new sleeping bags

Our last tent camp trip proved one thing: we needed to upgrade some equipment.

Our sleeping bags were new over 30 years ago. They were a good brand when new and even now, there are no rips, no tears, the zippers work well, they just aren’t warm any more.

So I emailed our grandson David. David and his wife Mandy are avid outdoors people and live in North California. What would he suggest.

He wrote back that REI and North Face stores in his area both had yard sales frequently, where they sold returned merchandise, often at very good prices, and that they always had sleeping bags. He was going to go any way, and he would look to see what was available.

The sale was a week ago. REI had a pair of bags like I wanted, a long and a regular that should zip together, since they were the same series, but the colors were not even a close match, so he decided to see what was available at NorthFace.

He called back a few minutes later. They had a double bag (NorthFace Twin Peaks). Two people, one bag. Rated at 20 degrees. Retail $159. “How much?” “$50.” “Buy it.” “It’s yours.”

When we came home yesterday the box containing the bag was waiting. Very nice. It had been the display model in a store somewhere, the one that people looked at and handled to decide what they wanted to buy. A trip through the washing machine and it is ready to go.

More than that. David had sent a message: “Merry Christmas Grandpa.”

And it is only September.

Thanks David, thanks Mandy. We will make good use of it, and if it wears as well as the other, I will be about 105 when it needs to be replaced!

Thanks again.