Great deal on LL Bean -20 F. down bag

[Litehiker]

LL Bean has an excellent -20 F. down bag at a bit over $300.
Yeah, most hunters don't need that level of warmth in a bag but some, like sheep hunters, do need it.
I do backcountry ski camping and "need" it.

A few years ago I returned a very nice Eddie Bauer -20 F. down bag due to its horribly designed neck collar and lack of closure for it.
Last year I bought the LL Bean -20 down bag on a sale. For the price I really wondered about the quality. But when I got it and used it in -10 F. temps at 9,000+ ft. I found it to be excellent.

->The hood and collar drawstrings, Velcro closures and other features were absolutely the best design I could have asked for.
->The bag came in a Long so I could place items that needed to be kept warm (water bottles, battery operated items, etc.) at the foot of the bag overnight.
->The down in this bag is 750 fill (750 cu.in./ oz. of goose down) and the down is treated with Down Tek water repellant. It makes the down absorb 30% less moisture and dry 60% faster than untreated down. Very important in winter camping where an opportunity to dry the bag outside may not happen for days.

True, the 750 fill weighs a few more ounces than super-expensive 900 fill down but it retains its loft better than 900 fill down when you press against it from the inside. Translation: 750 fill down does not compress as much in a stuff sack as 900 fill. It all depends on what is important to you.

I have to say that given the choice of having any -20 F. down bag for free I would still choose the LL Bean bag with no question. I own a Western Mountaineering 3 season bag and WM is the pinnacle of quality for down bags but I like the features and equal quality of the LL Bean bag more than WM's -20 bag.

Eric B.

 

[Pdvdh]

I'll have to determine the weight and stuffed size. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Mike 338]

So how would a down bag fare in a floorless tent? Would that "long" length push over the sleeping pad and find it's way to moisture? Just think'in ahead. Seems like a very good bag for the price.

 

[Litehiker]

Mike,
A "floor-less" tent should still have a ground cloth, say Tyvek for snow and plastic painter's cloth for 3 season use.
The LL Bean -20 F. bag, like a few other -20 F. down bags with DWR treated down (& I mean few) would do well if you've taken the time to spray the exterior with a good DWR like Granger's or REVIVEX. This helps prevent the outer fabric from picking up condensation off the tent walls, either directly in the form of water or from touching the frost on the walls and melting it. Or you can take a GTX lined bivy cover and skip the ground cloth.

Eric B.

** P.S. Mike, to save my bag's foot from getting wet from melting frost on the tent wall I always put my zipped up GTX or eVent parka over both the foot of my bag and mattress. Putting it over the mattress bottom keeps it in place all night as opposed to just putting it over the bag only. Cinch down the parka's hood too.

 

[Mike 338]

My old 0 degree Slumberjack Everest Elite has hauled it's weight for quite some time now but it does start getting cold at about 15 or 20 degrees. I decided to go the quilt route this time. Just ordered a 0 degree quilt and a hood. Glad we talked about DWR's. I'll get some and boost what it comes with. I also have a goretex military bivy for the military sleep system but it's weight that I'd rather not tote. Guess we'll see if the hype on the quilts is all it's cracked up to be.