Ultralight Sleeping Gear

One of the biggest ways you can reduce weight and bulk in our pack is to go from a synthetic sleeping bag to a Down Quilt.  That said, our part of the world is not idea for down.  If your down gets wet, you lose ALL the insulation that bag or quilt may have offered.  A wet down bag can be more than miserable - it can result in life threatening hypothermia. 

This Page is NOT for Scouts

Summer Down Quilts

NOTE: Down is NOT recommended for younger or less experienced Scouts. 

 If down gets wet, it no longer insulates. 

Note: if you are an "active sleeper", then you may need a wider quilt

High End Quilts

• • Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 20 

    • Expensive Quilt

    • Weight: 1 lb. 4.1 oz.

    • Fill Power: 1000

  • ZPacks Classic 20

    • Weight: 1 lb. 2.8 oz.

    • Fill Power: 900

  • Feather Friends Flicker 30 UL

    • Weight: 1 lb. 6 oz.

    • Fill Power: 950+

Mid Range Quilts

• • REI Magma Trail Quilt 30

    • Weight: 1 lb 4.3 oz

    • Fill Power: 850

  • Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 

    • Weight: 1 lb. 6.5oz (850fill Reg/Reg) (1 lb. 4.9 oz with 950 fill)

    • Fill Power: 850 (950 available)

    • The Enigma is zipperless and weighs in at 1 lb. 5.2 oz (1 lb. 3.3 oz with 950 fill)

  • Katabatic Gear Flex 22 

    • Weight: 1 lb. 7.9 oz.

    • Fill Power: 850 or 900

  • Loco Libre Operator Series Ghost Pepper 20

    • Weight: 1 lb. 5.5 oz.

    • Fill Power: 950

Budget Quilts

• • Hammock Gear Econ Burrow 20

    • Budget Quilt

    • Weight: 1 lb. 10.1 oz.

    • Fill Power: 850

  • UGQ Bandit 20

    • Weight: 1 lb. 6.3 oz.

    • Fill Power: 850, 950

3-Season Down Bags

NOTE: Down is NOT recommended for younger or less experienced Scouts. 

 If down gets wet, it no longer insulates. 

• • Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20

    • EN Limit (F): 20 F

    • Weight: 1 lb. 5.4 oz

    • Fill Power: 900

  • Western Mountaineering MegaLite

    • Temp Rating: 30°F

    • Weight: 1.5 lbs

    • Fill Power: 850+

  • Western Mountaineering UltraLite

    • Temp Rating: 20°F

    • Weight: 1.8 lbs

    • Fill Power: 850+

  • Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30

    • Temp Rating: 30°F (not EN rated)

    • Weight: 11.5 oz

    • Fill Power: 950+

  • Feathered Friends Swallow 20 YF

    • Temp Rating: 20°F (not EN rated)

    • Weight: 1 lb 0.8 oz

    • Fill Power: 900+

  • NEMO Disco 15

    • Temp Rating: 16°F 

    • Weight: 2 lb 14 oz

    • Fill Power: 650 

Winter Down Sleeping Bags

NOTE: Down is NOT recommended for younger or less experienced Scouts. 

Our winters are WET and we tend to get soaked when building snow shelters or helping others build theirs.  A synthetic bag will be much safer to have on a winter outing.

 If down gets wet, it no longer insulates. 

• • REI Magma 10 

    • Tested Lower Limit: 10°F - EN

    • Weight: 1 lb. 14 oz.?

    • Fill Power: 850

  • Western Mountaineering Kodiak MF

    • Expensive bag

    • Temp Rating: 0°F

    • Weight: 2.85 lbs

    • Fill Power: 850

  • The North Face Inferno 0

    • Water resistant on outside

    • Temp Rating: 0°F 

    • Weight: 2 lbs 10 oz

    • Fill Power: 800

  • Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0

    • EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 0°F

    • Weight:  2 lb 10.6 oz

    • Fill Power: 850

  • NEMO Sonic 0

    • Doesn't feel like 0° bag

    • ISO Limit: 0°F

    • Weight: 3 lb 4 oz

    • Fill Power: 800

  • Western Mountaineering Versalite 10

    • Very light

    • Soaks up water like sponge

    • Temp Rating: 10°F

    • Weight: 2.06 lbs

    • Fill Power: 850

  • Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 0

    • Reasonably priced bag

    • Heavier with 650 fill

    • EN Rating: T-LIMIT: 0°F 

    • Weight: 3 lb 2.1 oz

    • Fill Power: 650

Sleeping Pad

A sleeping pad isn't just nice on your back, it insulates you from the cold ground.  The pad is worth more than it's weight. 

Pad Types

• • Closed Cell Foam

    • Durable and it doesn't matter if you puncture it

    • Can be trimmed to size

  • Inflatable 

    • Better insulation value to weight ratio

    • Risk of Punctures

Closed Cell Foam Sleeping Pad Examples:

• • Therm-a-rest Z Lite Sol 

    • Weight: 14 oz

  • NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad

    • Weight: 14.8 ounces

  • Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″

    • Not very thick

    • Thickness: 0.13 inches 

    • Weight: 2.7 ounces 

  • Reflectix

    • Mylar insulation

    • Slippery

Inflatable Sleeping Pad Examples:

• • Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad

    • Expensive

    • Weight: 13.2 ounces

  • Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat 

    • Inexpensive 

    • Weight: 17.9 ounces

  • Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Mat 

    • Expensive

    • Extremely comfortable

    • Weight: 16.6 ounces

  • Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad

    • Expensive

    • Weight: 22.3 ounces

  • REI Flash Insulated

    • R-Value 3.2

    • Weight: 16.3 ounces

  • Sea To Summit Comfort Light Insulated

    • Weight: 1lb 7oz

  • Big Agnes Insulated AXL

    • Weight: 12.9 oz

  • Klymit Static V Ultralight SL

    • Weight: 15.2 oz