Name: Jeff Jackson
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 10” (178 cm)
Weight: 185 lb (84 kg)
Website: http://www.tothewoods.net/
Email: jwj32542 at yahoo dot com
Location: Monterey, CA, USA

Backpacking Background:
I have been a wicked backpacker for about eleven years. I started as a three-season overnight-only hiker (not very wicked) in North Georgia's mountains, and have since hiked in several states on both U.S. coasts. Weather has generally been mild (50-85°F / 10-30°C) with occasional winter conditions (-10°F/-23°C). Three years ago I switched to lightweight hiking and I keep my packweight below 30 lb (14 kg) for weeklong trips. I have used several ultralight sleep systems, including quilts, hammock underquilts, Speer PeaPod, and homemade systems. All systems have been used on the ground and in a hammock. Will this Wicked bag top them all?

PRODUCT INFO

Manufacturer: Sierra Designs (http://www.sierradesigns.com/)
Product: Wicked Fast - Men's Regular (2006)
Color: Orange/Gray
Fill: 800 fill power goose down
Listed Trail Weight: 23 oz (652 g)
Measured Total Weight: 24-3/8 oz (690 g) (5.8% over listed)
MSRP: $239.95 US

Product Description:

This ultralight sleeping bag has 12 oz (340 g) of 800 fill-power goose down, a half-zipper on the left side, and an overstuffed "jacket hood" to minimize air gaps around the face and neck. Unlike Sierra Design's Wicked Lite series, this Wicked Fast is insulated on both top and bottom, and continuous baffles allow down to be shifted based on preference. Two pad locks are designed to keep the bag centered on the sleeping pad, and a zippered foot box provides additional ventilation for warm nights.

Test Update

I have used this bag on three backpacking trips in Los Padres National Forest and several nights hammock camping near my home. Weather was dry each time, sometimes windy, with low temperatures of 45-60 F (7-15 C). I used it while sleeping in a hammock and while camping on the ground, and used it as a quilt and while completely inside the bag.

Findings:

Bag - The bag's material is very comfortable and it stuffs easily and relofts quickly. I have noticed no gaps in down coverage.
However, the half zipper restricts the comfortable temperature range of the bag. When sleeping completely inside the bag, even with the foot zip, I got sweaty each time the temperature rose above ~55 F (~13 C). When I lay the bag over me as a quilt, the zipper makes venting more difficult than full-zip bags or quilts. I usually end up with one leg inside the bag and the other leg outside, but underneath, the bag. This way I can slide my leg out to vent, but changing positions is more difficult because the zipper is so short. Additionally, when used as a quilt during warmer temperatures (above 55 F / 13 C), the hood flops in my face if I don't push it under my head like a pillow. But pushing it under my head makes it difficult to keep both shoulders covered, so I get chilled. The implication of these issues is simply that I find the bag comfortable only to temperatures up to ~55 F (13 C). I haven't been able to test the lower temperature range yet.
Adding an additional 12 in (30 cm) to the zipper would greatly improve the bag's performance for me.
Hood - The hood has been very comfortable on the nights when I was inside the bag, but it got in the way when used as a quilt. I have not experienced cold enough temperatures to use the cinch cords on the hood, but I liked the performance when used at 45 F (7 C). I also like how the hood puffs up like a pillow if I stuff it under my head.
Foot Zip - The foot zipper is a welcome addition to the bag, but an additional three inches (8 cm) of width would greatly improve the comfort so I could slip both feet out of the bag. At the current size I can barely fit both feet through the hole and I'm afraid I will rip the seam. Also, putting a handle on the zipper slider inside the bag would help. I can reach the zipper from inside the bag but I can't open the zipper without a slider. And when I reach the slider from the outside, I have to spill all of my warmth from the bag to open the foot vent. Lastly, I snagged the zipper when opening the foot vent. It only took a few seconds to remove the fabric, and I saw no damage, but a stiffener might help prevent such snags.


Wicked Fast in an Insulated Hammock	Wicked Fast as a Quilt The Dark Gray is the "Bottom" of the Bag

Test Plan

I will continue to test the Wicked Fast in California during several wicked overnighters in Los Padres National Forest and the Big Sur region. I hope use it on a yo-yo of the Mountains-to-Sea trail (64 mi, 103 km), sleeping on the beach, and on a trip to Yosemite National Park. Although I am a dedicated hammock camper, I will use the bag more often on the ground since that is its designed use. I will test the bag in a tent, under a tarp, in a waterproof bivy, in a hammock and with no shelter at all (cowboy camping). When I camp at altitude [up to 10,000 ft (3000 m)], I should easily encounter temperatures near the manufacturer-stated lower limit (30 F, -1 C).

I will evaluate the Wicked Fast on the basis of durability, and performance.

Durability
- How durable is the bag?
  - I have one small snag where the main zipper caught the fabric, but the bag appears to be holding up very well.
- Does the shell material show any signs of wear or rubbing?
  - No.
- Do the seams show any signs of failure?
  - No.
- Does the zipper slide as easily at the end of the test period as it did at the beginning?
  - Yes.
- Does the water resistance wane during the entire test period?
  - I've noticed no loss in water resistance.
Performance
- How easy is the bag to use? How comfortable is it?
  - The bag is very comfortable in temperatures below 55 F (13 C). A longer zipper would increase its comfort range.
- How does the bag fit my body? I do not toss and turn much when I sleep, but will I have enough room to move around and to get comfortable in the bag? Can I dress and undress inside?
  - I have not felt constricted in this bag, and dressing in this bag is no more difficult than in other mummy bags I have used.
- How easy is the bag to enter and exit? Will my shelter make a difference in this? For example, will I be able to easily enter the bag when my tarp is pulled down low?
  - I've had no problems entering or exiting the bag, neither in the hammock nor on the ground.
- Do the Pad Locks work well enough to justify the extra weight? With the Pad Locks removed, does the bag stay on a sleeping pad easily? Is the material too slippery to remain on my ThermaRest? On my closed-cell foam pads? Are the pad locks adjustable enough to fit around my insulated inflatable pad? Do they force me to sleep on my back?
  - I haven't adequately tested the pad locks, but even when sleeping on a pad on the ground I haven't found them necessary. I will test this more thoroughly during the Long Term Report phase.
- How easily does the bag to fit into its stuff sack? How well does it fit in my backpack?
  - The stuff sack is the perfect size for me. The bag fits easily, and the stuffed sack is flexible enough to conform to my pack's shape (unlike the hard-stuffed cylinders that some stuffed sacks become).
- How waterproof is the shell material? Will it rebuff spray when I use a tarp, or will I need a bivy? Will the DWR rebuff the dew when I “cowboy camp” without a shelter?
  - I will cowboy camp in wet foggy weather during the Long Term phase, but based on my home tests detailed in the IR I am already impressed with the water repellancy of this bag.
- Is the bag windproof enough to “cowboy camp” without a shelter?
  - Not tested yet.
- How accurate is the temperature rating? Is the 30 F (-1 C) a “comfort temperature” rating, so will I actually be comfortable at 30 F (-1 C) with no other insulation? Will I have enough room inside the bag to wear more insulation if needed? Is the Wicked Fast easy to use with an overbag to increase the temperature?
  - Not tested yet.
- The Wicked Fast has continuous baffles, so how easily can I adjust the temperature by shifting the down inside the baffles? Can I push the down to the bottom and sides for hot nights, and shift it back to the top for colder nights?
  - Not tested yet.
- How well does the bag ventilate with such a short zipper? Will the lack of ventilation restrict the bag to a smaller temperature range? Will I get sweaty and clammy inside?
  - I have gotten sweaty and clammy in some conditions, and I think a longer zipper would have allowed me to be more comfortable.
- How effective is the foot vent in increasing ventilation? The website was vague on how the foot vent works...will the seal be tight enough to prevent unwanted ventilation on cold nights?
  - At the temperatures I've tested, the foot zip provides a sufficient seal against the cold. A larger vent would improve ventilation.
- How comfortable is the bag when spending long nights inside. Can I easily cook, read, and rummage through my pack without exiting the bag?
  - Yes.
- Will the bag function Wickedly in my hammock? Will it be too hard to enter and exit? Understanding that the bag was not made for use in hammocks, this will be a minor point in the report.
  - Aside from the zipper issue, this bag works as well as other bags I have used in the hammock.
In sum, is this bag Wicked enough to replace my lightweight quilt?

Still deciding. It's a great bag for cooler weather but I also like the flexibility of a quilt.

What I Like (So Far)

Lightweight
Comfortable

What I Don’t Like (So Far)

Poor venting
Zipper too short to use bag as a quilt
Foot vent too small for both feet

I would like to thank Sierra Designs and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this bag.

Jeff Jackson

Read more reviews of Sierra Designs gear
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Field Report

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