Kifaru slick bag 20 degree initial Impression

[AK Troutbum]

Great bag, but no where near the temp rating for me. I froze in my 20 degree bag during my sheep hunts last year in B.C. and down in Mexico and both were not very cold conditions. I'm talking low 30's degree F in BC and much warmer than that in Mexico. Wearing full base layers with a beanie. The only product from Kifaru that I'm not satisfied with and have retired.

Whoa, wait a second here. You start off with, "Great bag" and then you finish off with, it's the only Kifaru product you're not satisfied with and you've retired it. So what exactly are you saying here?

 

[AK Troutbum]

I can say my experience is nothing like yours. I wear all my puffy gear when i sleep if its getting close to the temp rating and it definitely adds warmth and I'm not creating anymore moisture.

I totally agree with this. Not only will I put my puffy gear on to increase warmth, but I'll also do it when they're really damp and I want to dry them out while I sleep. Works every time.

 

[oldskool67]

I have a 0 deg in the long wide. I'm 6-3 255 and love the fit. Its pretty light and packs smaller and lighter than my Big Agnes Farwell 0 deg long. That being said I have felt cold in it when it gets down in the 30 s. I am a cold sleepr though

 

[idig4au]

Whoa, wait a second here. You start off with, "Great bag" and then you finish off with, it's the only Kifaru product you're not satisfied with and you've retired it. So what exactly are you saying here?

Let me clarify....it is a great bag and I'm happy with the construction. Its just a two season bag that I will used in summer time only when the temperatures are warmer. I sleep too cold in it to use it in late summer or fall sheep hunting trips. Thus its retired for these applications. I wish it was a true 20 degree bag, but its more like a 40 degree bag.

 

[armyjoe]

I just wanted to let everyone know that us, at Kifaru, welcome and appreciate honest feed back from customers on all of our items. This brings insight to our gear from people who are using the items daily. It helps us design, redesign and update our gear to meet YOUR needs. The above mentioned issues with temp rating is one of the reasons why we went back to the drawing board to update our bag to bring you guys the best we can and items you will be happy with for the foreseeable future.

 

[Bob]

I am expecting to receive mine in the next few days, just won't be able to test the temp rating unless I find a walk-in cooler to sleep in. It's the new center zip model that I have coming.

 

[kickemall]

I just wanted to let everyone know that us, at Kifaru, welcome and appreciate honest feed back from customers on all of our items. This brings insight to our gear from people who are using the items daily. It helps us design, redesign and update our gear to meet YOUR needs. The above mentioned issues with temp rating is one of the reasons why we went back to the drawing board to update our bag to bring you guys the best we can and items you will be happy with for the foreseeable future.

I thought I had done my research but after reading this thread I had some serious doubts. I talked to Joe who explained the updated design and went over the temp ratings with more specifics. If your interested or having doubts about this bag I would contact Joe.

Dave

 

[Aron Snyder]

Hey Fellas,

Patrick and I (and now Joe) have discussed the Slick bags in great length over the last few months. We knew that some people thought the temp rating was accurate and some that thought it was way off.

So we decided to test these (along with others) in multiple situations. What we found was pretty simple; if you're a warm sleeper, the temp rating is pretty close to right on the money, but if you're a cold sleeper like me, then you're getting more of a survival rating. If you brea down the weight of the old bags, a zero degree (for me anyway) is actually a 15-20, but our 0 degree weighs in at just under 3 lbs. That's pretty good for a synthetic 0 degree bag when compared to others on the market.

As most of you know that have talked with me on the phone, I love the Slick bag for its durability, but I generally figure a 0 degree is a 15 and a 20 is a 30-35. Like I said before, I'm a cold sleeper, so Patrick and I are on both ends of the spectrum.

Patrick, Joe and myself (warm, medium and cold sleepers) have been testing the new designs a lot this winter and have come up with a new ratings for the center zip Slick. They are warmer for sure, but here's what I feel you can expect (from a cold sleepers perspective) from the new bags.

A couple weekends ago on our shed hunting trip the temps dropped down to 11 degrees over night. I was in the new center zip bag with wool socks and a merino top. My body did not get cold that night and my feet were fine as well. The second night the temps dropped down into the low teens again, but this time I did not were socks or a merino base layer. My body was plenty warm, but my feet did get cold. I quickly rubbed them inside my down jacket and got some blood flowing. After that, I had no issues throughout the night. Keep in mind that I have REALLY BAD issues with blood flow with my feet and this is not the norm for most people.

That was just one weekend out of many, but a good example of what you could expect.

Since temp ratings are so subjective, the new Slick bags will have a warm and cold sleeper rating. This will help people choose a bag a bit more accurately for their upcoming hunt/adventure.

Feel free to call or email me or Joe with any questions about the new or old model bags.

Thanks

 

[Ruskin]

Aron, what's the R value of the sleeping pad you used for this recent test?

 

[Aron Snyder]

3.7 I think....

Xlite from thermarest

 

[Rucker61]

3.7 I think....

Xlite from thermarest

3.2, unless you're using the women's pad at 3.9 <== softball.

 

[oldskool67]

I'm very happy with mine based on the weight, durability, and compression for a synthetic bag. The biggest selling point for me was the long / wide, it truly fits my large frame and still weighs less than 4 lbs. Being a cold sleeper i just add a base layer or two.

 

[Lawnboi]

If it means anything to anyone my buddy slept in his 20* slick in 10 degree temps last fall. He did not die. But I slept great, no sleep for him meant I didn't have to listen to snoring in the tipi.

I was toasty warm in my doobie, woobie and I'd bivy. I like kifaru synthetics, as with any sleeping bag you need to understand the way you sleep to determine what rating to get. And sometimes this only happens by freezing your ass off a few times, I think most of us have been down that road.

 

[boom]

If it means anything to anyone my buddy slept in his 20* slick in 10 degree temps last fall. He did not die. But I slept great, no sleep for him meant I didn't have to listen to snoring in the tipi.

I was toasty warm in my doobie, woobie and I'd bivy. I like kifaru synthetics, as with any sleeping bag you need to understand the way you sleep to determine what rating to get. And sometimes this only happens by freezing your ass off a few times, I think most of us have been down that road.

Well said.

 

[eltaco]

What is the compressibility of the new slick bag vs equivalent rated down bag? Anyone have a side by side pic?

 

[Climber]

Wow, thanks for all the great feedback. I'm a medium cold sleeper so I think I'm going to give the 0' bag a go. I love my woobie and would like to go with a synthetic bag.

 

[badkneesbro]

Wow, thanks for all the great feedback. I'm a medium cold sleeper so I think I'm going to give the 0' bag a go. I love my woobie and would like to go with a synthetic bag.

Probably a good choice. I bash my slick 20 because I still get mad that I spent all that money on what I consider to be more like a 40* bag, but theyre comfy & built tough. If I had a 0* bag, I probably wouldn't have any complaints.

 

[Highcountry_Hellrazor]

I have a zero degree slick and I would say i would use it down to 10 degrees. Where these bags shine through is the durability and the synthetic material.