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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Nemo Rave 15 Long Down Sleeping Bag > Owner Review by Alyssa Kimber

Nemo Rave 15 Long Down Sleeping Bag
Owner Review
By Alyssa Kimber
October 27, 2017


Reviewer Information
Name:  Alyssa Kimber
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 10" (1.8 Meters)
Weight: 130 Pounds (59 Kilograms)
Email address: alyssakimber at hotmail dot com
City, Province, Country: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada
Date: October 27, 2017

Backpacking Background: I started backpacking this year after moving from the prairies to the Kootenay region of British Columbia. I’m new to backpacking but I have significant outdoors experience having enjoyed camping and day hiking for many years. My trip length is generally one to three nights and ranges from prairie hikes to mountainous terrain. I am a 3-season hiker at present but I plan on extending my trips into the winter season as I pick up more gear. My pack weight varies depending on the trip, but I tend to sacrifice weight for comfort.

Product Information

Manufacturer:  Nemo Equipment
Year of Manufacture: 2017
URL: http://www.nemoequipment.com
Temperature Rating: 15 F / -9 C
Fill Type: 650 Fill Power Down with Nikwax
Fill Weight: 1 lb, 15 oz / 885 g
Total Weight: 3 lbs, 3 oz / 1.45 kg
Shape: Spoon
Fits Up To: 6'0" / 183 cm
Packed size: 18.5 x 9 in diameter / 47 x 23 cm diameter
Compressed volume: 9.2 L
Shell fabric: 30D Nylon Ripstop with Durable water repellant (DWR)
Footbox Fabric: 40D Nylon Ripstop OSMO (waterproof/breathable fabric manufactured by Nemo)
Lining Fabric: 30D Nylon Taffeta with DWR
MSRP: $320

The Nemo Rave sleeping bag comes with the bag itself, a larger cloth sack for uncompressed storage and a nylon stuff sack for compressed storage. The Rave is rated for temperatures as low as 15 F/-9 C. The bag is spoon shaped to allow for comfortable side sleeping (an extra 4" of width is provided at the knee and shoulder areas). The sleeping bag can be purchased with either a right or left hand side zip. Two "Thermo Gills" (zipper vents) on the top of the bag allow for temperature regulation. The sleeping bag is hooded and a pocket in the hood allows me to slip in a pillow or other padded material. A blanket fold near my chin optionally shields my face if desired. A zippered pocket is located at the top of the side zip for storage of my watch, flashlight, or whatever small items I like keeping by my side. The waterproof footbox keeps the foot area dry even when pressed up against a wet tent wall.

Field information

I have used this sleeping bag on several overnight backpacking trips in the Kootenay area of BC (rocky and/or forested terrain in the alpine and sub-alpine), in Saskatchewan (dry prairie, rolling terrain), and in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, which had similar conditions to the Kootenays. Weather conditions on each trip were dry and hot but some nights saw lower temperatures, down to about 3 C/37 F. The sleeping bag functioned perfectly on each of these trips. The spoon shape was perfect for me as a side-sleeper and on the warmer nights the temperature vents allowed for some heat regulation. The temperature vents don't release enough heat on the very warm nights so I did unzip the side zipper when needed. I loved the pillow pocket that kept my sweater in place as a cushion for my head and the side pocket where I kept my watch and headlamp for easy access on midnight trips to the bathroom. The sleeping bag material is soft and the down filling makes the sleeping bag so inviting and cozy. I also loved the blanket fold which kept my face shielded from the cold night air and the bright morning sun. The sleeping bag packs down fairly well but I bought a new compression sack to help decrease the volume as the stuff sack is a little large for backpacking purposes. The waterproof footbox worked well but the sleeping bag was still damp most mornings and had to be laid out in the sun before packing. I was very happy with the weight of the sleeping bag, finding it fairly light. The down filling tends to escape from the seams and I usually find a few feathers floating around after every use.

Summary

The Nemo Rave 15 Down Sleeping Bag is the perfect choice for side-sleepers as the spoon shape allows for the extra room required at the knees and shoulders. The bag is very comfortable, warm (for 3 seasons), and light. The extra features such as the "Thermo Gills", the blanket fold, the pillow pocket, and the small zippered storage pocket give it one step up from the average sleeping bag. The waterproof footbox is also a great addition as the feet do tend to rub up against the damp tent walls. However, the rest of the sleeping bag would often still be damp in the mornings and require some drying time before packing. I replaced the provided stuff sack with a compression bag as the volume of the stuff sack was a little large for my backpack. All in all it's a very comfortable sleeping bag that functioned perfectly for my use and I would gladly recommend it to any side-sleeper.

Things I like:

1.  Spoon-shape
2.  Temperature regulating "Thermo Gills"
3.  Extra features including the pillow pocket, blanket fold, and small zipper storage pocket
4.  Waterproof footbox

Things I don't like:

1.  Stuff sack is a little large for backpacking purposes
2.  Some down tends to escape the seams on each use
3. Often damp in the mornings and requires some drying time


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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Nemo Rave 15 Long Down Sleeping Bag > Owner Review by Alyssa Kimber



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