 |
|
||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||
 Slumberjack Ultimate 20F Long Left Sleeping Bag By: Slumberjack Average Rating: 2.5 Total Reviews: 5 More Information Slumberjack Ultimate 20F Long Sleeping Bag  On: 2007-11-19We used this product last year on Isle Royale National Park, backpacking/canoing for a week. I had this bag, and several of the others in our group had Slumberjack 30F bags. These bags are made for backpacking, and are light. Twice during our stay the temperature dropped to around 36 degrees. I was comfortable throughout our stay, as were members of our group with 30F bags. A) These bags are made to be unpacked/uncompressed for storage, or prior to use, to keep the insulation material expanded. They are meant to be put in the compression sack for travel only. B) There is a breathable opening in the bottom of the bag, to aid in circulation/humidity reduction, if the temperature is warm. Remember to keep this closed in colder temperatures. C) As far as not being able to compress the bag back into the compression sack provided with the bag, none of us have ever had a problem packing this sleeping bag back into the bag that it came in. D) We(my wife and I)are traveling back to Isle Royale in 2008, and we just purchased a new Ultimate 20F sleeping bag for my wife, to replace her old Coleman. The trade off is the weight of the bag, and the size when compressed. E) For reference, we both are using ThermaRest ProLite 4 sleeping pads, which normally adds some R-Value for sleeping. Do your research. If you are camping in a tent, but traveling by car/truck/camper, where you have a lot of storage room, get a bag that is large, comfortable, warm, and easy to use. The weight/size of the bag will not be an issue. If you are backpacking, and have to carry everything you need, pack out everything you brought in, including any trash, carry all your food, carry water filters, first aid, etc, etc, every ounce of weight will start to count. That is what separates this bag, or more specifically, this type of bag. I am not saying this is the best bag on the market, but for the money we wanted to spend, we consider it a great deal. The temperature rating is also a moving target, depending on your age, physical condition, gender, metabolic rate, diet, and myriads of conditions. In the end, you will need to be your own subject matter expert on how much insulation/covering you will need down to 20 degrees. Both my wife and myself tested out this bag, with the pad, prior to heading for the Island, to make sure we were comfortable enough with the weight of the bag, its insulating value, and the ease of use. We gave this bag a rating of 4.5 stars. The only reason we did not give it 5 stars was that the zipper did not go down further. We have not experienced any mechanical problems with this bag. Good luck Unaccurate temp rating (and potentially dangerous)  On: 2006-10-14Ive owned this bag for two years and have camped with it both in the Cascades and Appalachians for a total of 25 nights. When initially evaluating the bag, I was excited to find a 20-degree bag in the 3-lb range, at an attractive pricepoint. My first night on Frosty Mountain in 34F temp made me regret that decision - I got about 1 hour of sleep after shivering the remainder of the evening. This was also in conjunction with a closed cell pad. Ive tried sleeping with clothes on, with clothes off (clothes off seems to allow the bag to "cook" you more). On later trips, I started using REIs thermarest knockoff with an R-value of 3, rather than closed-cell foam. Still, no improvement in comfort. Basically, this is an okay bag down to 45F. Between 45F-40F, youll need to definitely enclose the hood tightly around your face to minimize leakage (and youll still be cold). I would not use this below 40F - EVER! Youll have a bad sleep and not enjoy the next days hike. One cool feature about the bag is the pull strings on the hood - there are two cords - one that cinches the top of the hood, and a different one for the bottom. The manufacturer wisely made each cord of different diameters to make it easier in the dark to "know" which one you need to cinch to enclose your hood. When I purchased this bag, I was still new to backpacking. Since then, Ive found far superior products at comparable pricepoints. If you are evaluating this bag, you are also probably new to backpacking and are trying to minimize the cost while you gear up. My advice is to spend money on a good bag - you wont regret it. As for the SlumberJack....mine is getting replaced with a nice Western Mountaineering Kodiak. I will only use the Slumberjack as a backup bag for guests during summer months. Great Bag at a Great Value On: 2006-06-20First off I want to dispel both of the bad reviews that were written. No offense, but Im assuming these two are not backpackers and that is what this bag is intended for. Yes its light and not fluffy, thats why it only weighs a little over 1lb without the stuff sack. As far as 20 degrees, its like the other person said, temperature is relative to the person. Im a hot person so this bag suits me down to the rating and then some. The guy who said he couldnt get the bag back in the sack probably has never used a stuff sack in his life, I actually can get the bag small enough to fit in the sack + my pillow as well, so I have no idea what hes talking about. I give this bag for the price to weight ratio 4 stars, I dont think you cant find a better bargain. great buy  On: 2006-04-09This is an ultimate backpackers dream bag. Its light, durable, cozy, and packs smaller than any other bag I can find in this country. Hey, it even comes in its own compression sack. As for temperature ratings, everyone is different. Just because it says 20 degrees, doesnt mean you will be comfortable in it at 20 degrees. You might be hot, or cold, it depends on many different personal factors such as clothing, metabolism, etc. The foot vent is new to me, I like that its enclosed in mesh to keep critters out. I would prefer that the zipper on the bag was a full length zip instead of just half zip...but thats no big deal to me. My other sleeping bag is a Vango (summer rated bag) and Id have bought another one of those in a heartbeat if they were available here in America. They come even smaller than this one, but are generally more expensive and shipping it from England would be even more expense on top of that. Overall I think this is a great bargain and am likely to buy another for my spouse. You might as well sleep in your birthday suit!  On: 2006-03-08I dont know who decided this sleeping bag was good down to 20 degrees. They must not have slept in it outside. Its a very flimsy bag and might be OK for summer camping. This bag has been used twice--once in fall and once in spring. Both times, my son about froze. To top it off, the zipper went off the track on the second trip. This was an expensive bag, and it was a total waste of money. Im now going to have to buy another sleeping bag. It will not be a Slumberjack. Not worth it!! On: 2006-02-07Two reasons to avoid this sleeping bag: 1. Insufficient insulation. This bag should NOT be rated for 20 degrees. I froze my tail off sleeping in it in 36 degree weather. The fill material is much too thin. I would recommend it for 45 degrees or warmer only. 2. Impossible to store in its own compression storage bag. The bag is designed and built wrong. Once unpacked, it is literally impossible to replace into the bag. I had to buy a compression bag at a local camping store to replace the one that came with the product. I will likely not buy Slumberjack products again. Not worth it!! On: 2006-02-06Two reasons to avoid this sleeping bag: 1. Insufficient insulation. This bag should NOT be rated for 20 degrees. I froze my tail off sleeping in it in 36 degree weather. The fill material is much too thin. I would recommend it for 45 degrees or warmer only. 2. Impossible to store in its own compression storage bag. The bag is designed and built wrong. Once unpacked, it is literally impossible to replace into the bag. I had to buy a compression bag at a local camping store to replace the one that came with the product. I will likely not buy Slumberjack products again. |