Personal Information:
Leesa Joiner
leesaj@gmail.com
Southwestern Maine
44 years old
Female
5' 7" (1.7 m)
160 lb (68 kg)

Background:
My camping, hiking and backpacking experience has included trips varying in length from one-day hikes to two-week trips. My hiking experience began with my father when I was about six years old. We hiked along the river pathways in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. While enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, I spend time hiking, geocaching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and camping. Although I am not a lightweight backpacker, I am continually trying to 'lighten up' and primarily use an Ultra-lite Backpacker Asym hammock for sleeping.

Product Information:
Sierra Design Rock Creek Women's Regular Sleeping Bag
www.sierradesigns.com
Year of Manufacture: 2005
MSRP: $179.00 US

Product Description:
Type                    Adventure Down   
Insulation             Powerfill 600-Fill Goose Down   
Trail Weight         2 lb 5 oz  (227 kg)
Actual Weight      2 lb 7 oz   (318 kg)
Fill Weight           16 oz        (454 kg)
Shell Material      40D Polyester   
Liner Material      40D Polyester
Inside Length       72"          (1.83 m)
Stuff Size           8" x 18"    (20 x 45 cm)
  Shoulder Girth   59"           (1.5 m)
Hip Girth             58"           (1.4 m)
Footbox Girth      42"           (1.07 m)
(All linear measurements are as advertised.)

    The Sierra Designs' Adventure Series sleeping bag with Powerfill 600-Fill Goose Down is rated as a 35 degree (2 C) bag.  It features a snag-free zipper track, chest pocket, glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls and pad locks to keep the bag attached to a sleeping pad.

Field Information:
  
    The Rock Creek Sleeping bag has seen much use this summer in both hot, dry  and wet, cool conditions.  My first outdoor use was an overnight campout with my kids.  I set up my hammock (and then kicked my twelve year old out), climbed into the hammock already half way into the sleeping bag.   I was concerned because the temperatures were expected to drop to 40 degrees F ( 8 C) that night,  that combined with the dampness could have made for chilly sleeping.  I was impressed that the bag not only kept me warm, but didn't leave me with that 'clammy' feeling I sometimes get when I sleep out in damp weather.  I found the bag breathed well enough to allow air into the bag without feeling drafty.   One of my original questions about the bag was how comfortable it would be in a hammock.   I have found (on over 10 nights) that it is extremely comfortable.  It fits easily within the hammock, without the fabric of the bag 'bunching up'.  On warmer nights, I open the bag up and sleep on top of it, without having to deal with any excess material.   Part of the reason for this is because the bag is not extra roomy.   I am not someone who tosses and turns alot when I sleep in a hammock, so this is not a problem.   If I were, I would probably go with the 'long' model, just to have a bit more room. 
    Using the Rock Creek in a tent on many nights (at least 8), I found it to be comfortable also.  On a night when the temperature was down to 35 degrees F ( 4 C), the shortness of the bag did become obvious - I wanted to sleep deep in the bag, and found I couldn't.  I did stay warm enough though. I don't feel the sizing of the bag is ideal for my height - 5'7" (1.7 m)   If it were a winter bag, I would want the extra space to be able to keep a change of clothes and a water bottle in the bottom of the bag.
    The Rock Creek has held up well to considerable use.  It did receive a good soaking and when hung up to dry, dried within a few hours (breezy day, hung up and turned frequenlty).   Although the bag advertises a 'snag free zipper track'  care needs to be used to avoid catching the fabric in the zipper, especially when unzipping the bag. 
    I have found the pad locks to be a useful feature.  I forgot to use them the first time in my hammock and noticed a huge difference the next time out.  I have used them with both my 'no-name' pad and my Therma-Rest Ridge Rest.  Both fit without a problem.
    The loft of the bag has held up very well.  I always 'fluff' the bag up before and after storing it.  I find that sleeping in this bag is very comfortable, with no lumps of fill in any one spot.  The fill does not seem to shift much either.

Test Conditions:
The majority of my testing is done in northern New England, where current temperatures are all over the place.  We have had highs of 98 degrees F (36 C) and night time lows of 35 degrees F (2 C).  We've also had a couple of very rainy weeks - June/July saw 5 weeks with only 6 days that it didn't rain!   While backpacking in the White Mountains, we had three nights of rain, with four days of the most beautiful, cool dry weather.   Most of my hiking is done below 3000 ft (900 m). There is a wide range of types of terrain on these hikes; everything from well maintained trails to hiking through heavily wooded areas. Some trips involve backpacking into campsites and at other times I set up camp and hike out from there.  
  Most of these trips are spur of the moment - we pick a spot within a few hours drive and head out.  We seem to end up hiking and camping in the White Mountains of Maine or New Hamshire quite often, along with areas in Ohio and Vermont. 

Continued Testing:
I plan on continueing to use the Rock Creek bag well into the fall.  I have a few weekend trips scheduled in September and one long weekend in October, all in Maine.   After that, it will likely depend on the weather conditions and where I will be camping, as to whether I use this bag or a cold weather bag.  I will definitely take it when I am sleeping in a cabin, even if it is colder outside.  The comfort of the bag is impressive and I want to see how well it holds up with extended use.

Positives:
Bag is comfortable to sleep in as far as temperature and loft are concerned
Easy to care for

Concerns:
Zipper catches on way down if not exremely careful