I started backpacking as a kid in the Boy Scouts doing overnighters. In the last year, I have caught a bug that wants me to go out and see things that a relatively few people have seen. This has drawn me back to backpacking. I have found it to be the most enjoyable thing I know. I have gotten my wife involved and we get out and hike at least once a month. I generally carry about 30 lb (14 kg) and am in the process of decreasing that weight.

Berkley Posalski
7 years, 6 mos.
Male
4’2", 1.27 m
73 lb, 33kg

Berkley is my son that goes on backpacking trips with us with very little weight on his back. I carry most of his gear. He has hiked up to 9 mi ( 14.5 km) in a day and climbed a 9600 ft (2900m) peak. He enjoys camping more than the actual hiking, and is comfortable sleeping anywhere.

My initial impressions of this sleeping bag were that it was a well thought out and quality bag. It has many features that make this bag very utilitarian and fun for kids. Berkley and I look forward to testing this bag. The bag fits him as well as my sleeping bag fits me. It isn’t too long and his feet extend to the foot box without having to gather up the sleeping bag under him. It fits around his face without having to fully gather up the bag around him. I found it amazing how well a kid’s sleeping bag really is the way to keep a kid warm. It just fits better than an adult bag for him. The bag is royal and navy blue with a nice design. It is gray on the inside. It has the model embroidered near the base of the zipper and the Sierra Designs logo embroidered near the top of the zipper. The tag at the bottom of the bag claims that the filling is Polarguard HV and the website claims Polarguard 3D. I will be doing some research during the testing to gain clarity in this matter.

There are many features of this bag. The first that I came across was the storage bag that the sleeping bag was in when I pulled it from the shipping box. It is a black mesh that I promptly pulled the bag from and realized that it was attached to the foot of the sleeping bag. I think this will be an excellent way to prevent the loss of this accessory when the bag is on a trip. The mesh bag is slightly smaller than I would like and does not allow the bag to breathe as much as I would like from a storage bag. Being a synthetic bag may mitigate the problem of storing a bag in a somewhat stuffed configuration. The bag also came with a smaller stuff sack for using while hiking. I stuffed the bag in the stuff sack and it fits snugly. The size when stuffed matched the claimed measurements from the manufacturer.

Inside the hood of the mummy bag shaped sleeping bag is a half-moon shaped pillow that is also stuffed with insulation. It is rather small and firm for my liking as a pillow, but we will see how Berkley likes it. The pillow measures about 5 in x 11 in (12.7 cm x 28 cm) and has a slick cover on it. The pillow comes with its own attached stuff sack and compresses down to about the size of a can of soda. The pillow is held into the hood by a soft liner that has two hook and loop closures and holds the pillow within the pocket formed by the liner. I also noticed that it takes up a lot of the room inside the hood. I wonder how this will work when we get into cold weather. Will it allow the hood to cinch around Berkley’s face enough to keep him warm? The cinch at the hood is a single cord that adjusts over the hood and across the chest. The liner in the hood is very soft, almost a flannel type material and also lines the foot box. The sleeping bag has a zippered pocket on the chest that is a little smaller than the pillow. Berkley will likely use this for gloves or a hand warmer or a flashlight.

Inside the bag, there is a mesh pocket that is about 12 in (30 cm) wide and 28 in (71 cm) long and runs horizontally across the chest and down the side to the bottom of the bag. It has no closure and is designed to be used to keep clothes in to keep them warm for in the morning. I assume this will also help with the insulating warmth of the bag. The zipper of the bag has a glow–in-the-dark pull-tab that is pretty large. The zipper has a very nice anti-snag ribbing inside the zipper. The zipper zips all the way down towards the foot box and is easy for Berkley to get in and out of. At the top of the zipper there is a hook and loop closure to secure the opening and to help keep the zipper from sliding down. The sleeping bag has a baffle inside the zipper for drafts and it runs all the way across the chest at shoulder level. The bag has straps on the back of it for holding a sleeping pad in place and this will be useful as Berkley is a mobile sleeper. I think it will be beneficial to have him stay on his pad in the cold weather where we will be testing.

How comfortable is the sleeping bag at cold temperatures for him? How compressible is the bag? Can he carry it? How well does the bag hold up to use by a 7-year-old? Does the zipper snag? What is the temperature rating for this bag when used by a 7-year-old? Is the glow in the dark zipper useful? How well do the pad locks work? Is the inside pocket big enough for storing clothing? Can it be used for a hand warmer to boost the warmth of the bag? Does the pillow take up too much room in the hood?

We will be carrying this sleeping bag for use for 2-3 person camping in the snow. We plan on spending a weekend in the rain and two weekends in the snow. I will be interested in seeing how the sleeping bag performs. We plan on using the sleeping bag also inside the house to determine its capabilities in warm confines. He will also use the bag on various occasions for sleepovers and backyard camping with me. I want to know how well it does in the snow. I will be using the sleeping bag between sea level and 6000 ft (1829 m) in temperatures from 50 F (10 C) down to 15 F (-9 C).