Re: Thermarest bags

Thanks for the suggestion, but like I said, money is not THAT important to me.   I want to figure out what I want, and THEN figure out the best way to buy it.

I suppose I should just order the Antares from REI with the current 20% coupon, and try it in my living room, since I have a store (where I could return it) fairly conveniently located.

John

> Have you looked at the Gear for Sale forum @ White Blaze lately? 
> 
> There were a couple of WM bags listed ... But not at "used" prices.  
> 
> Of course you can always offer to buy for what you believe is fairer than what's listed.
> 
> Friend of mine picked up 2 WM bags there 4-5 years ago for just under 50% List.
> 
> Coosa 
> 
> Hiking the AT in Memory of my Dad 5/4/13 to ??  http://chasingthetrail.blogspot.com 
> This was sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Apr 3, 2013, at 11:40 PM, "John" <jge@...> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Actually, I just found a fairly comprehensive review:
> > 
> > http://www.trailspace.com/gear/therm-a-rest/antares-20/
> > 
> > However, I gotta wonder a little, when the guy says "a roomy as-all-get-out, two pound, 20-degree down bag for around $350, the Antares is a helluva deal." He claims the construction is good, though it's made in China. But still, as I found searching some blog, "Chinese-made, 750-fill down, AND expensive ?!?", and I have to agree. Nothwithstanding that it's pretty easy to find one of these for 20%-off (e.g. currently-active coupon for REI members), so the price is really high-$200s; good luck finding that WM bag for 20%-off.
> > 
> > Still, I'm not really that interested in whether it's a good deal - I'm interested in whether I'll like it on the trail. Given that I'm committed to the idea of an enclosed bag, the main other contender is the WM AlpinLite; I'd get either in the "long" size for the extra girth. On Antares, the circumferences are 60/40/30"; for ApinLite they are 65/56/39". So the trade-off is shoulder versus hip clearance. Hmm ... I'm tempted to think shoulder-room is more important for me, as a bony-shouldered side-sleeper; OTOH, one of the main tight spots I found in my old WM VersaLite was about the knees, since I've gotta have some padding between the knees.
> > 
> > John
> > 
> > > Anyone tried Therm-a-Rest's new line of sleeping bags ? They're kinda like the Big Agnes system, where there's not much insulation on the bottom, so an insulated pad is required to complete the thermal envelope. But instead of using a pad sleeve, they use straps. Apparently they work with wide pads (i.e. 25"), which I require; none of the BA bags that meet my weight/volume requirements work with pads larger than 20".
> > > 
> > > John
> > >
> > 
> >
>