REVISED Application to Test: GoLite Feather - Jeff Jackson

Please accept my application to test the GoLite Feather.  I have 
read the requirements in the BGT survival Guide, Ch 5 (v.1202), and 
will comply with all report requirements.  I am a newbie and have 
been selected for the Crazy Creek test, but I am applying for the 
GoLite Feather, because, well, you just never know...

I have emailed my Tester's Agreement and received a confirmation.  I 
recently mailed my signed hardcopy.

According to the GoLite website, the Medium Regular bag will fit me 
perfectly.

Name: Jeff Jackson
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 10" (178 cm)
Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)
Girth (around elbows as described on GoLite's website): 51" (130 cm)
Website: http://www.geocities.com/jwj32542/HammockCamping.html 
Email: jwj32542 at yahoo dot com
Location: Monterey, CA, USA
Date: 14 Sept 05

Backpacking Background

I have been backpacking for about eleven years. I started as a three-
season overnight-only hiker in the North Georgia mountains, and have 
since hiked in California, Colorado, Georgia, New Jersey, New 
Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. Weather has 
generally been mild (50-85°F / 10-30°C), although I sometimes hike 
in winter (~20°F/-7°C) as well. My current pack weight is roughly 30 
lbs (14 kg). When I go on a 2-3 day hike with my children (6 and 
10), my pack may edge up to 40 lbs (18 kg). I am most often a 
hammock camper, but I still use a tent when my wife comes along. 

Background Applicable to This Test

I have several years of backpacking experience, but with my recent 
switch to lightweight backpacking I gave up my heavy bag in favor of 
the Jacks `R' Better 3 Season Hammock Quilt Set.  Before the switch, 
my previous cold weather camping in the Colorado Rockies and at 
Philmont Scout Ranch included heavy, full-featured sleeping bags.  
Temperatures during these trips reached about 0F (-18C).  

While researching lightweight possibilities, I almost purchased the 
GoLite Feather but was not sure about the functionality of a 
sleeping bag without a full-length zipper, so I look forward to 
testing the bag's utility both on the ground and in the hammock.  I 
have recently moved to California, where I hope to begin winter 
camping in the mountains.

Test Plans if Selected

If selected, I plan to test the GoLite Feather in California and 
possibly on a December trip to Mt. Rainier's Wonderland Trail.  I 
will likely use the bag in my backyard on the night I receive it.  
Additionally, I will test during several overnighters in Los Padres 
National Forest and California's Big Sur region.  I hope to take a 
week-long trip to Yosemite National Park, during which I will use 
the Crazy Creek as a bivy with the GoLite Feather inside.  During 
the test period, I will spend a minimum of twenty (20) nights in the 
bag.  Although I am a dedicated hammock camper, I will test the bag 
more often on the ground since that was its designed use.  I hope to 
encounter temperatures as low as 10F (-12C), but I will likely only 
reach 30F-40F (-1-4C).  Rainy season is approaching in Monterey, so 
I should get plenty of experience with the bag in rainy and humid 
conditions.

My test method will be to analyze the GoLite Feather on its own 
merit, then to compare and contrast it to the bags I have previously 
used.  Some questions I wish to answer are:

- How well-made is the bag?  Are all seams solid and straight?  Are 
there any irregularities in construction or cosmetic blemishes?
- Are all measurements accurate as provided by the manufacturer?  I 
will measure loft, weight, length and width, etc.
- How easy is the bag to enter and exit?  Will my shelter make a 
difference in this?  For example, will I be able to easily enter the 
bag when I use the Crazy Creek hammock as a bivy on the ground?
- Does the zipper slide easily without catching any material in the 
teeth?
- Does the bag stay on a sleeping pad easily?  Is the material too 
slippery to remain on my ThermaRest?  On my closed-cell foam pads?
- How does the bag fit my body?  I do not toss and turn much when I 
sleep, but will I have enough room to move around and to get 
comfortable in the bag?  Can I dress and undress inside?
- How comfortable is the hood?  Does it keep me warm?  Does it still 
fit well when I roll over?
- How easy does the bag to fit into its stuff sack?
- How well does it fit in my backpack?
- How waterproof is the Pertex Quantum shell material?  Will it 
rebuff spray when I use a tarp, or will I need a bivy?  Will the DWR 
rebuff the dew when I "cowboy camp" without a shelter?
- Is the bag windproof enough to "cowboy camp" without a shelter?
- How accurate is the temperature rating?  The 20F (-7C) is 
a "comfortable temperature" rating, so will I actually be 
comfortable at 20F (-7C) with no other insulation?  Will I have 
enough room inside the bag to wear more insulation if needed?  Is 
the GoLite Feather easy to use with an overbag to increase the 
temperature?
- How well does the bag ventilate with such a short zipper?  Will 
the lack of ventilation restrict the bag to a smaller temperature 
range?  Will I get sweaty and clammy inside?
- How effective is the Foot Vent in increasing ventilation?  
According to the website, overlapping baffles seal the opening when 
not in use.  Will the seal be tight enough to prevent unwanted 
ventilation on cold nights?
- How comfortable is the bag when spending long winter nights 
inside.  Can I easily cook, read, and rummage through my pack 
without exiting the bag?
- Will the GoLite Feather function in my hammock?  Will it be too 
hard to enter and exit?  Understanding that the bag was not made for 
use in hammocks, this will be a minor point in the report.
- How durable is the bag?  Does the shell material show any signs of 
wear or rubbing?  Do the seams show any signs of failure?  Does the 
zipper slide as easily at the end of the test period as it did at 
the beginning?
- In sum, do the GoLite Feather's features convince me to backpack 
with it instead of a lightweight quilt?

Current Tests

I was recently picked to test the Crazy Creek Ultralight LEX 
hammock, but it has not been delivered yet.  

Previous Reports

I have written two Owner Reviews, and I submitted one on the 
Hennessy Hammock Backpacker Ultralight A-Sym on 16 Sep 05.

Owner Review ? JRB Three Season Set
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Quilts%20and%
20Blankets/Jacks%20R%20Better%20Hammock%20Quilt%20Set/Owner%20Review%
20by%20Jeff%20Jackson/  

Owner Review ? GoLite Speed Backpack
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Packs/Frameless%20Backpacks%
20and%20Day%20Packs/GoLite%20Speed%20Pack/Owner%20Review%20by%20Jeff%
20Jackson/   

You can view both of my reports here:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/tester_reviews/jwj32542  

Thank you for considering me for this test.

Jeff Jackson





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