-
is this FP 850+ thing the minimum or is it like "endurance racer" tier? I feel like this thread has had some kind of inflation take place where at the start (I've read the whole thing more than once) it was everyone buying an alpkit pipedream and saying how good it is, and at some point it became "buy decathlon or make your own gear"
I even think the 850FP has been an inflation, didn't someone say 800+ is enough in the past? (yes, you: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/157341/?offset=450#comment14195899 and you actually said 750 was OK!)
I'm trying to buy something to try out this summer/autumn/ next spring maybe that won't be a waste of money and isn't so bad that it will make me prematurely hate sleeping outdoors. I get that the better things are better and you have to pay for that privilege. I just don't want to spend that much (even second hand it feels like the big boy 900FP down stuff is all over 200?) and don't want to buy new.
Belagerent-
For cycling with? Hiking? Driving to a campsite and sleeping in a tent? Different bags for different activities and then you've got different budgets in each of those activities. Are you trying to win a bikepacking race or are you taking a clunker MTB 50mi from home to sleep in a field? Summer/winter use? Yada yada.
-
I sleep outside quite a lot, probably 25 days a year minimum, at least 10 of those in bivvys. Almost all in the UK. I've got one of these bags and it's almost always too warm but I like to know I can go out on colder nights in confidence. I've got the alpkit nemo matt and I absolutely love it and the hunka bivvy which is entirely fine. I try not to go out in awful conditions but it has happened a few times and I've survived without maximum discomfort. Basically, buy some reasonable stuff and you'll have a lovely time. It's like bikes - you can spend endless time and money looking for the top performer with the specs you've always dreamt of. Or you can go to Decathlon, get something entirely serviceable and get out on the roads having a wonderful time...
-
opinions change over time...
750 is still OK. But personally I would't spend money on anything less than 850 now. And in fact all of my bags are 1000, but I threw cash at it.
-
My -10°C Rab down bag cost me under £200 but was good enough for bivvying during the Beast from the East and tea houses at 5000m in the Himalayas. Other than that I've used it a handful of times because it's too hot most of the time and it was expensive enough that I'm scared of getting it wet.
What are you wanting to do? If you just want to pootle around and sleep overnight in a tent in English summer, I think most people will have more carefree fun with a cheap bag that is nice and warm, but bulky and heavy. If you spend more you just save some grammes and some pack space, which obviously makes a difference for someone like skinny, but is absolutely not necessary for mere mortals.
hippy
owl
skinny
frankenbike
I'd think they're ok, but not at the level of phd, mld, zpacks etc. I doubt many patagonia bags ahve down > 900 FP. Just keep an eye on the down FP and 850+ you're okay.