Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Marmot Angel Fire > Owner Review by Laurie Corbin

Marmot Women's Angel Fire (Long) 15 degree F (-9 degree C) sleeping bag

Name: Laurie Corbin

Age: 39

Gender: Female

Height: 5' 6.5" (1.69 m)

Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg)

Email: mslimpsalot@yahoo.com

City, State, Country: Cumming, GA USA

Date: February 8, 2004

Backpacking Background: In the last four years, I have returned to backpacking and hiking. Although I took 18 years off, the woods kept calling. I have hiked in Georgia, North Carolina and the Smokies. I have been a three-season backpacker but recently ventured into winter backpacking and truly enjoyed it. My average three-season pack weight is about 25 total pounds (11.34 kg) but I am really trying to lighten up. The winter pack weight is heavier at about 35 pounds (15.88 kg) as I get cold very easily (read that ice cold sleeper).

Product Information

Manufactured by: Marmot

Year: 2003

Rating: 15 degrees F (-9 C)

Manufacturer's Website: http://www.marmot.com

Listed weight: 2 lb 13 oz (1.28 kg) Long bag

Actual weight: 2 lb 13 oz (1.28 kg)

Length: 86 in (2.18 m)

Width (shoulder): 24 in (61 cm)

Width (foot): 16 in (41 cm)

Fill: 24 oz (68 g) 600 fill down

MSRP: $219

The bag tested was the long version which fits up to 5'10" (1.78 m). The mummy bag has a royal blue/black color scheme with extra insulation in the chest and feet. The extra insulation is standard in the women's bag. It has an inside pocket in the foot section for an air-activated warmer pouch and a small outside pocket on the left chest that is 4 in x 4 in (10 cm x 10 cm) which I use to hold earplugs. The two adjustment cords for the hood are different shapes. One is round and one is flat so I don't have to guess in the dark. Left and right zippers are available; I chose left side since I am right-handed. The two-way zipper is 3/4 length and will mate with another bag including a Long Sawtooth (my husband's bag) with a right side zipper. I was able to easily mate this bag and the men's Long Sawtooth since the differences in length are in the bottom of the bag. The bags zipped together with no snagging or tugging. This bag has two small loops at the foot to hang the bag for storage and comes with its own large storage bag and stuff sack.

Field Information

 The bag was tested on three occasions from September 2003 through January 2004. The first was a late September trip on Section II of the Benton MacKaye Trail in North Georgia. The bag squeezed into a stuff sack that measured 15 in (38 cm) long and 9 in (25 cm) in diameter. It was a very tight fit. My husband and I used a two person double wall tent. I normally sleep on a Therm-a-Rest GuideLite Long pad so I do have good bottom insulation. Temperature at night only dropped to 40 degrees F (4 C) and the bag was much too warm. I finally used the bag as a half quilt and stayed quite warm. In early January 2004, I tested the bag in the back yard as temperatures were forecasted to drop to 15 degrees F (-9 C), the bag's rating. I slept alone in the two person tent (husband said he wasn't crazy) and, by morning, the temperature had dropped to 12 degrees F (-11 C). I was sleeping in a light fleece hat, and very lightweight thermal top and bottoms with fleece socks. I awoke at about 5:30 a.m. and was a little chilly but not uncomfortably so. Since I am a very cold sleeper, I was very impressed with the bag. The hood on this bag is wonderful. It fits like a glove and the upper and lower adjustments allowed me to close the bag so that only my nose was exposed. There were no gaps to allow cold air to enter the bag. The third occasion to test the bag came on a backpacking trip to Standing Indian Mountain in North Carolina in January 2004. We camped near the summit and a strong wind blew all night long. I again stayed in the tent with my husband. Overnight outside temperatures dropped to 27 degrees F (-3 C) and we woke to sleet and snow. I slept in my lightweight thermals again but had to vent the bag until the temperature dropped below 30 degrees F (-1 C). The bag lofts up well and the extra insulation in the foot of the bag makes a difference to my normally cold feet. I have noticed a couple of feathers poking out of the bag but I don't see it as a major problem at this time. The fit is snug but not so tight that I can't roll over or reach anything stuffed in the foot of the bag. The stiff fabric next to the zipper works well and the zipper has never snagged. The Horizon DWR N -160 fabric is smooth as silk to sleep on but it can be a challenge to stay on the pad. It repels water fairly well. I managed to upend a Nalgene bottle of water during the night on one of the trips. I immediately shook off the bag and it did not appear that any water actually soaked through. The long bag gave me room to stuff my clothes, water bottles, etc. into the foot of the bag to prevent freezing. The regular length bag fits to 5 '5" (1.65 m) and would have been adequate if I were not a "stuffer." I've only had the bag since last fall but I have not noticed any shifting or bunching of the down. It continues to be well distributed throughout the bag.

Summary

I am very pleased with this bag. I know there are lighter bags but, for the price, this bag is the real deal. I would feel comfortable sleeping down to 0 degrees F (-18 C) with a liner. I will continue to use this bag for short backpacking trips but will probably invest in a lighter bag for longer trips.

Things I like:

1. Very well designed hood

2. Very warm

3. Extra insulation in footbox keeps toes warm

Things I don't like:

1. Weight

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Marmot Angel Fire > Owner Review by Laurie Corbin