Field Report: Mont Bell U.L. Alpine Down Hugger #3 Long
Date: June 28th, 2006 Manufacturer Name: Mont Bell Website: http://www.montbell.com	Product Information Manufacturer: Mont Bell Model: U.L. Alpine Down Hugger #3 Long Year of Manufacture: 2006 Temp Rating: 32 F (0 C) Inside Shoulder Girth: 48.2 - 64.2 in (122 - 163 cm) Inside Knee Girth: 38.4 - 51.2 in (97 - 130 cm) Max. User Height: 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) Stuffed Size: 5.3 x 10.4 in (13.5 x 26.6 cm) Insulation: 725 fill Fill Weight: 10.6 oz  (300 g) MSRP: $255.00 (US) Listed Weight: 1 lb 6 oz  (624 g ) Measured Weight:    Sleeping bag: 1 lb 5.1 oz (599 g)    Stuff sack: 0.9 oz  (25 g)

Tester Information & Background

Name: Andy Rad

Gender: Male

Age: 48

Height: 6 ft (1.83 m)

Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)

Email: arad1 at yahoo dot com

I started backpacking 21 years ago, most were short three-day trips, but are now generally five-day.  By backpacking, I’m referring to summer, winter camping, and fall hunting.  About half my trips are lightweight solo and the other half with my family.  I used to own a llama, thus allowing me to continue backpacking with my small children.  In recent years I’ve substituted a collie for the llama. When I’m not with the family I tend to take less-traveled trails or bushwhack the hard mountainous terrain in and around Idaho.  The majority of my trips are in central Idaho, with a few into northern Idaho, eastern Idaho, and eastern Oregon.

Field Report

I’ve had the opportunity to use this bag on several backcountry trips and generally fell the temperature rating is slightly exaggerated.  I have several other name brand bags in 40 F (4 C), 32 F (0 C), and 20 F (-7 C) range.  I would rate the Hugger closer to 40 F (4 C).

In concept, MontBell’s Gather Quilt™ system is a good idea and likely does raise the efficiency of the bag.  I think the issue in my case is that the upper portion of the bag is generally expanded as my arms are generally not tight by my side while sleeping.  This causes the quilt to stretch, spreads the down out, thus reducing the loft.  The hugger’s weight is comparable to narrow girth bags, but has a girth that is 10% larger, thus I figure the down loft is being compromised when the bag is expanded.  When I get cold it is generally my feet and legs, but for the first time I can remember, my arms were also on the cool side.  My test bag was 0.9 oz (25 g) under manufacture spec, thus the equivalent of nearly 10% of the down weight.  As mentioned in my Initial Report, when the bag is held up to light and stretched there are areas where the fill is minimal.

With the bad news out of the way, I have to say the wide girth of 64 in (163 cm) has been a joy.  I no longer have my arms confined as in the case of my 58 in (147 cm) girth bags, and waking up with my arms/hands asleep due to contorted configurations.  The width and length allow a water bottle and fuel canister in with me and are little noticed.  This was especially convenient when I was in the high country on snow and found I was freezing.  I heated up some water and placed the bottle in with me at 3:00 AM.  It was 28 F (-2 C), I had two closed cell pads under me, and there was a slight breeze blowing through my single wall tent.  The breeze was the culprit as I could feel it taking the heat right out the bag.  Not a fair test of the bag that night, but on subsequent nights it was 32 F (0 C) and I was on the cool side with the same quantity of clothing and sleeping pads I’ve used for years without getting as cold.  I’m talking thermal tops, bottoms, long sleeve shirt, pants, light down vest, waterproof/breathable jacket, and hat.  I generally sleep on the cool side and it is not uncommon for me to wear everything available, when using my bags at the lower end of their ratings.

After the first couple of trips it became apparent that the bag was on the minimal side for my early spring trips and I started bringing a thick/heavy down vest, which rather defeated the low weight of the bag.  Nevertheless, that helped remedy the cold temps, especially if I used it as a blanket over me inside the bag.

Besides the larger girth, the Gather Quilt also allows the bag to turn with me while sleeping, thus less repositioning the hood opening over my face.  The larger hood opening is a compromise in that there is less of a struggle to keep it in place, but it does appear to allow some ventilation around my head and neck.  The larger girth and hood makes zipping the bag easier.  I have yet to experience an instance of the zipper catching on fabric, as MontBell has done a good job of tacking the fabric out of the way.

I would like to see the two hood cinch cords be identifiable when inside the bag.  Currently they are both a round 1/8 in (3 mm) cord and it requires some experimentation each time to determine which cord is being cinched.  The hook and loop zipper closure also came loose a few times when the hood was cinched tight, but it wasn’t much of an issue as the zipper stayed in place.

Workmanship is top quality, as I’ve not had any stitching, loose threads, zipper, or any indication of manufacturing issues.  The same goes for materials, as the bag has demonstrated negligible feather extrusions.

With the snow leaving and summer temps on their way, I’m looking forward to warm nights of luxury in this large volume bag with minimal weight.

Pros:

• Very roomy/comfortable

• Bag hugs and turns with me

• Hood is not a struggle to keep positioned when cinched tight

Cons:

• 10% more down needed

• Slightly smaller hood as that would make it more efficient

• Distinguishable hood cinch cords, one round the other flat

• Slightly more aggressive hook and loop zipper closure

Test Plan

Testing this bag during the next two months will be during mid summer backpacking temperatures.  There should be few excuses of being cold during this time of the season.  The following are all trips (or some variation) in the next two months where I’ll be using this bag; extended weekends into Oregon Eagle Cap Wilderness, Idaho Sawtooths Wilderness, Idaho White Clouds, and central Idaho mountains.  Camp elevations will be between 8000 ft (2400 m) and 9800 ft (3000 m).  Night lows will be between 35 F (2 C) and 45 F (7 C).  I’ll be ending the two month trial the last week of August, with a three day trek in Maui, Hawaii where it should get near freezing (and wet) while on top of the volcano. 

I'll be paying special attention to the following:

• Comfort/temperature rating

• Zipper snagging

• Lost feathers