Once the "conditioning" process has completed, a 1oz sample is placed into a measuring cylinder. A piston weighing 2.41274 ounces (don't ask) is place on top of the sample and, when the piston comes to rest, the volume of the down is measured in cubic inches.

The results that the lab publishes have a margin of error +/- 5%. So, for an 800 fill test, the results could come back anywhere within a range of 760 - 840. When a company tells you their down is 800+, technically, they may be correct.

However, for all intensive purposes, they should tell you 750+, or, at the very best, 775+. Remember, the down in the lab underwent a "conditioning" process. The sample was actually improved as dust and other small particals were removed. When the manufacturer stuffs the down into your bag, it is not conditioned. Therefore, saying "800+" is extremely optimistic, if not doubtful. It's another sales tactic that select companies use to sway the ill-informed. The larger number the better, and their's goes up to "11" 8-)

Mind you, I'm not saying that a company who advertises 800+ down has a poor quality bag. What I'm saying is that, as a consumer, you should feel comfortable comparing their bags with manufacturers who produce a bag that's "merely" 750+ fill power.

Personally, I'll even favor the 750/775+ company because their being more "honest" with me.

The Shell -

Ripstop, Nylon Taffeta, MicroFiber, or DryLoft? Well, first of all, not every model of bag is available in every shell material.

Most bags on the market come with a shell made of either Ripstop or Taffeta Nylon. Taffeta is nicer to next to your skin, but Ripstop is tougher and more abrasion resistant. As neither material will withstand being pulled through the woods for a few miles by a bear, either one is just as good as far as I'm concerned. I usually leave my bag in my backpack until I've put up the shelter, and then put the bag in. It really doesn't get exposed to any abuse. Even if I wanted to just lay out on a rock in my bag, I would still put a ground covering beteen the bag and the rock to protect it. Furthermore, from the standpoint of being water resistant, most bag manufacturers coat their bags with some sort of chemical water repellant finishes. Again, there's really no difference, in my opionion, between these two materials. All other things begin equal, I'd make my choice base on the weight of the bag itself.

If your bag is available in an optional MicroFiber shell, you might want to consider it. It will cost about 10% more, but, due to the nature of the fabric's weave, you'll get water repellency without any fancy chemicals (most likely, the manufacturer will still douse the shell for good measure). In any case, you don't have to worry about re-applying water repellancy in the future because it has broken down or been washed out over time. Hikers that plan on using a tarp or simply sleeping under the stars should take note - MicroFiber is more wind resistant than Ripstop or Taffeta Nylon.

DryLoft™ comes to us from the same folks that make Gore-Tex. It is the most weather resistant and breathable fabric available and provides the ultimate protection against moisture and condensation. Although it can withstand light rain, a downpour will still soak your bag. Keep in mind that, while DryLoft™ is breathable, it slows down the movement of moisture. You should turn the bag inside out, exposing the black fabric, and air dry it in the sun after sleeping in it, especially if you are in a humid area or if you're noticing that your bag is losing loft - A sign that the down is absorbing moisture from body vapor and perpiration.

Temp Ratings -

A bag's advertised temperature rating is useless. First, each manufacturer uses its own system to determine the lowest temperature at which a bag will keep a person warm. Then, people don't always use bags in the same conditions. The altitude, shelter, humidity, and temperature all can effect how you feel in your bag. Add to this characteristics which are unique to the owner, such as body size and shape, the last meal, hydration levels, energy levels, and matabolism, and you can quickly see why I don't put much stock in temperature ratings.

So, how do you judge a bag's comfort rating?

For the sake of arguement, let's put 775+ and 800+ into the 750+ catagory.

Start by comparing the "fill power" and loft (thickness). You really need to compare apples to apples. So, set your price-point and go look at down bags at your local outfitters. The more you spend, the better quality of down (higher "fill power") you'll get, which will result in less feathers being needed to be packed into the bag. Less feathers equates to less weight. By looking at prices and "fill power" ratings you'll quickly see that you fall into a given catagory (550, 600+ or 750+).

Once you've found the catagory that you are willing to fork out the dough for, write down each of the company names that your outfitter stocks. Go home and log into each of these company's web sites. Research their line of sleeping bags. You can use their suggested "comfort rating" as a loose guide but, more importantly, find out what the "fill weight" in ounces is. This will tell you how much total weight, in feathers, they're putting into the bags. Make sure that you also look at the overall bag demensions. Obviously, the bigger the bag, in any dimension, the more feathers, and greater fill weight, they will have to put in. If you're really lucky, the manufacturer will provide you with loft statistics, in inches. This will allow you to dismiss the fill weight altogether, and just compare using this statistic, which is not dependant on the size of the bag. If they don't publish any information on the web, call their 800-number and ask. Perhaps they have some additional information available in a printed catalog. Can someone please tell me why companies still put more information on paper (expensive, not eco-friendly) than they do in their web sites (very cheap)? - Hello Marmot... are you listening???

Once you start comparing bag dimensions and fill weight, it will be clear that one company's 20°F bag is another company's 30°F bag - Yes, it really can differ by as much as 10°F. By grouping bags based on their loft, rather than published comfort rating, you will be making much more accurate comparisons.

Next, ask yourself, are you a "hot" sleeper or a "cold" sleeper? Even if you've never been camping before, you should be able to answer this question. When it's 30°F outside, do you go digging for the heavy winter parka or are you happy with just a flannel shirt? Do you even need gloves? What about when you sleep? Is a cotton sheet enough, even in the winter? Do you keep the window open throughout the year?

Basically, if you're a "hot" sleeper you might be able to buy the bag with the least amount of loft for a given temperature rating and be happy. You should still remember to be prepared for temperatures which are 10°F colder than you expect to encounter but, all things being equal, your bag should still have less loft, and thus be lighter, than the bag of a "cold" sleeper.

Now think about the sort of places will you be camping in, and at what times of the year. What is the average temperature range for these periods? What are the temperature extremes? Will one sleeping bag suffice? If it really gets cold, maybe you could just pack an extra fleece to sleep in while in the bag? Perhaps you only need a bag for those colder times of the year and, in the summer, you could just use a $20 fleece sleeping bag from Target®.

What I ended up doing was a phased approach. Over five years, I bought three bags. The first two were bought in the first year and, as my skills got better, my sense of adventure grew, and my vacation time lengthened, I bought a bag for more "extreme" conditions. I started out with a 550 down bag, rated at 20°F and really on comfortable down to 30°F. This bag worked in Michigan from mid-April through May, and mid-August through October. For the hot summer months, I went with the Target® fleece. Then, I started sleeping in the Mountains and doing some light winter camping. I had to get a bag that was *truely* comfortable to 15°F.

Anyway, now that you've got a well thought out comfort rating in mind and you've narrowed your selections down to just a few bags, go to your outfitter and examine these bags first hand.

• Look at the quality of the workmanship - The stitching. Can you easily push feathers out of the bag (the "foot" of the bag, between the stitching, is a great place to test)? While you may be able to push feathers out if you try really hard, the feathers shouldn't come out if you just "balloon" a bunch of insulation near a stitch with your fist. Also, if feathers are coming out of the shell itself, away from any stitches, run away - The shell isn't densely woven and not only will you lose loft over time, but any condensation hitting your bag will go right into your down, resulting in a long drying process.
• Get in the bag - make sure that there's enough room that you're comfortable - can you at least scratch that mosquito bite you got earlier in the day? Tug on the drawcords and cinch the hood - evaluate every aspect of this bag for comfort. Don't just try the bag lying on your back as if you're showing someone how you're "supposed" to sleep in a bag. If you sleep on your side or stomach, try the bag in those positions. The bag should be comfortable for "your" style of sleep.
• Play with the zipper. If the zipper can open completely, is it easy to mate the zipper again? If you can't do it in the store, what's going to happen at 3am? Check for any catches outside of the usual fabric snags - This can be a real pain if nature calls and you can't get out of your bag.
• Stuff the bag into it's stuff sack (foot end first). Is the size something you can comfortably put into a pack? Let it sit in there for about 5-minutes, and then take it out. Give it a good shake and lay the bag out on the ground. Now give it about 5-minutes to "loft up". It should now be at it's full advertised loft, in inches. Push a section down and then let go. The bag should recover back to full height in a few seconds.

When you have exhausted all other factors, use the total weight to make your final decision. Remember, the lighter your load the happier you'll be when hiking down the trail.

Weight -

Why not just buy the lightest bag available? Remember my philosophy - Comfort first, weight second. You might be happier hiking during the day with a slightly lighter load but, if you don't get a good night's sleep, you'll be miserable the next day no matter what. A bag may be lighter than another simply because it has smaller dimensions. If it's too tight for comfort, you won't be happy. If you choose to save on weight by going with a higher temperature bag in terms of the comfort rating (less insulation) make sure you have a plan for what to do if the temperature drops below the rating. For warm sleepers, it may not be an issue. For others, that's not the case. If you pack along an extra fleece to sleep in, is that extra weight really different than going with a heavier bag in the first place?

Some will argue that the extra fleece serves two purposes - It's an extra layer to hike in if it gets cold and, by sleeping in it, you can increase the comfort rating of your bag as well. That's a personal choice, I guess. In my case, I'm not too hip on climbing in my bag with dirty, sweaty, or wet clothes on, especially if I will be sleeping in the bag for many nights in a row. On top of this, wearing heavy clothes inside a sleeping bag tends to retain moisture, making you feel damp and clammy when you wake up - It can decrease your bag's loft and hence insulative quality as the moisture gets absorbed by the down. By overdressing, you are effectively insulating yourself from your sleeping bag and the cold will eventually creep into your bag and chill you.

Bag Liners -

Price -

When it comes to shelling out the dough, keep in mind that your core gear (sleeping bag, shelter, stove, and backpack) will be around for many years to come. If you take proper care of your gear, there's no reason why these items shouldn't last more than 15 years.

Considering how much a cheap hotel room goes for these days, that sleeping bag/tent combo start looking more and more affordable.

A 3-season bag that will keep you *truely* comfortable down to about 30°F will run you anywhere from $120-$350 new. As you move to the higher end of this price range, there are even bags that are effective down to 15°F. While I'm sure that there are 30° down bags for less than $120, I wouldn't personally consider them because of quality issues - the bag is probably NOT comfortable at the advertised temperature rating and the shell material's weave most likely allows feathers to escape.

Manufacturers -

It's your money -

Finally, remember that you're making a long-term investment with your purchase - it is your hard-earned money that's being spent. Don't let an outfitter pressure you into buying something that you don't want, or making you feel uncomfortable in fully testing your bag. If you feel funny getting into a bag in the store, just ask them about their return policy. Most places are 30-day hassle free as long as the equipment shows no signs of use. Whip out the Visa and take the bag home for a proper inspection.