Owner Review by Larry Kirschner

Sierra Designs Wild Bill 20 F Sleeping Bag
Date of Review: 03-Oct-2006

Biographical information
Name: Larry Kirschner
Age: 42
Gender: M
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 195 lb (88 kg) and falling (I hope)
Email address: asklarry98@hotmail.com
City, State, Country: Columbus, OH USA

Backpacking Background:
I've been an intermittent camper/paddler since my teens, but now that my kids are avid Boy Scouts, I've caught the backpacking bug. I typically do a few weekend hikes per year, and have just spent 2 weeks backpacking at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmarron, New Mexico. I like to travel "in comfort", so I often pack a little heavier than needed, but I'm trying to cut down. With all of my investment into this trip, I expect my wife and I will continue to trek long after the kids are gone…

Product information
Manufacturer: Sierra Designs (www.sierradesigns.com)
Model: Wild Bill 20 F (-7 C) synthetic fill sleeping bag
Size: Regular
MSRP: US$99.95
Year of manufacture: 2005
Listed weight: 3 lb 0 oz (48 oz, 1.36 kg)
Weight as delivered: 3 lb 1 oz (49 oz , 1.39 kg)
Fill weight: 27 oz (0.76 kg)
Inside Length 78" (98 cm)
Zipper Side Left
Shoulder Girth 60" (152 cm)
Hip Girth 57" (143m)
Footbox Girth 39" (99 cm)
Insulation type: Polarguard 3D
Shell Material 70D Nylon
Liner Material 75D Polyester
Stuffed size listed: 9 x 19 in (23 x 48 cm)

Product Description
When I decided to increase my backpacking action, I wanted to find a fairly inexpensive bag that would be suitable for a variety of short trips but would hold up on a few extended trips. I had decided early on to get a synthetic bag because of concern about the bag getting wet, and I was willing to pay the cost in extra weight. I had read about the Wild Bill bag in Backpacker magazine, and was impressed because they rated it as a very comfortable bag (and I'm all about the comfort).

Compared to other similarly rated and priced bags, the Wild Bill appears to have a significantly better loft, and had a much sturdier appearance. It also has a number of other features which I liked, including the full length zipper which ran easily from top to bottom. From the company literature, it also has the following features:

Glow-in-the-dark zipper pull
Chest pocket
Pad locks
Pillow pocket

Like most bags, it comes with a nylon stuff sack and a cotton storage bag. Lastly, although it lists for US$99, I was able to find it on sale for US$69, which made a really good choice for my budget.

Field information
This has been my primary sleeping bag over the past year, and I have taken my Wild Bill on many weekend campouts, including 3 weekend hiking trips in Ohio where the temperature was in the 50's and 60's at night (10-15 C). This was also my bag on my 2 week backpacking excursion in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, elevations from 6000 to 12000 ft (1800-3600 m). Sleeping temperature ranges for the trip ranged between 50 F (10 C) at lower altitudes to the mid-30's (2-3 C) higher up.

In general, the bag has been a great asset for my trips. It is extremely comfortable--roomy and warm. When the weather is cooler, I pull the mummy hood tight and sleep well. The draft tube keeps the cold air out, and the no-snag zipper, although not perfect, was certainly better than zippers I have had in other bags. I like the fact that the bag has a full length zipper, although this adds a slight bit of weight. The bag has also gotten wet on a few occasions (although never soaked) and has kept me warm while drying quickly. Because it is synthetic, it also is easy to clean, and has been in the washer a number of times without any problem.

The major downside to this bag is that the stuff size is very large, much larger than in comparable bags. I was using a fairly large internal frame backpack (5600 cubic inches, 92 L), and this bag took up a substantial portion of my room.

Regarding the extra features, here are my comments:

Glow-in-the-dark zipper pull. Yes, it glows in the dark, and is easily visible at night. However, I never actually needed to open my eyes to see it while I was in the bag, so I'm not sure of its importance.
Chest pocket: It's there (on the bottom side of the photo), but I never used it. Kept valuables in my pack or my pocket, but it could be useful for small stuff in other situations

Pad locks: These are straps on the bottom of the bag which are supposed to prevent the sleeping pad from slipping out from under the sleeping bag. The photo shows the pad locks by themselves, and then after I have put in my sleeping pad. I tried them once, but felt like their major effect was to prevent me from moving around in the bag. I'm a restless sleeper, and I just reposition myself on my pad when I roll over. For those who don't move, they might be worthwhile. Another interesting feature of questionable value.

Pillow pocket: Loved it! This is a small area under the hood with a pocket and Velcro fasteners. I stuck my fleece in there for a pillow (as shown in the photo) , and had no problems with a sore neck. VERY useful.

Summary
Overall, I really like the Wild Bill bag. It is warm and comfortable, with all the benefits of a nice synthetic bag. It is heavier than a down bag, but comparable for other synthetics and at a very reasonable price. It is a great bag for weekend camping and for backpacking, as long as space isn't an issue. I haven't taken it down to its rating at 20 F (-7 C), but it is certainly plenty warm at 30 F (-1 C). If I take the bag on another long trip, I may try to get a better compression stuff sack and see if I can make it smaller.

Things I like about the Wild Bill

Roomy, warm, and comfortable
Pillow pocket is very useful
Full length zipper

Things I don't like about the Wild Bill

Stuffs to very large size

Read more reviews of Sierra Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by Larry Kirschner

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Sierra Designs Wild Bill > Owner Review by Larry Kirschner

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