PERSONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Rick Allnutt
52 Year old male
6' 0'' (183 cm) in height
163 lbs (74 kg) in weight
48 in (122 cm) girth (circumference around arms and chest)
Email address: rick (at) BackpackGearTest (dot) org
Personal Hiking Page: http://www.imrisk.com
Trail name: Risk
I live in Dayton, Ohio

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND
Over the last several years, I have become an ultralight camper with a three-season base pack weight of about 17 lb (8 kg) and skin out weight of 25 lb (11 kg). I have completed many section hikes on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in all four seasons, with a total mileage of about 1100 miles (1770 km). I am a gearhead, a hammock camper, and I make much of my own equipment.

PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: GoLite
Year Manufactured: 2004
Manufacturer's Link: http://www.golite.com/
MSRP: US$300
Listed Weight: 1 lb 13 oz (820 g) for trim medium size
Measured Weight: 1 lb 13.2 oz (828 g) including stuff sack, trim medium size
    (stuff sack is 0.8 oz (23 g) of that weight)
Listed length and girth of bag (from product tag):  72 x 60 in (183 x 152 cm)
Measured length and girth of bag: 74 x 60 in (188 x 152 cm)
REVIEW
The GoLite Feather sleeping bag is a bright blue sleeping bag made from extraordinarily soft fabric. It is designed to be comfortable at 20 F (-7 C).

The bag is constructed of a nylon outer shell (Pertex Quantum with a Durable Water Repellent according to the product information) and a polyester inner shell.  The insulation is 16.2 oz (460 g) of high loft goose down. The cut of the bag is mummy style with a girth (shoulder circumference) and a length as listed above. I applied the sizing information as contained on the GoLite website to choose one of the six sizes available and the bag fits me very nicely and comfortably.

I can further comment that the website prepared me very well for what I received. One happy surprise was the inclusion of an oversize cotton storage bag. I have been reading about the usefulness of storing down sleeping bags in cotton storage bags for years, but have simply stored them uncompressed in the corner of my bedroom between my headboard and the walls for lack of the time and inclination to sew a storage bag.  The supplied cotton storage sack impressed me with the care GoLite would like me to give this quality bag.  

The included trail stuff sack is lightweight and not waterproofed. Packed in the stuff sack, the bag is 7 x 13 in (18 x 33 cm).  It takes only a few moments to compress the bag to this size, requiring none of the hard labor that I have sometimes suffered through while stuffing bags into small stuff sacks.

There is a draw cord which originates from the lower left corner of the face opening of the bag. The cord is elastic and there is a cord lock mechanism which allows me to adjust it to any desired size of face opening: from just my nose and mouth all the way to wide enough for my shoulders.  

The zipper is 24 in (61 cm) long and can be pulled from the inside or the outside using a single pull tab running in a track which makes it accessible from either side. The zipper closes most easily by grasping the base of the zipper and then pulling the tab directly along the zipper line. This is the most likely method to avoid getting the thin material of the draft tubes or the bag's body in the zipper.  Opening the zipper works best by grasping the two ends of the zipper opening and then pulling directly away from the opening with the pull tab on the zipper.  I have found it is easy to get the material caught when pulling with the metal tab of the zipper at a 90 degree angle to the zipper.  However, following the directions above, I have already been able to avoid snagging the material in the zipper even in full darkness.

When fully open, the zipper mechanism is protected by the draft tubes.  When I use bag as a quilt in my hammock, and the end of the zipper is behind me, the zipper head is in the small of my back.  It is well enough cushioned that I can not feel any lump from the head of the zipper even when laying on my back.

The foot vent consists of overlapping insulated baffles.  There is just room to work both feet out of the sleeping bag and allow cooling of the feet or drying of socks on feet.  I have reviewed one other sleeping bag with a foot vent option and ended up prizing the ability to sleep with my feet outside the bag.

On either side of the foot vent is a webbing strap.  The purpose of the straps is not immediately obvious unless they are for hanging the bag over a hanger in a closet.

I have taken two naps and one overnight in the bag during the last three days since receiving the sleeping bag.  In all cases, I was outdoors in a hammock and used the bag mainly as a quilt.  Temperatures were decidedly mild.  During the overnight, I slept for several hours with the bag used as a mummy sleeping bag and spent the rest of the night in quilt configuration.  In all cases, I was warm, comfortable, and it was easy to maneuver in the bag while I was in the hammock.  (I look forward to presenting detailed temperature profiles of outdoor air temperature, outside bag temperature and inside bag temperature in a Field Report two months hence.

Looking forward to that report, I am excited about getting field time and testing this wonderfully light piece of gear.

As I evaluate the bag over the next four full months, I will be interested in the following:
- How much temperature differential does the bag offer from my skin to the temperature of the outside of the bag?
- What temperatures am I comfortable using the bag, from cool to cold?
- How thick is the insulation provided by the down - when the bag is laying flat on the ground, and then with me inside it.
- Under what conditions does the bag work best as a mummy bag and under what conditions does the bag work best when I use it as a quilt?
- How well does the foot flap work to dry socks and make me comfortable?
- How well does the zipper work?  How can I best keep it from jamming?
- How down proof is the fabric?

What I like so far:
- Soft
- Warm
- Lightweight
- Easy to pack
- Fits me perfectly

ANTICIPATED FIELD CONDITIONS FOR THE TEST PERIOD
For the Field reporting period, I plan to use the Feather bag for a multi-night hike in Pennsylvania.  I am a hammock camper, and I will be using the bag in my camping hammock. As the winter progresses, I will use it for more overnight hiking and also for as many snowy overnights as I can get.  This will result in my using the bag in several extremes of cold and wet.  For the Long Term reporting period, I plan to use the bag in freezing conditions and in the coldest temperatures that Ohio will offer this winter.  Altitudes will range from river valleys to mountain tops.