Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Coleman Cloudcroft > Anthony Smith > Initial Report

Coleman Cloudcroft 40° Down Sleeping Bag
Initial Report
31 July 2006

Tester Bio

Backpacking Background

I have been camping for a little over 5 years now, mostly car camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new gear to my “collection” in an effort to get my gear list tailored more towards backpacking. Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not more than one or two nights. I am planning some longer trips in the near future.
My current pack weight is around 15-20 lb (7-9 kg) without food and water, depending on if I'm solo camping or taking my son along, as I have to carry some of his gear. I am a dedicated hammock camper and have tailored my personal gear to that aspect of camping.

Product Information

Year of Manufacture – 2006
Manufacturer URL – www.coleman.com
Stated Weight (per hang tag) – 2 lb 1 oz (940 g)
Stated Pack Size (per hang tag) – 6 x 14 in (15-1/4 x 35-1/2 cm)
Stated Bag Size – 31 x 80 in (79 x 203 cm)
Weights as Delivered
   Sleeping Bag – 2 lb 2 oz (960 g)
   Stuff Sack – 1-3/4 oz (50 g)
   Storage Bag – 3-7/8 oz (114 g)
Pack Size as Delivered –6 x 12 in (15-1/4 x 30-1/2 cm)
Bag Size as Delivered – 30 x 80 in (76 x 203 cm)
Size Tested – Regular
MSRP – $120 USD
Other Versions Available – 20° and 0°

According to the hang tag included on the sleeping bag, the Cloudcroft has the following features:

• Goose down insulation offers a high warmth to weight ratio
• 600 fill power
• 310T Tactel® nylon offers wind and water resistance
• Baffle box construction allows down to fully loft and keeps it from shifting
• Side-block baffle keeps the down from shifting from the top of the bag to the bottom
• Fully sculpted hood naturally covers more of the head for better heat retention
• Which-One™ draw cords allow for easy hood adjustment in the dark
• Trapezoidal foot box is angled to allow for the foot's natural sleeping position
• Insulated zipper gusset minimizes heat loss at the zipper base

Initial Information/Observations

Upon unpacking the box the Cloudcroft was shipped in, I found packaged the sleeping bag, a cotton storage bag, and the stuff sack for carrying the Cloudcroft in its compressed state. Attached to the sleeping bag hang tag was another tag describing the specific down used to fill the bag. According to the information, the down is "Genuine Plume Des Pyrénées" certified down, and includes a certificate number for the specific quality control run number on the down.

The Cloudcroft is a down-filled, synthetic covered mummy-style sleeping bag. The bag is orange on top and black on the bottom, with a gray lining. The bag has a right side zipper that comes to within 6 in (15 cm) of the bottom of the bag. The zipper has a pull at both the top and the bottom, and the top pull can be operated from either inside or outside the bag. Having the two zippers allows either the top or the bottom of the zipper to be opened independently of each other. This would allow me to ventilate my feet while still having the remainder of the bag zipped up. At the top end of the zipper, near the hood, there is a flap with hook-and-loop fasteners on it to keep the zipper in the closed position. Along the inside edge of the zipper, in the bag, is a down-filled "tube" to help keep drafts from entering the bag. On the bottom of the bag are two loops for hanging the bag when stored. On the bottom of the bag attached to a seam on the foot box is a tag with the care instructions, which are detailed below.

There is a storage pocket just inside the bag, located near the hood. This pocket measures 5.5 x 7 in (14 x 18 cm). There is a small hook-and-loop fastener on the opening of the pocket, apparently to keep the flap shut.

The hood fully covers my head when I'm in the bag, and cinches down quite tight. There are two draw cords to seal the hood, and they are made of different materials to assist in differentiating between the two cords. One cord is a flat red cord and is used to cinch the bottom side of the hood. The other is a round yellow cord, and is used to cinch the top of the hood opening. Both the cords are knotted together at the end, and have a cord lock on them to hold them in the cinched position.

After receiving the Cloudcroft and taking it out of the packaging, I began to look at the various features and how well they work. The zipper pulls seem to slide easily so far, although the pull on the inside for the top of the zipper could be a little larger. The hood cinches down tight enough that only my nose was exposed through the opening. With an indoor temperature of 65 F (18 C), the Cloudcroft was quite warm. I was unable to stay in for more than a few minutes with the hood around my head and the zipper up all the way. I anticipate based on this to be quite comfortable for the testing period while using the Cloudcroft in my hammock. In addition, my silk Cocoon liner fits quite well inside the bag, and will be used with the bag in addition to the bag being used by itself. So far, I appear to have plenty of room to move around, and was able to rotate from my back to my stomach without problems. As to the actual construction of the bag, I did not notice any loose strings or wandering seams. I will keep an eye out for these during the testing, as well as any stitching that may come loose.

Test Plan

The Cloudcroft will be tested in a variety of locations throughout Northwest Florida and Southeast Alabama. During the testing period, expected weather conditions range from a high near 100 F (38 C), and lows approaching or just below 50 F (10 C). I also anticipate varied levels of precipitation, from bright sunny days with low humidity all the way to torrential downpours. The terrain throughout the testing area ranges from very sandy soil to old and new growth pine forests as well as areas of marshy bogs.

I currently have numerous trips planned throughout the testing period, including several overnight trips and potentially one or two multi-night trips.

The following are a list of issues I intend to explore:

Durability

1. How well does the bag handle various humidity levels? Does it feel as though the down doesn't loft as well in high humidity, or does it not seem to be affected?
2. How well does the zipper hold up? Does it snag on the fabric requiring constant attention? Does it develop “sticky” spots that require some finesse to get the zipper past?
3. How well does the bag handle potential dirt exposure? Does it readily stain, or does it seem to repel light dirt and debris?
4. How well does the down retain its loft in the bottom of the bag (underneath me), after being compressed under my weight for several nights?

Comfort

1. How comfortable is the Tactel lining? Is it comfortable against bare skin, or do I require clothing or a liner to be comfortable?
2. How well do the draft tubes keep drafts out of the bag?
3. How comfortable is the “semi-sculpted” hood? Does it make me feel confined? Does it help at lower temperatures by preventing more heat loss from the head? Does it cause too much heat retention during warmer nights?
4. I tend to toss and turn quite a bit at night. Does the bag have enough room to allow for this? Or are some areas a bit confining in regards to constant movement? In addition, does the bag stay in place during movement, or do I end up with the zipper underneath me, or worse yet, on the opposite side from where it is supposed to be?
5. As this is a 40 F (4 C) bag, is it appropriate for the warmer temperatures I intend to encounter during the testing period or is the bag too warm? (For reference, my current bag is a 35 F (2 C) and I don’t normally use it if night temperatures are over 75 F (24 C).)

Function

1. How well does the bag loft after being compressed in its stuff sack inside my pack while hiking?
2. Am I able to shift the down around easily to compensate for cold spots while using the bag?
3. How useful is the interior storage pocket? Do I actually use this, or is it an unnecessary extra for me?
4. I am a hammock user. During the testing period I will be using the bag without a pad underneath, with a closed-cell foam pad, and with my Big Agnes Insulated Air Core inflatable pad. How well does the bag work with each of these setups? Are there issues with slipping off the pads? Does the Cloudcroft have any pad straps to keep the bag on the pad, or is this a feature that would even be needed?
5. This bag is listed as having “Which-one” cinch cords for cinching the hood. Is this system actually user-friendly or more of a gimmick? Can I truly feel a difference in the cords?

Construction

1. Do the baffles in the bag actually keep the down where it is supposed to be and prevent shifting? Are the baffles constructed in such a way as to cause me to feel “cold spots” on cooler nights?

Other Items

1. I am familiar with the special care needed for down bags, as my current sleeping bag is down. In looking over the Coleman literature available online, this bag requires care similar to my current bag. I have readily available access to a front-loading washer and commercial dryer with low temperature settings in which to properly follow Coleman’s guidelines for care. I will address this topic in my report(s) as appropriate, and report on the results of needed washing and the condition of the bag after washing.

I also intend to report on any other issues that may arise during my testing of this product.

My thanks to Coleman and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to test this item.

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Coleman Cloudcroft > Anthony Smith > Initial Report