woodsready
FNG
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2022
- Messages
- 4
I am here to give a review on my Western Mountaineering Badger GWS 6'6" bag, that i bought in july this year and have about 120+ bag nights in. Im actually in it right now, out in the woods of western oregon.
I always wondered why i stayed cold in this 15 degree bag, but after a conversation with a backcountry.com rep last night, there seem to be some issues with their rating system. This bag is rated at a 15 degree survival rating, the comfort rating is 30 degrees, and thats in a 4-season tent, on a 4.5 r-value pad, wearing merino long underwear. Having to purchase an additional $1000+ in gear to have a comfort rating twice the advertised degree rating of the bag isnt just disingenuous, its a fabrication, a lie.
I am currently in a Sierra Designs 4 season tent, on a klymit sv insulated 4.4 r value pad, in minus 33 merino long underwear top, bottom, socks, hat, in my badger GWS sleeping bag. Its 41 degrees per my phone, very light breeze. Im uncomfortable, cold, not getting sleep. Ive been in this spot for 2 nights, lots of tree protection. My sleeping bag is put in a stuff sack every night, taken out and used. Its not a big deal to sleep bad a few nights, but im going on 3 solid months of it, with 15+ mile days of walking, and the expectation when purchasing something, especially as expensive as this bag, is that it actually do what it says it will.
This is going to be some editoralizing, but has been my experience with every single outdoor gear manufacturer. Lots of great reviews in whatever the product is, which then fails in the field. Before this bag i had a old north face down 0, kifaru 0 slick bag (both side and center zip versions), a feathered friends 0. I live outside. Walk everywhere i go, occasional freight ride. I depend on gear to live. I actually depend on it, theres no going back to a house, or getting in a car with the heat on. I wish just one company would make a product that lives up to the marketing hype. I read reviews for western mountaineering all over the web, folks raving about how great they are. But i wonder if anyone even uses stuff anymore, or if its all just ego boosting fluff online.
As a side note, getting in touch with Western Mountaineering is a massive pain. Theres no contact number, emails go unanswered. That means whatever warranty is worthless.
Apologies for not having the post count to be taken seriously on a online forum dedicated to outdoor pursuits and gear.
Have a nice day!
I always wondered why i stayed cold in this 15 degree bag, but after a conversation with a backcountry.com rep last night, there seem to be some issues with their rating system. This bag is rated at a 15 degree survival rating, the comfort rating is 30 degrees, and thats in a 4-season tent, on a 4.5 r-value pad, wearing merino long underwear. Having to purchase an additional $1000+ in gear to have a comfort rating twice the advertised degree rating of the bag isnt just disingenuous, its a fabrication, a lie.
I am currently in a Sierra Designs 4 season tent, on a klymit sv insulated 4.4 r value pad, in minus 33 merino long underwear top, bottom, socks, hat, in my badger GWS sleeping bag. Its 41 degrees per my phone, very light breeze. Im uncomfortable, cold, not getting sleep. Ive been in this spot for 2 nights, lots of tree protection. My sleeping bag is put in a stuff sack every night, taken out and used. Its not a big deal to sleep bad a few nights, but im going on 3 solid months of it, with 15+ mile days of walking, and the expectation when purchasing something, especially as expensive as this bag, is that it actually do what it says it will.
This is going to be some editoralizing, but has been my experience with every single outdoor gear manufacturer. Lots of great reviews in whatever the product is, which then fails in the field. Before this bag i had a old north face down 0, kifaru 0 slick bag (both side and center zip versions), a feathered friends 0. I live outside. Walk everywhere i go, occasional freight ride. I depend on gear to live. I actually depend on it, theres no going back to a house, or getting in a car with the heat on. I wish just one company would make a product that lives up to the marketing hype. I read reviews for western mountaineering all over the web, folks raving about how great they are. But i wonder if anyone even uses stuff anymore, or if its all just ego boosting fluff online.
As a side note, getting in touch with Western Mountaineering is a massive pain. Theres no contact number, emails go unanswered. That means whatever warranty is worthless.
Apologies for not having the post count to be taken seriously on a online forum dedicated to outdoor pursuits and gear.
Have a nice day!