Extreme Cold Army sleeping bag

[Bernoulli]

There is a garden of misinformation and misunderstanding about insulation, body heat, sleeping bags, their ratings and so on. If you'd like to learn a bit you can wade through wiggys.com editorials about all of that (he's very opinionated), but it boils down to: everybody's different - ratings are meaningless because the rating system has nothing to do with reality - natural fibers are poor insulators (although wool remains an insulator when wet - down doesn't) - in all instances man made insulators are the best because they do not absorb moisture. Your body exudes moisture through your pours and your breath. You need an insulator that will let the water vapor pass through without absorbing it (Goretex is not an insulator and it doesn't breath regardless of the hype.)
Wiggy's supplies bags to extreme users like mountain rescue, Seals, etc. I have no affiliation other than I own a couple of his elk bags which work for me - at least down to zero so far. I can throw them in the washing machine and they're like new.

Just because the military uses stuff, it doesn't make it the best or our boys in the Middle East would not be making up their own kits.

 

[misanthropist]

I can't comment on the US gear, but I can tell you that the old Canadian inner-outer-liner is good down to about forty below...assuming you're in a heated cabin at the time.

I never sleep in a tent, and outside, on a thermarest, I found that combo to be good down to about fifteen or twenty below, tops. I really prefer commercial bags.

 

[rroundy]

have any of you had problems with first and foremost that model being incredibly restrictive; and secondly i have had several with weak zippers.

 

[2dogs]

have any of you had problems with first and foremost that model being incredibly restrictive; and secondly i have had several with weak zippers.

Huh? Need a bit more info in "plane ingleesh".

 

[Cpl Punishment]

have any of you had problems with first and foremost that model being incredibly restrictive; and secondly i have had several with weak zippers.

The MSS or the older bags?

Like I posted, I have far less room in the MSS bags (but again, I'm told mummy bags should be fairly tight (less air to warm), but a lot of people don't like them because of it.

The older bags have more room and are more comfortable to sleep in, IMO, but are heavier and bulkier.

Never had zipper problems with either.

 

[Ravaillac]

natural fibers are poor insulators (although wool remains an insulator when wet - down doesn't) - in all instances man made insulators are the best because they do not absorb moisture.

Well it depends: yes down absorbs moisture, so there insulation properties slowly degrade until you dry the bag.

Yet... down is a several time better insulator to begin with: for same initial ratings (before any moisture), down is something like 30%-50% lighter for same ratings (within the same manufacturers systems). Anyone that used a down sleeping bag knows that. You simply can't ignore that.

 

[OwenM]

have any of you had problems with first and foremost that model being incredibly restrictive; and secondly i have had several with weak zippers.

The old intermediate bags' zippers were always tearing up, if that's what you're talking about. Very common problem.

 

[madborderman07]

Your definitely right about the zippers. ANd another downfall was there size. When I 1st came in the Army I was a RTO and forward observer. We carried so much stuff that between me and the FO we had to share a bag because of its size. Additionally I was thinking the other day, when someone questioned why u sleep with min. clothes in your bag.

Do you wear your coat inside? Maybe a bad comparison, but it makes it more clear at least to me.