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GoLite Ultra Sleeping Bag: 20 Degree Down

GoLite Ultra Sleeping Bag: 20 Degree Down description

When you have to travel as light as possible, but you can't skimp on winter warmth, stuff the GoLite Ultra 20 Sleeping Bag in your pack. Ultra-svelte bottomless design forgoes the insulation underneath you, and straps to your winter sleeping pad instead. Meanwhile, 800 fill-power down in a paper-thin but resilient Pertex Endurance and double-ripstop nylon shell traps heat from above.

take note, this isn't a "bag". Its a quilt, and not for everyone. I have made my own quality down quilts both for top and hammock bottom insulation, and have compared the Ultra directly to brands like Nunatak and Jacks-r-Better. The Ultra is at least as nice as those two, but is made in China which swayed my dollar to find its way to a "cottage" gear maker. still the Ultra is a valuable piece of gear and Id give it a performance rating of 4 out of 5. Catch it on sale, you wont regret it.

Just used this bag for the first time in the Pecos Wilderness and I was cold in the 40 degree nights at 12,000 feet - even when wearing my fleece jacket, capilene long johns, etc. True, it was damp outside and I was just under a tarp.... But even though the bag stayed totally dry, I was cold.... Since I am usually in warmer weather, I will keep this VERY light top bag but will add a fabric bottom to it for ease of use. I didn't like the straps, which kept sliding around under the pad whenever I moved.

Since this quilt is new to me I haven't had the chance to push it to its limits yet. But, it has been used down to the low 30's and is toasty, at 20 degrees it might be pushing this quilt for me as I'm a cold sleeper and love lots more insulation then I really need, wearing extra cloths works for me. The nylon taffeta used on the inside feels soooo much like silk it's like sleeping at a 4 star hotel in the middle of the wilds, and the views are so much better. I have yet to sweat out the down or have the bag exposed to more than a slight drizzle but so far the quilt has stayed dry and the very little dampness from normal sleep dries up within minutes of flipping the bag inside out in the morning. This quilt also cuts about a pound and a half from my comparable sleeping bag and packs much smaller, about the size of a 2 liter bottle without the neck. I have used a spray bottle on the Pertex Endurance parts and the water beads up and rolls off easily so I'd trust this quilt in a tarp in most weather except possibly torrential downpours where I'd be using a bivy sack anyways. The loft is between 2.5" and 3" so it's 20 degree rating is pretty close to spot on depending on your personal biological heat engine.So far I have no dislikes about this quilt. It works with many different sizes and shapes of sleeping pads and the eyelets for the sleeping pad straps work brilliantly- when I turn in my sleep the eyelets slide along the straps so no airways open up to chill me awake. I've even taken to using it at home as it is far more indulgent then my normal quilt. Only one wish though, it would be nice if it had a cinch closed foot box to help heat regulation a bit more and allow for more uses around the campsite. All in all this is now my favorite sleeping bag/quilt and absolutely brilliant when used in a hammock or on the ground. This quilt will get a five star rating if it's still doing its job well in a few years but for now it's a close to a five as I've yet encountered. Light, packs small, toasty warm, easily adjustable, feels so good against the skin, normal dampness dries quickly so what more could you ask for? Okay it would be nice if 800 down were cheaper but at this price compared to comparable rated sleeping bags it's close to half the cost anyway, so pony up the baksheesh and sleep like a king/queen while everyone else is still cursing the weight and zippers of their traditional sleeping bags.