Alpinlite Sleeping Bag

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The Alpinlite would be a good choice if you find standard mummy bags to be too restricting around the shoulders and foot. The continuous baffle means that down can be shifted from the bottom of the bag (where it can get crushed) to the top of the bag for maximum loft.

Western Mountaineering says

This bag is wide, warm, and packed with features. With a 3-dimensional full down collar, a full-length YKK zipper, and 5″ of loft, the Alpinlite has quickly become one of our most popular models. Our award winning Ultralite has been a favorite among lightweight backpackers for more than a decade. The Alpinlite is just a wide version of that great bag. There are many 20° down mummy bags on the market, but none have the width, warmth, or loft of this bag.

Our Verdict

Western Mountaineering down gear has an awesome reputation in the US and that reputation is beginning to build on this side of the pond. Very high quality materials design and construction results in the lightest bags available for a given warmth.  

An example of their attention to detail is their quoted 850+ fill power down used in all their bags: WM quote this figure even though their down generally gets higher ratings in official tests this is because they feel that the official pre-testing preparation enhances the down quality!

The Alpinlite would be a good choice if you find standard mummy bags to be too restricting around the shoulders and foot. The continuous baffle means that down can be shifted from the bottom of the bag (where it can get crushed) to the top of the bag for maximum loft. The shifting process is performed by `flicking` the bag in the appropriate direction.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Extremelite Shell
• Full Down Collar
• 5″ Loft, 20° F
• 5 1/4″ Spacing/Continuous Baffles
• 19 oz. Down Fill
• 64″/39″ Shoulder/Foot Girth
• Full-length #5 YKK Zipper

Specifications

• Shape: Mummy (w/ full collar)
• Rating: -7°C / 20° F *
• Loft: 14cm / 5.5″
• Highest Quality minimum 850+ fill power down

Short

• Length: 165cm / 5’6″
• Weight: 870g
• Fill weight: 480g
• Packed size: 33 x 18cm
• Internal shoulder girth: 160m / 63″
• Internal hip girth: 142cm / 56″
• Internal foot girth: 99cm / 39″

Regular

• Length: 180cm / 6″
• Weight: 922g
• Fill weight: 540g
• Packed size: 38 x 20cm
• Internal shoulder girth: 163m / 64″
• Internal hip girth: 140cm / 55″
• Internal foot girth: 99cm / 39″

Long

• Length: 200cm / 6’6″
• Weight: 934g
• Fill weight: 595g
• Packed size: 38 x 20cm
• Internal shoulder girth: 165m / 65″
• Internal hip girth: 142cm / 56″
• Internal foot girth: 99cm / 39″

Extra Long

• Length: 215cm / 7″
• Weight: 994g
• Fill weight: 650g
• Packed size: 38 x 20cm
• Internal shoulder girth: 167cm / 66″
• Internal hip girth: 143cm / 57″
• Internal foot girth: 99cm / 39″

* Western Mountaineering state: ‘We independently verify own temperature ratings through our own testing, customer feedback and design knowledge. Most of the items in our catalog we have been making for years, which means we have lots of prior knowledge from everyday consumers on what ratings are accurate. We have also EN tested our bags. In every case the EN rating is lower than our posted rating. This means our ratings are more conservative. We do this to ensure that almost everyone will be happy in our bags at the temperature we publish.’

More About Western Mountaineering:

• Western Mountaineering Construction
• Western Mountaineering Materials

Help and advice:

• The Ultimate Guide to Lightweight Sleeping Bags
• Time-Saver Guide to Choosing a Sleeping Bag
• The EN13537 Standard
• All About Down