Greetings from the frozen north.

It's been a blessing and a very miserably cold week up here in Fairbanks, AK as I tested the -50 combo (20 dergee base bag w/70 degree Modular Over Bag).

Here was the temperature breakdown for the last three nights of testing:

Thursday, Feb 22: -37 degrees Fahrenheit
Friday, Feb 23: -41 degrees Fahrenheit
Saturday, Feb 24: -47 degrees Farenheit

On all three nights I placed the bag outside my test lab (in my back yard) at least an hour prior to climbing in. I left the bag zipped and laying on the standard issue GI thermarest self inflating pad (although up here I always inflate with extra breaths for maximum loft and firmness. On a true in the woods winter expediton I'm almost certainly using more than one ground pad. Usually my thermarest backed up with my crazy creek chair converted into a 3/4 length ground pad.

The bag configuration was the 20 degree Regulator bag inside of the 70 degree MOB.

The long underwear I used was the standard SPEARS layer 1. I was going to start off in layer 1 and layer two, but decided to start off with my base layer and add more layers if I needed to.
I just wore standard capilene boxer briefs for my main underwear.
And no t-shirt under the long underwear top.

I used this method because on a prolonged expedition in the field I want to avoid overheating and sweating in my underlayers as much as possible.

For footwear I started off in my army issue heavyweight wool socks and my down booties, but took off the booties in order to not skew the test data.

I wore the standard army issue polartec fleece hat and used the issue wool glove liners.

On all three nights I slept outside from 2300 (1100 PM) until right around 0500 (had to go to work), with the exception of this morning when I slept/lounged in the bag until almost 0700.

With the exception of a reoccuring injury that causes very poor circulation in my lower left leg/foot, the foot box section of the bag was very warm. This is usually the portion of most bags that gets cold on almost all users first. When my left foot did start to get cold I just did leg lifts or slid my left leg back and forth vigorously in the bag.

The mid section of the bag was more than enough insulation to keep my thighs, and lower abdominal region warm. I don't know of many men who get too cold in a bag around the middle section(although selling high end sleeping bags for the last four years at outdoor retail stores I have come across a few).

The upper torso section and hood is where the Regulator and MOB earn their pay. I've used about every higher end bag under the sun (or lack of up here) during my previous tour at Fort Wainwright, and I've used two really high end down bags and the issue MSS sleep system since I've returned to Fairbanks in November.

The MSS fails miserably because the draft collar is too small. It's almost cosmetic at best and contains very little insulation. The two down bags I used had plenty of insulation in the draft collar but did not posses the proper cut/style to completely eliminate the bellow type affect that occurs when you roll over or adjust positions. inside the bag. During less severe temperatures this fact of life can be an annoyance at best and make you miserable at worst. Here in the arctic and sub-arctic a poorly sealed or cut draft collar is miserable at best and dangerous at worst in that you need to conserve every ounce of energy and all the body heat you can to survive and function in the extreme cold. You'll loose enough just trying to tend to all of your basic camp chores, and life sustaining activities.

The Regulator and MOB both have a unique design to the draft collar that is cut higher than standard draft collars and is more trapeziod style in construction. The top (smaller end of the trapeziod) of the bag is cut with a slight concave curve to cover and seal in your body heat and keep outt he cold. Even while rolling over (I'm mostly a side sleeper) the length and cut of the draft collar do not create the bellow affect and eliminates those sudden blasts of cold air that ruin an otherwise warm, comfy night in your bag.

So after three nights of open air bivies in the Regulator with the 70 degree MOB (remember that adds 70 degrees to the warmth of the bag) my overall assesment thus far is this bag lives up to the reputation, quality, and reliability that Kifaru is synonymous for.

Please note I haven't used this bag in the field yet. Just overnight bivy at the house, but This coming weekend is going to be just as cold and I have some much needed down time to load up my EMR and head off to the White Mountains for some true sub-zero 50 below temperatures. I have every confidence that I'll be reporting just as much positive test feedback next week too.

Note: To have a more objective test study I plan on using a few different testers this week and next. I'll use everything from an individual who's lived in Fairbanks and hunted and camped up here his whole life to an instructor at the Army's Northern Warfare Training Center.

Warm nights and pleasant dreams from the great north.

dan

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Kifaru's Response

Hello Dan,

Thanks for the update. As you may have noticed, you can unsnap the neck sections between the MOB and Base Bag a little, then pull up and use the MOB Neck Gaitor in addition to the Base Bag draft collar. I'm wondering if you're doing that. Very effective additional enhancement.

I do hope you'll be using the MOB Upper and Middle Sections as garments whilst you're out in the White Mountains. And let us know how that goes too. I think you'll find the normal intermediate insulative clothing will do well, even tho you're partially "armless" on the exterior garment when using the Upper MOB in that role. I use a 4oz. Ibex windparka over my intermediate insulation if the wind's a factor...just to windproof my arms. You of course can put your arms inside the MOB, but we're talking about getting on with the activities of the day.

Thanks again for the report.