BACKPACK GEAR TEST OWNER REPORT

 

Gear:        North Face Cat’s Meow Sleeping Bag

Sold as a Women’s, Polarguard 3D, 20-30 degree, three season backpacking bag, size Long, weight 45 oz. (with stuff sack.)

Company:   The North Face

Website:     www.thenorthface.com

 

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Cory Lampert

cory_crosscountry@yahoo.com

age: 26

gender: Female

 

Date of Purchase:  January 1999

Description of Use:   Used over 6+ months nearly daily on an Appalachian Trail thru-hike from Maine to Georgia. I also use it in three seasons as my primary sleeping bag for backpacking and car-camping in Colorado. Conditions varied from hot and dry, to cool and rainy, snow, and high wind.  Exposed areas, forested areas and in campsites ranging from very hard and rocky ground to landscaped lawns in town parks.  Daily use and the associated stress put on the sleeping bag with reference to the durability of the fabric and fill material, as well as comfort and temperature ratings will be covered in this report.

 

 

   I became interested in this bag through the word of mouth recommendation of several friends. I “tested” the fit of the bag in the store and seeing that it was on sale, I purchased it with limited advice from a salesperson or advertising.  I spent $150.21 on the bag and bought it from a North Face retail store that was having a year-end sale. As I am 5’ 10”, I decided to go with the long model, so that my head and shoulders were adequately covered.  The decision to go with synthetic vs. down filled sleeping bag came down to the fact that I planned to use it on a long-distance hike and was unsure how much rain the East Coast would provide.  The entire stuffed and packed weight was about 45 oz.

 

 REASONS TO BUY THIS SLEEPING BAG:

• I felt it was appropriately rated at 20 degrees.  I slept in as low as 15-degree weather (elevation 4000 feet), and with a hat I was toasty.  The hottest weather I experienced was around 90 degrees and I slept outside the tent or in a shelter atop the bag.
• The weight and compressibility of the bag turned out to be good.  Down compresses better, but for a synthetic this is a good fill.
• The workmanship in the fabric never caused any problems.  The zippers always zipped and nothing ever frayed or ripped in 6 months of daily use.
• In a storm or unexpected wet conditions, this bag dries quickly and retains its warmth.  I used it in four days straight of rain and it was always warm.
• The North Face has an impeccable reputation with customer service (as I experienced a pocket ripping out of my hiking shorts and they replaced the item with a new model, with no hassle and free shipping to my next mail drop down the trail).

 

Immediately following the purchase I slept out in the yard with the bag and found it silky and comfortable.  I liked the mummy feature, but had no cause to use it, until I hit the AT for my thru-hike.  The women’s fit did seem to accommodate my hips and shoulders quite well.  I tried to other manufacturer’s bags that were very boxy and tight in places.  I found on my hike the zippers could be adjusted to allow for ventilation and the draft tube was tremendous for cold and windy nights in shelters.  There is a Velcro closure on the top of the bag that I used when I needed the mummy feature or if I wanted to secure the closure while sleeping.  The bag held up well to use and abuse and even laundered well. (There are two loops at the foot of the bag for hanging to dry on the trail.)  No smelly-ness remained and it was fluffy and ready to go out of the dryer.  The stuff sack is in good condition despite hundreds of packing and unpackings (I saw many manufacturer’s stuff sacks disintegrate with use).

 

REASONS TO CONSIDER THE MYRIAD OF OTHER OPTIONS:

• There is no substitute for down.  If you like and are used to down, this fill will not cut it for comfort.
• The North Face claims the bag is highly breathable (MicroFiber with VaporWick) and has exceptional wicking properties.  I felt the bag was VERY quick drying, but I would not call it a BREATHABLE bag.
• This bag is not mate-able with other bags; at least I could not find a way to zip it to another bag. 
• It is not the fluffiest bag, but I felt the Polarguard worked well for the weight and price.

 

OVERALL:

I highly recommend this bag for women who want a quality three-season sleeping bag and who don’t need/prefer down.

I was very impressed with the customer service of the North Face and the high quality of their product.  I think this is a great choice for a sleeping bag and I have had three great years of use, with not even a tiny complaint in the product.  I have since fallen in love with a down bag that I use for winter camping, and I am interested in looking at NF down bags for warmer seasons.  I cannot find a single reason to complain about this bag.  It definitely gets the thumbs up! 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Cory Lampert

cory_crosscountry@yahoo.com 

9/22/01