Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Sierra Designs Wicked Fast > Andrew Mytys > Initial Report

Tester's Biographical Information:

Reviewer: Andrew Mytys Email: amytys@gmail.com Homepage: Andy's Lightweight Backpacking Site Location: Michigan Age: 40 Height: 6'1" (183 cm) Weight: 170 lbs (77 kg) Chest: 40" (102 cm) Hip: 40" (102 cm)

     Backpacking Background:

I live in Michigan and have been hiking seriously for 15 years, although I've camped since I was 6 years old. I consider myself a lightweight hiker. I carry the lightest gear I can get my hands on which will provide a comfortable wilderness experience and adequately support the goals of my trip. Unless my goals are time/distance oriented, my overall pace is always slow. I generally walk at a 3-4 MPH (5-6 KPH) pace and take long breaks at scenic vistas, swimming holes, etc. This brings my average pace down to 2 miles (3 km)/hour. I like to hike long days and enjoy whatever nature throws my way.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Sierra Designs (http://www.sierradesigns.com) Item: Wicked Fast Sleeping Bag Temperature Rating: 30° F (-1° C) Insulation: 800 fill goose down Size: Men's Long (fits up to 6'6" or 198 cm) Inside Length: 84" (213 cm) - per manufacturer Shoulder Girth: 62" (157 cm) - per manufacturer Hip Girth: 59" (150 cm) - per manufacturer Footbox Girth: 41" (104 cm) - per manufacturer   Listed Weight: 26 oz (737 g) Weight as delivered: 26.6 oz (754 g) Fill Weight: 14 oz (397 g) Stuff Size: 7 x 17" (178 x 432 mm) Measured Stuff Size: 7 x 16" (178 x 406 mm) Zipper Side: Left (not available in right-side zipper) Shell Material: 20D Polyester Liner Material: 15D Polyester MSRP: $249.95 Year of manufacture: 2006 Warranty: Sierra Designs guarantees that the materials and workmanship in every product made will stand up to the use for which it was designed. Warranty does not cover damages caused by improper care, accidents, or the natural breakdown of materials over extended use and time. Made In: China

Accessories Included:

Stuff Sack: 0.6 oz (17 g) 2 Removable Pad Locks: 0.2 oz/each (5.7 g/each) Mesh Storage Bag: 4.2 oz (119 g)

Product Description:

Part of Sierra Design's "Ultralight" series of sleeping bags, the Wicked Fast is a 30° F (-1° C) rated sleeping bag boasting such features as a fitted hood for better insulation and decreased heat loss, an opening in the foot box for ventilation, removable pad locks to help keep the sleeping bag affixed to the pad, and a snag free zipper track to prevent the bag's lining from becoming entangled in the zipper. The Wicked Fast also has a 1/2-length zipper to help keep its weight to a minimum while continuing to provide the user with "easy-in, easy-out" access.

Wiggle Room:

When zipped up in the Wicked Fast, I don't feel constrained in the least. I can position my arms at my sides, or cross them over my chest. I'm free to rest one ankle atop the other, or bend one knee slightly - I can even rest one foot under the opposing leg's knee, though the bag's fabric is wrapped tightly around my bent knee when I'm in this position. There’s also plenty of room around my head, which is surrounded by a "helmet of down." While there is extra space in the bag for me to wiggle around, I don't feel that it's too much room - there's enough room to allow me to find a comfortable position to sleep in, and I'm not forced to sleep solely in the "King Tut" position.

Features:

At first glance, the Sierra Designs Wicked Fast appears as any other high-end down sleeping bag - it is lightweight, lofts up quickly, and both its outer and inner shell material is soft to the touch. Upon further inspection, its features begin to stand out and it is clear to me that someone put a lot of thought into the design of this rather unique bag.

Venting: The Wicked Fast's half-length zipper is great for cutting down weight in a bag, but it limits venting capability by only allowing the bag to unzip down to about the waist, rather than to the foot box. To address this issue, Sierra Designs has incorporated a unique foot box vent - essentially a zippered 9 inch (23 cm) long slit across the foot box. When closed, the zipper is neatly tucked into the fabric and it's hard to tell the vent even exists. While this opening is just large enough to put my feet through, I don't think it's supposed to be used in this manner. To me, the foot box vent appears designed to work as a bellows, where the movement of my feet inside the bag will move the material up and down, allowing the bag to "exhale" warm air and "inhale" colder air from outside. Actually putting my feet through results in a tight fit that stresses the seams on either end of the zipper. The photos below show the foot box vent in action. The photo on the left depicts the foot box vent partially opened - note how tight the seam of the material is around the closed portion of the vent. The photo on the right shows the vent fully opened - with a little wiggling inside the bag, this opening will flap open and closed, causing some ventilation to occur.
Zipper Barrier: The Wicked Fast has a stiff fabric barrier that runs along the length of its zipper between the bag's inner lining and the zipper track. There's a length of cord sewn into the top of this barrier that pushes the inner lining of the sleeping bag safely to the side as the zipper is closed, practically illimating the risk of the bag's lining snagging in the zipper track.
Removable Pad Locks: Sewn into both sides of the bag's bottom, at about the shoulder and hip level, is a small loop of cord. These loops are used as attachment points for the removable webbing that came with the Wicked Fast. When the webbing is installed, a "Pad Lock" system is created that's designed to hold a sleeping pad up against the bag; the idea being to keep the sleeping bag connected to the insulate sleeping pad, thus preventing cold spots from occurring due to the bag slipping off of the pad. Small ladderlock buckles are present to allow for easy and secure adjustment of strap length.
Fitted "Jacket Hood": The Wicked Fast's hood is fitted for the head, looking like something one might find on a parka used by alpinists traveling in the harshest of conditions. The hood provides at least three inches (76 mm) of loft at any point around its circumference. It is designed to minimize excess amounts of fabric and thus contributes to the low-weight nature of the bag. Because the hood is fitted, it is promoted as providing better insulation and decreased heat loss when compared to other designs. The hood comes complete with a length of shock cord sewn into a channel around its front - this shock cord can be used to close the hood down around the face, minimizing the amount of skin exposed and thus locking in as much warmth as possible. The shock cord has a barrel lock on it so adjustments made by the user are securely held.
Baffled Construction: The Wicked Fast has baffled construction, which essentially means it has narrow channels throughout its length that wrap around the girth of the bag. As the channels are not connected to each other, down in one baffle cannot migrate up or down into another baffle - it can only shift within the baffle that holds it. Each baffle encircles the bag and, as there are no walls within, down can be shifted to the top or bottom of the bag depending on conditions. On mild nights for example, down can be shifted to the bottom of the bag so the occupant has less insulation covering them. In cold conditions, down can be moved to the top of the bag, allowing for maximum warmth to be realized. The width of the baffles range in size from 4 1/2 inches (114 mm) at the foot to 5 1/2 inches (140) across the chest, though most baffles measure in at 5 1/4 inches (133 mm) wide. The foot box and hood are loaded fat with down and do not allow for any shifting to occur.
Draft Tube: In both the Owner's Manual and web page for the Sierra Designs Wicked Fast, a draft tube is mentioned as being a feature of the bag. It should be noted that this element is not present in the test unit received. Personally, as long as the bag performs to +/- 5° F (+/- 3° C) of its specification I'll be happy.

Construction/Fit and Finish:

The construction and finish of the Sierra Designs Wicked Fast sleeping bag is first rate! There are no loose seams or threads, fabric panels are cut symmetrically, and zipper movement is smooth. Each baffle seems to have an ample amount of down fill within - once the majority of the down has been shifted to the top of the bag, I can put my head inside the bag, hold it up towards a light, and not see any thin spots within.

Intended Use/Testing Strategy:

I will be using the Sierra Designs Wicked Fast sleeping bag on all my trips during the next six months. I expect to encounter temperatures on some nights that may not call for the use of the bag, while on other nights temperatures will be cold enough that the bag will feel uncomfortably cold - I forecast temperatures to get as low as 10° F (-12° C) during the testing period. I intend to stretch the temperature rating into sub-freezing winter conditions using the lightest weight solutions I can find, meaning that I may just fill my water bottle with boiling water, wrap a fleece around it, and toss it into the bag with me, or I might find wearing expedition weight fleece to me more effective, or I may just use an overbag. The bag will be tested using a variety of shelters, including a tent, tarp, and hammock.

I've found sleeping bag temperature ratings to be nothing more than general guidelines. Too many variables can affect how well a sleeping bag will perform from one night to the next, let alone experiences between people. Therefore, I won't comment on what I feel is the bag's temperature rating in my reports, but will instead provide detailed field conditions, including humidity levels, precipitation and frost reports, nightly lows, daily mileage walked, calories consumed, and the shelter and pad thickness used with the bag. Given these characteristics, I will comment on how the bag performed for me. Based on my comments, and my body type, gender, and age, readers will be expected to judge for themselves as to how effective the bag may be for their intended field usage.

In terms of use, I will sleep inside the bag while wearing a pair of boxers and 200 weight fleece insulating socks, which I've found to be instrumental in allowing my feet to rebound and be ready to hit the trail for another high mileage day. In addition, I will use sleep in a liner, as I like to protect the bag from my body oils as much as possible. I will also sleep in a lightweight, breathable head cover, such as a Buff . I won't wear any leggings or shirt, as I want to depend on the bag's insulation as much as possible. Any deviations from this plan will be noted along with my test results. I will also make sure to empty my bladder before turning in for the night.

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Sierra Designs Wicked Fast > Andrew Mytys > Initial Report