Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Understand temp ratings and you'll love this backpacking bag., November 5, 2009
This review is from: Super Guide 30 Reg Right (Misc.)
Before buying ANY sleeping bag, I would highly recommend that a buyer review the book "Bakcpacking One Step At A Time", and read in depth the section on sleeping bags and temperature ratings. The numbers are somewhat arbitrary, if you are someone that tends to be cold you will probably freeze in 50 degree weather in this thing, if you tend to be hot then you will keep trying to shimmy out of it at 30 degrees. If you are in the middle like I am, the 30 degree rating is dead on accurate.
They make a couple of assumptions in these ratings.
#1. You aren't sleeping unclothed. Your bed clothes typically are depended upon to add additional insulation value. Typically about 10 degrees. So if you like sleeping au naturelle figure this is only good down to 40 degrees.
#2. You have a sufficient insulation between you, and the cold, hard ground. A foam pad is fine, my old bones REALLY like my Big Agnes insulated Air Core sleeping pad. Cushy, and warm. I have been known to pick spots with lots of pine needles to put my footprint, and then tent up.
#3. You are not a hot, or cold sleeper. I am neither, my lovely bride however would freeze with this in sub 40 degree weather.
#4. You use the hood for what it is intended for...
I have sleeping bags of all sorts, ranging back in production to the 1950s. Yeah I didn't stutter when I typed that. I have a 1950s vintage U.S. Army surplus down sleeping bag. Very light fill, VERY heavy shell. My how sleeping bag tech has come along in those years.
The synthetic insulation of this bag at its tiny weight, outperforms my 1980s vintage Slumberjack Qualofil bag of a lower rating (20 degrees). The stuff sack / compression sack works very well. Loosen the straps, stuff the bag, cinch the straps, stow in your bag (or strap to).
I am a BIG guy, and I am not going to pussy foot around here. I'm fat. 6'0 290 lbs. I still get out hiking, backpacking and paddling. This bag in the long configuration is roomy, even for me. Skinny folks might find the additional room annoying.
The half zip zipper works amazingly well, and allows plenty of access to the bag, however typical of mummy style bags, fully unzipping it and using it as a blanket just isn't an option. The zipper in the foot box is GREAT for ventilating my feet when the temps sneak up on a long trip, but the baffle is too easily kicked aside by a wandering toe while sleeping. I tend to toss a hot water bottle into the foot box in sub freezing temps.
With the use of this bag, and liner bags, and even tossing the hot water bottle into the foot box, I have been able to snore up a storm in the Cascades in the low teens, the White mountains in Arizona in the mid 20s, and in northern Texas winters...
I love this bag, but I give it a 4 star rating due to the issue with the baffle in the foot box. The 20 degree air draft at 2 A.M. is partially my fault, but partially a design problem. I am not sure how they could make it better...
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Typical Slumberjack - Terrible, May 21, 2010
This review is from: Super Guide 30 Reg Right (Misc.)
"If you sleep in light clothes, don't assume it will keep you warm below 45 or so without a decent liner (even with the foot box closed). But that's typical for most brands. "
Unfortunately it is true, most brands synthetic sleeping bags are off by as much as 15 degrees. but Slumberjack is especially egregious with their ratings, add at least 20 degrees in my experience. (My Troop does not allow boys to buy Slumberjack bags).
True, you MUST HAVE and insulated pad of some sort to keep convection from sucking the heat out of you into the ground. But nothing short of an R5+ pad will let you feel warm in this below 50 degrees. For $60-70 I have been able to find good bags for scouts, like the Marmot trestles 30, will keep a typical scout warm from 35-40 degrees and weighs 6 more ounces less than this Slumberjack, but is actually warm below 50 degrees. At 3 lbs 5 oz the Alps mountaineering 20 degree Clearwater (retail $89, for scouts $49)will actually keep a scout warm down to 30 degrees. So same price, 12 ounces heavier, but 20 degrees warmer and much better made.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
