Stone Glacier’s New Chilkoot 15F Sleeping Bag test

[robby denning]

Tonight is shaping up for the ultimate test bed!!!

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[Mike 338]

Very solid review on the bag.

 

[robby denning]

I’m alive!
With all the snow and wind, I decided it was time to break out the 4 season tent: Stone Glacier’s new (last year) Skyscraper (Josh Boyd’s full review on that Tent is due out this week).

I used this tent a lot last year (early season) and wanted to give it a true cold weather run. I didn’t get home from work until after 7 last night. I pulled down the Cimarron and laid out the Skyscraper in its foot print. The wind was gusting to 15 making it a challenge. I’ve got the set up down to less than 10 minutes now, including fly

I put my E-kot, pad, and bag in with room to spare

With temps forecasted to the bag’s limit of 15, I donned my final layer that I’d have on a hunt: my First Lite Obsidians. As I said above, I use my clothes I’m bringing anyway to drop the bag’s temp rating and save bag weight.

I climbed in bed at 11:00 to gusting winds and temps in low 20s.

There is a collar inside the bag that serves two functions:
1) seal out drafts
2) insulate your neck

It has magnet closures. They work well BUT take some practice to operate as you’re deep in the bag and have to feel around to find them. Not sure how to remedy that.

Once I clipped the magnets together, I fell asleep.

I must’ve been warm because I never woke until 4:30am when I had to take a leak.

Back in the sack, I slept until 6:30, still warm. If I’m gonna get cold, it’s usually my feet but they were fine. In my sleep, I’d wrapped my feet tighter in the foot box to reduce unneeded airspace.
Back in the house, I checked the temp and it was right at the bags rating

Pretty happy with this bag! Especially considering what happened with the tent collapse on night two and that I was able to dry the bag with nothing but what I’d have on the mountain. The bag has spent the last 5 nights out there in very wet and now very winter conditions

As far as the layers I wore to get to 15, this is exactly the technique I’d use in the mountains with these temps: wear my clothes to bed. Had I not and only wore “standard” layers as sleeping bag test rating systems require, I’m not sure I could have gone below 20 degrees. However with my clothes, I hit 15 and had room to spare. I’d estimate I could go to upper single digit temps. Because we all sleep differently, your results may vary.

On pack-ability, I’m no expert in class, but looks great against my size 10 pac boot

Weight shown is with the scale zeroed when 7.2 oz compression sack was weighed, so only actual weight of bag is shown: 2lbs 4ozs.

As long as production bags meet or beat this prototype bag, I’m giving this new bag a thumbs up for hunting down into the teens, as long as you have some baselayers or pants/jacket and beanie along, most everyone should be fine

Pack size and weight are great. Can’t comment on durability but even this prototype had only two escaped feathers. 2/3 zip works well too.

The bag’s ability to recover from a soaking was quite the surprise and gives me great confidence in taking advantage of all that Stone Glacier's down fill offers for a backcounty hunter.

 

[doverpack12]

Great test Robby. I’m thinking hard about this one since I often get cold with my current bag rated 31 comfort/20 lower limit and have to use my jacket. I think this bag would deliver at no additional weight penalty, but my one question is on internal width. I can’t find any listed information from Stone Glacier I think I saw something in their Instagram release awhile back but can’t find it now. I much prefer bags over 62” circumstance at the shoulders.

 

[OG DramaLlama]

Looking good for my purposes.

Thanks Robby.


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[robby denning]

Great test Robby. I’m thinking hard about this one since I often get cold with my current bag rated 31 comfort/20 lower limit and have to use my jacket. I think this bag would deliver at no additional weight penalty, but my one question is on internal width. I can’t find any listed information from Stone Glacier I think I saw something in their Instagram release awhile back but can’t find it now. I much prefer bags over 62” circumstance at the shoulders.

I’ll see what I can find out.


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[doverpack12]

They answered my email. 34” across and 64” circumference.

 

[Mike 338]

I'm kinda digg'in that E-cot. The only possible issue with this bag I can see is that it's not built to go a little lower, as in temperature. I'm sure however that it fills a more widespread niche. I'm still holding out for the review where the wife gets put in the wet down bag overnight in 15 degree temps. If that passes muster, I'm in!

Seriously though, this review should be the new standard for down bags.

 

[OG DramaLlama]

I'm kinda digg'in that E-cot. The only possible issue with this bag I can see is that it's not built to go a little lower, as in temperature. I'm sure however that it fills a more widespread niche. I'm still holding out for the review where the wife gets put in the wet down bag overnight in 15 degree temps. If that passes muster, I'm in!

Seriously though, this review should be the new standard for down bags.

They have a 0 degree bag out too. More down and more weight.

With you on a bag that keeps the wife warm. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.


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[robby denning]

I'm kinda digg'in that E-cot. The only possible issue with this bag I can see is that it's not built to go a little lower, as in temperature. I'm sure however that it fills a more widespread niche. I'm still holding out for the review where the wife gets put in the wet down bag overnight in 15 degree temps. If that passes muster, I'm in!

Seriously though, this review should be the new standard for down bags.

thanks man! And as jlhois says, there is a zero-degree bag coming.

 

[robby denning]

Check out tonight’s low

And we’ve got another 3” snow. I left the Skyscraper up.

So I’m headed out. I can’t help myself! Let’s push this 15-degree bag to the limit. Wish me luck.





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[landcruiserwilly]

Good luck, brotha! Looking forward to the results

 

[robby denning]

I made it! Hit the sack at 11:00 in 4-degree temps. Zipped in tight with just my nose/mouth exposed from the bag’s hood.

Slept hard and warm until about 1-2 hours before alarm went off, when I started to feel a chill. I rolled onto my side into a semi-fetal position and pulled in all the vacated dead airspace so the bag was tucked snuggly around me. That did it and I slept well enough considering I was at least 10-degrees below the bag’s lower limit. Got up a 630 and headed back in house. Weather app said it was 1-degree F, while my thermometer said 5 degrees

I was wearing the same clothes as listed in my last post.

I’m definitely at and beyond the very outer limit of the bag’s performance now. But it performed as it should.




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[700MtnMan]

Great test, thank you for the review!

 

[robby denning]

Great test, thank you for the review!

Thanks man. It was fun. Wife thinks I’m nuts.


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[Y2JJ]

We all think you’re nuts and we all know we are nuts. I like being nuts!!! Great review. Mother Nature did her thing and you accepted the challenge. Seems to be a great product from SG. to hunters.

 

[robby denning]

3/7/19 Update. Looks like Stone Glacier just released this Chilkoot to the public and is taking orders. Got this email this morning: https://mailchi.mp/stoneglacier/new-chilkoot-sleeping-bags-are-in-stock-shipping?e=f329aad5c8

I'm sending this prototype back for the production model. I'll let you know on here if I see any differences.

 

[jdhmhatch]

This is helpful. Thanks

 

[Ten Bears]

Ordered the 15 degree version because of this review from Scott at 1Shot, thank you for doing such a real test.

 

[robby denning]

Ordered the 15 degree version because of this review from Scott at 1Shot, thank you for doing such a real test.

You are very welcome! Please let us know how it performs for you.