Owner Review  -  Kelty Light Year 25 Down Sleeping Bag

 

Review Date: February 18, 2006

Name:  Pat McNeilly
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.7 m)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
Email address: pmcneilly@osophs.dhhs.gov
City, State, Country: Gaithersburg, MD, U.S.A.

Backpacking Background: 

I have been hiking for at least 20 years but backpacking for only the last three years.   Most of my backpacking is done as overnight trips and occasional weekend and weeklong trips.  My typical packweight is approximately 18 to 20 lb (8 to 9 kg) before food or water.  Most of my backpacking is the three season variety in the mountains of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.  In addition to backpacking, I also fish, hunt, and have been involved in disaster relief.  As a result, some of my backpacking equipment gets use in a number of different venues.

 

Product Information:

Product: Light Year 25

Size: Regular
Manufacturer: Kelty
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: http://www.kelty.com/

Fill: 650-fill down

Fill weight: 15 oz (0.4 kg)

Temperature rating: 25 F (-4 C)
MSRP: $129.95  US

 

	As listed	As measured
Weight	2 lb (0.9 kg)	2 lb 4 oz (1 kg)*
Length	80 in (203 cm)	79 in (201 cm)
Girth	62 in (157 cm)	62 in (157 cm)**
Stuff sack		1.5 oz  (42 g)

* Compressed in stuff sack

** Measured along the longest inside seam

 

Product Description:

The Light Year 25 is a lightweight 650-fill down sleeping bag.  The top of the bag is golden yellow, while the underside is charcoal grey in color.  The outer shell of the bag is made of 100% “diamond ripstop” nylon which the manufacturer indicates is treated with a Dupont Teflon finish for moisture protection.  The lining of the bag consists of a black 100% polyester material.  The side two-way zipper is hip length, measures 39 in (99 cm) in length, and is covered by a 1.5 in (4 cm) down filled draft tube.  At the top of the zipper is a 2 in x 2 in (5 cm x 5 cm) velcro tag to keep the zipper from inadvertently opening.  The foot section of the bag is fitted with a 13 in (33 cm) zipper to allow for ventilation in warm weather.  The foot zipper is also backed by a 1.5 in (4 cm) down filled draft tube.  The bag is equipped with flat and round draw cords for the hood and collar, respectively.  Attached to the outside are four loops with small snaps which allow the bag to be used as a liner inside another bag during cold temperatures.  In addition, there are four loops on the inside for attaching a bag liner to the Light Year 25.  On either side of the foot section are two nylon loops for hanging the bag for drying.  The bag has two additional nylon loops on each side along the outside seam for attaching to a sleeping pad.  The Light Year 25 also comes with a 7 in x 12 in (18 cm x 30 cm) stuff sack and a cotton storage sack.

 

Field Conditions:

I have slept in this bag approximately 12 to 15 times, primarily on trips in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.  I primarily used the Light Year 25 only on trips during the spring, summer and fall.  This bag did not get backpacking use during the winter season.  The elevation on these trips varied from sea level to 4000 ft (0 to 1200 m).   The nighttime temperatures I encountered on these trips ranged anywhere from 30 F to 70 F (-1 C to 21 C).  I have had to deal with humid weather and showers but never with severe rainstorms with this bag.

 

Product Review:

I purchased the Light Year 25 about 15 months ago in an effort to move toward a lighter pack weight for my three season backpacking.  The light weight and small stuff size were very attractive features.  The bag certainly lives up to those initial expectations.  The bag is much lighter than other synthetic bags I owned and fits relatively easily into the factory stuff sack.

 

The bag is quite roomy and I don’t have any problems moving around while inside.  The side zipper runs along ground level and I do sometimes have trouble getting hold of and maneuvering it while in the bag.  The zipper is smooth and I have never had problems with it binding in the draft tube.  This may be due to the fact that the draft tube is rather small and there appears to be some stiffening tape inside the tube to prevent snags.  Although I was somewhat concerned about having only a hip length zipper, I do not have problems getting in and out of the bag.  This is true even in the confines of a tent.  Another concern for me was that I would not be able to open the zipper the full length of the bag and use it as a quilt in warm weather.   I have taken the Light Year 25 on some warm weather outings to see if I could still use the bag in this fashion.  I found that if the zipper is opened fully the bag can be spread out just enough to allow for adequate coverage as a quilt.  The foot end was simply draped over my feet but my upper body was quite well covered.

 

I have used this bag in temperatures as low as 30 F (-1 C), typically in a tent.  I rate myself as a cold sleeper and I found that at this temperature I would need to wear a hat and a base layer to stay warm.  I am somewhat hesitant to bring this bag on trips where I believe the temperatures might drift below 30 F (-1 C). 

 

The bag has continuous down-filled tubes which run the entire girth of the bag and are separated by the bag’s baffles.  This allows for down to shift along the tube every time the bag is compressed.  I frequently find myself having to shift the down within the tube, particularly around the shoulder area.  Although the zipper draft tube has some down in it, I feel the tube itself is not large enough and therefore allows drafts to enter.  The Light Year 25 does not have a draft collar and even though it closes well around the chin there does seem to be some movement of air through this area.   The hood seems to fit well around my head and the draw cords are easy to operate, even in the middle of the night.  As a result of my experience, I have no problem using this bag over a wide temperature range but I am cautious when temperatures might be sub-freezing.

 

One feature of particular note is the footbox zipper.  In warmer temperatures where I might like to have a full length zipper, I have found that opening the foot zipper allows for adequate ventilation.  I have frequently used it by sticking my feet all the way out of the bag and find that this seems to regulate the temperature well enough.  Only in the most humid conditions do I find that opening the foot zipper does not ventilate properly.  It is at these times that I am likely to open the bag up and use it like a quilt.  As with the main zipper, the draft tube here also seems to allow some drafts in.  I feel the need to wear warm socks on colder night to prevent being awakened with cold feet.

 

The shell of the bag has a Teflon coating and I have found this to work very well for keeping the bag from soaking through.  I have frequently have had condensation build up in a tent and get onto the bag’s shell but it did not appear to soak through the shell.  I have also had the experience of having a tent leak directly on the bag for a couple hours during the night and find that the water had not soaked through.  This is much better than I expected and gives me great comfort knowing that I am less likely to be in trouble with a wet down bag somewhere on the trail.

 

Summary:

Light Year 25 has a number of features which make it a good sleeping bag for three season use.  The bag is lightweight, stuffs to a small size, has an easy to operate zipper, a foot vent, and an excellent water repellent finish.  The bag’s temperature rating may be a little off and it could benefit from a bigger draft tube and draft collar.  Overall, the Light Year 25 has served me well and I am comfortable with it for backpacking situations where sub-freezing temperatures are not expected.

 

Things I like:

1. Light weight

2. Small stuff size

3. Water repellant finish

4. Warm weather foot vent

Things I don't like:

1. Lack of draft collar

2. Shifting down

3. Small draft tube