Item name	Sierra Designs Rock Creek Sleeping Bag
Manufacturer	Sierra Designs
Manufacturer's Web site	http://www.sierradesigns.com/
Year of manufacture	2005
MSRP	USD189.95
Size	Women's Long
Manufactured	Made in China
Claimed temperature rating	35°F (2°C)
Zipper side	Right (only). No mention is made of the bag being mateable. However, I called Sierra Designs customer service and they said that the women's long bags are mateable with any Sierra Designs men's regular bags. It seems the men's all zip left, the women's all zip right. She also mentioned that the men's Osage was the male mate to this bag if I wanted to find one that had similar features.
Available sizes (per the Web site)	Women's Regular and Long (the men's version is called Osage)
Insulation	Powerfill 600-Fill Goose Down
Fill weight	18 oz (510 g)

More information can be found on the Sierra Designs Web site. Care information, actual weight, stuffed size and more can be found in my Initial Report.

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FIELD CONDITIONS

Thus far during the test period, I've slept in this sleeping bag in a tent or under a tarp 12 times, including:

During a cool, misty-rainy camping trip in the woods of northern lower Michigan (first mentioned in my initial report)
During a steamy, 2-night backpack in northern lower Michigan, with nighttime temperatures ranging from 81°F (27°C) to 68°F (20°C) and humidity in the 90s
During a 4-night backpacking trip to Michigan's upper peninsula, with nighttime temperatures ranging from 68°F (20°C) to 42°F (5 °C)
Six single-nights over the course of the testing period in my backyard in southern lower Michigan, under a variety of conditions

Additionally, I have used the Rock Creek multiple times in my bedroom as a quilt (as mentioned in my Initial Report).

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IMPRESSIONS

Bag size:
The women's long size is roomy, and allows my 5'10" (1.78 m) frame plenty of room, from the top of the hood to the tips of my toes. I feel comfortable even fully stretched out when zipped into the bag.

One of my concerns with this bag was whether the "women's cut" would be appropriate for me, as I'm not lucky enough to be blessed with a traditional female shape. I'm tall, relatively broad-shouldered and relatively slim-hipped. Would this bag fit me well?

My concerns were unfounded - the bag offers plenty of room in the shoulders. Overall, I feel the bag is a great fit for my body. It is neither too big nor too small. I don't feel constricted at all and even though there is plenty of play in the hip area, it doesn't bunch up around me.

Packing:
When stuffed into its stuff sack, the Rock Creek is slightly smaller than my previous sleeping bag. It stuffs easily, yet feels well compressed. It fits well in both my weekend and multi-night packs (weekend: Mountainsmith Ghost; multi-night: Osprey Aether 60).

Upon unpacking, a few quick tosses and the Rock Creek is well lofted and ready for a good night's sleep.

Comfort:
I was interested in evaluating both the high and low ends of the temperature comfort range. I tend to sleep warm and prefer cool temperatures to sleep in. Thus far, my most comfortable nights in the Rock Creek have been in the 40°F - 50°F (4°C - 10°C) range. Even under an open tarp with strong breezes, the bag was much too warm for my liking in the 60°F range and above (16°C and above), even with the zipper unzipped. It worked well as a quilt when used in my bedroom. However, in a tent or under a tarp I have this mental need to have something between myself and my sleeping pad. Why? I don't know. So I have not tried using the bag as a quilt outdoors. For my sleeping preferences, this bag will work best when cooler temperatures are expected.

Additionally, I have not yet faced temperatures that will test the low-range of the bag's temperature rating. I hope to encounter some lower temperatures during the remainder of the test.

In my Initial Report, I mentioned the surprise chest pocket feature. During the testing period, I have used this pocket to hold a variety of items - including my watch, tissues, a lip balm, and a minidisk player. Thus far, I like the pocket best for holding my watch. It keeps the watch close at hand and I am able to hear the alarm go off, even when the watch is zipped into the pocket. The minidisk player was too bulky for my liking - more of an issue of the item I was storing, not of the sleeping bag.

Also in my Initial Report, I mentioned the fleece footbox. After further use, I can only say: Yummy! What a soft, comfy treat for my feet.

My tendency to roll around while I sleep was a concern prior to beginning the test. Would I get all twisted up in the bag or would it move easily with me? The bag moved easily with me. The only nights I found myself twisted up were the warmest nights, where the bag was fully unzipped but still over and under my body. I tended to grab, tug, and turn - which eventually led to my being twisted.

I have not yet used the bag with my silk liner because I have not yet encountered cool enough temperatures (I generally use my liner only to increase a bag’s low range).

Performance:
Temperatures have not been low enough for me to test the bag's temperature rating yet. As the test continues, I will be interested to see just how low I can make the bag go. So far, the coolest temperature I've used the bag at is just over 40°F (4°C). The bag has performed perfectly at that temperature and I suspect it will work well even below the bag's 35°F (2°C) temperature rating.

The bag has been subjected to a number of conditions which may cause down to shift:

Repeated stuffing
Repeated re-lofting
Being hung over a line to air out or dry
My toss-and-turn style of sleep

Despite all of this motion, the baffling has performed admirably. Thus far, there seems to be no down shifting at all. The down remains well distributed, with no clumping or thin areas apparent.

I still have not tested the bag’s Pad Lock system. To be honest, I haven’t done so because my perception is that it will be a chore to slide my pad into the straps. However, I will buckle down and test this feature — with both my foam pad and my self-inflating pad — during my upcoming trips.

I reported quite favorably on the snag-free zipper track on my Initial Report. I should note at this time, that this is a very nice feature and does work well — most of the time. Like most zippers, this zipper does get caught up in either the lining or the outer shell from time to time. However, compared to how often my old bag’s zipper got caught, this feature works quite well on the Rock Creek.

One thing that kind of bummed me out — the zipper does not zip all the way down near the feet. Thus, I cannot unzip the bottom and the top and wear the sleeping bag while walking around camp. It hasn’t been cool enough for me to need this feature, however it is a feature that I appreciate on a bag.

The bag is very easy to get into and out of. The glow-in-the-dark zipper pull is not very bright, but glows sufficiently to allow me to locate the pull at night.

Care:
Thus far, the Rock Creek airs out very well. Despite some sticky, stinky nights in the bag, the bag has not retained any odors. I have not had the need to launder the bag yet, but will ensure that I do so before the end of the testing period.

Durability:
So far, the bag has demonstrated great durability. It has not shown any signs of snags, loose seams, tears, etc. It lofts nicely, despite repeated stuffing into the stuff sack. Some small feathers have poked though the bag's outer shell, but no more than I would expect from most down bags, and fewer than I have experienced with my previous down bag.

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SUMMARY

So far, the Rock Creek has performed very well. It is a warm, comfortable bag and it fits my height and body shape very well.

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FOR FURTHER REVIEW

As the test progresses, I plan to test the Pad Lock feature with both my foam pad and self-inflating pad. Over the course of the remaining time period, I'm hoping for cooler temperatures than I've experienced thus far so that I can truly test the Rock Creek's temperature rating. Additionally, I plan on at least one laundering to test how the Rock Creek handles proper care.

I’ll also be interested in evaluating the Rock Creek’s continued durability.

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BENEFITS (so far)

Zipper runs smoothly, seldom gets caught in the shell
Zipped chest pocket bonus feature holds my sports watch close at hand
Fleece footbag is soft and comfy on my bare feet
Glow-in-the-dark zipper pull works well, is visible at night

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LIMITATIONS (so far)

Much too warm for true 3-season use in the areas I usually frequent. However, this can also be considered a benefit - this is one warm bag and I expect it to perform well even below its temperature rating. This will make a perfect spring/fall/early winter bag for my needs
Not a limitation of the bag, but of the test time period: I have not yet experienced temperatures low enough to test the bag's temperature rating

Thank you to Sierra Designs and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to evaluate this sleeping bag.

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REVIEWER BIO

Name	Lynne Durham
Gender	Female
Height	5' 10" (1.78 m)
Weight	153 lb (69 kg)
Age	43
Email	lynnedurham AT yahoo DOT com
Location	Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA

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BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE

I am a backpacking novice - my first trip was in 2002. I have hiked and car camped all of my life, mostly in the relative flatlands of the lower a d upper peninsulas of Michigan, but also in areas east of the Continental Divide, such as South Dakota, New England, Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and more. In September, 2004 I did my first solo backpacking trip and in October, 2004 I did a single-day, rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon. I keep my pack weight to 25% of bodyweight or less but I always bring optional or comfort items.

My other outdoor experience includes trail running and snowshoeing. I am a novice adventure racer and I have competed in several, including both sprint- and expedition-length races.

Read more reviews of Sierra Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by Lynne Durham

Field Report

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