Sleeping Bags without side baffle?
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 451
Bikes: Co-Motion Americano Pinion P18; Co-Motion Americano Rohloff; Thorn Nomad MkII, Robert Beckman Skakkit (FOR SALE), Santana Tandem, ICE Adventure FS
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 169 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times
in
48 Posts
Sleeping Bags without side baffle?
Howdy,
I am finally getting back into touring (kids have a way of doing that ) and some of my old equipment is a little worn after many miles of loaded touring.
I currently have a circa 1980s North Face GOLD Kazoo (has a goretex shell). The thing I really like about it is that it does not have a side baffle. This allows the down to be shaken to where you want it, i.e. on top if it is a cold night in Alberta or to the bottom if you are in Oklahoma in August.
I am trying to find a similar bag. Other than Feathered Friends, I am unable to find anyone who does/will do it.
Any suggestions out there? I prefer a "stock" bag to save on costs but will go custom if required. Oh yea, I would like the rating to be 20 degrees (got snowed on in Yellowstone on July 4 one year and was still toasty). With the side baffle removed, the bag is comfortable even in the August heat.
Happy Trails!
TulsaJohn
I am finally getting back into touring (kids have a way of doing that ) and some of my old equipment is a little worn after many miles of loaded touring.
I currently have a circa 1980s North Face GOLD Kazoo (has a goretex shell). The thing I really like about it is that it does not have a side baffle. This allows the down to be shaken to where you want it, i.e. on top if it is a cold night in Alberta or to the bottom if you are in Oklahoma in August.
I am trying to find a similar bag. Other than Feathered Friends, I am unable to find anyone who does/will do it.
Any suggestions out there? I prefer a "stock" bag to save on costs but will go custom if required. Oh yea, I would like the rating to be 20 degrees (got snowed on in Yellowstone on July 4 one year and was still toasty). With the side baffle removed, the bag is comfortable even in the August heat.
Happy Trails!
TulsaJohn
#2
totally louche
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: A land that time forgot
Posts: 18,023
Bikes: the ever shifting stable loaded with comfortable road bikes and city and winter bikes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
8 Posts
www.westernmountaineering.com
they may be stock but you won't be saving any money on them, pricey! but absouletely one of the best and made in the USA
they may be stock but you won't be saving any money on them, pricey! but absouletely one of the best and made in the USA
#4
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 451
Bikes: Co-Motion Americano Pinion P18; Co-Motion Americano Rohloff; Thorn Nomad MkII, Robert Beckman Skakkit (FOR SALE), Santana Tandem, ICE Adventure FS
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 169 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times
in
48 Posts
Since the down is all the way around the bag, it wouldn't help to flip it. Also, many bags have a hood so that would cover my face :|.
I think my problem has been somewhat solved since the new term is "continuous baffle" as opposed to the old school term of side baffle. Marmot and Feathered Friends (they make really good bags but oh so expensive) both have some models in a continuous baffle design.
I am hoping others can suggest other companies that make a good 20 degree continuous baffle bag, preferably with a waterproof and breathable shell like eVent or Gore-tex. I have this dreaded feeling I am going to have to pay lots of $$$ to get what I "think" I want (things were so much cheaper in the 80s ).
I think my problem has been somewhat solved since the new term is "continuous baffle" as opposed to the old school term of side baffle. Marmot and Feathered Friends (they make really good bags but oh so expensive) both have some models in a continuous baffle design.
I am hoping others can suggest other companies that make a good 20 degree continuous baffle bag, preferably with a waterproof and breathable shell like eVent or Gore-tex. I have this dreaded feeling I am going to have to pay lots of $$$ to get what I "think" I want (things were so much cheaper in the 80s ).
#6
totally louche
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: A land that time forgot
Posts: 18,023
Bikes: the ever shifting stable loaded with comfortable road bikes and city and winter bikes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
8 Posts
I forgot about stephenson's Warmlite, love that Laura! or was it Chewie? but his stuff is WILD and WACKY, for sure...
The North Face made the Blue Kazoo with out a side baffle just until a couple of years ago, up until they went to the chevron baffle pattern, maybe you could find some NOS ones on ebay or some online retailer.
The Marmot bag will probably be the next least expensive option, then western mtnr. Feathered friends bags are all custom as are stephensons.
Check out the FF's rock & winter wren, they have arm holes and a foot opening. I had a bag with those features in the early nineties, and a sleeping bag you can wear out of the tent to take a leak or walk around and make breakfest in is an incredible bonus.
Adding a little bit; regarding waterproof breathable fabrics, some of the newer fabrics offer better performance than goretex (they don't even sell classic goretex as a sleeping bag fabric, instead it is now gore dryloft)
Event is a WB laminate without the glue layer to enhance breathablity, and Epic by Nextec is a fabric virtually waterproof yet very breathable by its weave, not relying on any laminates.
Epic works, FF uses it a lot and they certainly recommend it for their sleeping bags even for Denali. I have a tent made from a single layer of Epic fabric and it is waterproof in downpours.
Trying to find a WB bag without side baffles almost guarantees you will spend 250-400 dollars.
The North Face made the Blue Kazoo with out a side baffle just until a couple of years ago, up until they went to the chevron baffle pattern, maybe you could find some NOS ones on ebay or some online retailer.
The Marmot bag will probably be the next least expensive option, then western mtnr. Feathered friends bags are all custom as are stephensons.
Check out the FF's rock & winter wren, they have arm holes and a foot opening. I had a bag with those features in the early nineties, and a sleeping bag you can wear out of the tent to take a leak or walk around and make breakfest in is an incredible bonus.
Adding a little bit; regarding waterproof breathable fabrics, some of the newer fabrics offer better performance than goretex (they don't even sell classic goretex as a sleeping bag fabric, instead it is now gore dryloft)
Event is a WB laminate without the glue layer to enhance breathablity, and Epic by Nextec is a fabric virtually waterproof yet very breathable by its weave, not relying on any laminates.
Epic works, FF uses it a lot and they certainly recommend it for their sleeping bags even for Denali. I have a tent made from a single layer of Epic fabric and it is waterproof in downpours.
Trying to find a WB bag without side baffles almost guarantees you will spend 250-400 dollars.
Last edited by Bekologist; 10-05-05 at 07:53 AM.
#7
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
Whoever she is, she could be a grandmother by now. It's nice to see a company that has stuck around that long.
I have long since lost track of who has the best down, but Marmot had the best I ever saw. I have one of their vests for the late 70s that puffs up like a may west. It's really odd to grab hold of the thing and find out it's just down.
I have long since lost track of who has the best down, but Marmot had the best I ever saw. I have one of their vests for the late 70s that puffs up like a may west. It's really odd to grab hold of the thing and find out it's just down.