The very best, IMHO, would be from Western Mountaineering (with Feathered Friends a close second). My WM Ultralite, in short size weighs 25 oz. and (with help from all my insulating clothing) has kept me cozy warm at 15*F. Properly cared for, it will last 20 years to a lifetime. I paid $325 for mine in December 2006; the current price is $470. Ouch! Amortized over 20 years at $24/year, though, not too bad
if you can afford the up-front cost. Their temperature ratings are highly accurate (while WM peculiarly doesn't list EN13537 ratings on their website, they can be found on UK dealers' websites).
Then there's the low budget option, the Kelty Cosmic Down 20, recommended for beginners and Scouts. It's lower quality down so is heavier and will have a shorter life. Short length is 2 lbs. 7 oz. and $160. Assuming an 8 year life if well cared for, it also amortizes to $24/year. (My assumption on the life may be way off--I have no experience with 550 fill down--I just assume from what I've read that the useful life will be longer than the 5 year life for synthetic insulation but a lot less than 850+ fill down.) It is EN13537 rated. You'd carry an extra pound and more bulk than with the WM Ultralite--only you can decide about weight vs. the lower initial price.
Three important things to watch for when shopping for sleeping bags--and these are the only reasonably objective criteria:
(1) The
down fill rating, which, as mentioned, has to do with quality, longevity and how much down is needed to insulate to a given temperature. High quality bags are about 850+, low quality are 550-600; medium quality would be about 700-750.
More about down fill ratings. (Also explains why the cost of high quality down is escalating so rapidly.)
(2) The
EN13537 temperature ratings, which is the only objective measure (although not entirely accurate) of a sleeping bag's insulating capacity. They are certainly far more accurate than those made up by companies' marketing departments, which has hitherto been the case. Do note that there are two important ratings: the "lower limit" for men/warm sleepers is generally 9* to 10* F lower than the "comfort limit" for women/cold sleepers. While the manufacturer ratings for the really high-end bags (WM, Feathered Friends) are pretty close to the actual "lower limit," do not trust the temperature rating of any less expensive sleeping bag that doesn't have an EN13537 rating, or at least raise the stated rating by 10-15* F.
More on EN13537 ratings (3)
Girth measurements--you need to fit into the sleeping bag wearing all your insulating/puffy clothing, without compressing the insulation of either your clothing or the sleeping bag. Remember that shoulder girth is not your chest measurement; it's measured around your shoulders and should be done while wearing your puffiest jacket. Sme of the really light bags are awfully narrow! There's also a subjective element here; some folks need lots of wiggle room to be comfortable, while others like things snug.
I suggest you compare your list of sleeping bags using the criteria above, which are relatively objective, and then look at price and weight. You may (or may not) be surprised!
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