Western Mountaineering - AlpinLite

I’m a rotisserie sleeper too and I love my WM Alpinlite. 

I have an EE Enigma and a WM Alpinlite, both rated to 20F. EE looks nice on its own, but as soon as you have it next to a quality item like the Alpinlite, you realize it is a strait up piece of crap. The EE is way colder than its rating even with all my layers (confirmed with Govee thermometer). The WM performs as expected. Based on the specs and performance of both, I estimate I would need a 0F EE quilt plus dedicated head insulation, at which point the weight and price is pretty much the same as WM, but you are still getting a bottom of the barrel design with EE.

>turn a lot WM Alpinlite is a roomier version of the Ultralight at the same temp rating. I am also a cold sleeper and found my Alpinlite to be true to rating with base layers, however I bought it second hand and is heavier than specs. I am 186cm and 78kg and would not want to go with a tighter bag than the Alpinlite.

No, I have the regular length 180cm length. I think the length is slightly small for my size, ie, the hood fits slightly tight; if I slide down then the hood feels like it fits better but then my toes are pressed up to the foot box. Overall, I think the fit is fine, but I have zero extra space in the length. A long would be better, but I got what was available and I have no regrets. My WM Alpinlite is 921g which is 41g over spec with respect to WM page, [but is inline with this vendor’s own measurement](https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/alpinlite-sleeping-bag/). Long is only 12g heavier which might be a no brainer for going with the longer size, but makes me wonder if it would be slightly colder…

Getting an EE quilt that is 20° warmer than your use case comes out to be just as expensive and heavy as going with an absolutely top of the line Western Mountaineering bag. Eg: WM Alpinlite (20°F) = $710 and 880gr. EE Enigma 0°F = $610 and 821g + $70 and ~80g for a torrid hood (and this piece of crap doesn’t even have differential cut or edge tension control, while having double length U-shaped baffles that promote down migration/cold spots and is a straight up cost-cutting design choice).

Hmm following to check back for my alpinelite. Anecdotally I’ve taken it to -10f with lots of layers, but I think the layers helped me in that instance and I was thankful for the 65” width of the alpinlite

If money isn't a factor, then I'd recommend a bag from Western Mountaineering. I've had their Alpinlite bag for a few years and I love it.

My Western Mountaineering Alpinlite bag. It's roomy, warm, and light in my pack. I once did a trip in Arkansas when I was still somewhat new to backpacking and didn't understand sleeping bag comfort ratings. Temps at night got down to low 20s and I had a 20 degree so I thought I'd be good. Froze my damn ass off every night and was miserable. I swore I'd never make that mistake again and splurged on a nice bag when I got home.

I have a WM alpinlite. It's incredible how versalite their bags are. I use it as a quilt when it's too warm. The zip goes 95% of the way down. It's actually more useful as a blanket style than my katabatic alsek, which has a much longer sewn footbox. I can also move the down thanks to continuous baffles, which is almost the ultimate thermal regulater. The only issue I have is the down does move around, but most of the time I don't care. If I expect a cold night, I'll shake the down so that it's mostly on top. If I expect a warm night, it's much easier to just cover myself in the part that has the least down. Any warmer than that, and my liner is probably enough.

To this, I have an alpinlite. I recently had a night that got down to -10C. I was fine, only feeling just below comfort. Definitely would not call that the limit rating.

I owned a WM, and I use a GG now. I think these are two very different bags. Can you handle a mummy design with a mummy hood cinched over your face or do you need a hoodless bag cinched around your neck coupled with a separate down hood? That’s the key question for me. Otherwise, both bags are top of the line. I am a very active sleeper. I toss and turn. I sleep on my stomach and side. I used to own a WM Alpenlite 20F, and I just can’t do a mummy hood. I end up sucking on fabric because I’ve stated my head inside the mummy hood. It’s a great bag if you can lay still on your back. I went searching for a hoodless sleeping bag so I could toss and turn without getting my face bride inside the mummy hood. I found Gryphon Gear among some other hoodless sleeping bag options and full-zip quilts. After careful analysis and comparison, I bought a Taurus 10F (not the vapor barrier), and it’s perfect. The fabric is comfortable against the skin. It’s very warm. The cinch around the neck is easy to access and tighten and loosen. Left handed zipper is easy to maneuver behind the draft collar. The down is intense and quick to expand to maximum loft. I think Gary at GG really has his science down with this craft sleeping bag. I’ve never had it colder than the 20s F, but it kept me very comfortable. I sleep very cold. So, you really have to decide whether you want a mummy bag with mummy hood or a hoodless solution. You say you’re a tossing and turning side sleeper, and that screams hoodless sleeping bag to me.

I’ve been a fan of Western Mountaineering bags for 20 years now. Made in USA, and they have a bunch of models to choose from. Currently, my main BWCA bag is the MityLite. 40F bag rating. It unzips all the way to be used as a quilt. In the shoulder seasons, I use the Alpinlite 20F bag. My Alpinlite is 20 years old and as good as new, the MityLite is 10 and also still perfect.

With your height/weight I dont think you'd have a problem at all. I'm a fair bit bigger than you and can easily side sleep in my Alpinlite even with a leg up or in fetal (slightly snug in fetal but very doable). They cut their bags very generously around the legs compared to almost every other bag manufacturer that has a sharper taper from the waist down. WM makes great bags. Their hoods and draft collars are phenomenal. I dont know if you've been in one before but most people find them very warm because they seal so well. I would only caution you that something like an Antelope is going to be far too warm for temps closer to freezing. My Alpinlite buttoned up will easily get me into the teens (F) and I dont feel like I sleep particularly warm as a rule. As far as if you need it overfilled, I dont think so. The baffle design allows you to shake the bag biasing where the down is pooling so you can kind of do it yourself focusing max fill toward the top of your body. It does help with degradation over years of use but you can also ship the bag back at any time to have them overfill it. If you do decide you want factory overfill buy from HermitHut as they include it at no charge (and ship free and dont charge sales tax outside of CA). You have to ignore their website stock status as they kind of update it based on popularity. If something is not available to order just give them a buzz and they'll let you order whatever you want. There just might be a few weeks lead time.

I have had a WM Alpinlite for 12 years. I sleep in it probably 30-40 nights a year. Also one of my favorite hood/collar designs I’ve ever experienced in a bag. Go with WM - you won’t regret it. 12 years ago, Feathered Friends was their primary competitor. I don’t know if that’s still true but I would check them out, too.

I’m 6’2 220 and perhaps wider with a 46-48 chest. I have the Kodak and at our size it will just fit you like a properly sized bag. YMMV but you’re probably gonna want a mummy bag with a hood and bougie draft collar at those kind of temps. I also have the WM alpinelite which I’m taking on the AZT this month, 65 in the shoulders is as tight as I can go.