Own LightYear 45 Down for several years now. Excellent little bag in every category (weight, compressibility, warmth). This bag does it all.

I am reviewing the Kelty Light Year 45. I have had a very positive experience with it. I live in the southern Appalachians and can use this bag 6 months of the year. I am generally a very cold sleeper but I have used this bag down close to the 45 degree rating. The compressibility is amazing and the loft is good. It weighs little more than a loaf of bread. This bag is a bargain. I will probably get one for my son who is in college.

I bought 12 LY45s for a scout troop. The 4 longs I ordered I am sure are actually LY25s with LY45 labels. Because they weigh about 2 pounds and they have baffles, not thru-stitching like the 45s. At the time I bought them, no retailer has any LY45s in stock. The LY45 keeps me and the scout troop plenty warm at 45 degrees, but I do always use a silk liner for cleanliness. The 2 pound long bag kept me warm at 27 degrees one night. The baffeled tubes make any bag MUCH warmer. The guy who hated these bags said all the down was on the bottom. These bags have continuous tubes. You can move all the down to the top just by shaking it from the black bottom toward the yellow top. This makes a BIG difference. I think most people that say this bag is cold have let most of the the down migrate to the bottom, which it does naturally as you toss and turn. I have a WM Megalite that is at least twice as thick as the LY25 and weighs 6 ounces less. But it cost &280. One very cold night (10 deg) I put a regular length LY45 as a liner inside the long LY25 and kept toasty warm.

Customer Service

Fine

Similar Products Used:

WM Megalite, Wiggys 45, Guide Gear Down 30, Campmor 40.

I BOUGHT A KELTY LIGHT YEAR 25.I HATE IT. I DONT NOT LIKE THE SHORT ZIPPER.IT INCORRECTLY PUT TOGETHER,IT HAS A LOT MORE DOWN ON BOTTOM LAYER,VERY LITTLE ON TOP LAYER,IT LEAK FEATHER,THE WORST WASTE OF MONEY ON A SLEEPING BAG,IT IS A LOFTLESS AND LIFELESS BAG,TWO THUMBS DOWN,I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KELTY PRODUCT AGAIN

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A KELTY LIGHT YEAR 45 THAT WAS JUST AS DISAPOINTING

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I agree with an earlier reviewer''s comment that 45 degree rating is pushing it. I just got back from a trip where one night got close to 45 and I had to put on a light pair of thermals to be comfortable, but I live in the southeast so this bag should be fine in most cases. I am 6''1" and was using the regular length bag, I ordered a long but in spite of what the labels say when you measure the bag (and using the fill weight label of 10 oz.) it was definately a regular length. Got to wonder about Kelty''s quality control. Despite being a regular it fit me okay. I like the idea of the foot zipper and the short side zipper was no problem. It''s the smallest bag I''ve ever used rolled and weighs 1 lb. 9 oz., 3 ozs. heavier than Kelty''s claim. Stuff sack adds an add''l 1.8 ozs. For $99 including shipping it''s a deal for warm weather trips.

Customer Service

MountainSports customer svc was great. When I told them that the bag was a regular and not a long they gave me the option of shipping it back or crediting the difference in price which they proptly d

Similar Products Used:

LLBean and North Face, both much warmer for a similar temp rating claimed but this bag is almost a full pound lighted.

I love this bag. Used it in Copper Canyon,Paria,Kaibab,Pisgah...Its fairly cheap,light,compress down to all most nothing, great summer bag. A little cold reaching the 20º mark.(Reviewing the 25º light year)

Similar Products Used:

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Actually my review is of the Light Year 25. I purchased one to compared it with the Marmot Arroyo. Really there was no comparision. The Arroyo is a considerably better bag. The hood in the LY is poorly designed and bunches when you try to cinch it tight. Additionally, the down in the LY tends to shift alot. For the price it's probably about as good as you can expect for a light down bag, however, I would spend the additional money and get an Arroyo.

P.S. My girlfriend's brother bought a LY45 when he got to NY on his AT thru hike this year (to save weight). He sent it back before he had left the state. He said that he was too cold and this was late June and July.

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