Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Slumberjack Ellesmere > David Posalski > Long Term Report

Long Term Report- Slumberjack Ellesmere Sleeping Bag

Personal biographical information

David Posalski
31
Male
5'11", 180 cm
265 lb , 120 kg
dposalski at msn dot com
Aloha, Oregon, USA
05/08/05
I started backpacking as a kid in the Boy Scouts doing overnighters.  In the last year, I have wanted to go out and see things that relatively few people have seen.  This has drawn me back to backpacking.  I have found it to be the most enjoyable thing I know. I have gotten my wife involved and we get out and hike at least once a month.  I generally carry about 20 lb (9 kg) as a base weight for 3 seasons.

Product Description

This is a dual fill type sleeping bag that is rated for use down to 0 F (-18 C).  It has down fill on the top and a synthetic fill on the bottom.  The purpose of combining the two is to prevent down crushing on the bottom, but allow for compact, lightweight warmth for backpacking.

Manufacturer's Claims*

Manufacturer- Slumberjack
Website- www.slumberjack.com
Model- Ellesmere 0 Degree Long Left
Size- 34" x 86" (86cm x 218cm) Stated and measured.
Fill Weight- 2lb, 3oz (.98 kg)
Carry Weight- 3lb, 7oz (1.56 kg)
Measured Carry Weight- 3lb, 9oz (1.62 kg)
Fill Type- 600+ Down and Thermolite Extreme
Temperature Rating- 0 F (-18 C)

Select Features*

290T nylon ripstop down proof outer shell
290 Polyester taffeta liner
600+ Down slant-baffle top (with differential cut construction)
Thermolite Extreme bottom
Fully contoured hood with flip-over option
Insulated draft tube with anti-snag zipper protection
Easy Grab pull tabs
Patented expandable foot box with trapezoidal foot

* Information is from outer box and hang tags.

Long Term Report

I have used this sleeping bag at every opportunity I have had to use one.  I have found the bag to be an excellent option for use in all seasons except when the temperature remains above 50 F (10 C) at night.  The sleeping bag provided me with plenty of warmth and he dual fill create a nice combination for many reasons.  As a large man, I found the room in the Ellesmere to be more than adequate and actually very roomy.

I first used the sleeping bag in my backyard so that if things got nasty, I could bail out if needed.  I slept in a simple dome tent that sleeps three and the temperature was around 40 F (4 C).  I was warm and did not experience any chill whatsoever.  This would be expected from this sleeping bag.  I found several ounces of condensation had landed on the bag from the night and the bag dried very quickly when taken outside the tent into the house.  I did not experience any loss of loft or problems with the bag.

I then used the bag on a trip into the Mt Hood National Forest.  I again slept in a tent and used the stuff sack that came with the sleeping bag to carry the bag in my pack.  I found that the bag compresses very well and the weight of the bag is not too heavy for the hiking that I have done.  It compresses small enough to fit in the bottom of my pack very nicely.  I find this to be an advantage of a down bag.  When removed from the stuff sack, the bag lofts up very quickly and the thick feel of the loft on top of me reminds me of home.  At home I sleep under a down comforter and this is rather comforting.  Perhaps this has helped me to sleep comfortably in this bag.  The temperature got down below 25 F (-4 C) on this trip and I did not feel cold and the condensation was less due to the drier air than on the first night.  I found the bag easy to stuff into the stuff sack.  On this night, I did have a problem with the zipper catching the bag.  It took me several minutes to coax the lining out of the zipper.  I had hoped that the anti-snag zipper would have prevented this, but it didn't.  There was no damage to the zipper or the bag from this snag, just some time taken.

I slept in the bag in Seaside inside a house with the windows open and the temperature got down to about 50 F (10 C).  I found myself with some perspiration in the morning, though it was not enough to wake me up earlier than I would have risen anyway.  Because of this, I would not use this sleeping bag if the temperature were going to be any warmer than this.  I feel like this is the upper limit for this bag.

I also used this bag for covering up watching television at my home.  I used this time to test the different warmth properties of the Thermolite and the down.  I was wondering whether one side was significantly warmer than the other was.  I understand the purpose of having the synthetic insulation on the bottom is due to crushing of down caused by body weight.  I opened the bag and wore it like a quilt.  I found the down side to be bulkier and warmer than the Thermolite side.  This was not a surprise as the warmer side of the bag should be on top of you.

I found the zipper was easy to grab and pull other than the one snag that I had.  I found the pull cords for the hood to be easy to use.  I had to use my pillow under the bag's hood due to the fact that it wouldn't fit inside the hood.  This would be the preferred method in really cold weather as the hood would be cinched around your head.  I found the zippers that travel over the foot-box to be a nice touch, though I did not find the foot-box cramped with the zippers zipped. The extra room that is gained by unzipping the zippers is nice for moving around.

Overall, I really like this sleeping bag and will continue to use it regularly.  It will be what I carry in all my mountain packing and in lower elevations during spring, summer, and fall.  I will not use it during the summer except for alpine hiking.  The only improvement that I would make is to find a way to prevent the zipper snags.  It would be nice to see this sleeping bag available in a warm weather version, as well, as the size fitted me perfectly.  I found no nights that I was uncomfortable sleeping in this bag.

Thank you for the opportunity to test this bag.

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Slumberjack Ellesmere > David Posalski > Long Term Report