I can say without any reservation that the first part of that is not always true. An expensive Rolex is not necessarily a better watch than a $20 Timex. A Lamborghini is not necessarily a better car than a Ford Fusion.

Being someone who doesn't drive expensive cars or wear watches, and who's been camping and backpacking with cheap gear most all their life, I'm glad I didn't wait until I could afford an expensive down bag to go backpacking.

My first "sleeping bag" was an old blanket, then I moved up to a $15 bag with a cotton shell and synthetic insulation, and over many years I lugged that old bag many, many, miles and slept many nights in it and all of them were great. Looking back, I don't think sleeping in a bag made of gold fleece filled with the down from the breasts of a brood of infant Phoenix could have made them better. (Do they still sell those? They were sure heavy.)



When do we get to finally say that's not true anymore?

In any case, it's a broad statement that does not define any of the qualifications and we have to remember that products do have a tendency to get better and cheaper.

My current bag (Kelty Lightyear Down 20º) is what I consider cheap, warm and light, and I think that's a pretty accurate statement because I defined the qualifications for me personally.

I'm not sure, but the same might be said for that Wal-Mart bag. There's no reason I know of to dismiss that bag yet. The reviews I've seen were all positive.

My advice remains this; Don't wait until you can afford to buy the highest quality gear. Get gear you feel comfortable enough with to get out there, and go.

If you're going with all new gear, even if it was the highest rated gear, you'd still want to go on several shake out trips to get to know the gear. You should do that with any new gear.

That Wal-Mart bag and a Coleman fleece bag liner will likely keep you warm down to around 32-40º (inside a tent) and be fairly light and affordable. That's a pretty nice place to start off. It's a lot better than my first few bags. If you take reasonable care of it, it will probably last you long enough to find a bag you like better, even if that takes a few years.

Of course, the above estimate of the value of my advice here is certainly accurate, but I would venture to say that my experience with cheap gear may exceed the average member's here, so I'm still comfortable charging what I do for it