BackpackGearTest
  Guest - Not logged in 

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Big Agnes Lost Ranger 15 > Test Report by Chuck Carnes

BIG AGNES
Full
Lost Ranger
Sleeping Bag
Initial Report: April 11, 2007
Field Report: July 9, 2007
Long Term Report: August 22, 2007

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Name: Chuck Carnes

Age: 37
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft. 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
Shoe Size: 9.5 US
(43 Euro)
E-mail address: ctcarnes1(at)yahoo(dot)com
City, State, Country: Greenville, South Carolina USA

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND
I love the outdoors – I’ve spent time camping in the outdoors since I was born, and have been actively hiking and backpacking since then. I consider myself a lightweight hiker, usually carrying 20 – 30 pounds (11-13 kg) for hikes up to a week in length. I hike at an easy pace, averaging 2 mph (3 kph). I am a one-man tent camper for now. I like to carry a single trekking pole when I hike to help relieve stress to my legs and knees. I like to get out on the trail as often as I can.



PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer:
Big Agnes

Model: Lost Ranger
Series: Classic
Rating: 15 F (8 C)
Size: Long
Zipper Location: Right Side
Year of manufacture: 2007
URL: http://www.bigagnes.com
Listed Weight:  3 lb 0 oz (1.3 kg)
Listed Length:  Not Listed
Actual Weight:  3 lb 2 oz (1.4 kg)
Actual Length:  82 in (208 cm) (inside dimension from bottom of foot box to inside top of hood)
Fill Type: 650 goose down
Stuff Sack Size: 8 in x 17.5 in (20 cm x  44 cm)
Compressed Bag Size: 
8 in x 8.5 in (20 cm x  21 cm)
MSRP: $219.00 USD

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION (taken from web site)

The Classic Series
Classic Series bags are our most popular sleeping bags. These semi-rectangular bags excel in nearly all situations, from backpacking to car camping, making them the most versatile in our line. With more room than standard mummy bags, they're extremely comfortable and still offer a great value with modest packed size and weight. The Lost Ranger and Encampment are consistent favorites.

Features of the Lost Ranger (taken from the hang tag)
*
Our most popular three season bag
Lightweight, compact design is ideal for backpacking
Comfort and value





I N I T I A L    R E P O R T
April 11, 2007

The Big Agnes Lost Ranger (from here on out phrased as 'the bag') was received in a plastic bag that was inside a cardboard box. Once I pulled the bag from the plastic bag, I found several down feathers on different areas of the bag. I figured this was just left over from the manufacturers when it was packaged. The bag showed up in great shape and seemed to gain it's loft after just a few minutes out of the packaging.

My first impression was "This bag is light compared to the temperature rating". I was very pleased to feel the lightweight of a bag that is rated at 15 F
(8 C). After I weighed the bag an got some measurements, I started to scan the bag for features and quality of the construction. Some of the features that I found to be very nice are; built-in pocket for a pillow, the draft collar, interior loops for a bag liner, stiff material at the zippers edge to keep from snagging, very roomy, big zipper pull that can be used from the inside or out, the ease of placing the Big Agnes Dual Air Core Pad into the pad sleeve and the comfort of the bag with the pad in place.

Open

As seen here, the bag has a very generous draft collar that circles halfway around the neck and is very padded with down to the wind or cold air from entering into the bag through the face opening. This bag also comes equipped with a built-in pillow pocket so that the user can place a pillow, jacket or other type of clothing in this pocket and it will stay put instead of loosing it during the night. At the hood area is a flap with Velcro that matches on a tab just above the draft collar. This is to keep the zipper in place after it is zipped up so that all of the tossing and turning won't accidentally un-zip the zipper. The hood also has a draw string to cinch the opening tight to minimize the air that can be pulled in by the bellow affect.

InsideLiner Loops

The zipper is sewn to a heavier material on the inside to keep the zipper from snagging when being zipped up from inside the bag.The bag also comes with Liner Loops attached to the inside near the top. These are provided so that if a user has a separate liner, the liner can be attached to these loops to keep the liner in place.

Before I got in the bag I inflated the Big Agnes Dual Core Pad and slipped it in the pad sleeve provided on the bottom of the bag. I was skeptical on how easy this would be but to my surprise, it slipped right on. The user places the knees in the middle of the pad in a knelt down position. This raises the bottom of the pad in the air slightly. place the raised end of the pad into the pad sleeve opening of the bag. Now proceed to pulling and sliding the bag over the pad much like putting a pillow case on a pillow. Once the pad is fully inserted into the sleeve, fold the flap over the pad sleeve opening. This flap is held closed by a small Velcro tab. Make sure the valve stem is sticking out of the opening provided in the pad sleeve. This will allow the user to adjust the comfort of the pad without having to get out of the bag.

Once inside the bag I have plenty of room. I have plenty of room to be able to reach down the right side and grab the zipper pull and zip up the bag with the zipper pull on the inside. Once zipped up, I simply reach over my right shoulder and fasten the Velcro to the corresponding tab to keep the zipper in place. The draft collar fits perfectly at my neck line and the collar rests on my neck and shoulders giving me a warm feeling in that area with the down filled collar.

Then I reach above my left shoulder and pull the hood draw cord to cinch the opening around my face and slide the spring loaded clasp along the cord to the bag to keep it in this position. Now I'm ready for a good nights slumber. The feel of the bag on the inside is very soft. I'm curious to see how the nylon feels if I get a little too warm; if it is sticky or not. The pad feels very nice under the bag and gives me the security of knowing that I can't roll off the pad in the middle of the night. I got 'Long' size because I like having that little bit of extra room at my feet and this bag certainly has that.

Overall I am very pleased with the Big Agnes Lost Ranger. The quality is exactly what I expected and now I am looking forward to getting it out in the cold wilderness.



F I E L D    R E P O R T
July 9, 2007

The Big Agnes Lost Ranger has given me many nights of undisturbed sleep. With the bag working in conjunction with the Big Agnes Dual Core mattress, it's been a long time since I have slept this well in the outdoors. I have been able to take the Lost Ranger on two trips. One was a two night trip to Jones Gap with two of my sons where the temperatures during the night were around 60 F (15 C). I was very anxious to see if the temperatures were too warm for this bag. It turned out that I never got hot in the bag but I left the zipper fully unzipped so that I could get some air through the opened zipper area. It never got cold enough to have to use the hood but I did put a fleece sweat shirt, that I brought along, in the pillow pocket. This worked fine and at no time did the fabric feel sticky or sweaty. I slept in gym shorts and a cotton T-shirt and was very comfortable throughout the nights. I didn't have much room in the tent to be able to ball up in the fetal position that I normally sleep in due to my kids being on either side of me. So each night I slept on my back or stomach but still rested very well.

The second trip was a four night trip to Old Mkushi Village in Zambia, Africa. It was their winter there so it was a bit cold at night. The nights ranged from 40 F to 50 F (4 C to 10 C). The Lost Ranger again gave me several great nights sleep. The first night after inflating the Big Agnes Dual Core mattress and slipping it into the pad sleeve, I was ready for some good sleep. After getting in the bag my head felt like it was throbbing. After getting out of the bag I remembered that I had placed the head of the bag on the down hill. I started wondering how I could flip the bag and pad together without having to deflate the pad, flip them and re-inflate the pad. I simply folded the bag and pad in thirds, rotated it around so the head of the bag was heading up hill and unfolded them. All three nights I would get in the bag to go to sleep and I would leave the bag unzipped all the way for a few minutes. Then after I got settled in I would zip it up to about my neck area. Sleeping solo on this trip gave me an opportunity to sleep in any position the bag would let me. I woke up one morning and found myself all the way down at the bottom of the bag, balled up like a baby. It was nice to know that the bag was big enough for me to be able to do this and sleep soundly.

On these cool, crisp African nights, I slept in a pair of cotton shorts and cotton T-shirt. At no time during the nights did I wake up cold or even chilled, although it was very cool at night. Most mornings I had to dress in warm cloths before I even exited the bag; the mornings were quite cold until the sun came up. 

Overall I am still very pleased with the performance of the Lost Ranger and all of the good nights sleep that I had in it. I have not been in low enough temperatures to test it to the minimum temperature rate at 15 F
(8 C) but I can say that I was very comfortable in the bag all the way up to 60 F (15 C).


L O N G   T E R M    R E P O R T
August 22, 2007

The Big Agnes sleep system for the Lost Ranger is superb. The Lost Ranger and the Dual Core Pad make one outstanding combination for restful sleep. For the Long Term phase of this test I was able to take it on a one night trip to Paris Mountain State Park in South Carolina where the temperatures were a balmy 80 F (44 C) that night. I packed both the Lost Ranger and the pad in a day pack in usual fashion which fit nicely in a 2,000 cu. in. (32 L) pack. After hiking a bit and getting to the campsite I set up the tent and retrieved the bag and pad from their stuff sacks. After getting the pad inflated and inserting it into the bag sleeve it was ready to give me a great nights sleep.

I was a little concerned with the high temperatures and a 15 F (8 C) bag feeling sticky against my skin during the night. I started the night out with the bag completely opened and just laying on the pad while in the bag sleeve. I slept with just cotton shorts on and no shirt. My skin did stick to the fabric on the bottom of the bag, part of the pad sleeve, during the night as I tossed and turned due to the heat. I would not normally bring this low of temperature rated bag on a summer night but, that's part of testing. Sometimes you have to do what you got to do. At no time during the night did I cover myself up with the top portion of the bag. The parts of the night that I did sleep were very restful. It's just the times that I rolled over I could feel my skin stick slightly to the fabric.

This system of the bag and pad being conjoined is a great concept and it was very nice knowing that I would not roll off the pad during the night. I was very pleased with the bag's performance in keeping me warm when the temperatures dropped and by the way it felt even up to some of the upper temperatures. I have to say that this will be my all time fall and winter bag for quite a while.



This concludes my Long Term Report. Thank you Big Agnes and BackpackGearTest.org for this opportunity.


Read more reviews of Big Agnes gear
Read more gear reviews by Chuck Carnes

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Big Agnes Lost Ranger 15 > Test Report by Chuck Carnes



Product tested and reviewed in each Formal Test Report has been provided free of charge by the manufacturer to BackpackGearTest.org. Upon completion of the Test Series the writer is permitted to keep the product. Owner Reviews are based on product owned by the reviewer personally unless otherwise noted.



All material on this site is the exclusive property of BackpackGearTest.org.
BackpackGearTest software copyright David Anderson