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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Marmot Womens Pinnacle Sleeping Bag > Owner Review by Katie Montovan

MARMOT WOMEN'S PINNACLE SLEEPING BAG
BY KATHRYN MONTOVAN
OWNER REVIEW
April 02, 2012

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Kathryn Montovan
EMAIL: sull0294(at)gmail(dot)com
AGE: 29
LOCATION: Groton, New York, USA
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 5" (1.65 m)
WEIGHT: 150 lb (68.00 kg)

I have been backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing and winter camping for over 10 years. My excursions are mostly weekend and occasionally weeklong backpacking and kayaking trips in the wooded and often wet, rolling terrain of western New York. I usually tarp camp with a small to large group. In general, I strive for a compact and light pack but value well-made and durable gear over ultralight items. I usually sleep hot and love to be really toasty in my sleeping bag.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

IMAGE 1
The Women's Pinnacle in the field.


Manufacturer: Marmot Mountain LLC.
Manufacturer's Website: www.marmot.com
Model: Women's Pinnacle
Year Manufactured: 2009
Insulation Type: Certified 800+ Fill Power Goose Down
Temperature Rating: 15 F (-9 C)
MSRP: $359.00 US
Listed weight: 2 lbs 12 oz (1247 g)
Measured weight: 2 lbs 12 oz (1247 g)
Listed Fill Weight: 26.46 oz (750 g)
Measured Circumference at Widest Point at Shoulders: 56 in (142 cm)
Listed Size on Hip: 58 in (147 cm)
Listed Size on Foot: 38 in (97 cm)
Main Material: 100% Nylon Silicone DWR 1.05 oz/yd
Lining Material: 100% Nylon WR 1.4 oz/yd
Color: Bluesky (Only Color Available)
Zipper Side of Bag: Right (both LFT and RHT are available)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Marmot Pinnacle is a mummy-shaped sleeping bag. I own the women's version, which is shorter, wider in the hips, has a slimmer foot box and is a warmer sleeping bag (rated to temperatures roughly 8 F/4 C lower according to the EN testing results on the Marmot website) than the men's version. The company website has nice explanation about this for each bag. They list both the US rating and EN 13537 testing. The Women's Pinnacle has a comfort range for the average woman down to 15 F (-9 C), a men's comfort rating to 2 F (-16 C), and a survival rating for the standard woman of -35 F (-37 C).

IMAGE 4
Foot-box of the Marmot Pinnacle


The outer shell of the Pinnacle is made out of a sky-blue ripstop nylon that has been coated with a durable water repellant (DWR) to help shed water and protect the down insulation. The black liner is made from a softer, lighter-weight, nylon which also has a water repellent coating. The sleeping bag is shaped to fit snugly with a larger foot-box area for more foot-space. The two-way zipper goes almost all the way to the foot-box providing the option to leave the bottom open for more foot ventilation. A down filled baffle runs the full length to eliminate drafts. On both side of the zipper there is stiffer fabric that effectively prevents catching fabric while closing the zipper. At the top of the zipper is a small mesh pocket for holding small items for easy access. It has a loop of line attached that makes it easier to find and use.

IMAGE 5
Pocket at the top of the zipper


There are two built in baffles around the face. One runs around the whole sleeping bag just above shoulder-height and the other loops around the entire face opening. The shoulder baffle snaps together above the zipper to create a closed loop that can be tightened to keep heat in the bag. It synchs tight with an elastic line secured by a plastic toggle. The face baffle can be synched to keep the head warm in the down hood. The drawstring (non-elastic) is outside of the down baffle so that when synched, the down baffle is next to the face and not the synched drawstring. Both cords are located on the opposite side from the zipper.

IMAGE 6
The shoulder baffle partially closed

IMAGE 7
The face baffle, slightly synched


This sleeping bag comes with a large cotton storage bag and a small stuff sack. I use the storage bag when I am not in the field to help retain the loft of the down. In the field I am often in a kayak and prefer to carry my sleeping bag in a waterproof compression sack, so I have replaced the original stuff sack and no longer have the original.

IMAGE 2
Marmot Pinnacle in the large cotton storage bag.


IMAGE 3
Sleeping bag in a waterproof compression sack.

FIELD INFORMATION

I have used this sleeping bag for at least 25 nights on backpacking and sea kayaking trips. This includes multiple sea kayaking trips in upstate New York, backpacking trips Zion National park in Utah and trails around Central New York. I usually use a tarp, but occassionally sleep in a bivy sack or a tent. I also used this sleeping bag for three weeks while traveling in Europe staying in hostels and dorms. Temperatures for my trips ranged from 20 F to 80 F (-7 to 27 C) at night. I have encountered heavy rain, light rain, morning dew, snow, sleet, and many starry nights within this sleeping bag.

REVIEW

Ease of use:
As with any sleeping bag I recommend finding the draw cords and figuring out the zipper during the daylight. I forgot to do this and could not find the cords to synch in the hood and shoulders on my first night out. I have had no problems since then. There are a number of cords around the head area of the sleeping bag and sometimes I get them confused, but I really appreciate being able to synch everything tightly around me on cold nights.

Comfort:
Overall, this bag has many key features that make for a very comfortable night. The foot-box is roomy enough that my feet don't feel cramped at all and there is enough room to add extra clothes (usually my down jacket) below and around my feet if I am worried about them getting cold. The elastic band on the shoulder baffle creates a tight seal but is still easy to get out of in a hurry. The face baffle is also incredibly comfortable. I have never felt a draft coming through any part of my sleeping bag.

Warmth:
The coldest night I have spent in this sleeping bag got down to about 20 F ( -7 C). I was warm and happy within my sleeping bag. The sleeping bag is a little long for me, so on cold nights I usually wear down booties and stuff my foot area with my extra clothes to help keep my feet warm through the night. I have also used this sleeping bag for summer camping in temperatures up to about 80 F (27 C). I usually sleep on top of it until the temperatures cool down in the middle of the night and then sleep happily within the sleeping bag for the rest of the night. One night in the dessert, I chose to sleep completely within the sleeping bag with a sun hat over the opening despite temperatures in the 80s F (around 27 C) to protect myself from the multitude of bugs that were attracted to me under my tarp. I was on the warm side, but was not terribly uncomfortable. While it would be more ideal to use a warmer weather sleeping bag in these conditions, I have been surprised by how well this bag performs in both warmer and cooler temperatures. I rarely find myself overheated or sweating in the bag and like the breathability of the fabrics and down.

Water repellency:
The wettest night I have had in this sleeping bag was spent under a tarp in the pouring rain. There was water splashing up from the edge of the tarp and, due to a mistake when choosing our tarp location, a puddle of water developed under my sleeping pad. I worried all night about how wet I was going to get and slept most of the night with my raincoat over my head to keep the splashing water out of my face. I was pleasantly surprised to wake up reasonably dry within my moist-on-the-outside sleeping bag. It was the last day of the trip, so I didn't have to dry it out, but know from other trips that the exterior moisture dries fairly quickly in the sun.

I have used this sleeping bag to sleep under the stars and really don't like how the outside of the bag feels when it gets covered in dew. The water beads up like it should, but isn't always able to roll off the bag and makes the bag feel slimy. I stay dry inside and the down stays dry, but the exterior moisture makes it hard to stuff it into the stuff sack and the slimy feeling is my own special version of nails on a chalk board.

Durability:
This sleeping bag has a rather thin fabric on the outside. One that I feared would wear out quickly with heavy use. I was especially worried about its use under tarps on variable surfaces (leaves, rock, dirt and sand) since I move around a lot in my sleep and never stay on my sleeping pad. After years of use the water repellency is still working and I don't see any signs of wear on the exterior fabric. I have not tried to wash this bag yet, so I cannot comment on the best ways to wash it or how it stands up to cleaning.

THINGS I LIKE

1) Water repellant shell makes down a possibility for tarp camping
2) Very warm in the winter without being too uncomfortably hot in the summer
3) Packs small and is lightweight for such a warm sleeping bag

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

1) Slick, slimy feel when wet on the outside
2) Somewhat confusing amount of lines, snaps and zippers around the head

SUMMARY

I love my Marmot Women's Pinnacle. When I thought that I had lost it while traveling a year ago, I was planning to replace it with the exact same item. It keeps me warm and toasty down to its rated temperature, but breathes well enough that I am comfortable sleeping in it in much warmer weather. I was skeptical of the durability of the water-resistant coating on the shell, but have been pleasantly surprised by its effectiveness and durability. This water resistance has allowed me to safely tarp camp with a down sleeping bag which is a combination that I love. Overall, I am completely satisfied with this sleeping bag.

SIGNATURE

Kathryn (Katie) Montovan

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.

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