ALPS Mountaineering -20°F Echo Lake Sleeping Bag $38.97

Did prices just go up for anyone else, even with coupon?

Edit - prices went down again. Not sure why they keep fluctuating. Sometimes it applies the coupon, sometimes not.

With out coupon -20F is $64.95, 0 F is $57.95 click on view coupon it will take you back to $38.97, and $34.77

Paid $41.97 for mine 1 month ago...should I return and get this to save $3.00?

Have to pay for return shipping though...sigh

Quote from canonikon : Paid $41.97 for mine 1 month ago...should I return and get this to save $3.00? Have to pay for return shipping though...sigh

How's the bag?

Quote from gogirl : Sierra Tarding Post has couple of Alps Mountaineering sleeping bag on sale work with 40% facebook coupon. ALPS Mountaineering -20°F Echo Lake Sleeping Bag - Synthetic, Mummy For $38.97 after 40% off coupon. ALPS Mountaineering 0°F Echo Lake Sleeping Bag - Synthetic, Mummy $34.77 after 40% off coupon Use their mobile App. you get free shipping. Sierra Trading Post - 40% Off No minimum! https://www.facebook.com/sierratradingpost Click ad on facebook. ( 'Thank to Fireworks ) http://www.sierratradingpost.com/...reviewsTab http://www.sierratradingpost.com/...rFamily=01

APP is Android only.

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3. Put items in cart w/ coupon
4. Login to your account from the Android App.
5. Purchase.

Is there any reason to get the 0 F over the -20 F? Does the -20 F get too hot for, say, 20 F weather? Or is all about personal taste?

Quote from thykra6 : Is there any reason to get the 0 F over the -20 F? Does the -20 F get too hot for, say, 20 F weather? Or is all about personal taste?

Yes, yes, and possibly.

If you are a backpacker, the size and weight of the -20F bag is significantly larger/heavier (also takes more space in your closet). Personally, I find that -20F bags, especially the synthetic ones, can be sticky in a tent at 20F, especially if you have a full tent, or dogs laying on top of you. However, everyone is different, and some people get cold, or sleep outside with just a net rather than in a tent, so there is a bit of personal preference in the game as well.

If you are only camping rarely, in relatively warm weather, you may find it uncomfortable and too warm, especially as it is a mummy bag, which adds warmth when its cold, and exponentially multiplies discomfort when you're overheated.

Alps makes great products though, I'd recommend them based on everything I've owned or seen.

It is personal taste, I like -20 F better, I was very cool when I use 0 F and outside temp. is around 30F.

Quote from ClownBaby : How's the bag?

It's friggin comfy and and warm. It's not thin like the others I tried out in stores and online (returned).

This one is good. A lot of cushioning and warm, even on hard concrete floor it felt like I was in a bed....well maybe not...but didn't had a problem with the hard floor for sure!

Definitely can withstand cold winters outside, not sure about -20 degrees though as I never slept on top of Mount Everest before. But I'll let you know when I do and can come back alive with this $38.97 sleeping bag on top of Mount Everest.

But should be good for my black friday and special sample sale camping outside during the cold winter nights.

Quote from thykra6 : Is there any reason to get the 0 F over the -20 F? Does the -20 F get too hot for, say, 20 F weather? Or is all about personal taste?

If it gets too hot then open up the zip...if it's too cold...then you'll be shaking the whole night.

Are either of these bags compressible? Thanks for the replies!

Good compromise between price and quality, but I've never had a sleeping bag heavier than my tent.
Backpacking 20 miles a day while carrying 6-pound sleeping bag is going to be a quite unpleasant experience.

These bags will work fine for car camping or for use on cold nights in the backyard or at Black Friday, but are too large and bulky to be worth using for backpacking. The synthetic bags at these weights take up huge amounts of space and are heavy to carry.

I had a couple of the higher end ALPS Mountaineering synthetic bags *(don't remember model name, but the ~$200-$250 retail ones... They were 0-degree bags and I successfully used them down to ~5*F. However, that was with 2-3 insulating layers of clothes, a liner, both foam and insulated air mats, etc.

For general use, I'd say add 20 degrees to the temps of these bags if you're a male, 30 if you're a female (for camping purposes, assume women sleep 5-10 degrees colder than men under the same temps).

Also, for anything below ~40*F, your sleeping pad will make a tremendous amount of difference. If you're in a -20*F bag on icy ground will still be freezing unless you have enough R-value in your sleeping pad to keep you from losing heat to the ground.

Sleeping bags work by trapping air warmed by body heat... the insulation on the underside of a sleeping bag is compressed by your weight and therefore the compressed insulation doesn't trap much warm air and doesn't keep you warm. You need a good sleeping pad for cold temps.

These are a good deal IF they meet your needs -- otherwise you're just throwing money away... and filling your closet with stuff you won't use.

Also, as a weight comparison, the high-end zero-degree down bags my wife and I have weigh 3 lbs, and they are much closer to a "true" rating. In cold weather, I'd expect the zero-degree down bags we have to keep us warm more effectively than these "-20 rated" ALPS bags. And weigh less than half as much, and pack a lot smaller.

I'm not trying to be snobby... I'm just saying that if you're planning on hiking any distance, DON'T get this bag. You'd be better off watching craigslist or Geartrade for a great deal on a lightly-used bag.

The other thing I'll say about high-end bags is that they don't loose a lot of value. If you can get a lightly used bag at 60-70% off retail, you'll be able to use it for a year or two and probably resell it without taking a loss... maybe even make a small profit.

When you're going to be more than a mile or two from the car, I'm a big believer in having the right gear for the weather you'll be in. Nothing makes a trip more miserable than having wrong gear and poor knowledge. It's uncomfortable and potentially dangerous ... especially at these temps.