Owner Review:
The North Face Superlight Down Sleeping Bag

Date: February 8th, 2004

Reviewer Information:

Name: Jim Sabiston
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Height: 6' 3" (1.9 m)
Weight: 207 lb (94 kg)
Email address: JimSabis(at)aol(dot)com
State: New York
Country: USA

Backpacking Background:

I've been camping for several decades. I joined the Adirondack Mountain Club four years ago, the Appalachian Mountain Club a year later and am active in both. I have also expanded my backpacking to include more winter trips, mountaineering and backcountry cross country skiing, and participated in the AMC's Winter Mountaineering training program with Chauvin International Climbing Guides. More recently, I have actively studied ways to backpack lighter and more efficiently. During the summer months, my style tends toward very light, but not quite ultralight. I use a hammock or tarp for warm weather, and a small four-season tent for winter trips. Most of my other gear is very changeable, as I am constantly experimenting with gear and techniques.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: The North Face
Year of Manufacture: 2001
URL: http://www.thenorthface.com

Manufacturer’s Specifications (From the The North Face web site for Size Long):

Temperature Rating:            0°F / -18°C
Total Weight:                         3 lbs 13 oz (1750 g)
Standard Fill:                         600+ fill goose down
Fill Weight:                            1 lb 15 oz (890 g)
Shell Fabric:                          Pertex® Resist Ripstop
Lining:                                    Silken
Length:                                   90" (228 cm)
Max User Height:                  6'6" (198 cm)
Shoulder Circ:                       64" (163 cm)
Hip Circ:                                 60" (152 cm)
Foot Circ:                               40" (102 cm)
Stuffsack Size:                      9.5" x 18" (24 cm x 46 cm

MSRP:  $259 US (size long)

Specifications as measured (size long):
Weight:           3 lbs 10.3 oz (1.66 kg), a bit lighter than stated!
The sleeping bags dimensions seem generally accurate as provided by The North Face. My measurements at the hip area seemed a bit shy of the manufacturer’s figures at about 58 in (147 cm) rather than 60 in (152 cm).
 
Overview:

The Superlight sleeping bag is intended as a high quality, all around cold weather mummy style sleeping bag, manufactured by The North Face (TNF), the sleeping bag uses 600 fill-power down for insulation and is loaded with quality features. The outer shell is made of green Pertex fabric, for wind and moisture protection. The inner lining is constructed of a very light, black, soft nylon referred to as ‘silken’ by TNF. Also inside is a full length, down-filled draft tube, which extends around the upper body opening. The full length #8 YKK zipper is mounted to a heavy nylon pack cloth strip which separates the zipper from the draft tube to prevent snags and the zipper has a long pull-tab. There is a nylon webbing hanging loop sewn in near the foot of the zipper and another at the foot of the bag. Shock cords are provided which permit tightening of the upper body opening and the face opening. The shock cords are color-coded and pass through a single, one-hand pull retainer. On the left side of the face opening (the same side as the zipper) is a wide hook and loop tab which prevents the side zipper from opening accidentally. Mounted on the tab is a small zippered closure intended to hold a watch so an alarm, if set, remains in a good position to be heard. A TNF stuff sack and nylon/mesh storage bag are included with the sleeping bag.

TNF uses a modified baffle construction, called ripple construction, which is intended to prevent sideways migration of the down fill.

Overall construction and detailing appears to be very good.

Field Experience:

I have used the TNF Superlight sleeping bag for several years now, primarily for my winter skiing and climbing trips to the Catskills and Adirondacks. The temperatures have ranged from a typical high of about 40 F (4 C) to a recorded low of -17 F (-27 C). The sleeping bag has handled these temperature ranges well. The full length zipper allows ample venting when it is warm. There is an extra zipper pull at the foot of the zipper allowing venting from the bottom. When everything is battened down, it has allowed me to sleep comfortably in temperatures well below its rating. A number of comments on this point are in order:

First, there is no universally agreed manufacturing standard for sleeping bag temperature ratings, so these figures can be a bit arbitrary. My own opinion of the TNF rating for this bag, 0 F (-18 C), is that it is a bit optimistic. I happen to be a warm sleeper, so this is less critical for me. Second, over the years I have developed a system which allows me to really push the limits of a sleeping bag considerably. This includes using additional insulated clothing layers, hand warmers, hot water bottles, bag liners, etc. The advantage is the ability to carry a smaller, lighter sleeping bag without sacrificing comfort. The Superlight has worked well with this system.

I have not noticed any deterioration in the loft, and feather loss has been negligible. The down can be shifted from side to side in the baffles, but not from top to bottom, as the side seam is sewn through, preventing any migration.

The packcloth panels on either side of the zipper are effective in preventing zipper jams with the draft tube, but quite capable of getting jammed in the zipper itself. Fortunately, the packcloth is very easy to clear with a quick sideways tug, whereas lighter fabric of the draft tube would likely put up a real fight. The draft tube covers the zipper well and I have never noticed any cold spots in this area.

The Pertex shell has proven to be effective at shedding the moisture and condensation often experienced inside a tent during cold weather. Recently, I have experimented with a tarp and bivy setup and the Pertex shell has proven to be a real asset, as the Superlight gets much more direct exposure to snow and ice. I have yet to experience a situation where moisture has penetrated the shell into the down. I do take pains to avoid this, however. My primary defense is an Outdoor Research Hydroseal Compression Sack. As the Superlight is used in conditions where hypothermia is a very real possibility, extra effort applied ensuring the sleeping bag stays dry is well spent.

The color coded shock cords work well closing up the chest and face openings. I like the fact that the stretch inherent in the shock cords allows some additional stretch even when tightened down. This allows me to poke an arm out without having to re-adjust the cords. The color coding is nice, but basically useless in the dark. I found tying an extra knot in the end of one of the shock cords allows me to identify one from the other in the dark.

Mummy style sleeping bags tend to be somewhat restrictive and the TNF Superlight is no exception. I use the long size and the fit is still snug. This prevents any semblance of being able to spread out, but this is typical of this type of bag. There is an advantage to this, as less room means less air to heat up and the bag does seem to warm up quickly. There appears to be as much down in the bottom of the Superlight as the top and, to my mind, this is a good thing. This allows me to roll over on my side without exposing a lightly insulated back to the cold. I have slept very comfortably on my side.

One of the main reasons I selected the TNF Superlight over the competition was its small  compressed size and comparatively low weight for its temperature rating. It is also these two points that make me wonder about the temperature rating. At the time of purchase, the vendor listed the stuff size as 7 in X 11 in (18 cm X 28 cm). This information has been modified to 9.5 in X 18 in (24 cm X 46 cm), which matches the information on the TNF web site, but I find the actual measurement falls somewhere between these two, depending on how enthusiastic I get on the compression straps. The compressed bag fits snugly into both my Osprey Finesse Pro and my Osprey Ceres 38 packs. I suspect stuff size measurements are one of those areas left to the discretion of the manufacturer or retailer.

Things I Like:

1 – Small pack size and relatively light for a winter sleeping bag.
2 - Well made.
3 – Nicely thought out detailing.
4 – Reasonably priced for a quality bag.

Things I Don't Like:

1 – Maybe a little more room would be nice.
2 – When tightened, the excess shock cords can be a bit of a nuisance, as their location means they are right in my face, but I just tuck them in the bag and hope they stay there.

Summary:

The TNF Superlight has proven to be a rugged, forgiving sleeping bag. There are no unusual signs of wear and there is every indication that the bag will last for many more years.With care, I have been able to sleep in temperatures well below its stated rating, but this requires proper preparation.All-in-all, the TNF Superlight is just as advertised: a good all-round cold weather sleeping bag.