Personal Data:

Name: Gail Staisil
Age: 53
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 132 lbs (60 kg)

Shoulder Girth: 41 in (104 cm)

Hip Girth: 37 in (94 cm)

Location: Marquette, Michigan USA
Email: woodswoman2001@yahoo.com

Photo Album Website: http://community.webshots.com/user/isleroyalegirl

 

Backpacking Background:

For the last 16 years, backpacking has become a passion. I am a four-season backpacker and an off-trail navigator. Although I do take yearly trips to the American West or Southwest, the majority of my trips are in Michigan and Canada. My pack weight varies considerably, but my base weight is below 20 lbs (9.1 kg). I am primarily a tarp camper, who averages over 50 nights a year backpacking in a huge variety of weather conditions, including relentless rain, wet snow and sub zero temps.

Product Information:

Manufacturer:  Sierra Designs

Website: http://www.sierradesigns.com 

Phone: 1.800.635.0461

Model/Size: Women's Electra Long

Model Year: 2005

Manufacturer's Weight: 4 lb 3 oz (1.90 kg)

Actual Weight: 4 lb 5 oz (1.96 kg) 

Color: Royal Blue (Exterior) Charcoal Gray(Interior)

Insulation: Powerfill 800-Fill Goose Down

Fill Weight: 39 oz (1106 g)

Manufacturer's Inside Length: 78 in (198 cm)

Tester's Measurement for Inside Length: 78 in (198 cm)

Zipper Side: Right

Manufacturer's Stuff Sack Size: 10 in (25 cm) X 20 in (51 cm)

Tester's Measurement for Stuff Sack Size: 10 in (25 cm) X 20 in (51 cm)

Tester's Measurement for Stuff Sack Weight: 5.9 oz (167 g)

Shell Material: 40D Nylon

Lining Material: 40D Polyester

Manufacturer's Shoulder Girth: 61 in (155 cm)

Tester's Measurement for Shoulder Girth: 60 in (152 cm)

Manufacturer's Hip Girth: 60 in (152 cm)

Tester's Measurement for Hip Girth: 59.5 in (151 cm)

Manufacturer's Footbox Girth: 43 in ( 109 cm)

Tester's Measurement for Footbox Girth: 42.5 in (108 cm)

MSRP: $419.95 US

 

Design/Features (Tester's Comments):

 

The Sierra Designs Electra is a women's-specific sleeping bag that is temperature rated at -20F (-29C). The dimensions of the bag and the placement of extra insulation were configured with women's body types in mind. According to their website, the mummy-shape bag is made out of a combination of materials that are designed to enhance the performance of the sleeping bag. The Electra belongs to Sierra Designs' Adventure DriZone Series. The manufacturer claims that all of the bags in that series are constructed with a highly breathable waterproof shell material called DriZone. The Electra also features Power-Fill 800 Goose Down Insulation, Baffle Construction, Draft Collar, Dual Draft Tubes, Ergonomic Hood, Glow-In-The-Dark Zippers and Pad Locks.   

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The Sierra Designs Electra Sleeping Bag was delivered appropriately enough in the middle of a snow squall. I quickly opened the package to find the Electra encased in a bright yellow cotton storage-bag. I was surprised that the storage bag was much smaller in length and width than I had anticipated (29.5 in/75 cm) X 20 in/51 cm). This is the bag that should be used to protect the loft of the bag while in storage. A blue-color compression-style stuff-sack is also included for trail usage. The sleeping bag was flattened and cold from its journey so I waited a half-hour to check it out. It quickly regained its loft. The Electra looked warm and cozy so I crawled in it. 

 

I ordered the Women's Electra in a size Long so I wondered how it would compare to some of my other Regular-Size bags which are unisex. I thought I would be on the border of needing a Size-Long bag but it appears that I would of been in serious trouble if I had gone with the Women's Electra Regular-Size. In fact, the Women's Long is almost identical to my other Regular-Size Unisex Sleeping-Bags. I should point out that I am a rather tall woman (5' 9"/1.75 m) and the Electra Long has an inside length of 78 in (198 cm). This is 6 in (15 cm) longer than the Regular-Size Electra and 2 in (5 cm) shorter than the comparable Men's Regular-Size Echo Bag at 80 in (203 cm). When my feet are extended, they go almost all the way to the bottom of the Electra Long.

 

The Electra is sort of a royal blue color on the exterior while the interior is a charcoal gray color trimmed with a narrow strip of light gray fabric under the toggle-closure drawstring for the hood. The only adornments on the sleeping bag are two Light-Gray Sierra Designs logos on the front of the sleeping bag near the torso area and the name of the bag and temperature rating is embroidered on the side of the footbox.

 

The sleeping bag appears to be finished neatly and there aren't any down feathers pushing through the fabric, the right-side zipper is also neatly finished and is enhanced on each side by a draft tube. Each side of the zipper has a separate draft tube which measures about 4 in (10 cm) wide the entire length of the zipper. Between the sides of the zipper and the draft tubes is a corded-insert of stiff fabric that is supposed to prevent the zipper from snagging. Both the dual-draft tubes and corded-insert are novel features for me.  It will be interesting to find out the value of such arrangements. The top end of the two-way zipper has a 2 in (5 cm) long Glow-In-The-Dark Zipper Tab.

 

The down bag is configured in a baffled construction. The baffles on the front of the bag run in a diagonal fashion and are spaced approximately 7.5 in (19 cm) apart. The baffles on the bottom of the bag run horizontally and are about 5.5 in (14 cm) apart. The women-specific bag is supposed to have additional down placed in strategic areas such as in the torso and the footbox. I measured the goose-down loft and found the following: Torso-area loft measures 7 in (18 cm), middle-of-bag loft measures 6 in (15 cm) and footbox-area loft measures 8 in (20 cm). It will be interesting to see if I have to wear my insulated booties in the sleeping bag with the additional insulation in the footbox. The bottom of the bag also has two Pad-Locks incorporated into the side seams. These horizontal straps with adjustment sliders are to be used to secure a sleeping pad. This is also a new feature for me to evaluate.

 

The Electra has an ergonomic hood and a baffled draft collar. The later can be secured with a Velcro tab to prevent cold air from getting inside the bag. 

So far, the Electra seems to be smaller both length and width-wise than any bag that I have owned. I am a bit concerned as I am a cold sleeper who usually wears several layers of clothing in my sleeping bag. Perhaps with the additional insulation that the Electra provides, that may not be necessary. I also realize that I have been spoiled all summer and fall with unusually warm temperatures so that I am not used to being constricted in my movement by a zipped-up bag. That will change in a hurry, I am going on a backpacking trip in the next few days with lows expected to be in the single digits Fahrenheit.

 

One hangtag was included with the product that explained the Warranty, plus the features of the Sierra Designs Women's DriZone Series of Sleeping Bags. Care instructions were on the bag itself, a care label is sewn into the inside of the bag near the top of the zipper. 

 

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I will address the following concerns and more:

Materials: 

Will the DriZone Shell ward off any potential water hazards including wet snow, rain, humidity or condensation - that is, will the shell keep the 800-Fill down dry from the outside? If the ends of the Electra touch a tent wall, will the moisture seep thought the shell? Is the DriZone Shell down-proof or will I be greeted with loose feathers daily? Will the 40D Polyester Lining deter body moisture and body dirt from filtering into the down fill compromising its effectiveness? Is the lining material neatly finished so that it doesn't catch on any clothing? Will the lining material be tightly woven so that the down stays where it belongs? Will the 800-Fill Goose Down retain its loft after being compressed in a stuff sack?

Workmanship:

Is the sleeping bag finished neatly so that there aren't any loose strings or puckered seams? Does the zipper run smoothly and not catch on excess fabric? Does the zipper lock in place? Are the baffles in the sleeping bag constructed so that the down-fill is spaced properly?

Performance/Comfort:

Will the baffled construction eliminate cold spots? I often find that to be a problem with down bags as the down-fill moves around and some areas become real thin. Will I need to use a bivy over the sleeping bag to protect it from moisture/condensation if I am sleeping in a snow cave or under a tarp? I will be testing the sleeping bag in different types of shelters - inside of a tent, under a tarp and possibly a snow cave if conditions allow it. If I don't use a bivy or a tent, will the wind permeate through the DriZone Shell of the Electra and make me cold? Will the double-draft tubes on this bag be effective to prevent heat loss from inside the bag?  Will it keep cold outside air from entering the bag?

Warmth/Temperature Rating:

Is the -20F (-29C) temperature rating of the bag fairly accurate? I know this is subjective, but how does it compare to other products? Is the warmth-to-weight ratio desirable? The women's long version weighs 4 lb 3 oz (1.90 kg) and has 39 oz (1106 g) of loft - is this enough protection to keep me warm at -20F (-29C) without additional clothing? Will I need to use one or two thick pads underneath the Electra to be comfortable at its rated temperature? Will the temperature rating of the bag be only good for the first night of a trip or will the rating fall sharply with each additional consecutive day in the field? I realize that this is an issue with any bag used in that manner, but will the Electra perform better than most and not lose its warmth quickly? 

Durability:

Will the DriZone Shell hold up to ordinary wear and tear? Will the zipper remain problem free? Will the loft retain its height during the test period or will it lose some of its loft quality? Will the lining of the sleeping bag hold up to the wear and tear of constant use? Will the Pad Locks on the outside of the bag tear out of the seam with the repeated stress of holding the pad in place?

Fit/Design:

Will there be enough room in the sleeping bag to wear additional insulated clothing and not feel like I am in a straight-jacket? Will the women's specific bag have noticeable differences that I will enjoy? I never had a women's sleeping bag before, so I will evaluate the differences of strategically-placed loft and the differences in dimensions. Will the Ergonomic Hood move with me so that I don't end up with my face in the back of the hood when I turn from side to side?

Care:

Will the DriZone Shell be easy to care for? Will dirt or snow wipe or slide right off the shell? Will the Electra be hard to wash if needed? I don't expect this to be a problem during the four month test period but it will be a factor after an extended period. Will special down-care soaps be needed to clean the sleeping bag?

Special Features:

Will I find the Pad Locks useful? This is a new feature to me, will it be hard to move around with the sleeping pad locked in place? How thick of a pad will the Pad Locks hold? Will it hold more than one pad? Will the Glow-In-The-Dark Zipper Pulls be useful if I have to get up during the long winter nights? Will the chest pocket be big enough to stow my small headlamp?

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I will gladly address all these issues and any additional pertinent issues, as I continue to test the Sierra Designs Electra Sleeping Bag.

 

Thanks to Sierra Designs and BGT for this interesting opportunity.

 

Gail Staisil