Owner Review by Garrett Cole

Owner Review - Kelty Arete 0 F (-18 C) Sleeping Bag (Regular/Right)

*Tester Information

Name: Garrett Cole
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Height: 5’11” (1.8 m)
Weight: 210 lbs (98 kg)
Email address: gumbo_cole@yahoo.com
Home: Sidney, NY, USA
Date: May 9, 2004

Backpacking Background: I began backpacking in Switzerland two years ago while studying abroad; after spending 4 days in the Alps, I was hooked. Since then I’ve often spent weekends in the temperate Adirondack Mountain high peaks and on Catskill Mountain trails. While I prefer mild summer and fall temperatures, I frequently encounter snow covered paths on wet days with freezing nights in the spring. I usually carry 25 to 30 lbs (11 to 14 kg) per outing.

*Product Information

Product: Kelty Arete 0 F (-18 C) sleeping bag, regular length, right hand zip
Manufacturer: Kelty
URL: www.kelty.com
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Temperature Rating: 0 F (-18 C)
Fill: 650 Fill Down
Fill Weight: 30 oz (0.85 kg)
Shell Material: Polyester, Diamond Cross-Dye Ripstop
Liner Material: Polyester Taffeta
Manufacturer’s Weight: 3 lb 12 oz (1.70 kg)
Weight as tested: 3 lb 11 oz (1.67 kg)
Manufacturer’s Stuff Size: 10” x 20” (25 cm x 51 cm)
Stuff Size as tested: 9” x 18” (23 cm x 46 cm)
Length: 80” (203.2 cm)
Girth: 62” (157.5 cm)
Color: Steel top / Black bottom and liner
MSRP: $200

The down filled Kelty Arete is sold in its large cotton storage bag and includes a 10” x 20” (25 cm x 51 cm) water resistant nylon stuff sack in which it easily fits. Its shell has a steel colored top and a black bottom, both with a Teflon water repellant finish, while the lining is all black. The bag unzips from the top or bottom to reveal a down filled baffle collar and a full length zipper draft tube. Additional features include two hang loops for drying and sleeping pad security loops on the outside, and internal liner loops to secure Kelty liners.

*Testing Location and Conditions

The Kelty Arete 0 F was tested 14 nights over a six month period in the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains. Night time temperatures ranged from -13 F (-25 C) to 40 F (4 C) at elevations between 2500 and 4000 ft (762 and 1219 m). Snow was encountered on each trip and there were three rainy days with one rainy night.

*Product Performance

Temperature Rating: Pro
My first night with the bag was spent in the backyard to test the temperature rating. When I woke after remaining warm all night I expected it hadn’t been a cold night, but surprisingly the key ring thermometer in the tent’s gear loft read 9 degrees F (-12.77 C). After 14 nights on trail the bag has continued to deliver on its 0 degree F (-18 C) temperature rating. Only one night that dipped down to -13 F (-25 C) did I have to wear an extra layer of fleece over my long underwear to keep warm. Usually I wear long underwear, when sleeping in cold weather. I did not use a liner in the Arete because the bag kept me warm without it. For temperature regulation on warmer nights, unzipping the bag from the bottom allowed for air circulation to moderate the cold weather bag.

Comfort: Pro
The Kelty Arete’s comfort is comparable to my living room recliner. Trapezoidal construction at the feet allows plenty of room however my feet are comfortable without pressure points on the bag to create cold spots. Although the bag feels roomy inside, roomy enough to keep my next day’s clothes and two Nalgene bottles inside, I did not experience cold spots.

Stuff Size: Pro
Before the Arete, I used a synthetic filled 35 F (2 C) Mountainsmith bag and would pack a fleece liner for expectedly colder nights. Together I had a 4 lb (1.8 kg), 25 F (-3.8 C) system that barely stuffed down to fit into my pack’s sleeping bag pocket. My Kelty Arete a 3 lb 11 oz (1.67 kg), 0 F (-18 C) bag, will pack down as small as 8” x 17” (20 cm x 43 cm) in a compression sack and leave room in my pack’s sleeping bag pocket for an extra fleece.

Weight: Pro
For the temperature rating, the bag seems light to me. It’s my first down bag and is a weight reduction from carrying a synthetic bag with fleece liner. The Arete’s light weight has made it my choice for cold weather backpacking when it is unlikely to rain.

Durability: Pro
Unfamiliar with down fill bags when I purchased the Arete, I was worried when the down began to shed lightly (5 to 10 small feathers per weekend trip). Since, I’ve heard that this is normal, and after 3 to 5 nights in the bag, I found far fewer feathers. The polyester fabric with Teflon water repellant finish hasn’t shown any signs of wear and stitching in the seams appears in like new condition with no fraying. I washed the sleeping bag as recommended in a front load washer on delicate with mild soap after three nights around smoky fires hiking part of the Long Path in the Catskill Mountains. After drying, the bag showed no signs of damage and retained its original loft.

Down Fill in Wet Weather: Con
I found out the hard way just how difficult it is to dry out a down bag when on a winter weekend trip I slipped on an icy rock while trying to cross a shallow mountain stream. Landing on my pack may have broken my fall, but it allowed water to seep into the sleeping bag making for an unusually chilly night at 14 F (-10 C), and it took about a day and a half to fully dry. I would recommend carrying the Arete in a waterproof lined bag or waterproof stuff sack in rainy weather or on warmer humid days, to keep the Arete dry.

Loops: Indifferent
The sleeping bag has many loops inside and out, for hanging it to dry, for securing a sleeping pad, and for securing a sleeping bag liner inside. I tried attaching the bag to my sleeping pad, but found it to feel too restrictive. I would rather have more freedom to move around on the pad. The majority of the nights I didn’t use the sleeping pad loops. It is nice there are internal liner loops, but they didn’t coincide with my rectangular liner. I did not test the bag with my liner because I didn’t experience temperatures cold enough to worry about carrying the liner too. The internal liner loops are to be used with the Kelty mummy bag liners.

*Summary

The Kelty Arete 0 F (-18 C), 650 fill down bag is an excellent all-purpose cold weather sleeping bag. The Teflon coated polyester shell repels water and has shown no signs of wear, after one season of winter backpacking. A synthetic fill bag may suit backpackers who plan to spend more time in warmer or wet weather as opposed to the Arete.

Pros:

-Temperature Rating: This bag’s 0 F (-18 C) temperature rating does not lie, it seems uncomfortably warm in temperatures above freezing and most comfortable from 5 to 20 F (-15 to -6 C).
-Comfort: Soft down fill, roomy inside, with a silky lining.
-Stuff Size: This bag will compress smaller than Kelty lists.
-Weight: Down fill cuts the weight from synthetic filled bags.
-Durability: Cared for properly my Arete hasn’t shown any signs of wear.

Cons:

-Down Fill: When wet, down loses much of its insulation properties, take care to keep the bag dry, perhaps by using a waterproof stuff sack or keeping it in a waterproof lined bag.
-Lots of Loops: they aren’t important to me, but they might be a nice feature for people who are looking to make sure they don’t roll off their sleeping pad.

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