Western Mountaineering bag sizes

[Stibb]

I'm after advise regarding choice of size for a WM Ultralight bag. Mr Stibb is 180 cm and the medium bag is 180cm and the next one up is 200cm. What would people suggest? Is the medium a good choice or would it be better with a slightly longer. It will be used all year round is tassie.

Hoping to get a quick answer as I'm ready to press the button

I've looked around but can't find anyone having a sale on at the moment. Anyone seen a good price?

[Miyata610]

I'm 180 and I decided to order the long thermarest haven top bag. Glad I did.

[ignavus davus]

If you're a biggish build and/or don't like a snug fitting bag, go the larger size. WM bags are a bit restrictive but lengthwise you should be OK with the medium and of course it will be warmer (slightly). I'd personally sacrifice a bit of weight and warmth for some wriggle room - you can always put on a layer of clothing.

[Franco]

It is a difficult call but I would also go with the longer version.
I am 172cm , 72kg and use the 183cm version.
(3x WM bags)
Franco

[Stibb]

Thanks all, that seals the deal. We get the long one

Doesn't seems like its in stock at many places and no sale going on but at Moontrail you get a lots of small bonus stuff that we were going to buy anyway.

[Ent]

Hi

Bit late to the party as I was using mine By long I assume you mean 6'6". I am 6'3.5 and the 6'6" is fine on me. A person that is 6'5" brought the same length and that is ok for them. WM length seems to match the person length well but this is not to be taken for granted with all bags. Being longer is not a great disadvantage in cost and weight plus you can chuck some things in the bottom of the bag like gas cylinder, etc to keep them up to temperature in very cold weather. Still the best warmth is got with the smallest bag for the person in it.

Re the comment on WM being cramped. This is very true for some models compared to the normally wider Australian fittings. WM models come in varying width but even so the Badger being one of widest WM bags is still narrower than a One Planet bag. Some models get very tight so be careful and take note of the girth measurements.

Cheers

[hikin_jim]

Dang.

Also late to the party. I'm 183cm and 100kg. The regular Summerlite is fine for me, but I'm a side sleeper, which believe me makes a difference.

WM is a fine manufacturer. Best bag I've ever owned, and I've owned a number over the years.

HJ

[Snowzone]

probably too late if you've pressed the button already but Paddy Pallin have WM bags on sale at the moment and by the time you add shipping costs they are not that much dearer.
OK you may not get the bonus items that moontrail offer but at least you can walk into a store and try the bag for size before actually commiting.

[Stibb]

Well, I've pressed the button and bought a long one for my hubby. he is not the slimmest ever and a back sleeper so I think it will be good. We got $100 worth of bonus stuff too which is great so the bag was "only" $300. I think is a good deal. It will be shipped for free to a relative who will send it over here, combined with other stuff so we will save there too. Plus, there's no Paddy in Hobart...

It will be interesting to see how it performs and compare it to the Katabatic Alsek that I got for myself
Can't wait...

[hikin_jim]

Well, I've pressed the button and bought a long one for my hubby. he is not the slimmest ever and a back sleeper so I think it will be good. We got $100 worth of bonus stuff too which is great so the bag was "only" $300. I think is a good deal. It will be shipped for free to a relative who will send it over here, combined with other stuff so we will save there too. Plus, there's no Paddy in Hobart...

It will be interesting to see how it performs and compare it to the Katabatic Alsek that I got for myself
Can't wait...

$300? $300 isn't a bad price for a WM long, especially if it came with extras.

HJ

[Stibb]

Sorry if I was confusing. The bag is listed as $400 but then you got $100 worth of bonus stuff (that we would need to buy anyway) so to me, it is $300

[hikin_jim]

Sorry if I was confusing. The bag is listed as $400 but then you got $100 worth of bonus stuff (that we would need to buy anyway) so to me, it is $300

Ah. Got it.

HJ

[User54321]

I am 6ft (183 or so in cm), over 90kgs and fairly broad. I bought a large bag (6'6) just in case. It is VERY long. It extends well past my toes. It fits my broad shoulders well though. I haven't tried the 6ft one myself. I wish I tried it before buying the large. I think it may have been a perfect fit. My large bag is plenty comfy, and I am happy with it, but I do sometimes feel a bit silly when I lay in it and notice the extra bag flapping past my toes!

[John Sheridan]

I just bought the Highlite LONG, I am assuming it is 6-6 in length.

Should be big enough.

Cheers.

[JohnM]

WM sizes are designed to fit the height the person:ie, a 6ft bag should fit a 6ft person, so the bag itself will be a little longer than the listed length.

As stated, Paddy has excellent (non sale) prices on WM, so if in doubt you can now buy from a bricks and mortar store without much of a financial penalty.

These bags set the standard IMO, and are well worth the price.

[Tony]

WM sizes are designed to fit the height the person:ie, a 6ft bag should fit a 6ft person, so the bag itself will be a little longer than the listed length.

As stated, Paddy has excellent (non sale) prices on WM, so if in doubt you can now buy from a bricks and mortar store without much of a financial penalty.

These bags set the standard IMO, and are well worth the price.

Paddy's have certainly brought the Western mountaineering sleeping bag prices down, when I first looked at the Summerlite at Paddy's it was A$700, at the time in the US they where available for US$330. When I purchased my Summerlite I paid US$330 delivered to a friends place in the US, and at the time Paddy' had them on sale for A$660.

Paddy's now have the Summerlite for A$360 http://www.paddypallin.com.au/western-m ... g-bag.html and even cheaper if you are a club member, for that price I would have purchased mine locally.

I am 182 cm and the 6' bag fits me perfectly, and is good down to 0C.

Tony

[Ent]

Pleasing to see that PP and the Aussie distributor have come to something respectable in bag prices. Yes, nothing beats like trying before buying when it comes to sleeping bags. Love my WM bags but was forced offshore for mine by price and availability of sizing. Pity about the stuff sack that comes with them but the Sea to Summit eVent compression bags work extremely well. Can not over hype the Mega-lite as a bag for range that needs no colder than -1

Cheers

[JohnM]

Pity about the stuff sack that comes with them
Cheers

?

[Ent]

Pity about the stuff sack that comes with them
Cheers

?

??

Mine came with large cotton bag and smaller nylon type bag that was not a compression type. Has this changed?

Cheers

[JohnM]

That's what I got, but I don't mind the basic non-compression bag. Probably because I don't like to mega-squash my down bags and I figure a regular stuff-sack and the natural compression of everything else in the pack does the job well enough.