What’s your preferred light weight alpine bags and why?

Justin, now it makes sense, I remember the french doing this ages ago (and still do).
They've been using what they call a "pied d'elephant" (elephant foot), a half sleeping bag.
Lots of companies make those in europe but it hasn't caught on in north America yet.

I use a Brooks Range elephant foot.
Love it!

There used to be one that had a extended tongue that mated to your jacket zipper and made your jacket roomy enough to pull your arms inside. They didn’t make many of them.

Johnkelley Kelley wrote: Used a FF Vario on a few peaks in Nepal over the last few winter with good success. Upgraded (?) to the FF Tanger for this Himalyan winter season for a bit more warmth

What’s your height and weight and what size bag did you get to fit it? I’m 71” 160lbs and I was looking to get the 74” bag but wondering if the 68” would do fine.

Any comparisons of the Patagonia hybrid bag versus the FF Vireo UL? Specifically for climbing in the great ranges.

I like the big Patagonia footboxes but I think principally you just have to decide if you want any core insulation from your bag. One offers it, one doesn't. Do you have a jacket big enough to sleep in and does it otherwise make sense in your layering system? It's a <1lb difference between Patagonia's hybrid and their full 20F mummy. Up to you how to best use that weight. 

This would be for climbing where I'm carrying a full belay jacket, so the warmth of the top will presumably not be the issue. I'm curious how the warmth of the bottom compares and any useability/other concerns. It seems like the bottom of the Patagonia may be warmer?

Justin Sanger wrote:

My trust fund doesn’t kick in until my old man kicks the bucket unfortunately. Luckily the folks just let me buy what I want until then. Plus I wouldn’t buy those cheap bags anyways. The fabreeze stretch fit smell better and allow for more movability.  

Nicely done.

Aaron Liebling wrote: This would be for climbing where I'm carrying a full belay jacket, so the warmth of the top will presumably not be the issue. I'm curious how the warmth of the bottom compares and any useability/other concerns. It seems like the bottom of the Patagonia may be warmer?

Maybe a bit warmer, but I doubt by much. Max Neale (who loves Patagonia more than anyone) reviewed the hybrid on Backpackinglight and said the bottom was 20F. It's probably the same pattern as the mummy, easier that way for the Chinese factory.

If leg warmth is a concern, FF can overstuff the Vireo or Nunatak can make you a warmer bag with the exact length/temp spec you want.

I think it really just comes down to whether you want some additional core insulation in the bag. Max gave the bag a 15F range on the bottom end. Are you really carrying a parka big enough to sleep at 15F by itself when the nighttime low is only in the teens? Daytime temps probably around 30...your huge parka would be an impractical belay jacket. Seems to me a little more bag and a little less jacket would be more ideal. 
 

The core insulation was important for me. I owned an Elephants Foot for exactly one bivi and sold it the next day. Have had no issues with the Vireo. 

Sounds reasonable. The vireo sounds like the ticket. The made in North America is a definite plus, too!

Also, do people use quilts for serious alpine climbing? I've never used a quilt and thus have no idea how they work.

jdejace wrote:

Maybe a bit warmer, but I doubt by much. Max Neale (who loves Patagonia more than anyone) reviewed the hybrid on Backpackinglight and said the bottom was 20F. It's probably the same pattern as the mummy, easier that way for the Chinese factory.
...

Thanks for pointing out the Backpackinglight review. I hadn't seen that.

Aaron Liebling wrote: Also, do people use quilts for serious alpine climbing? I've never used a quilt and thus have no idea how they work.

I have a 30 degree quilt (Enlightened Equipment) that I use for summer alpine climbing, and I really like it.  In moderate temperatures, I find the quilt to be super comfortable, and of course it's lighter and packs smaller than a sleeping bag.

I still use traditional sleeping bags with 20 degree and 0 degree ratings, I personally prefer them when it is that cold.

Johnkelley Kelley wrote:

 I’m 5’ 8”, so a few inches shorter, and around 150 lbs. The 74” length is long enough to cover my head, like a hood. Doing that adds considerable warmth for minimal weight. Unless you are really short I’d go with the longer one. 

 I used a WM Alpinelite for the FA for Takar Go Central and an attempt of Omi Tso Go. Both are 6,000 + meter peaks and both were attempted in January. The Alpinelite was no where close to warmth compared to the Vario. Not even close. 
 Since it was around -20 I was sleeping in all of my clothes. Down jacket, down pants (FF Helios), and everything else I had. 
 It’s helpful to look at the entire system. A sub 3lbs bivi tent (Direkt, First Light, etc...) adds tons of warmth. Fuel!!! A hot Nalgene, inside your bag, adds more warmth for the weight than anything else. 

Thanks for all the advice in addition to the bag advice! Definitely helped me make my choice easier.

Ended up going with the Tanager 20 CFL 74” and from first glance and impressions I have zero complaints. I haven’t gotten to test it since I just opened the box but I’m 5’11” at roughly 155lbs and I can get my head in the bag with it closed and still have a little room to move. Being a stomach sleeper I thought it might be rough but it’s still comfortable laying on my stomach. The rate the bag lofts back up after coming out of the stuff sack is insane as well. Ignore the swill water used in the comparison photos.

Justin Sangerwrote: Ended up going with the Tanager 20 CFL 74” and from first glance and impressions I have zero complaints. I haven’t gotten to test it since I just opened the box but I’m 5’11” at roughly 155lbs and I can get my head in the bag with it closed and still have a little room to move. Being a stomach sleeper I thought it might be rough but it’s still comfortable laying on my stomach. The rate the bag lofts back up after coming out of the stuff sack is insane as well. Ignore the swill water used in the comparison photos.

Seems like I’m in the same boat you were in when this thread was started, I’m also leaning towards the tanager over the vireo after some research, but I’m curious what your experience has been the past few years with the tanager?

Food for thought, if you (or anyone) is looking at sleeping bags, I'll always suggest at least a double take on Mont-Bell.  Their old Ultra Light Super Spiral Down Hugger has been improved to a seamless Super Spiral Stretch System.  IMO unmatched design and quality.  They also now appear to sell a half bag.

Personally, I have a couple down quilts and half bags (elephant trunk style). Unless it's really, REALLY every gram matters I'm normally more inclined for the dedicated sleeping bag (Mont-Bell) vs trying to do the half bag and jacket combo. 

Dave Schultzwrote:

Food for thought, if you (or anyone) is looking at sleeping bags, I'll always suggest at least a double take on Mont-Bell.  Their old Ultra Light Super Spiral Down Hugger has been improved to a seamless Super Spiral Stretch System.  IMO unmatched design and quality.  They also now appear to sell a half bag.

Personally, I have a couple down quilts and half bags (elephant trunk style). Unless it's really, REALLY every gram matters I'm normally more inclined for the dedicated sleeping bag (Mont-Bell) vs trying to do the half bag and jacket combo. 

This is a great recommendation, I’ve never really seriously looked at montbells sleeping bags but that does sound like a really nice/comfortable design.

Feathered friend Tanager 20 for solo bag/sitting/open bivies. I like a half foam pad paired with torso length Neoair pad for this. Pretty versatile  

Enlightened equipment Accomplice 20 (long version) quilt for a 2-3 person sleeping system in a bivy tent. Pair with big Agnes double pad and the lightest bivy tent you can find and the whole system is between 6-7lbs for 2 or 3 people.