Macpac (Fairydown) 20 Below

[hikingoz]

Has anyone noticed this sleeping bag?

http://www.macpac.com.au/mountain/mount ... ition.html

It's got a nicer design than the conventional Macpac bags. It's a shame they want $1000 for it.

The horizontal baffles are a simpler and more reliable design than the vertical chest baffles on the Sanctuary bags in my opinion.
My sanctuary 600 got completely stuffed after the down migrated through the complex baffle channels in the drier and couldn't be shifted back by hand.
Macpac didn't fix it so I sent in to Remote Repairs to have it washed and re-stuffed.

The Sea to Summit Alpine 2 is on sale at the moment for AU $454 below:
http://www.wildernessgear.com.au/alpine ... eping-bag/
I'm going to give it a go and give the Macpac to someone else.

[wayno]

the macpac specs actually say


Specifications
Weight 1.16 kg
Down 90/10 goose down
Fill weight 800 g
Fill power 850 loft
Temp rating -16˚C

for a bag with 800g of down, its badly overpriced, you could do better with your money for an 850 fill bag with 800gm of down which you effectively are with the sea to summit bag whish is essentially the same specs..

[KANANGRABOYD]

I like a lot of Macpac gear, but not at the full RRP.
Even at the discount price it is pricey
In this case, definately a + 1 for STS, Wayno is spot on.

[Strider]

Being a Limited Edition isn't really something I take into account when purchasing gear. Function is the most important aspect and there are a lot of bags that perform the exact same function as this one for much less $$$.

[vagrom]

Is there actually a trend towards better, cheaper bags or are claimed spec's becoming more outlandish?

And: it seems that a warmer bag is going to adopt the Mummy design, making it a specialist bag, for only the coldest conditions. So, from minus 10, we're talking snow camping? If you're not heading for the snow, then at some point, overkill sets in.
Bags could be profitably divided into: Normal, Snow and Summer?

[wayno]

lightweight fabrics are stronger than they used to be, making it more practical to reduce the weight of the fabric used in outdoor gear.
Techniques for getting higher loft down have improved as well. you can get 1000 loft down now , something that's only just been achieved on a commercial scale.
a lot of the high quality bags are supposed to be tested according to an international industry standard for measuring a bags warmth.

[vagrom]

Thanks Wayno.

But a few years ago it seemed like substantial weight saving was to be had by reducing water protection,(less necessary in snow camping) . It seemed that the leaders of the time, Western Mountaineering, led in this way. Are these "Minus 20" style bags all covered in something equivalent to, if now lighter than something like Gore's Dryloft? It would seem to be an essential item for anyone anticipating Tas/Kiwi walking.

The premium bag photos all seem to show shiny, nylon-like external covering. Sometimes they admit to water-proofing "parts" of the outer; the foot of the bag etc.

[wayno]

some nylon like a lot of the pertex fabrics are particularly smooth on the surface... theres DWR chemicals going on the fabrics as well. they are designed to remain on the surface as long as possible. DWR is lighter than having to use a bonded membrane on the fabric for water repellency
you have balistic nylon that gets used in some instances. the fibre is flattened out looking from a cross sectional aspect, enabling a smoother finish and better downproofing.

[vagrom]

Ballistic Nylon, it's true! The original, bullet-proof sleeping bag. They'll stop at nothing to get an edge.

[aloftas]

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from ... n&_sacat=0

not a bad price for the specs. I just bought one.

"Winter is coming"

[Moondog55]

$450-?
About what they are worth I would say rather than the $1000-+ first asked

[aloftas]

$450-?
About what they are worth I would say rather than the $1000-+ first asked

Says new....he has seven and you don't know what I paid Moondog, I prefer to keep such matters confidential.

Cheers.

Last edited by aloftas on Thu 17 Mar, 2016 7:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

[aloftas]

besides, it IS 850 loft at 800 grams with Pertex endurance outer and pertex quantum inner

I see a LOT of expensive bags that don't come close.

[undercling-mike]

Not a bad deal if you're after a deep winter mummy bag. I gotta say though that the photos in the listing are awful, you can't really see the shape of the bag and surely you let it loft properly before taking the photos. Also very light on for specs in the description. Not much effort gone in for someone trying to sell 7 high end down bags.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

It won't drop below neg. 10 that often in winter in the snow at night in the Aust. Alps.

[aloftas]

It won't drop below neg. 10 that often in winter in the snow at night in the Aust. Alps.

Sometimes you people amaze me.

Arbitrary statements backed up by self belief will not keep you alive or comfortable

ALl I heard up at Bert Nicjholls hut was "we are cold, we are hungry, do you have booze?"

LOL

I have about 7 pounds of 750/850 loft down in about 5 bags now. Well, I HAD better clarify that, as I don't want my mathematic skills confused with my common sense aptitude for survival. Bag 1 is 1100 grams of 750 loft goosesdown, bag 2 is 800 grams of 850 loft goosedown (which lofts bigger than the 1100 gram one) and a couple of other down bags and a wee synthetic one.

So, don't ask me.

You know what I think


if you go out, underprepared and end up shivering, and needing a rescue...

spare a thought for the poor folks who will come save your shivering *&^%$#@!.

Tell them, how it never gets cold.

:LOL:

[aloftas]

Being a Limited Edition isn't really something I take into account when purchasing gear. Function is the most important aspect and there are a lot of bags that perform the exact same function as this one for much less $$$.

at $450?!

please show me oh oracle of the wilderness...

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Can't you get involved in just one thread where you are civil towards other forum members?

[Strider]

Being a Limited Edition isn't really something I take into account when purchasing gear. Function is the most important aspect and there are a lot of bags that perform the exact same function as this one for much less $$$.

at $450?!

please show me oh oracle of the wilderness...

The original price was $1000.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I didn't say it never happens in terms of temperatures never dropping below neg. 10 in winter in the snow and ice in the Oz Alps. I am always prepared for neg. 15 if need be. I always plan for the worst and hope for the best.

[wayno]

sleeping bags arent the be all and end all in cold weather insulation. you dont have to have a bag to match the temp ratings of where you are going to be. wear more clothes to make up for any difference in temperature, as long as were not talking about using a sumer bag in alpine mid winter type scenario.

[peter v]

Hi All, have owned Fairydown 20 below for >2 years I am ex NZ, returning 2017. Used bag at Mt Angelus, -16! Just wearing merino thermals as warm as toast. Performance to weight ratio is its success. Negative is $$$,s but being a leader for MSC (Mountain Safety Council NZ) received a great discount. Worth looking for on Trademe / Ebay.

[markeaust]

I have a 20+ year old One Planet Winterlite, XL with 1100g down (dunno loft power), which I have always thought to be overkill for most of my snow camping adventures....EXCEPT for one day up near Charlottes Pass, where the temperature plummeted to -23. It was the coldest temperature ever recorded in Australia.

My very heavy bag was welcomed on that occasion.

That being said, I did have some other clothes that I could have put on over night,had my sleeping bag have been inadequate..... Given I haven't experienced anything quite that cold since and my sleeping mat is much warmer these days, I am now looking for a replacement bag (at approximately half the weight) which will accommodate my somewhat tamer ventures these days....

Like others, I have narrowed down to Mont, Sea to Summit, or OP..... I intend to get inside them in the shop and buy whichever seems to "fit" me the best as I now believe that comfort is a big thing and different bags may suit different shapes.... They are all great quality these days.

Cheers,

Mark

[Avatar]

That -23C minimum record at Charlotte's Pass goes back to 29 June 1994.

Looking back through the climate records I found only 1 sub -10C minimum temp report in 2016 over all Australia, at Thredbo AWS on 7 Aug 2016,
and about 9 sub -10C reports for each of 2015 and 2014, some for the same day at nearby KNP stations (Thredbo Village and Thredbo AWS), during Jun-Aug.
2013 had 6 sub -10C reports. Typically these temperatures were just below -10C to -13C. Some readings were for the same day from nearby stations.

We can say it is not unusual that in any year that the KNP region will report a sub -10C minimum temperature on at least 1 occasion over winter,
but it is also fair to say that for any random day of the year that somewhere in Australia reports a sub -10C minimum is indeed below 5% probability and unusual.

There were no Victorian sub -10C readings (which we may expect from Hotham or Falls Creek) for any of the years 2013 - 2016.
Of course this doesn't mean that lower temps weren't reached at other locations.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/extreme/records.shtml

Last edited by Avatar on Thu 08 Dec, 2016 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I still Like my "Exped 'comfort Long" down SB. It is very comfortable and roomy , long and warm. It has not let me down once in snow camping .It has a foot zip for 4 season usage.