Got my WM Down bag today!

“Just got back from a non-REI place (I can't believe I bought outside the family!). It's called Sunrise Mountain Sports in Pleasanton, and after I spent so long checking out bags from all over, I let go of more cash than I anted, but got what I as looking for.

I [icked up the "Hooded Aspen". Weight: 2# 4 oz., 5" loft, 72", semi-rectangular, and much roomier than the Iroquois I was considering. I had also looked initially at the HighLite, UltraLite, and VersaLite, but at a 25 degree rating, for the price, I concluded that the Aspen was the best choice for me.

Note: The MityLite has the same girth, but no hood, and only 3" of loft. While it weighed 10 ounces less, it's clearly a summer-weight bag (rated at 40 degrees). The Iroquois - a mummy style - has a smaller girth, and was more constricting for my frame (5'10", 200#, 46" chest), and i noticed it a lot when I zipped up fully, with my arms at my side. Not what I liked. And I would otherwise have ordered it, only to find myself disappointed in having to send it back.

Oh yeah... It comes with right/left zips, and can be opened up as a quilt, or sorts, or you can zip two together. At $290 a pop, though (the MityLite was $220, the Iroquois $260), I'm not buyin' two. My plan, though, is to get the MityLite in a couple months, for my summer treks.

YEA!

Also picked up a Vaude DayPack, with a Platypus bladder. Lots of room, even with water, for those all-day hikes. I'll let you know how that goes after I use it.

I also looked at a really nice, smaller capacity backpack from Osprey. The "Aether 60" weighs 3#, 2 oz., and has 3700 ci capacity. Nice cinches, lots of pack flexibility, top-loading and adjustable all over. The downside is it's $230. I'm not sold on it yet, though I liked the features, the looks, and the light-weight material.”

“good for you Obi! Hope you get to try it out real soon”

“Sounds like some nice gear Obi.”

“Obi, I've seen the Aether on-line for 99.00! Are you sure it was the Aether?”

“didjfan, Osprey has changed their entire line of packs for this year. They now have an Aether series (60, 75, 90?). The Aethers you are seeing for $99 are the old style I believe.”

“Great job, Obi! WM is a damn fine bag. ;o)

oooh, now ya got me thinkin' 'bout a warmer season bag...
I mean, my Winter bag(WM Antelope) is now lighter than my Summer! We can't have THAT, now can we....

heheheh”

“Didj... yea, it was the new model. You prolly saw last year's model, but might be worth double-checking... stranger things have happened, eh? As I write this, I'm looking at the catalog page (the guy in Pleasanton photo'd the page for me!), but it doesn't say which year's model it is. It's probably the new one, though, since amnuf's tend to change colors from year to year, or some other thing, just so you have a "new" pack to buy...

AmyG, sweety, you gotta go get you a LIGHTER summer bag. I mean, what CENTS does it make to have a SUMMER bag that weighs MORE than your WINTER bag? On the other hand, you COULD find somebody to warm up with! Let HIM carry the durn thing!


BTW, forgive the spelling errors in the first post... I hate that (Fam Dingers!).”

“What's WM? I should know, but have forgotten on this dreary Sunday.”

“Killer bag, Obi - I'll look into that when I'm shopping for bags later this year.”

“Congrats Obi !
Time to get out there and use all that new gear :)”

“lizs - WM = "Western Mountaineering" (makers of the finest sleeping bags)
;o)”

“Tanks!”

“Hey AmyG, summer bags get lighter with a cabana boy to carry them, no? Besides, they're warmer that way too! ;)

hehehe. . . anyway. . .
Great bag Obi! I'm looking at getting one of their heavier weight bags - Antelope Super with overstuff or warmer now that it looks like I'll be going to school in Canada next year! WOohoo!”

“Have you done this yet? Photo of my friend the minute he recieved his PUMA SMF”

“Sweet rundown on your thought process on them specs bro! I'm lookin at'a cupla bags to "acquire" too, hehe! But prices .......... dangit!! As for the Osprey Aether 60, I really likes the looks of it too! Didj, where did you see it for $99 plz!?? At 60 Lits it would fit me perfectly for 5 days or less hikes. Here in Knoxville it's $240, which means I don't need to even glance over toward it, hehehe.

And what's up with new and old Aether's?? The Osprey Aether 60 is a new pack, what are you guys talking about older or newer models of the it?? Ignorance remedies are more than welcome!!”

“Hey!
What a coincidence. Some guy over on the Backpacker magazine board just bought the same bag!”

“heheheh... Wonder who that could be...?

Violin, I ain't ever tellin' you my deep dark secrets...!”