A friend told me my sleeping bag rating was basically a lie

I was complaining about being cold on a trip to the White Mountains last fall, and my buddy asked what bag I was using. I said my old 20-degree Mountain Hardwear bag. He just laughed and said, 'Man, that's the limit rating, not the comfort rating. You're probably only comfortable down to about 32.' I had no idea. I looked it up, and he was right. Now I always check the EN comfort rating, not just the big number on the tag. It completely changed how I pick gear for the season. Anyone else get tripped up by temperature ratings before?

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3 Comments

vera_hill6mo ago

Wait, they can just lie like that?

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alex_johnson6mo ago

Yeah, the "they can just lie like that" part is what gets me. I saw a whole article about how some places have basically no rules against false ads. They call it "puffery" and treat it like harmless boasting. So a company can say their product is the best thing ever, even if it's junk, and it's legally fine. It's wild how much is just allowed if they don't make a specific, provable promise.

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lewis.troy6mo ago

That's the part that makes my head spin. They can legally call a cereal "part of a complete breakfast" when it's just sugar in a box. Or a shampoo can promise "shine and volume" even if it leaves your hair flat. It's not a lie if it's just vague, hopeful language. The line between a promise and an ad slogan is basically invisible.

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