January 1, 2001


What type of bag should I get to climb Aconcagua?

I'm climbing Aconcagua in February and need a -10-degree bag. Do you recommend a synthetic or down sleeping bag? Apparently it can get fairly wet on this peak. My preference is down, but I'm a bit worried it may get wet and lose its effectiveness. Your thoughts? Also, What products or system do you recommend to prevent our drinking water from freezing? Thanks for all your help, you da man!

— Rob Toronto, Ontario

I'd certainly start by thinking about a down bag. Moisture might be a problem down low, but once you get to higher elevations I wouldn't think that it would be a problem.

An ideal bag would be Western Mountaineering's Puma SMF ($485). It's rated to —10 degrees, and has a very fast-drying, water-resistant polyester shell. Plus, it weighs only 3 pounds, 1 ounce, which is pretty amazing. An alternative would be Feathered Friend's Tern PTFE-Lite ($493). Also rated to —10 degrees, but with a water-resistant shell made of a DryLoft-like material that will help keep the bag dry if there's some rain or snow blowing into the tent.

On the synthetic side, my short list would start with Integral Design's XPD2 ($545)—even with a —20-dergree rating it probably wouldn't be overkill. It uses Primaloft insulation, and weight is reasonable at 3 pounds,12 ounces. Another safe bet: Mountain Hardwear's 4th Dimension ($250), which uses Polarguard 3D. Alas, it's a bit heavy and bulky — 4 pounds, 14 ounces.

I see no reason not to go down. Use good campcraft, sun dry the bag when you can, and I think you'll be just fine. Aconcagua is an ambitious undertaking —- I wish you well on your climb.

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