Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25040
SLEEPING BAGS TO WRAP YOU IN SWEET AUTUMN DREAMS TEXT, LESA GRIFFITH REVIEWS BY CHRISTOPHER BROWN. LAURA MCNEIL AND ALBERT PODELL SLEEPING BAGS MAY LOOK ALIKE. BUT THERE ARE BIG DIFFERENCES IN FABRIC AND SHAPE THAT TAILOR THESE PORTABLE BEDS TO SUIT WEATH ER CONDITIONS. BODY TYPE AND SLEEPING STYLE. WHEN CHOOSING A SLEEPING BAG THE MAIN QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF IS: WHERE WILL YOU BE SLEEPING IN IT? "IF YOU'RE CLIMB ING MT SHASTA IN THE WINTER OR BEACH CAMPING IN BAJA. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE SAME BAG: SA YS NORTH FACE DESIGNER LUKE PEZZIMENTI. BUT FOR AN ALL-AROUND BASIC BACKPACKING/CAMPING BAG. YOUR BEST BET IS A THREE-SEASON MUMMY BAG-THERE'S LESS TO CARRY BECAUSE IT'S CONTOURED TO THE HUMAN BODY AND IT KEEPS YOU THE WARMEST BECAUSE THERE'S LESS EMPTY SPACE INSIDE FOR YOUR BODY TO HEAT UP. Here's an assortment of three-season bags. They will keep campers warm down to 20°F. and are all very light. Finding out which sleeping bag is right for you is like looking for the perfect jeans you have to try them on. Don't be shy about rolling around right there on the store floor. Once you've purchased your bag and are putting it to use. naked is the way to go. These mummies don't have much room for clothing. and it's easier to face the morning wake-up by exchanging the bag's light insu lation for the comparable warmth of your clothes. Our gear testers. Al Podell, Chris Brown. and Laura McNeil. tested out the bags respectively while climbing Mt Rainier Range. hiking the Adirondacks. and rolling around on our office floor. MOONSTONE MUIR TRAIL DRYLOFT This bag owns all the superlatives, truly snarl-free zipper: a tough and genuinely water resistant. wind-proof. and down-proof shell and a fill distribution that is right on the money. The cut could stand to be more generous for us broad-shouldered types. but then again less empty space inside means it warms up more efficiently. The overlapped zipper eliminates the cold seam of most draft tubes. and thinner insulation on the bottom of the bag means you don't carry what you can't use-where your body weight flattens the down. it won't do you any good. A supremely functional piece of equipment. -CB WEIGHT: REGULAR: 2 LBS 6 OZ: LONG: 2 LBS 9 OZ MATERIALS: TAFFETA OR DRYLOFT SHELL. TAFFETA LINING. 650 FILL GOOSE DOWN FEATURES: DRAFT TUBE. FORM-FinED HOOD, STUFF SACK TAFFETA, $235: DRYLOFT. $320/MOONSTON E: 800-390-3312. WWW.MOONSTONE.COM MARMOT PINNACLE At 5'2" I found this bag had ample leg and squirm ing room. It was super cozy on the inside-silky soft and fluffy which also makes for a very light weight mummy. In fact. the regular-sized model tested was lighter than the short sizes of all the other test bags. The outer shell was a tad crinkley which may be annoying for light sleepers. Although the zipper was only semi-cooperative the snazzy snap at the top ensures it won't slink down during the night and expose your body parts to the uncaring elements. -LM WEIGHT: SHORT: 2 LBS 1 OZ, REGULAR: 2 LBS 5 OZ. LONG: 2 LBS 9 OZ MATERIALS, GOSSAMER MICRO OR TWILIGHT DRYLOFT SHELL. GOSSAMER WR LINING. 775 FILL GOOSE DOWN FEATURES: DRAFT TUBE. DRAFT COLLAR. 3D HOOD • • DRYLOFT SHORT. $379: REGULAR. $399: LONG, $419/MARMOT: 707-544-4590 WWW.MARMOT.COM THE NORTH FACE SUPER KAZOO A classic bag that uses a silky-feel shell materi al. surprisingly water resistant and extraordinar ily light. which facilitates a very small stuffed size. However, the test bag is so soft, it snags easily. The shell proves permeable to the down. giving that unseasonable molting appearance. Generously cut for a mummy. with an efficient draft collar, it is comfortable in the legs. while the bottom of the footbox is so narrow you practical ly have to point your toes. A worthwhile bag for those looking for a large-bodied mummy that packs up small.-CB WEIGHT: REGULAR: 2 LBS 15 OZ: LARGE: 3 LBS 1 OZ MATERIALS, MICROMAX RIPSTOP SHELL. TAFFETA LINING, 600 FILL GOOSE DOWN FEATURES: DRAFT TUBE, HEAT TRAP COLLAR. REGULAR. $245: LARGE. $255/ THE NORTH FACE: 800-447-2333