Feathered Pals Swallow YF 20 Overview

Backside Line

The Feathered Pals Swallow YF 20 and girls’s Egret YF 20 are among the highest-quality down sleeping luggage anyplace. Their knowledgeable mix of light-weight design, inside softness, and excessive fill-power goose down makes for an opulent and heat mummy bag constructed for the backcountry. 

We’ve put these luggage by means of the wringer they usually proceed to carry out extremely effectively. We’ve taken them on robust journeys in chilly and moist circumstances together with 20-degree nights and snowy hikes within the Cascades, Rockies, and Sonoran Desert. They characteristic a beneficiant draft tube, draft collar, and a fitted minimize that eliminates useless house so that you’ll keep as heat as a glowing ember all night time lengthy.

Regardless of the excessive value, these luggage are price each penny in case your precedence is heat, consolation, and low weight on path. High quality like this undoubtedly doesn’t come low-cost, however a heat night time’s sleep within the backcountry when temperatures drop is priceless.

Heat

The Feathered Pals Swallow YF 20 is likely one of the few examples of a really correct producer temperature score. In different phrases, we’ve trusted this bag on beneath freezing nights within the Nevada desert and snowy circumstances in Colorado excessive nation, and these luggage saved us very heat. It options 900+ fill-power goose down, one of many highest high quality down fills accessible, that makes for an exceptionally heat and cozy night time of sleep. Gear Analyst Ian Krammer’s favourite characteristic of the YF 20 is the massive outsized draft tube, mainly a down-filled barrier that blocks chilly air from seeping by means of the zipper. It’s larger and extra stuffed than most different premium luggage, and the distinction in heat is noticeable. Plus, the passive collar across the neck – mainly, an space on the opening of the bag that’s overfilled with down – mixed with the mother hood and cushty (however cozy) match – all however get rid of useless house to lure as a lot physique warmth as potential contained in the bag.

Our solely criticism relating to heat? The Swallow YF can truly be too sizzling for summer time hikes and hotter climates. Nonetheless, if the temps in your in a single day adventures don’t dip beneath 40°F to 45°F, Feathered Pals additionally affords this bag in a 30°F model that makes it much more versatile for hotter climates and sizzling summer time hikes. That stated, we nonetheless extremely advocate the 20°F mannequin. The decrease temp score is best for early spring to late fall temperature fluctuations, and even gentle winter journeys. 

Consolation

In case your high precedence is consolation, then your search would possibly finish with the Swallow YF 20. This bag is among the many softest and coziest luggage we examined, and we often stay up for the Swallow YF after a protracted day of climbing. We have been impressed with the outsized draft tube alongside the zipper that just about fully blocks out chilly air. Its plush loft is greatest in school – we discover it loses construction a lot slower than opponents, even after dozens of instances packing and unpacking on the path. Its easy, easy-to-use zipper makes getting out and in of the bag a breeze, even in the dead of night. The massive hood simply accommodates a high quality backpacking pillow. 

And, regardless of being a mummy bag, we discover the Swallow YF is spacious sufficient to maneuver round with out feeling confined – though it’s nonetheless a mummy bag, so it suits extra snugly than quilt-style choices. This mannequin additionally packs small and is straightforward to hold, which is essential for holding weight down within the backcountry.

The draw back is the fabric might be loud, particularly when it’s new, which is a little bit of a problem for gentle sleepers. We additionally discover the cinch twine on the hood – whereas helpful for sealing in heat – might be annoying to entry and alter through the night time as a result of it’s small dimension and exterior entry. And, mummy luggage aren’t essentially an excellent match for everybody – they’re unimaginable for warmth retention, however they will really feel restrictive to these used to the liberty of a quilt or when you toss and switch or change positions usually within the night time.

Weight & Packability

Lengthy-distance backpackers and ultralight aficionados will love this bag. At just one pound, 12.7 ounces for males and 1 pound, 13 ounces for ladies, the Swallow YF ranks solidly in the course of the pack in comparison with different backpacking sleeping luggage we examined. Because of responsibly sourced 900+ fill-power goose down – among the many highest quality accessible – and ripstop artificial materials, this bag boasts probably the greatest warmth-to-weight ratios we’ve seen. This mixture of supplies retains the load down whereas making certain the bag packs small for straightforward carrying over large distances. And we discover that when unpacked, the Swallow YF fluffs up properly in comparison with opponents, even after dozens of instances taking it out and placing it away, making it an superior alternative for folk who’re spending quite a lot of time on path.

For people who need a fair lighter and barely extra packable bag, the Swallow and Egret additionally are available ultralight variations, though they’re costlier. If funds isn’t a priority, these are our high suggestions for knocking your base weight down with out sacrificing efficiency or heat. Plus, they arrive in alternate colorways that can higher match your model. That stated, the YF model affords superior worth: it’s simply 1.7 ounces heavier, however fairly a bit much less spendy.

The draw back of ultralight supplies is that they aren’t as sturdy as luggage made with heavier shells or heartier fills, so they could put on out quicker over prolonged use. We’ve discovered that sometimes, feathers can poke by means of the surface shell – which takes a little bit of time to reinsert them into the bag – and the light-weight shell is general extra susceptible to rips and tears than thicker luggage. You’ll need to watch out particularly on floor with pine needles, brambles, and rocks. And, the high-quality down requires a bit extra care and a spotlight to keep up versus lower-grade down or artificial choices, though with minimal effort, this bag will final for years and years.

Options

The Feathered Pals Swallow YF 20 units the usual for what we anticipate in a top-tier mummy bag. It has a big, contoured, 3D hood extensive sufficient to accommodate a pillow and open extensive to dump warmth and improve airflow on heat nights, however cinches tight when temperatures drop, making it versatile for eight months out of the 12 months. The passive collar – which provides additional fill across the neck, however not a completely separate piece of fabric like a daily draft collar – helps lure warmth and keep heat.

Likewise, the trapezoidal footbox doesn’t compress the edges, and provides a bit of additional room to your toes to relaxation naturally. Steady baffles mean you can manually reposition insulation the place wanted to make sure a tailor-made heat distribution. We just like the snag-free zipper with locking sliders for straightforward use, and a big, beneficiant draft tube retains chilly air on the zipper, sustaining a comfy inside. Feathered Pals additionally features a storage bag and stuff sack for comfort.

The cons of the Swallow YF is that customized ordering can take a number of weeks, so that you’ll need to plan forward – though which means you’ll get precisely the product you need. This mannequin doesn’t have an inner or exterior stash pocket for small objects like a chapstick or keys, which is a bit inconvenient. Nonetheless, the Swallow YF 20 stays a feature-rich choice for backcountry adventurers searching for consolation and performance.

Ought to You Purchase the Feathered Pals Swallow YF 20?

The Feathered Pals Swallow YF 20 is ideal for long-distance backpackers and ultralight lovers who want a excessive warmth-to-weight ratio and wonderful packability. At 1 pound, 12.7 ounces for males and 1 pound, 13 ounces for ladies, it affords a light-weight design superb for backcountry adventures. Options like the massive hood, snag-free zipper, passive collar, and trapezoidal footbox improve consolation and usefulness. 

Nonetheless, it is probably not appropriate for many who dislike the restrictive mummy bag model or want instant availability, as customized orders can take weeks. The dearth of a stash pocket for small objects and the comfortable match may additionally be drawbacks for some customers. Total, the Swallow YF 20 is greatest for ultralight hikers searching for excessive efficiency and are keen to attend for a customized product.

What Different Backpacking Sleeping Baggage Ought to You Take into account?

Zpacks Basic 20 Overview: Just like the Swallow YF 20, the Basic 20 incorporates a excessive fill energy, low weight, and the same temperature score. However, it’s an excellent different because it’s extra packable – round 10 ounces lighter – and extra inexpensive, plus it affords extra versatility throughout seasons as a quilt / sleeping bag hybrid.

NEMO Disco 15 Infinite Promise Overview: The Disco 15 is a mummy bag just like the Swallow YF 20, with comparable consolation and options like a hod, draft tube, and full-length zipper. Though it’s fairly a bit heavier, the Disco is a greater choice when you’re on a funds because it’s extra inexpensive, plus it affords extra room within the shoulders and footbox.

Sea To Summit Spark 15 Overview: The Spark 15 goes face to face with the Swallow YF 20 relating to consolation, options, and weight. However, it is a little more comfy and heat because of its  wider center part and extra slim hood, however you’ll pay extra for it.