Feathered Friends

[C Bow]

Does Feathered Friends ever run a sale on sleeping bags

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Rarely, if ever.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I’ve never seen bags on sale, maybe a jacket or two. You also can’t get the indirect sales you get with WM since they only sell direct.

 

[wapitispokes]

I live near FF and have a bunch of their stuff. I normally save “sale”announcements from my favorite outdoor retailers, including FF and a bunch of others. I save those announcements so that I can anticipate when future sales will happen and at what discount. I checked my email folders and I don’t have any saved announcements from FF since 2018. The FF announcement in 2018 was for bedding (bedding historically DID go on sale every year).

Historically FF would have sales on generic consumer items like vests maybe some jackets, bedding, etc. But, like others have said, I don't recall any in years.

FWIW, I think Westerm Mountaineering makes better bags and there is a small retailer / small owner operator in California that is permitted to sell the WM bags with overfill at the regular retail price. I’d suggest that route. I’ll try to look them up later and provide the name.

I stopped buying FF down gear some years ago because I think there are better options out there now. Like WM for bags, and Katabatic for quilts and boutique shops like Nunatak or Goosefeet Gear, MLD, etc. for miscellaneous items.

Money is money and I like to shop sales too. That’s why I save emails announcing Black Friday sales, etc. And I make a list of future stuff to watch for.

HOWEVER if I may say so, a good bag from a maker like WM and probably also FF should last at least 4x as long as a synthetic bag and it will be more comfortable doing it. Not to mention lighter and more compressible. So while it’s not my money, my advice is “buy the right down bag from a good retailer at a fair price" and move on. You should have at least two sleep systems anyway.

The only way I know of to get a WM bag (and maybe a FF) “on sale” is if a retailer goofs when they offer a “20% off one item sale”. In the old days you could sometimes sneak a "restricted item" in under the radar and nab something like a WM bag at 20% off because that specific items was not advertised as being on sale. And apparently the check-out software wasn't sophisticated enough to catch it. However, with modern technology and software I find that those deals are gone because the software is programmed to block discounts on FF and WM bags after the item is put into the "cart". Trust me, I’ve tried many times to load them in my cart. I do it hust for sport to see what happens, actually. It worked once about 4-5 years ago but not since.

In conclusion, I think the best you will do is free overfill on a WM bag through the guy in CA. And that is a pretty nice deal.

I'm wandering a bit here, but in case this helps:

For temps above 20F I prefer quilts -look into Katabatic. They are the best due largely to their closure system. When they were made in the US they also had superior quality...not sure if that is still the case. But their closure system is the best and it makes a difference.

For September elk hunting in Colorado above 8,000' I often bring either a 20 or 30 degree Katabatic quilt and a "40" degree MLD Apex synthetic quilt. The Synthetic goes over the down if it gets cold or damp. However, Septembers in teh Rockies have not been very cold for most of the last 20 years.....was much colder in the 80's and 90's. Also, starting with proper sleeping pads goes a long way towards minimizing the necessary rating of the bag or quilt. I usually double up with a closed cell foam of some variety under a NeoAir of some variety.

Katabatic, like WM, does not exaggerate their comfort ratings. FF fudges a little, IMO.

 

[wapitispokes]

Following up: I think this is the good CA retailer that was doing free overfill. Try to speak to the proprietor. A good guy. He also has good advice. An experienced outdoorsman but also a bit older with injuries.

I’ve purchased two bags through him. One for a son, one for a daughter in law.

The Hermit's Hut

The Hermit's Hut

hermitshut.com

Hermits Hut

 

[Macintosh]

FF has been a customer of mine for over two decades, so when I can I try to return the favor. Imo they are “up there” in quality with the very best, and I dont have enough experience with all the WM’s and others in the category to differentiate beyond that. Unlike virtually every other manufacturer in the US they dont even give a professional courtesy discount to anyone other than local to them SAR. They do well-enough to more ir less never give any discount and they dont have the production capacity to handle the additional demand. Imo their bags and other down gear have been worth it for me. The math may look different for others, but at a minimum if they make something thats a good fit for you I’d be hard pressed to think anyone would be disappointed with it.

 

[Wrangler13]

Feathered friends makes good stuff. Have a couple jackets and down pants. If you join the aac they have a discount code I’m not sure how much off it gets you. https://americanalpineclub.org/learn-more

 

[C Bow]

I live near FF and have a bunch of their stuff. I normally save “sale”announcements from my favorite outdoor retailers, including FF and a bunch of others. I save those announcements so that I can anticipate when future sales will happen and at what discount. I checked my email folders and I don’t have any saved announcements from FF since 2018. The FF announcement in 2018 was for bedding (bedding historically DID go on sale every year).

Historically FF would have sales on generic consumer items like vests maybe some jackets, bedding, etc. But, like others have said, I don't recall any in years.

FWIW, I think Westerm Mountaineering makes better bags and there is a small retailer / small owner operator in California that is permitted to sell the WM bags with overfill at the regular retail price. I’d suggest that route. I’ll try to look them up later and provide the name.

I stopped buying FF down gear some years ago because I think there are better options out there now. Like WM for bags, and Katabatic for quilts and boutique shops like Nunatak or Goosefeet Gear, MLD, etc. for miscellaneous items.

Money is money and I like to shop sales too. That’s why I save emails announcing Black Friday sales, etc. And I make a list of future stuff to watch for.

HOWEVER if I may say so, a good bag from a maker like WM and probably also FF should last at least 4x as long as a synthetic bag and it will be more comfortable doing it. Not to mention lighter and more compressible. So while it’s not my money, my advice is “buy the right down bag from a good retailer at a fair price" and move on. You should have at least two sleep systems anyway.

The only way I know of to get a WM bag (and maybe a FF) “on sale” is if a retailer goofs when they offer a “20% off one item sale”. In the old days you could sometimes sneak a "restricted item" in under the radar and nab something like a WM bag at 20% off because that specific items was not advertised as being on sale. And apparently the check-out software wasn't sophisticated enough to catch it. However, with modern technology and software I find that those deals are gone because the software is programmed to block discounts on FF and WM bags after the item is put into the "cart". Trust me, I’ve tried many times to load them in my cart. I do it hust for sport to see what happens, actually. It worked once about 4-5 years ago but not since.

In conclusion, I think the best you will do is free overfill on a WM bag through the guy in CA. And that is a pretty nice deal.

I'm wandering a bit here, but in case this helps:

For temps above 20F I prefer quilts -look into Katabatic. They are the best due largely to their closure system. When they were made in the US they also had superior quality...not sure if that is still the case. But their closure system is the best and it makes a difference.

For September elk hunting in Colorado above 8,000' I often bring either a 20 or 30 degree Katabatic quilt and a "40" degree MLD Apex synthetic quilt. The Synthetic goes over the down if it gets cold or damp. However, Septembers in teh Rockies have not been very cold for most of the last 20 years.....was much colder in the 80's and 90's. Also, starting with proper sleeping pads goes a long way towards minimizing the necessary rating of the bag or quilt. I usually double up with a closed cell foam of some variety under a NeoAir of some variety.

Katabatic, like WM, does not exaggerate their comfort ratings. FF fudges a little, IMO.

Thanks I do appreciate your time I have a WM bag that is AWESOME but I have been gram counting for a 5 year push in the Beartooths Thanks again