gumbo_cole
2004-05-04 00:44:10 UTC
Owner Review - Kelty Arete 0F/-18C Sleeping Bag (Regular/Right)
*Tester Information
Name: Garrett Cole
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Height: 5'11" (1.8 m)
Weight: 210 lbs (98 kg)
Email address: gumbo_cole-/***@public.gmane.org
Home: Sidney, NY, USA
Date: May 3, 2004
Backpacking Background: I began backpacking in Switzerland two years
ago while studying abroad; after spending 4 days in the Alps, I was
hooked. Since, I've often spent weekends in the temperate Adirondack
Mountain high peaks and on Catskill Mountain trails. While I prefer
mild summer and fall temperatures, I frequently encounter snow
covered paths on wet days with freezing nights in the spring. I
usually carry 25-30 lbs (11-14 kg) per outing.
*Product Information
Product: Kelty Arete 0 F (-18 C) sleeping bag, regular length, right
hand zip
Manufacturer: Kelty
URL: www.kelty.com
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Temperature Rating: 0 F (-18 C)
Fill: 650 Fill Down
Fill Weight: 30 oz (0.85 kg)
Shell Material: Polyester, Diamond Cross-Dye Ripstop
Liner Material: Polyester Taffeta
Manufacturer's Weight: 3 lb 12 oz (1.70 kg)
Weight as tested: 3 lb 11 oz (1.67 kg)
Manufacturer's Stuff Size: 10" x 20" (25 cm x 51 cm)
Stuff Size as tested: 9" x 18" (23 cm x 46 cm)
Length: 80" (203.2 cm)
Girth: 62" (157.5 cm)
Color: Steel top / Black bottom and liner
The down filled Kelty Arete is sold in its large cotton storage bag
and includes a 10" x 20" (25cm x 51cm) water resistant nylon stuff
sack in which it easily fits. Its shell has a steel colored top and
a black bottom, both with a Teflon water repellant finish, while the
liner is all black. The bag unzips from the top or bottom to reveal
a down filled baffle collar and a full length zipper draft tube.
Additional features include two hang loops for drying and sleeping
pad security loops on the outside, and internal liner loops to secure
Kelty liners.
*Testing Location and Conditions
The Kelty Arete 0 F was tested 14 nights over a six month period in
the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains. Night time temperatures
ranged from -13 F (-25 C) to 40 F (4 C) at elevations between 2500-
4000 ft (762-1219 m). Snow was encountered on each trip and there
were three rainy days with one rainy night.
*Product Performance
Temperature Rating: Pro
My first night with the bag was spent in the backyard to test the
temperature rating. When I woke after remaining warm all night I
expected it hadn't been a cold night, but surprisingly the key-ring
thermometer in the tent's gear loft read 9 degrees F (-12.77 C).
After 12 nights on trail the bag has continued to deliver on its 0
degree F (-18 C) temperature rating. Only one night that dipped down
to -13 F (-25 C) did I have to wear an extra layer of fleece over my
long underwear to keep warm. For temperature regulation on warmer
nights, unzipping the bag from the bottom allowed for air circulation
to moderate the cold weather bag.
Comfort: Pro
The Kelty Arete's comfort is comparable to my living room recliner.
Trapezoidal construction at the feet allows plenty of room to sleep
however your feet are comfortable without pressure points on the bag
to create cold spots. Although the bag feels roomy inside, roomy
enough to keep my next day's clothes and two Nalgene bottles inside,
I did not experience cold spots.
Stuff Size: Pro
Before the Arete, I used a synthetic filled 35 F (2 C) Mountainsmith
bag and would pack a fleece liner for expectedly colder nights.
Together I had a 4 lb (1.8 kg), 25 F (-3.8 C) system that barely
stuffed down to fit into my sleeping bag pocket. My Kelty Arete a 3
lb 11 oz (1.67 kg), 0 F (-18 C) bag, will pack down as small as 8" x
17" (20 cm x 43 cm) in a compression sack and leave room in the
sleeping bag pocket for an extra fleece.
Weight: Pro
For the temperature rating, the bag seems light to me. It's my first
down bag and is a weight reduction from carrying a synthetic bag with
fleece liner. The Arete's light weight has made it my choice for
cold weather backpacking when it is unlikely to rain.
Durability: Pro
Unfamiliar with down fill bags when I purchased the Arete, I was
worried when the down began to shed lightly (5-10 small
feathers/weekend trip). But I've heard that this is normal, and
after 3-5 nights in the bag, I haven't found many white feathers
since. The polyester fabric with Teflon water repellant finish
hasn't shown any signs of wear and stitching in the seems appear are
in like new condition with no fraying.
Down Fill in Wet Weather: Con
I found out the hard way just how difficult it is to dry out a down
bag when on a winter weekend trip I slipped on an icy rock while
trying to cross a shallow mountain stream. Landing on my pack may
have broken my fall, but it allowed water to seap into the sleeping
bag making for an unusually chilly night at 14 F (-10 C), and a took
about a day and a half to fully dry. I would imagine that in rainy
weather or on warmer humid nights, keeping the Arete dry could be a
hassle.
Loops: Indifferent
The sleeping bag has many loops inside and out, for hanging it to
dry, for securing your sleeping pad, and for securing a sleeping bag
liner inside. I tried attaching the bag to my sleeping pad, but
found it to feel too restrictive and that I would rather have more
freedom to move around on the pad. The majority of the nights I
didn't use the sleeping pad loops. It is nice there are internal
liner loops, but they didn't coincide with my rectangular liner, I
believe they are there to be used with the Kelty mummy bag liners.
*Summary
The Kelty Arete 0 F (-18 C), 650 fill down bag is an excellent all-
purpose cold weather sleeping bag. The Teflon coated polyester shell
repels water and has shown no signs of wear, after one season of
winter backpacking. A synthetic fill bag may suit backpackers who
plan to spend more time in warmer or wet weather as opposed to the
Arete.
Pros:
-Temperature Rating: This bags 0 F (-18 C) temperature rating does
not lie, it seems uncomfortably warm in temperatures above freezing
and most comfortable from 5-20 F (-15 to -6 C).
-Comfort: Soft down fill, roomy inside, with a silky liner.
-Stuff Size: This bag will compress smaller than Kelty lists.
-Weight: Down fill cuts the weight from synthetic filled bags.
-Durability: Cared for properly the Arete hasn't shown any signs of
wear.
Cons:
-Temperature Rating: The Arete 0 is a cold weather bag; leave it at
home for warm weather trips.
-Down Fill: When wet, down loses much of its insulation properties,
take care to keep the bag dry, perhaps by stuffing it first into a
garbage bag, then into your compression sack
-Lots of Loops: they aren't important to me, but they are a nice
feature for people who are looking to make sure they don't roll off
their sleeping pad.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BackpackGearTest-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
*Tester Information
Name: Garrett Cole
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Height: 5'11" (1.8 m)
Weight: 210 lbs (98 kg)
Email address: gumbo_cole-/***@public.gmane.org
Home: Sidney, NY, USA
Date: May 3, 2004
Backpacking Background: I began backpacking in Switzerland two years
ago while studying abroad; after spending 4 days in the Alps, I was
hooked. Since, I've often spent weekends in the temperate Adirondack
Mountain high peaks and on Catskill Mountain trails. While I prefer
mild summer and fall temperatures, I frequently encounter snow
covered paths on wet days with freezing nights in the spring. I
usually carry 25-30 lbs (11-14 kg) per outing.
*Product Information
Product: Kelty Arete 0 F (-18 C) sleeping bag, regular length, right
hand zip
Manufacturer: Kelty
URL: www.kelty.com
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Temperature Rating: 0 F (-18 C)
Fill: 650 Fill Down
Fill Weight: 30 oz (0.85 kg)
Shell Material: Polyester, Diamond Cross-Dye Ripstop
Liner Material: Polyester Taffeta
Manufacturer's Weight: 3 lb 12 oz (1.70 kg)
Weight as tested: 3 lb 11 oz (1.67 kg)
Manufacturer's Stuff Size: 10" x 20" (25 cm x 51 cm)
Stuff Size as tested: 9" x 18" (23 cm x 46 cm)
Length: 80" (203.2 cm)
Girth: 62" (157.5 cm)
Color: Steel top / Black bottom and liner
The down filled Kelty Arete is sold in its large cotton storage bag
and includes a 10" x 20" (25cm x 51cm) water resistant nylon stuff
sack in which it easily fits. Its shell has a steel colored top and
a black bottom, both with a Teflon water repellant finish, while the
liner is all black. The bag unzips from the top or bottom to reveal
a down filled baffle collar and a full length zipper draft tube.
Additional features include two hang loops for drying and sleeping
pad security loops on the outside, and internal liner loops to secure
Kelty liners.
*Testing Location and Conditions
The Kelty Arete 0 F was tested 14 nights over a six month period in
the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains. Night time temperatures
ranged from -13 F (-25 C) to 40 F (4 C) at elevations between 2500-
4000 ft (762-1219 m). Snow was encountered on each trip and there
were three rainy days with one rainy night.
*Product Performance
Temperature Rating: Pro
My first night with the bag was spent in the backyard to test the
temperature rating. When I woke after remaining warm all night I
expected it hadn't been a cold night, but surprisingly the key-ring
thermometer in the tent's gear loft read 9 degrees F (-12.77 C).
After 12 nights on trail the bag has continued to deliver on its 0
degree F (-18 C) temperature rating. Only one night that dipped down
to -13 F (-25 C) did I have to wear an extra layer of fleece over my
long underwear to keep warm. For temperature regulation on warmer
nights, unzipping the bag from the bottom allowed for air circulation
to moderate the cold weather bag.
Comfort: Pro
The Kelty Arete's comfort is comparable to my living room recliner.
Trapezoidal construction at the feet allows plenty of room to sleep
however your feet are comfortable without pressure points on the bag
to create cold spots. Although the bag feels roomy inside, roomy
enough to keep my next day's clothes and two Nalgene bottles inside,
I did not experience cold spots.
Stuff Size: Pro
Before the Arete, I used a synthetic filled 35 F (2 C) Mountainsmith
bag and would pack a fleece liner for expectedly colder nights.
Together I had a 4 lb (1.8 kg), 25 F (-3.8 C) system that barely
stuffed down to fit into my sleeping bag pocket. My Kelty Arete a 3
lb 11 oz (1.67 kg), 0 F (-18 C) bag, will pack down as small as 8" x
17" (20 cm x 43 cm) in a compression sack and leave room in the
sleeping bag pocket for an extra fleece.
Weight: Pro
For the temperature rating, the bag seems light to me. It's my first
down bag and is a weight reduction from carrying a synthetic bag with
fleece liner. The Arete's light weight has made it my choice for
cold weather backpacking when it is unlikely to rain.
Durability: Pro
Unfamiliar with down fill bags when I purchased the Arete, I was
worried when the down began to shed lightly (5-10 small
feathers/weekend trip). But I've heard that this is normal, and
after 3-5 nights in the bag, I haven't found many white feathers
since. The polyester fabric with Teflon water repellant finish
hasn't shown any signs of wear and stitching in the seems appear are
in like new condition with no fraying.
Down Fill in Wet Weather: Con
I found out the hard way just how difficult it is to dry out a down
bag when on a winter weekend trip I slipped on an icy rock while
trying to cross a shallow mountain stream. Landing on my pack may
have broken my fall, but it allowed water to seap into the sleeping
bag making for an unusually chilly night at 14 F (-10 C), and a took
about a day and a half to fully dry. I would imagine that in rainy
weather or on warmer humid nights, keeping the Arete dry could be a
hassle.
Loops: Indifferent
The sleeping bag has many loops inside and out, for hanging it to
dry, for securing your sleeping pad, and for securing a sleeping bag
liner inside. I tried attaching the bag to my sleeping pad, but
found it to feel too restrictive and that I would rather have more
freedom to move around on the pad. The majority of the nights I
didn't use the sleeping pad loops. It is nice there are internal
liner loops, but they didn't coincide with my rectangular liner, I
believe they are there to be used with the Kelty mummy bag liners.
*Summary
The Kelty Arete 0 F (-18 C), 650 fill down bag is an excellent all-
purpose cold weather sleeping bag. The Teflon coated polyester shell
repels water and has shown no signs of wear, after one season of
winter backpacking. A synthetic fill bag may suit backpackers who
plan to spend more time in warmer or wet weather as opposed to the
Arete.
Pros:
-Temperature Rating: This bags 0 F (-18 C) temperature rating does
not lie, it seems uncomfortably warm in temperatures above freezing
and most comfortable from 5-20 F (-15 to -6 C).
-Comfort: Soft down fill, roomy inside, with a silky liner.
-Stuff Size: This bag will compress smaller than Kelty lists.
-Weight: Down fill cuts the weight from synthetic filled bags.
-Durability: Cared for properly the Arete hasn't shown any signs of
wear.
Cons:
-Temperature Rating: The Arete 0 is a cold weather bag; leave it at
home for warm weather trips.
-Down Fill: When wet, down loses much of its insulation properties,
take care to keep the bag dry, perhaps by stuffing it first into a
garbage bag, then into your compression sack
-Lots of Loops: they aren't important to me, but they are a nice
feature for people who are looking to make sure they don't roll off
their sleeping pad.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BackpackGearTest-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/