Which Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bag - MT

[treillw]

The great thing about the Versalite is it has a full length zipper so you can use it like a quilt or a bag depending on what you want.

How would it be to use for my wife and I in the summer? Say 40 degrees at night over top of us both laying on pads, like a blanket. I imagine it would probably be too narrow at the foot end for sure, but you got my wheels turning.

 

[treillw]

Thank you all for the information. It has been very informative and helpful!

 

[treillw]

They don't answer the phone. That is mildly annoying. Any suggestions on a good shop to call to ask some questions?

Thanks!

 

[sneaky]

They don't answer the phone. That is mildly annoying. Any suggestions on a good shop to call to ask some questions?

Thanks!

Hermits Hut, Campsaver. They're busy making bad ass sleeping bags, probably still recovering from the holidays like the rest of us lol

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[chasewild]

How are the bags with moisture? Is it a major concern? Anything special you have to do besides setting up your tent and going to sleep?

My biggest concern with hunting multiple days out of a small tent is moisture in my clothing. My baselayers are usually soaked in sweat and my pants are usually frozen with snow by the end of the day. How you do you deal with this? Just put on frozen pants the next day? haha

This was my main concern before I bought my WM Apache. I wanted the ultimate do it all bag that could deal with frost or water on the exterior and breathe from the inside. The Apache is 2 pounds and has the micro fiber which are more water repellent than the versa and alpin.

 

[sndmn11]

They don't answer the phone. That is mildly annoying. Any suggestions on a good shop to call to ask some questions?

Thanks!

They don't answer the phone by design because they just want to manufacture and do a very good job of educating their distributors so that they can handle the end customer being as how they are the point of sale.

I am 6'-6' 1" depending on the day, and a stout 225lbs. I got a 6' Kodiak and it is rad.

I got some really good help from these folks https://www.bentgate.com/backpacking-hiking/sleeping-bags/down-sleeping-bags/?_bc_fsnf=1&brand=844 but you might have a dealer near by Dealers | Western Mountaineering

 

[chasewild]

I don’t think you’ll be drying off in your wet clothes inside your bag like the guys with Wiggy bags do, so if that’s your goal skip the WM bag. I can’t say if your pants would be dry or not in the morning as I’ve never done that in my bag. I put on frozen pants in the morning and let them dry in the sun. If there is no sun then dry them by a fire.

This is partly true. If it's wet from my sweat, I put it in the foot of my bag and it dries off. If it's soaked from a thorough rain storm, I don't put it in the bag.

So, timberline pants that are damp throughout stay in the bag. Timberline pants that are muddy and "wet" are not in my bag.

 

[LandYacht]

How would it be to use for my wife and I in the summer? Say 40 degrees at night over top of us both laying on pads, like a blanket. I imagine it would probably be too narrow at the foot end for sure, but you got my wheels turning.

I think you’d want something wider, you’d have quite a few drafts.


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[mfllood3800]

The WM will dry out your clothes if your clothes are the right fabric. Merino or Aerowool dry out easily enough. If you plan on getting soaked head to toe, I suspect you will have a titanium stove and floorless shelter in you system? Or a change of clothes. As far as weight of a bag, when I hunt the snow months at elevation, I predetermine weight isn't an issue and I pack a heavier pack so I can survive and make it out a live and tell of my great adventures. Nothing worse than dying and not getting to brag about your adventure- sucks for the family too.

I use a WM Kodiak, with 5 oz of over fill so it is a -5 bag.
I have no issues staying warm at night, but it is hard to crawl out into the frigid temps at 5:00 AM


Winter hunts for me require a floorless and stove as well as insulated pad.

 

[Runningwater]

I have the antelope and like it a lot. I looked pretty hard at the versalite and badger as well. I'm sure you'll be happy with whichever you decide.

 

[jmden]

Not sure trying to dry yourself out in a down bag is a good idea. I tried it this summer after a 3000' vertical gain in evening rain and it did not work well. Down clumped up, but it was not the new 'water resistant' down and it was one of the older Mountain Hardware bags they made years ago that has the 'Conduit' w/b membrane with welded seams--that membrane might have actually impeded moisture transfer as wet as I was. Not sure. My wife and kid changed cloths before getting in their bags and were nice and toasty all night. I was a bit chilled part of the night. Fortunately, it was a beautiful sunny day the next day with awesome views and everything dried out!

 

[treillw]

Anybody experienced problems with the versalite and moisture sleeping in a bivy?

Heard that a down bag can run into issues if you press it up against the wall of a tent - since the bivy is a very small "tent", I thought this might create some problems.

 

[LandYacht]

You’re overthinking one of the easiest purchases you’ll make.


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[wind gypsy]

Anybody experienced problems with the versalite and moisture sleeping in a bivy?

Heard that a down bag can run into issues if you press it up against the wall of a tent - since the bivy is a very small "tent", I thought this might create some problems.

Wide # of variables here. How much moisture are you emitting, how much is the atmosphere causing condensation, how breathable is the Bivy you're using. A full goretex or event bivy is going to be a far cry from a bivy with a lot of mesh or very breathable fabric on top.

In an alpinlite (functionally very close to versalite) and katabatic bristlecone bivy (waterproof floor, solid "breathable" top, mesh face) I have not had any condensation problems. I also leave it partially unzipped to help it breath if there are no bug concerns.

 

[3forks]

I have a Versalite and use a dyneema mid.

I've had no issues with condensation. The Versalite is WM's least water resistant bag, but it's still extremely water resistant. If your bag gets dirty, it will become less water resistant, but you can literally pour water into a divot on the bag and let it sit without any penetration (I've tried up to 30 minutes).

http://https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2IKK41iImfU

http://https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SjrPQ96KQfk

 

[chasewild]

Stop thinking about it and just buy a Microfiber WM bag and be done with it.

 

[Lawnboi]

I run a Borah UL bivy on top of two different WM bags with the lighter fabric, no problems.

I have a versalite and a megalite.

They are great bags, all the praise you read is real, after a few nights in them it becomes apparent they are made to do thier job very well

 

[Shrek]

Stop thinking about it and just buy a Microfiber WM bag and be done with it.

This ^^^!!! You can’t go wrong. I have the Kodiak. Perfect for Montana rifle season imo. I’m odd in that I regret not getting a Sequoia. Not joking when I say my balls get hot and sweaty. I wish for a wider bag so I could give them a little more room to breath ! I’m 6’4” and have a 6’6” bag. Plenty of room for clothes , water bottle , and filter in my bag with me. I spread damp clothes around me in the bag and they’re warm and dry by morning. There’s enough room for me to dress inside my bag. Slip my warm and dry clothes on in the morning inside my bag and it’s not so terrible to unzip the bag and get going. I wouldn’t want to put totally soaked clothes in with me but I have a Ti WiFi stove to warm me up and dry things out. It’s a lot easier to stay out and hunt hard when you can get warm and dry in your tent.

BTW, a wide sleeping bag may have more room to potentially heat and so less efficient but the big bags collapse around you so unless you’re tossing and turning to lift the bag off you and causing drafts it’s not a huge deal imo. Mostly I just get settled in and the bag conforms to me and I get warm. Drafts and cold parts of the bag are easy to avoid.

 

[JWM]

I love my badger GWS. The GWS adds weight but the area I hunt is always windy and it really helps having the windstopper


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[Bkottke35]

You guys are a wealth of information. Considering a versalite or Kodiak myself. Still not sure what route I’m going to go buy nice to see others happy with their purchases!