The Backpacking Angler

[Benny]

Also how heavy is heavy for a sleeping bag? I currently have a Kelty light year 3D which is rated to 25 degrees, it weighs 2 lb 6 oz. If I could shed a pound off the sleeping bag that would be great too.

[BirdDog]

Sub 2lbs for a 20 degree bag is pretty much the standard fro a down bag. The price goes up pretty quick from there in tot he 1.5 lb arena....unless you go up to around 35-40 degree bag. Think of things as a sleeping system....could you use a smaller pad...les loft and add a down sweater.....

[rayfound]

Also how heavy is heavy for a sleeping bag? I currently have a Kelty light year 3D which is rated to 25 degrees, it weighs 2 lb 6 oz. If I could shed a pound off the sleeping bag that would be great too.

I think that's plenty light. I use a 15 degree bag, and its over 4 lbs! But it was cheap (under $50 - a few years back)

I think of anything under 3lbs as being pretty light, and superlight(super expensive) under 2lbs, like birdog said.

[Papasequoia]

I was talking with a ranger in Yosemite who had tested the Ursack. He told me that the main problems didn't have anything to do with the bears getting into to them, but rather that they chewed on the bags because they could still smell the food even with the plastic liners and that this turned everything in the bags into crumbs like the bottom of a potato chip bag. The other problem was that they often carried them off if they could get them off of whatever they were tied to. This meant that the bears might not have gotten into the food, but they still may have carried it far away, something that wouldn't happen as easily with a bear cannister. Just reporting on what he told me, I haven't tried it myself, but would love to save the weight and space in the pack. I hate cannisters.

[BirdDog]

I agree with John....ursacks can get chewed on and so the bears will keep at them. Many of you may object, but this is why I put my ursack in camp, tied to a tree larger than my leg, and directly in view from the door of my tent. I am a light sleeper, and keep an eye on my food all night. I have only had to spend a few sleepless nights continuing to scare a young black bear away. This was in lyell base camp....a very overused site in Yosemite.

[briansII]

Also how heavy is heavy for a sleeping bag? I currently have a Kelty light year 3D which is rated to 25 degrees, it weighs 2 lb 6 oz. If I could shed a pound off the sleeping bag that would be great too.

I picked up a Western Mountaineering, Megalite(30 degree), on ebay 4-5 years ago? Weighs 1 1/2 lbs. Their 20 degree bags are just under 2lbs. I did quite a bit of reading on bags before I bite the bullet(expensive)on a WM bag. I found that the WM ratings were accurate, while some other manufactures tend to stretch the truth. That's why I bought a 30. I don't do a lot of cold weather stuff, and i'm a warm sleeper. I have a cheap synthetic 30 bag, that I froze in ONCE.....never again.

By the way, I have an Ursack too. When I ordered mine, they had sold out, and there was a long delay in getting the material to make new ones( read the military was using up all the material). I think the early ones used a different material then the new ones.

briansII