Feathered Friends - Egret UL 20/30

I paid $1k for a -40 degree sleeping bag. Because the -20 degree sleeping bag I bought the year before wasn’t warm enough. Feathered Friends. They are $1,200k now. Alaska is cold in March.

There isn’t really an absolute best, but I like Katabatic for a quilt and western mountaineering or feathered friends for a bag. I prefer quilts down to around the low 20s, bags below that. Having a pocket in your quilt for a sleeping pad seems silly to me.

For sleeping bags I do Feathered Friends. PHENOMENAL products. Carefully selected down feathers and they don’t have to kill the animals to get them. I’ve got 3 different Feathered Friends sleeping bags for different temperatures, including an ultra thick one that I’ve used alone sleeping in no-tent self-dug snow trenches in the middle of Yellowstone in January. The outer layer of the sleeping bags is synthetic, but the primary ingredient is natural feathers. I also have one of their down packable jackets, but it’s too hot, even in -20F. Last time I camped in deep snow for a week, alone, on cross country skis, pulling all my gear on a Fairbanks siglin pulk sled behind me, I found I didn’t need much during the day, because I was working so hard I was always hot. At night I would dig a trench, lay a tarp across the top, supported by my ski poles, and sleep in my FF down bag on top of a thermarest. I’d keep my boots in the bottom of the sleeping bag so they didn’t freeze overnight. Wool socks, wool long underwear, wool sweater, synthetic wind-and-snow protecting pants and jacket. Wool hat, neck gaiter, and gloves. Synthetic outer-layer for gloves to keep my fingers drier. Smartwool makes merino wool boxer briefs. You need less than you think. (Except calories, holy f— do you need a lot of those.)

I'd been using a Marmot for 30 yrs, what they called a 10-20 30. Don't remember the price but it was the most expensive thing I bought for a very long time and glad I did. There were not as many choices back then and I don't think they are the same now. Point is it was annoying when it was warm. Couple of years ago I got a Feathered Friends Flicker 40. It's a hoodless sleeping bag that can also open all the way to a quilt. (no it doesn't attach to a pad) Had that down to mid 30's cowboy camping in the desert and was fine with a puffy on. I had wanted a 30 but out of stock. This year sold the 40 and got a 30 for a trip to Iceland in July. I'm very happy with it; works well across temps. Combined with the Marmot gets me down to 0. Since it is a bag when I want it's less fuss than a lot of the quilts out there. (love the draft collar and the foot closing completely). You can rent one and they will credit up to 2 nights rental cost toward a similar purchase. May help but likely incur some extra shipping costs unless you're in their area.

I thought that I was a cold sleeper until I upgraded my sleeping bag and got one that is the proper length (I am 5ft5 and got a women sleeping bag for 5ft6 women). It made an incredible difference in how the sleeping bag keeps and uses my own body heat. I got the Feathered Friends Egret 20 yf. I pair it with a Big Agnes Rapide Sl pad and it is now my preferred piece of gear!

\+1 for Feathered Friends. Got one of theirs for our daughter to take to Pakistan

My SO sleeps cold. Thermarest Trail Pro - they used to make a women's specific one. I may upgrade this to the Nemo Tensor All Season for a holiday gift. Feathered Friends Egret - I take this from her when I go climbing it's so cozy I sleep warm- I freaking cook: Nemo Tensor All Season EE Enigma 30 950 fill

Have you looked at Feathered friends bags? I have the Egret yl 20°.