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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Speer Hammock Frog Sac > Thomas Peltier > Initial ReportFrog Sac Initial Report Personal Information: Backpacking Background: I have been in the outdoors since I was a toddler. My mother introduced me to backpacking when I was in the backpack. I in good turn joined the Boy Scouts to get away from Mom on the weekend hikes. My first backpack trip with the Boy Scouts was down a dirt road to a park and campsite. That was my last trip with the Boy Scouts. Since then I have been backpacking mostly in the Sierra Nevada. I have been a professional river guide and kayak instructor for the last 11 years; however, I currently work at a family establishment in Bakersfield, California. Working a "Real Job" keeps me away from the outdoors a bit more than I would like. My summers are busy between city work and river guiding. Much of my packing is done on the river in the summer. This has driven me to long winter trips and short summer trips for the last several years. I took up snowshoeing to help get into winter packing. I have found that less is often more in my backpacking and my summer trips I find myself as happy in a pair of Chacos carrying my pocketknife as I do with a heavy pack and big boots.
During warm summer months I often sleep with one leg kicked out of my sleeping bag to stay comfortable at night. The unique opening at the bottom of the Frog Sac allows my feet to ventelate without kicking an entire leg out of my sleeping bag. This same hole allows me to walk around camp in my sleeping bag too. I have often used my sleeping bag for night time warmth even before I was ready for bed. This has always proved dificult when I had to get up and go to the bathroom or refill my tea. I have to take the bag off find a clean place to set it down, go about my business and then sit back down and cover up again. While wearing the Frog Sac I will no longer have this problem. I can simply stand up and walk around camp. When I need to perform a task, such as pooring tea or finding my headlamp my hands are free to do this. I simply reach out the front of the Frog Sac. The way that the Frog Sac is shaped seems to keep it over my shoulders very well. I have performed a number of functions around the house, including typing, while wearing the Frog Sac. If I reach over my head the shoulders will fall off, so I have to keep one arm down at all times. The stitching is even and tight. It is consistant throughout the Frog Sac. The material appears to be ripstop nylon as advertised. The Frog Sac is equiped with double zippers. The zippers function smoothly and do not easily catch fabric while sliding. There is a wind baffle along the inside that lays against the zipper. The back of the baffle and the edges of the bag at the zipper are lined with a thin peice of webbing. This piece acts as a protective peice and the zipper does not catch on it. The wind baffle lays over the zipper very nicely and appears to be effective. The Frog Sac is designed with a robe function in mind. Because of this the zipper has been placed in the middle and there are seams down both sides. This design is what I attribute to the bags tendency to stay on my body. Both edges have been double sewn with a bit of fabric or insulation in the middle. This makes for a sturdy edge that helps the Frog Sac keep its shape. The top and bottom of the Frog Sac have draw strings with klocking barrel toggles on each end. The draw cord is black string, the ends have been melted and knotted. The locking barrel toggles are black plastic. I have never seen anything quite like the locking barrel toggles but they click together and stay securely fastened. My overall impression is that the Frog Sac is a well made bag. I look forward to using the Frog Sac over the next six months and learning just how well it holds up.
This is not your farthers sleeping bag. Never before have I had a sleeping bag that was so functional. I have seen setups that allow you to use a jacket as part of your sleep system but they seem restrictive and uncomfortable. The Frog Sac has all the comforts of a traditional sleeping bag and so much more. Depending on weather and sleeping conditions I can pull the opening at the bottom of the Frog Sac closed and stop drafts from making me cold, or open it up and cool off very effectively. I am looking forward to the first time I climb into a hammock. The foot hole at the bottom promises to make climbing into my hammock a very simple prospect. The bottom opening of the Frog Sac is a bit tight to walk around in but I found I could waddle. It does however fit around my waist snuggly. When I have the bottom of the Frog Sac pulled up around my waist and secured with a belt, the bag covers me to about mid calf. In this configuration I can walk around uninhibited by the Frog Sac.
After wearing the Frog Sac around the house and exploring the robe feature, I finally layed down inside the Frog Sac. I found it very roomy. The shoulder and chest area has ample space and I find I can move around inside the bag enough for my comfort. I often like to open my sleeping bag and use it like a blanket. The semi-rectangular shape and open bottom seem to lend themselves to this.
The Frog Sac comes in a small double draw string stuff sack. I am not really sure why the second draw string but I am looking forward to exploring its uses. When I first picked up the Frog Sack I thought it was a surprisingly small package. I turned it over in my hand and then pulled the Frog Sac out of the stuff sack. I found it very easy to remove. I immediately restuffed and unstuffed the Frog Sac again. I was surprised at how easily the Frog Sac fit into the stuff sack. So small and yet still so easy to pack and unpack. During the first few months of the test I intend to use the Frog Sac on local weekend backpacking trips in the Sierra Nevada and on the California Coast. My first trip with the Frog Sac will be an expaditionary river trip from the headwaters of the Kern River. This will be a week long trip and my first opportunity to use the Frog Sac. Later this year I am planing a trip to the east coast. I plan to use this bag while backpacking and car camping on the Appalatian Trail in Tenessee and while kayaking and hiking up and down the east coast during the months of September and October. I am also planing to use the Frog Sac while hiking and playing in Yosemite National Park late this fall. I plan to use the Frog Sac from Sea Level to about 12,500 ft (3810 m) and I expect the temps to be between 75 F (24 C)and 40 F ( 4.5 C). As the summer slides fall then winter I plan to use the Frog Sac in combination with my silk liner and with a blanket to lower the comfortable temperature range I can use it at. I expect by the end of the testing period I will have slept in freezing and sub freezing temperatures. If I can find a safe and comfortable combinations that includes the Frog Sac I will continue testing the Frog Sac right into winter snow camping trips.
The Frog Sack is a unique backpacking tool. This is not just a sleeping bag, but so much more. I look forward to using the Frog Sac in the backcountry and finding out just how well it works. After examining and playing with the Frog Sac around the house I can not find a single thing about it that I don't like; execept maybe that I look a little goofy walking around in it. What I like about the Frog Sac is just about everything. I'll check back in in two months and let you know just how it's going. Read more reviews of Speer Hammocks gear Read more gear reviews by Thomas Peltier II Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Speer Hammock Frog Sac > Thomas Peltier > Initial Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||