[pct-l] Mont-Bell sleeping bag experience?

Sat Oct 13 04:29:21 CDT 2012

Hello Peggy,

I have a few thousand miles using the MontBell U.L. Super Spiral Down
Hugger sleeping bags, both the #3 and the #1 - and I would love to
some day find a #two for sale.

There are some disadvantages and advantages of the MBULSS bags:

** Disadvantages:

(1) Compared to sleeping bags of other ultralight temperature ratings
they are heavier. This is due to the extra material and additional
threading.

(2) Their temperature ratings have been, for many years, off by a
rather large amount. Last year they finally sought to obtain EN
Ratings and this resulted in all of their sleeping bags being forced
to add additional down (and thus weight) in order to obtain the
temperature ratings that they were claiming. As an example, they were
saying a bag would be "comfortable" at 32 degrees, when in reality it
would be "comfortable" at 45. Thousands of hikers, including myself,
have often been very critical of MontBell for a very bad temperature
ratings and it is very nice to see them seek to obtain EN Ratings and
thus resolve the issues with their bags temperature ratings. My
original #3 bag use to be great at around the 40 degree mark (comfort
rating), but over the course of around 500 nights of use, I would say
it is now only good for temps in the 50s (comfort rating). It has been
washed regularly and so forth. My original #1 bag use to be good down
to the 10-20 (comfort rating) and now around 100 nights of use I would
say its still ok at around the 22-26 range for comfort. Of course at
these temps you are going to be having a layering of cloth on anyway.

(3) Bulk pack size. Because of the amount of additional material used
the bulk size of the MBULSS tends to be just a bit larger than other
comparable sleeping bags. Usually not a problem for most hikers, but
if backpack space is limited, this is something to remember.

** Advantages:

(1) The MBULSS is, without question, the Cadillac of the sleeping bag
world. I have never found any sleeping bag that is more comfortable
and luxurious than this sleeping bag. I say this as a side sleeper who
tosses and turns all night long. If I were a back sleeper who never
turned, than the MBULSS would be total overkill and an utter waste.
This bag exists for those that need and like to spread out their legs
as night, for those who sleep in the fetal position, and yet still
have a bag that is designed to keep them warm.

(2) Honestly, reference number one above, it pretty much says it all.
This bag is all about sleeping in comfort. It is heavier, bulkier, and
usually more expensive, but the flip side of that is a sleeping bag
that provides a thrasher the absolute best options available on the
market.

Just recently I have ordered up the new 2012 version with the new EN
temperature ratings, in the #1 bag, and plan to use it for the 2012
winter season. I also ordered up the ZPacks sleeping bag, at the 20
degree temperature ratings, size large wide, which I will also be
using over the 2012 winter season. I want to see which of them are
going to perform better and keep me warmer at the manufacturers
claimed temperature ratings.

Direct Competition:

Here are two sleeping bags that are crazy popular on the PCT and many
people consider are the closest competition to the MBULSS:

Marmot Helium - http://marmot.com/products/helium_reg - a crazy
popular sleeping bag on the PCT. It is a 15 degree bag but does not
have the spiral system that the MB offers so it is much more
confining.

Western Mountaineering Ultralite -
http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=products&page=Sleeping%20Bags&cat=ExtremeLite%20Series&ContentId=17
- I personally prefer the "AlpinLite" due to its larger size:
http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=products&page=Sleeping%20Bags&cat=ExtremeLite%20Series&ContentId=28
as I found the UltraLite to be much to confining for my likes.

Than you have the new kid on the block, the ZPacks sleeping bag -
http://www.zpacks.com/quilts/sleepingbag.shtml -- its claim to (early)
fame is the fact that it is using very light material, a hoodless
design, and has some rather impressive loft numbers. It is far from
the traditional style sleeping bag, being a quasi bag/quilt for those
who do not like bags nor quilts. If having the lightest possible
sleeping bag with a decent loft and very little wiggle-room, this
could be an option to consider. ZPacks does not have EN Rating status
at this point, but a few experienced hikers I tend to trust that have
been using them are saying that the zpacks claimed temperature ratings
are pretty spot on.

Regarding your wondering about "dwr, warmth, and breathability" of the MBULSS:

The DWR is rather impressive on the MBULSS. I did a standard puddle
test on both my #1 and #3 and zero noticeable water seeped through
over the course of ten hours of the test. The puddle test was perform
on the top side of the sleeping bag, at the foot end of the sleeping
bag.

Warmth, as mentioned above is much better now that MB has readjusted
their amount of down fill - thanks to the EN Rating.

Breathability, well, not really sure what you are looking for in
regards breathability, it is not a rain jacket. You want what warm air
there is to be kept inside. The material itself is a 15-denier nylon.
If I remember correctly is it 1.1 ounce per square yard nylon. The
Marmot uses a 20-denier material and I honestly do not remember what
WM uses. ZPacks, I think was/is using a 9 outter and 7 inner, but do
not remember exactly what it is they use.

All in all Peggy, the MBULSS is going to give your friends son a very
fine and amazingly comfortable sleeping bag that will last a very long
time (as will any of the mentioned bags). Unlike the other mentioned
sleeping bags the MBULSS is going to provide the greatest amount of
wiggle room for moving around a night. If that is not needed, than the
additional weight of this sleeping bag does not justify the purchase
of this sleeping bag.

-Abela
HikeLighter.Com

On Tue, Oct 2, 2012 at 10:33 PM, Peggy Rice <msrice27 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> A friend of mine is planning to buy her 16 year old son a new sleeping
> bag for Christmas.  Her son hikes mostly in the Sierras, in the
> summer, for up to a week at a time.
>
> My friend's question is:  "I've stumbled across this Montbell:
> http://www.hiking-camping-world.com/montbell-ul-spiral-down-hugger-1.html
>
> Do you or your PCT list buddies know anything about this?  I like the
> stretchy concept, and I think the DWR fabric is lightly water
> resistant (e.g., no dew seeping in).  I'm wondering about warmth and
> breathability, however."
>
> Any comments will be appreciated!
>
> Pegleg
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.