Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Sierra Designs Glow and Volt > John Waters > Initial Report

April 22, 2006

Contents
Biographical Information
Product Information
Arrival Information
First Impressions
Test Plan

Tester's Biographical Information

Name: John R. Waters
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.7 m)
Weight: 178 lb (81 kg)
Shoulder Girth: 50 in (128 cm)
Hip Girth: 42 in (107 cm)
Knee Girth: 28 in (71 cm)
Email Address: exec at ring dot com
City, State, Country: White Lake, MI USA

Backpacking Background

My backpacking began in 1999. I've hiked rain forests in Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico, on glaciers in New Zealand and Iceland, 14ers in Colorado and the deserts of Death Valley. Currently, my wife and I hike or snowshoe 6-8 miles (10 km-13 km) 2-3 times a week in the Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area (3800 acres) with other day long hikes on various SE Michigan trails. We also hike frequently in Colorado and are relocating there in 2006, which will increase our weekly hiking time and trail variety tremendously.

My day pack weight currently is about 18 lb (8 kg) now, with overnights weighing in over 25 lb (11 kg). I'm aiming to reduce that weight load by 40% or more.

Product Information and Picture (from manufacturer's website)
http://www.sierradesigns.com

Manufacturer: Sierra Designs Style: Ultralight synthetic mummy bag Model: Volt Type: Ultralight Manufacturer Temperature Rating: 15 F (-9 C) Insulation: PrimaLoft Sport Trail Weight: 2 lb 8 oz (1 kg) Fill Weight: 29 oz (822 g) Inside Length: 84" (2 m) Zipper Side: Left Stuff Size: 9" x 19" (23 cm x 48 cm) Shell Material: 20D Polyester Liner Material: 15D Polyester Shoulder Girth: 60" (152 cm) Hip Girth: 56" (142 cm) Footbox Girth: 39" (99 cm) Sizes: Regular and Long MSRP: $209.95 USD

Features:

Warm to 15 degrees (-9 c) with PrimaLoft Sport for maximum compressibility, this synthetic ultralight goes from base camp to rock ledges without worrying about a thing.

Warranty: Sierra Designs guarantees that the materials and workmanship in every product we make will stand up to the use for which it was designed. This warranty does not cover damages caused by improper care, accidents or the natural breakdown of materials over extended use and time. All defective or damaged products should be returned to us for evaluation and will be repaired or replaced at our discretion. Damages due to accident or improper care will be repaired at a reasonable rate. Products sent for repair must be cleaned prior to sending.

Color: Gray and Orange
Size: Regular - fits up to 6 ft (1.8 m)

Arrival Information

The Sierra Designs Volt Men's Sleeping Bag arrived packaged in a black mesh storage bag in a box so light, it felt empty! Also included was a bright orange stuff sack tucked in the footbox of the sleeping bag. Attached were a couple of informational tags which explain the Primaloft insulation technology and an additional mini-brochure detailing Sierra Designs various sleeping bag products and their features.

Product Description

A black cylindrical heavy-duty nylon mesh storage bag is provided by Sierra Designs for protection and airing out the Volt sleeping bag. The Volt was loosely stuffed in this bag for shipping. The circular heavy cotton bottom has the Sierra Designs logo screen-printed in silver along with "Vlot Reg, M" on one line and "PrimaLoft sport, 15 F, -9 C" on the other. I'm guessing the graphics art person was dyslexic and spelled Volt wrong and no one proofed the silk screening. Two separate interior tags attest to the "made in China" origin. The drawstring closure uses a gray nylon cord and push-button cordlock to close the bag up tight. For at home storage, the bag takes up a tidy 16 in x 28 in (41 cm x 71 cm) space with a 41 in (104 cm) circumference.

Sierra Designs also includes a stuff sack for protection and containment of the Volt on the trail. The Volt stuff sack is an orange cylindrical sack with a flat bottom and a drawstring top closure. A nylon corded string with a push-button cordlockalong with a sewn-in circular interior flap functions as protection of the bag from the elements while on the trail. A black fabric tag with white lettering, "SD" on one side and "Sleep better, Perform better" on the other side, is discreetly sewn into the one side seam. The bottom of the Volt stuff sack has the Sierra Designs logo stenciled on it and a thin gray grosgrain strap across it sewn side to side. An interior label indicates that the stuff sack is also "made in China." Packed size is a decent 9" x 19" (23 cm x 48 cm) as advertised with a 29 in (74 cm) circumference.

The Sierra Designs Volt Men's Sleeping Bag is a colorful bag with two shades of gray and one bright orange covering the body of the bag and a darker orange lining the entire interior. A darker gray polyester fabric with wide vertical baffles covers the bottom of the bag and extends to the whole of the hood. The lighter gray sweeps around the sides of the bag like a racing stripe and covers the entire footbox. Bright orange highlights the upper and lower torso of the Volt and trims the hood.

There is a small white screen-printed Sierra Designs logo at mid-chest and on the left side of the footbox there is an orange stitched Sierra Designs logo and additional "Volt PrimaLoft Sport" and "15 F, -9 C" logos.

So much for outward appearances, now on to the mechanics.

First Impressions

First of all, the feel of the polyester fabric of the Sierra Designs Volt is incredibly soft. The outside is as smooth as the inside and even fully clothed, I could just slide right in. And the PrimaLoft is not only light, it also has a soft cushiony feel to it.

The Volt (regular) fits me snugly and warmly. On my initial try-on, there doesn't appear to be much extra wiggle room. The 1/2 length zipper adds to my sense of confinement. I had a bit of difficulty maneuvering the zipper to a fully closed position at first, but was able to do so once I realized that the zipper pull flips to the interior of the bag to allow operation from inside. The Volt hood can be drawn tight over most of my face via a nylon drawstring with a push cordlock. A Velcro tab at the neck completes the snug fit. A thick draft tube nicely covers the zipper preventing any cold from seeping in. At first glance I didn't even notice the footbox vent. It is very discreetly hidden in the bottom footbox seam and uses a mini zipper pull. Unzipped, the 9 in (23 cm) opening allows for easy ventilation of my feet.

Another useful feature of the Sierra Designs Volt Men's Sleeping Bag are the removable pad locks. Sierra Designs uses thin grosgrain "ribbons" sewn into two positions, about chest high and lower hip level. These ribbons are adjustable with a plastic pull-loop and can also be easily removed via the Velcro tabs which secure through sewn-in side seam loops. I had no trouble slipping my Mountain Hardware pad through the pad locks and tightening the straps for a secure hold. The workmanship of the Volt appears to be excellent with all seams straight and tight, no loose threads or snags. The zippers move smoothly and no irregularities were found.

As I stated above, my first and best impression is that the Sierra Designs Volt Men's Sleeping Bag is very lightweight. Jammed into the included orange nylon stuff sack, the Volt weighted in at just a shade under 2 lb 8 oz (1 kg). I would have thought that a heavier weight would be necessary to achieve a 15 F (-9 C) rating. I can't wait to get this baby into the field to see how it performs!

Test Plan

My biggest concern with any sleeping bag is comfort. Does the sleeping bag keep me warm at night at lower temperatures? At what temperature will it get too cold for the Volt to be used without additional liners, pads, etc.? At what temperature does the bag become too warm? Does the bag breathe well if I sweat? Are there any cold or hot spots? Does the draft tube protect the zipper from moisture as well as keeping drafts at bay?

Is the Sierra Designs Volt Men's sleeping bag fill thick enough to not feel every pebble underneath my head without a pillow? Is the filling consistently even throughout the bag? Does the "shingled construction" keep the filling in place even after repeated use or do "flat" spots and shifting occur? How does the material inside the bag feel against my skin?

Since I am at a lower height of this bag's range, is the Sierra Designs Volt Men's sleeping bag sized big enough, but not too big for me to sleep comfortably without feeling too confined or without excess room to keep warm? How does it hold up to a restless sleeper such as me? Will I get twisted up? Can I turn onto my side inside the bag without turning the whole bag?

As a degreed engineer, I'm interested in the construction of the Sierra Designs Volt Men's sleeping bag and will be testing to see how well the ½ length zipper system works. Does it snag or move easily - both when I am in and out of the bag? Do the seams remain intact after repeated usage or do they pull or break? Does the sleeping bag fabric, both outer shell and inner lining, tear or puncture with normal usage? How easily can any tears or punctures be mended? How does the sleeping bag handle the dampness of the morning dew and the wetness of rain and or snowstorms or the effects of really low humidity in desert conditions? Does it repel liquids? Does the bag dry quickly? Does it smell when it gets wet? Can it be cleaned easily?

I will also report any other issues that arise during the testing period.

Field Conditions

Our tentative plans for the next 6 months are for several 2 - 3 day hikes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the Southern shoreline of Lake Superior and at least one-week trip to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Southern Colorado, as well as doing miles of bushwhacking back-country hiking though 18,000 acres of BLM in the Cooper Mountain range North of Canon City, Colorado.

Rain, snow, high humidity, low humidity, sandy soil, rocky ground, high altitude and low altitude will probably all be encountered for testing. I will start testing in Michigan during early spring weather, which will likely be wet and cold, and continue through the higher temperatures of later spring and summer in Colorado. Temperatures could range from 30 F in Michigan to 90 F in the desert areas of Colorado (-1 C to 32 C), giving an opportunity to test over a wide temperature range and a variety of conditions.

I will also be testing in various elevations, from the sandy lakeshores of Michigan at 177 ft (54 m) above sea level, to a high of 12,360 ft (3767 m) in the Sangre Mountains of Colorado.

Shelter will be mostly the Coleman Siege 2 Tent or the Eisenhower Tunnel Shelter with possibly some cabins as well as sleeping "under-the-stars" on really nice nights. I use a Mountain Hardware sleeping pad and prefer to sleep with as little clothing on as possible.

John R. Waters

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Sierra Designs Glow and Volt > John Waters > Initial Report