Kifaru Slick bag regrets?

Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
3,616
Ditto on Viam. He'll even custom size it for you. I like to have the quilt over my head.

He customized mine as well , told him my feet get cold and he sewed the foot box and added extra fill to the bottom area. I also like that it comes with a descent compression sack no extra purchase


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Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Messages
3,758
Location
Edmond, OK
No regrets with my Slick Bag. Will gladly buy another if this one ever disappears.


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carter33

WKR
Joined
Apr 12, 2017
Messages
473
Location
Fairbanks
I have been torn between a western mountaineering badger and the slick bag 20 wide for some time. I know I would probably love the down western mountaineering 9/10 trips but being a float hunter and in AK I think it is only a matter of time until my clothes are either wet when I lay down or the bag itself gets wet and right now that makes me lean towards the slick bag. The two are close enough in weight that the difference doesn't concern me much and am thinking the compressible size difference in favor of the badger also isn't enough to sway me considering the price points of each.

Just my thoughts, been surviving with a wiggys for a few years now. Wish I could buy both.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
39
I have the same bag, it’s a lot larger than I thought it would be as well. Peace of mind though right?

I’ll tag in to see if there’s another synthetic option that comes up.

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Which slick bag is this?


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Felix40

WKR
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
1,874
Location
New Mexico
I remember seeing a video of aron snyder going through his pack last year. When he pulled out his sleeping bag I remember thinking that I could take two quilts and still save space in my pack compared to the slick bag.
 

JP100

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
1,227
Location
South Island New Zealand
Down is always king for weight to warmth, heaps of brands out there that make good quality and well priced down bags.
Dont look at 'hunting' brands, look at climbing/outdoor brands.

I have a Slik bag and am pretty disappointed, bulky,heavy and not warm, not even that durable either.

Climashield is not very good compared to other synthetics(ie Primaloft) in terms of packablity/warmth the weight
 

b2one

WKR
Joined
Feb 21, 2014
Messages
350
Location
Snowflake, AZ
I use the North Face Hyper Cat 20 F synthetic. It is a center zip and weighs under 2 lbs. It saves weight by 1.) less insulation on the underside of the bag, and 2.) the cut is really tight - not much wiggle room (I am 5'11, 185). With that said, it compresses well, and the tightness inside the bag does not seem to affect the loft of the insulation- the inner sleeve is cut tighter than the outer sleeve. I climbed into it this last fall soaking wet after a day in the rain, and the synthetic worked its magic over night as I dried out. The next morning temperatures had dropped to 19 degrees F and I was plenty warm, but had to get out of my bag to clear the snow off of my hilleberg due to the sagging. It is nowhere near as comfortable as my down winter bag, but I hate carrying that thing. With my experience this last season, I am very hesitant to take down unless the temperatures are forecast to stay below 20 degrees. Even then, I don't know - this bag has proven itself to me in some tough circumstances.
 

Maverick1

WKR
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
1,524
I’m not certain if you are looking for synthetic or down. ?

For a down sleeping bag I have been very happy with my Marmot Helium. A bit pricey but very high quality, lightweight, and true-to-me temperature rating. Packs down exceptionally small.

When quilts became “popular” a few years back, I thought about going that route but realized I can get a “similar” experience by opening the zipper on the Helium and draping it over me during the early season. Kind of one bag to suite multiple needs - for me, anyhow.
 

Read1t48

WKR
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
522
Location
Oregon
The wide and long slick is definitely more roomy. I use a 20dg. and pair it with a woobie if the temps get really cold. Early season I can just run the woobie and sleep in my clothes. It makes a versatile set-up. The wide bag should allow you to get the woobie inside the bag so it doesn't slide off. There's a reason they call it "slick!".

Or... just get a WM down and go lighter. The newer materials are more water resistant than most realize. But if you get stuck on top a mountain and your tent blows away, you'll wish you had a synthetic. I've only had it happen once. But I crawled into my slick soaking wet and it saved me from inevitable hypothermia.
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2016
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ID
Mostly happy with it. Center zip I could do without. I removed most the center zip velcro. Always catching on something. After I removed those I have been mostly happy with it.
 
Joined
Oct 27, 2016
Messages
896
Location
Alaska
No regrets, though the compress-ability (or lack thereof) was a surprise. I wasn't enthused about the 5-string compression bag in terms of size and waterproof-ness. I've found that my 20* regular slick bag fits in a small sea-to-summit compression bag and checks all the aforementioned boxes. FWIW, it's not an easy fit by any means, I often find myself out of breath after wrestling it in there, but it works. The pictures are a third of a caribou, my camp (hille, slick bag, clothes, etc.), and horns. You'll notice the sea-to-summit strapped to the bottom of the pack. Caribou 1.jpgCaribou 2.jpg
 

Acpinn

WKR
Joined
Mar 29, 2020
Messages
365
Location
WI
The wide and long slick is definitely more roomy. I use a 20dg. and pair it with a woobie if the temps get really cold. Early season I can just run the woobie and sleep in my clothes. It makes a versatile set-up. The wide bag should allow you to get the woobie inside the bag so it doesn't slide off. There's a reason they call it "slick!".

Or... just get a WM down and go lighter. The newer materials are more water resistant than most realize. But if you get stuck on top a mountain and your tent blows away, you'll wish you had a synthetic. I've only had it happen once. But I crawled into my slick soaking wet and it saved me from inevitable hypothermia.
Is the consensus wide is the way to go? I'm about 5'9" 180 but am cold basically year round
 

Read1t48

WKR
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
522
Location
Oregon
Acpinn
I would not get the wide or long. The Kifaru bags are naturally more wide and roomy than a lot of other bags. If you sleep cold you do not want lots of extra space because it is harder to heat up. I would stick with the regular length and width. If you are cold sleeper you could go with a zero and always use the center zip if you got warm.
 

verysimple

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Messages
132
Is the consensus wide is the way to go? I'm about 5'9" 180 but am cold basically year round

No, wider means more work for your body to heat up more space.
Kifaru bags are pretty big as is, will work good even for active sleepers.
If you were taller and 210lb+ then go wide.


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30338

WKR
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,863
6'7" and 230, long wide Kifaru here. I do have complete confidence in it keeping me warm and it compresses good enough using their compression sack. I'll buy another for fall or late fall hunts. I do use an enlightened equipment quilt too. I buy the longest widest version of that too. Quite comfortable and with down fill, compresses nicely. And I like that both are USA made.
 
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