OWNER REVIEW: Moonstone 800 Lucid Sleeping Bag
Review Date: March 16 2005

Reviewer Information

Name: Will Jeffries
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 6" (1.68 meters)
Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg)
City: Charleston
State: South Carolina 
Country: USA
E-mail: willjeffs@yahoo.com

Reviewer Biography:  I have been an avid backpacker for over eight years and also have interests in mountain biking, rock climbing, and kayaking.  The majority of my hiking experiences have taken place on the Appalachian Trail in northern Georgia and western North Carolina.  I prefer to travel as light as possible, but I am guilty of hauling the kitchen sink on shorter weekend trips in the flatlands of South Carolina.  Most of my trips range from three to four days of about 16 miles per day.  I enjoy sleeping late and going to bed early and a nap at lunch is always time well spent.

Product information

a. Manufacturer: Moonstone
b. Year of manufacture: 2004
c. URL: http://www.moonstone.com
d. Listed weight: 1 lb 12 oz (795 g)
e. Weight as delivered: 1 lb 13 oz (822 g)
f.  Bag length: regular  5’ 9”  (1.75 m)
g. Stuff size: 7.5” x 8”  (19 cm x 20 cm)
h. Outside fabric: 30D Pertex X-Ray 1.1
i.  Inside fabric: nylon taffeta
j.  Fill: Down, 800+
k. MSRP: $260 USD
l. Description: 20 F (-7 C) mummy sleeping bag.

Field Information

     I have used the Moonstone sleeping bag in a variety of climates.  I used the bag for a couple of winter trips in the cold and humid mountains of western North Carolina.  On my winter trips I have used the sleeping bag inside a shelter, inside a tent, and under the stars.  All of the winter trips got below 30 F (-1 C) at night with two nights under 25 F (-4 C).  I also used the bag for a two-week canoe trip in northern Maine with nighttime lows ranging around 55 F (13 C).  This bag has even endured the sweltering heat of coastal South Carolina.

     After years of lugging around my ancient, 4 lb (1.8 kg), 20 F (-7 C) mummy bag, I decided that it was finally time to fork out some money and upgrade my sleeping bag.  That’s when my search for my perfect three-season bag began, and I believe I found that bag in the Moonstone 800 Lucid.

     The 800 Lucid weighs in at a mere 1 lb 12 oz (795 g) and stuffs small thanks to the 800+ fill power goose down.  During my research I found that the Lucid provided the least weight for the lowest cost, which was a requirement with my budget.  The Lucid only weighed two or three ounces (55 or 85 grams) more than bags that cost over $100 (USD) more, so I saved my money and bought the Lucid.  The bag is so light that I actually thought the box was empty when I picked it up off my doorstep.  I had also had a hard time believing that the big bag would fit into the tiny stuff sack until I actually stuffed it. The bag was not hard to stuff into the stuff sack and came with a large bag for long term storage. The stuff sack is a simple, lightweight bag with one draw cord.

     I have used this bag in climates ranging from a winter hike in the Pisgah National Forest of North Carolina to an early spring camping trip in the lowcountry of South Carolina.  A rare feature in many ultralight bags, the Lucid comes with a full-length, two-way zipper that served me well in the humid lowcountry.  When the temperatures dropped below 25 F (-4 C) on my last winter hike, I was nice and toasty inside my Moonstone.  I stayed warm all night wearing only boxers and a polypro top, even though I was sleeping under the stars and I didn’t even use the hood.  The bag sheds the morning dew with ease thanks to the DWR finish on the lightweight Pertex nylon.  This Pertex nylon is known as X-ray because the down can be seen through the fabric.  I have found that the fabric handles regular wear and tear such as fluffing and stuffing, and performs fine as long as you sleep on a ground cloth or pad.  The seams have proved to be very strong and durable.

     This bag sports all the features of a performance sleeping bag, including a full length zipper, ground level side seams, variable fill levels, and a contoured hood.  The side seams in the Lucid are at ground level, which helps the bag fit over your body better and retain heat more efficiently.  The variable fill levels are designed so that there is more down in the baffles at your chest and feet and less in areas like your hips that don’t get cold as easily.  This feature helps reduce weight and stuff size significantly.  The contoured hood fits very well and has a draw cord over the top and bottom of the opening.  The draw cords are easy to use in the dark and easy to keep out of your face while you sleep.  The full length zipper was an excellent feature for the mild temperatures of my canoe trip in northern Maine.  The full length zipper provided excellent air flow and ventilation, but still kept out the cold on my winter trip with its beefy draft tube that runs the entire length of the zipper.  The small stuff size of the Lucid allowed it to easily fit inside my small dry bags.  The construction helps keep this bag light, and the 800+ fill enables the bag to stuff to a small size.

     The regular length for this bag is a bit shorter than most.  The bag is supposed to fit people up to 5’ 9” (1.75 m), but if you are 5’ 9” it will be a tight fit.  This bag provides the perfect amount of extra room (2-3 inches) for my 5’ 6” (1.68 m) frame.  This also helps eliminate cold spots in my bag that I used to experience with my long length sleeping bag that had lots of extra room.  This length is perfect for guys like myself that are a little shorter than most, and would even fit most women quite well.  Overall, the Moonstone 800 Lucid is a high-performance mummy bag that exceeds expectations at a reasonable price.

Likes:  Light weight
            Small pack size
            Price
            Warmth

Dislikes: White color does not hide dirt or stains
                No pocket for watch/flashlight/etc.