unfortunatley the only marmot they had in stock was a long, so that wasn't a big help. I did spend about two hours laying around in bags on the floor. After losing about 10lbs I decided to wait and make the slightly longer drive to REI to check out their selection.

I have a really hard time buying stuff without trying it out first. So, looks like I'm going to be waiting a couple weeks till I hop in some more bags. I did decide however that the pinnacle is not worth the extra money for what I plan to use it for. It is a few ounces lighter, higher fill power and has a draft collar. Next winter when I really need those features I think I will splurge and get a WM bag. (unless I find a great sale sooner!)

Thanks for the tips everyone!

Definitely a good call on trying everything out before you make up your mind. My current spring/fall bag (15deg) is the Sierra Designs Cloudripper. It has worked great for me, and only cost $130 new. I've been keeping my eye open for a lighter bag though (1-2lbs) ranging from 20-30deg. What is your price range right now? What temp rating are you looking for?

My price range is around 200-250. I'm looking to get a 15 degree bag with a full zipper so I can use it as a quilt too.

I've had good luck with marmot in the past so I started looking there. I have an older synthetic 40 degree marmot that has held up very well.

I'm pretty good at keeping my stuff dry, so for weight and space savings, down is my first choice.

I'd stick with down too. Two other options you should check out are the EMS Mountain Light 20 (725, 2lbs, $230), and the Mont-Bell S.S. #1 down bag (650, 2lb 14oz, $187).

These are my top two choices that I'm considering right now. Marmot is also a great choice of course, and they have some pretty great deals floating around.

I really like the Super Stretch feature. It has worked well for me (slim guy) and keeps the bag nice and snug.

O man....that montbell looks nice. I am a super figety side sleeper and have all the problems that come along with that. I wonder if the SS feature would help? I bought a BA, IAC and that made a huge difference. Maybe with the combo of the two I could actually sleep through the night! (i doubt it). I have no experience with montbell, so I have a few questions-

More stiches would seem to mean more holes for cold air, any cold spots?

REI and EMS don't carry them, so if I ordered one just to try it out, how is the return policy?

And where did you find one for $187?

The Trailspace links to campsaver are off for some of Mont-bell. Campsaver has the best deals on these right now.. here's the super stretch 15 deg #1. http://www.campsaver.com/itemmatrix.asp?GroupCode=mtb0008&MatrixType=1 Campsaver does also have a 60 day return policy, so if the bag doesn't seem right for you, you can return it. I actually just ordered the Mont-Bell U.L. Super Stretch Down Hugger #2 (800, 1lb 12oz, 25deg) for $250 at this site. I'll be able to get some basic feedback on it in a couple weeks.

With my other M.B. bag (40 deg), I've used it in the summer and early fall. The coldest it has gotten was 55 degrees and I was very comfortable and slept great. They have done a great job with these bags, and I'm pretty confident you or I won't have an issue with cold spots when the temp drops lower.

humble_67 said:

The Trailspace links to campsaver are off for some of Mont-bell. Campsaver has the best deals on these right now.. here's the super stretch 15 deg #1. http://www.campsaver.com/itemmatrix.asp?GroupCode=mtb0008&MatrixType=1 Campsaver does also have a 60 day return policy, so if the bag doesn't seem right for you, you can return it. I actually just ordered the Mont-Bell U.L. Super Stretch Down Hugger #2 (800, 1lb 12oz, 25deg) for $250 at this site. I'll be able to get some basic feedback on it in a couple weeks.

Hey, humble, can you tell me any specific prices that campsaver has incorrectly on Trailspace? I just perused most of their sleeping bag prices and thought they all matched what's actually offered on campsaver, but I'd like to know if I missed anything.

Hi Alicia,

Sorry, I kinda made that sound like more of a discrepancy that it was. The only link that was wrong was for this bag:

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/montbell/u.l.-super-stretch-down-hugger-2

If you scroll to the bottom, you'll see that it has a link to a tent at campsaver, instead of the sleeping bag.

That's okay, humble. I'm glad you pointed it out. I've fixed it now.

Thanks.