Kelty Galactic 35º Sleeping Bag
Test Series by David Wyman


Image from manufacturer's website

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Test Phases:

Initial Report - September 10, 2009

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Tester Information

NAME	David Wyman
EMAIL	wyman(AT)wymanhq(DOT)com
AGE	31
LOCATION	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
GENDER	Male
HEIGHT	5' 10" (1.78 m)
WEIGHT	175 lb (79.40 kg)

While I've been camping for years, I've only been backpacking for a short time. I'm trying to find the right equipment, alternating between tent and hammock. My dog usually comes along on the longer hikes, and my wife and toddler join me on the shorter ones. I tend to carry more gear that I need resulting in a heavier pack, but I'm working on that. When I hike with my dog and/or my wife and son, we take it a bit slower, stopping frequently to enjoy the forest. I rarely hike fast unless I'm trying to make up time.

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Initial Report - September 10, 2009

Product Information

Manufacturer	Kelty
Website	http://www.kelty.com/
Product	Kelty Galactic 35º Down Sleeping Bag
Size	Tested: Regular
	Additional Sizes: None
MSRP	US $149.95
Color	Tested: Onyx / Silver
	Additional Colors: None
Temp Rating:	35° / 2°C
Shape:	Rectangular
Insulation:	600-fill-power duck down
Shell material:	PR349T polyester, diamond cross-dye ripstop
Liner material:	P300T polyester taffeta
Measurements:
Listed Measured Weight 2 lb 8 oz / 1.1 kg 2 lb 10 oz / 1.19 kg Length 75 in / 191 cm 75 in / 191 cm Shoulder girth 64 in / 163 cm 64 in / 163 cm Fill weight 17 oz / 0.5 kg N/A Stuffed diameter 7 in / 18 cm 7.5 in / 19 cm Stuffed length 15 in / 38 cm 15 in / 38 cm

Initial Impressions

The Kelty Galactic 35º Sleeping Bag 600 fill power down to achieve its rating of 35 F / 2 C degrees. It's a rectangular bag, but with the drawcords at the head of the bag, this is the first "hybrid" bag I've ever used.



There are two drawcords, one for the upper side of the bag and one for the lower side, which can be controlled separately. The drawcords and the cord-lock are located on the outside of the bag so I'm interested to see how easy these are to use once the bag is zipped closed. The bag is box-baffled and the baffles extend, as one complete unit, the entire length of the zipper, covering the right side and the bottom of the bag.

The zipper is double-zipped which allows the foot of the bag to be zipped open while the side remains closed. The main zipper has both exterior and interior pull strings, but the secondary (foot-box) zipper only has an exterior pull string. I'll be testing to see how easily the footbox is opened while zipped up in the bag. The full-length zippers also allow the bag to be opened flat and used as a quilt. I'm trying to hammock camp more often and I would love for this to be a more comfortable and easier to use alternative to my current mummy bag.

I'm also glad to see hang loops on the bottom of the bag. I'm hoping to be able to hang it easily to air out the bag. In addition to the hang loops, there are also liner loops/snaps on both the inside and the outside, allowing a liner to be used inside or the bag to be used as a liner for another part of a sleep system. I don't think I'll need the bag to be used as a liner, but I do see opportunities to slip a liner inside the bag and the loops should come in handy.

This completes my initial report. Please check back in a few months for my field report.

Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Kelty for this opportunity.