Owner Review: Marmot Never Summer sleeping bag

Name: Gabriel Krieg

Email: Gkrieg@gmail.com

Age: 18

Gender: male

Height: 5'10" (177 cm)

Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg)

City: Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Date of Review:  February 14, 2004

I started backpacking on my own six years ago. I have hiked many

trails ranging from Zion National Park in Utah, to the Green Mountains

in Vermont. I have also done several portions of the Appalachian

Trail, Cumberland Island, most other Georgia trails, as well as a few

random spots around the Southeast. I am a fan of lightweight

backpacking. I like to go fast, have long days, and get in and out of

camp as quickly as possible. I usually go backpacking atleast once a

month.

Product Information:

• Manufacturer: Marmot

• Manufactured: 2000

• MSRP: US$ 249.95

• Size: Regular

• Manufacturer's Stated Weight: 3 lbs 12 oz (1.7 kg)

• Weight as tested: 3 lb 7 oz (1.5 kg)

• Fill: 600 goose down

• Shell: Pertex - Horizon N-160 DWR

• Lining: Pertex - Horizon N-160 WR

• Rating: 0° F (-18 C°)

• Packed Size: fits easily into 16inx7 in (40.5x18 cm) stuff sack

• Dimensions as tested:

    • Girth: 55 in (140 cm) girth at shoulders; 30 in (76 cm) girth at

       feet (these are approximates)

    • Length: 6 ft (183 cm) from shoulder to toe; The hood adds an

       additional 8 in (20 cm)

-Manufacturers Stated Dimensions:

    • Girth: 62 in (157 cm) at shoulders; 40 in (102 cm) at feet

    • Length: "Fits 6 ft (183 cm)"

Field Information:

This bag has been used in the following locations

• Zion National Park, Utah

• The LaSal Mountains, near Moab, Utah

• The Green Mountain portion of the Vermont Long Trail/AT

• Pine Mountain, Georgia

• Conecuh National Forest in Andalusia, Alabama

• Cumberland Island, Georgia

• All of the Appalachian trail in Georgia

• Various campsites around the southeast

Appearance:

At first glance the Never Summer is very nice looking bag. It is black

with large orange stripe running vertically from head to toe. It is a

classic mummy design.

Features:

As is the case with most backpacking equipment, "you get what you pay

for." This most certainly holds true to the Never Summer, which has

been in production for over 5 years. This bag serves all the basic

functions of a cold weather bag with several extras including:

    • Exterior breast pocket with a velcro fastener [4x5 in (10x13 cm)]

       which is large enough to fit a nighttime essential such as a

       headlamp, alarm clock, or cell phone

    • Interior foot warmer pocket at the base of the bag.

    • Two way zipper sliders which come in handy for ventilation and easy

       access to foot warmer pocket

    • Drawstrings at the neck with flaps that snap together for a secure

       fit around the neck.

    • Roomy hood with drawstring

    • Dual loops for hanging the bag to air out. These are placed on

       opposite sides at the bottom of the bag so that it can be hung on a

       clothesline. One of the loops on my bag has broken in half

Comfort:

I have had the Never Summer for nearly 4 years and slept in it for over one

hundred nights. It has lost a noticeable amount of loft in the foot region,

but it still keeps me very warm in all weather over 10° F (-12° C). I usually

sleep shirtless with boxers or long johns depending on the temperature outside.

Please note that the overall warmth that a sleeping bag can provide varies

 greatly with a number of bodily factors such as height, weight, metabolism,

clothing and time since last meal and while this bag works great for

me, it may or may not for others. I am 5ft 10in (175 cm) tall, weigh

125 lbs (62 kg), and find the it to be roomy enough to move around in

comfortably but not too roomy to jeopardize the temperature inside the

bag. Marmot makes a "Long" model for those that are taller than 6ft

(182 cm). Those who are on the wider side would probably need to

consider a zip-in bag extension. I find the drawstring that cinches

around the neck to be somewhat uncomfortable when it is pulled tightly.

Trail Experience:

Since I purchased the Never Summer in the summer of 2002, I have used

it in a wide array of climates ranging from single digit weather

5 to 10° F(-15 to -12° C) to around 70° F (21° C). It was designed for

winter use and is very comfortable in temperatures below 40° F

(4.4° C). From about 41° to 60° F (4.4° to 15.5° C) it works fine as

long as the drawstring is undone and the bag is slightly unzipped. Any

warmer, and this bag is only useful as extra padding as it becomes

swampy with sweat very quickly. I have had several nights where the

exterior of the bag became wet due to condensation on tent walls or

rain seeping through seams of my tent. In the most extreme of these

situations the shell at the foot area was completely soaked and some

of the fill became damp and this caused my feet to become

cold. Usually, however, there is no noticeable difference when the

shell becomes damp.

The foot warmer pocket comes in handy on cold nights, and the exterior

breast pocket has proven indispensable. It is easy to lose a

flashlight in a crowded tent at night, and the pocket prevents that

from happening. The lining in this bag has a tendency to become

caught in the zipper unless it is zipped up very carefully. Also, my

bag has begun to develop a smell, although nothing too unpleasant,

just slightly stale. I washed it once to counteract this, with

moderate success, but the washing probably caused the loss of loft

that has troubled my bag.

Summary:

This is an excellent bag for winter packing, but is designed for

three season use (Spring, Winter, and Fall) It is surprisingly light,

and compacts into a very reasonable size. For long hikes where weather

can be unpredicictable it is ideal. I personally love this bag

and usually take it with me everywhere, even when the weather is

predicted to be warm.

Pros:

• Extremely Warm

• Very comfortable in cold weather

• Compacts nicely and is lightweight

• Pockets at the toes and head

Cons: