Eureka Kaycee 0 F (-18 C) sleeping bag
Report by Coy Starnes
photo of bag
Eureka Kaycee 0 F (-18 C)
Photo courtesy Eureka
The Kaycee is a mummy shaped sleeping bag designed for serious cold weather. It features an insulation called Retq. The image on the left is the manufactures rendition of this insulation and what it accomplishes. I only know that it does loft very well after being compressed inside the stuff sack. It remains to be seen how it lofts after a few years. My hope is that it fairs better then some of my other synthetic bags which seem to loose lofting ability after a few years of use.
The Kaycee is pretty much the standard size for mummy sleeping bags with dimensions of 82″ x 32″ x 21″. The 82″ length includes the hood. The 32 inches is how wide it is at the chest and the 21 ” is how wide it is at the foot. This size bag will fit the average 6′ tall individual. There is also a long version available. Not only is the long for taller folks, they are usually cut a few inches wider and the Kaycee follows this pattern. I am only 6 feet tall myself but I might have been better off with the long just to get the extra width. That said, I can zip this bag up all the way but I don’t have much wiggle room for my arms. However, when I am in my hammock I tend to use my sleeping bag more as a quilt. In fact, I like a bag rated a little warmer for my hammock because I loose a little of the bags insulating potential by not keeping it zipped so snug around me. Then when it gets really cold I zip the bag all the way around me and live with the lost mobility. And keep in mind that a tight fitting bag is usually warmer because there is lass space to keep warm but only as long as the bag is not so tight that the insulation is compressed.
I weighed the Kaycee at my local post office and it is fairly close to the manufactures stated weight. The bag alone weighed in at 4 lbs 10 oz and the stuff sack weighed 4.7 oz for a total weight of 4 lbs 14.7 oz. The manufacture says the carry weight is 4 lbs 9 oz or about 6 oz less than what I got. For a bag this heavy the percentage is not off by a lot. Speaking of heavy, yes the Kaycee is a pretty heavy bag, but then again it is rated for 0 F and there is not much way around getting any lighter in a synthetic bag. A down bag can be quite a bit lighter but will usually cost at least twice as much and often more. A quick internet search revealed several 0 F down bags weighing from 3 to 4 lbs and costing around $300 and up.
The Kaycee comes with a very robust compression stuff sack. In other words after cramming it in the stuff sack, there are four straps that go down the sides and around the ends of the stuff sack which can be cinched down to compress the size as much as possible and hold it. I like this because it makes getting the bag inside the stuff sack initially a little easier than if it were as small as possible to start with. The stuffed size is not exactly minuscule but it is pretty small for a 0 F synthetic sleeping bag. I measured the stuffed size at around 16″ x 10″ The picture below along side a basketball gives a good indication of the stuffed size.
The Kaycee has a few additional features worth mentioning. There is a “stash pocket: on the top side up near the opening that is big enough for a few electronics. It measures approximately 7″ x 7″ and my cell phone and small P&S camera fit inside with no problem. I like it because it helps keeps them from sliding down under me. There is another pocket on the outside under the hood for placing a pillow. Since I usually use a hammock I really don’t need a pillow but don’t mind having the option available. Another nice touch is the 2 way zipper which also features a zipper stiffener integrated into the draft tube to prevent snagging. The zipper goes from the hood down the right side to within about one ft of the foot. The long left will mate with this bag as well.
I really like the way my feet have room in this bag. The way the foot section of the bag is shaped matches how my feet want to orient when I am laying on my back. I tried it out in my living room floor and my feet were not pushing against the sides of the bag very much which can cause the feet to get cold. Of course when I use the bag in my hammock this same pocket may be turned a little to one side but I will see how it works. Eureka has this to say. ”Creates a comfortable space designed specifically for the natural forward and outward “tilting” of your feet.” Here is a photo from the manufacture which shows how this is obtained.
On thing I wish were included is a storage sack. In other words, a much bigger sack than the stuff sack, for storing the bag at home in between trips. I don’t like to leave my bags compressed any more than necessary but I don’t consider it a deal breaker as I solve this by just using a large pillow case.
Usage so far
I wanted to have at least one nights use before commenting on the bag and I was lucky enough to see a fairly cool night right after receiving the Kaycee. For one, with a 0 F rating, using it on a really warm night would not be of much use for evaluating its warmth. But considering I like too leave my bag unzipped but draped over me in my hammock, I like a bag with a warmer rating then the overnight temperatures I anticipate. So far I have used the bag on two nights but only down to 35 F. I do hope to use it at much lower temperatures later on this winter.
Any sleeping bags performance is going to depend on a good sleeping pad. I have discovered that when sleeping in a hammock the insulation under me is even more critical. My new hammock features a double bottom so sliding a pad in under me is no problem. For now I am using a bubble pad which is an available option with my Hennessy Deep Jungle and made to use in between the layers in this hammock.
I first used the bag on 11/18/09. I did not get camp set up until late (10 PM) but was still in the Kaycee for at least 8 hours. It was 47 F when I first set up camp but slowly cooled off to 35 F by the time I got up at 7 AM. I stayed toasty warm all night. In fact, I went ahead and zipped it up all the way for just a bit and was too hot. I left the fly off my hammock hoping to see some meteors that were forecast but it stayed cloudy all night. I guess I was lucky it did not rain. I was curious to see if the stash pocket would keep my phone and camera warm and in place. I half way expected they would work out of the pocket as I tossed and turned but the little hook and loop patch in the center proved enough closure to keep them in place. I was also concerned that they would bug me since the pocket is located on the top side of the bag but the way I used the bag as a quilt they ended up off to the side a little, hanging just past my right shoulder. I also noticed my feet did not fit in the foot area quite as nicely as when in the living room floor due to having the bag turned sideways but they stayed warm.
I used the bag again on 11/24/09. It only dropped down to 44 F this time so I will be looking to test it in colder conditions as soon as the weather cooperates. I was fine with the bag draped over me but considering I had already used it in the same manner on a colder night this was no revelation. But the main reason I went ahead and used the bag again was to get some pictures of the bag in use. I took some photos on the first night but inadvertently erased them before getting them from the camera. Here is the bag spread out in my hammock.
Stay tuned for updates in the next few months and see how the Kaycee performs as winter makes its presence felt.
About the Author
I am from northeast Alabama where I spend a lot of my time divided among several hobbies that include backpacking and dayhiking, canoeing and kayaking, and just getting out enjoying nature.
Report by Coy Starnes
November 25, 2009
Eureka Kaycee photo courtesy of Eureka
The Kaycee is a mummy shaped sleeping bag designed for serious cold weather. It features an insulation called Retq. The image on the left is the manufactures rendition of this insulation and what it accomplishes. I only know that it does loft very well after being compressed inside the stuff sack. It remains to be seen how it lofts after a few years. My hope is that it fairs better then some of my other synthetic bags which seem to loose lofting ability after a few years of use.
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I do not think there is a man alive who does not own a knife of some sort. When I was growing up my father and all my uncles had pocket knives of one sort or another, even my uncle who was a Pentecostal minister carried a pocket knife, even if it was only used to clean his finger nails with, or so he claimed.
