sophie_pearson
2009-12-02 02:21:40 UTC
Hi Ray,
Here is my LTR for the sleeping bag for your red pen!
Cheers,
Sophie
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/test/TESTS/LTR - Suisse sport sleeping bag - Sophie
Long-Term Report
December 1, 2009
Field Information
I have used the bag on 3 more trips over the last 2 months. Two were overnight trips in central Florida, where temperatures ranged between 55 and 80 F (13 and 27 C). The other was a 2-night trip to the Everglades in southern Florida, where temperatures were between 45 and 80 F (7 and 27 C).
Final Impressions
I have been really impressed with this bag. As a standard bag on the market it would be decent, but with its budget price point it is a great deal. Over the last two months I have used it in a tent and a hammock and never been cold at all. It is not showing any signs of wear, and even hasn't absorbed any smell (unlike my hiking boots!). This is particularly impressive as it was in my backpack with a box of white wine that got a hole in it. The wine leaked all over my sleeping bag, but by the time I got into it 3 hours later (all after dark) it had totally dried and I could hardly smell the wine at all. I will be washing the bag as soon as I can get access to a front-loading washing machine, but in the meantime it has still been perfectly usable.
warm
I have always found this bag warm enough, and only once had to do it up totally.
I have found that the zipper snags on the material behind it, and sometimes on the bag itself. However, it has never ripped or pulled it. Even at the lowest temperatures during the last two months I never needed to do the zipper up the entire way anyway, and I still remained snug and warm. I am really sold on the big hood as I can pull it down over my head to keep light out and warmth in, without having to pull in the drawcord around my face. The deep footbox is particularly nice in my hammock, as I can tuck my feet away and keep them warm, but spread the rest of the sleeping bag over me like a quilt. Although this could be done with a sleeping bag with a longer zipper, this one doesn't have the problem of the zipper coming undone.
As I thought, I have found the chest pocket totally useless. The opening to it is too small and awkward to put things in, and the position directly over the chest makes it uncomfortable for anything heavy anyway. I have just ignored it and it hasn't been a problem, but I think it would be better either removed or moved more to the side. Other than that I think the bag itself is really good.
The stuff sack still remains my biggest complaint with this bag, although even that has out-performed my expectations. As the stuff sack is not very generously proportioned I was really worried the seam would give out, but it has held up well. It is stretched slightly, but that is to be expected considering the number of times I have stuffed and unstuffed this bag. I like the fact that the stuff sack is longer and skinnier, as I can compress it to make it short and fat or keep it long and thin depending on the space left in my backpack. I still wish the straps were a bit longer, as it is difficult to put the parachute-style lid over the sack before compressing it, but I now just totally release one of the straps and then thread it back through afterwards and it works OK.
seams
The lengthwise stuff sack seam is starting to pull a bit, but not as badly as I expected.
Summary
Overall this is a durable, comfortable, 3-season sleeping bag. Although I have not used it in sub-freezing temperatures, I was never cold even at the low end of the comfort rating (and I am always cold!). The dimensions of the bag are really great for someone my size, a broad-chested, 5 ft 8 in (1.7 m) female. Even without the budget price tag I would recommend this bag, but at the suggested MSRP I think it is a really great deal.
Likes
Never felt even slightly cold in this bag.
Light, and packs small for a synthetic bag.
Deep hood and footbox make it cozy.
Fits me well.
Doesn't seem to retain odors.
Durable.
Stuff sack has convenient, parachute-type lid.
Stuff sack is long and skinny but compresses short and fat, so fits into a variety of spaces.
Good value for the MSRP.
Dislikes
Zipper tends to snag.
Stuff sack could do with being a bit bigger.
Stuff sack straps are too short.
Stuff sack straps aren't oversewn, so pull out of the buckles.
Chest pocket has too small an opening and is uncomfortable with anything heavy / bulky.
------------------------------------
Here is my LTR for the sleeping bag for your red pen!
Cheers,
Sophie
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/test/TESTS/LTR - Suisse sport sleeping bag - Sophie
Long-Term Report
December 1, 2009
Field Information
I have used the bag on 3 more trips over the last 2 months. Two were overnight trips in central Florida, where temperatures ranged between 55 and 80 F (13 and 27 C). The other was a 2-night trip to the Everglades in southern Florida, where temperatures were between 45 and 80 F (7 and 27 C).
Final Impressions
I have been really impressed with this bag. As a standard bag on the market it would be decent, but with its budget price point it is a great deal. Over the last two months I have used it in a tent and a hammock and never been cold at all. It is not showing any signs of wear, and even hasn't absorbed any smell (unlike my hiking boots!). This is particularly impressive as it was in my backpack with a box of white wine that got a hole in it. The wine leaked all over my sleeping bag, but by the time I got into it 3 hours later (all after dark) it had totally dried and I could hardly smell the wine at all. I will be washing the bag as soon as I can get access to a front-loading washing machine, but in the meantime it has still been perfectly usable.
warm
I have always found this bag warm enough, and only once had to do it up totally.
I have found that the zipper snags on the material behind it, and sometimes on the bag itself. However, it has never ripped or pulled it. Even at the lowest temperatures during the last two months I never needed to do the zipper up the entire way anyway, and I still remained snug and warm. I am really sold on the big hood as I can pull it down over my head to keep light out and warmth in, without having to pull in the drawcord around my face. The deep footbox is particularly nice in my hammock, as I can tuck my feet away and keep them warm, but spread the rest of the sleeping bag over me like a quilt. Although this could be done with a sleeping bag with a longer zipper, this one doesn't have the problem of the zipper coming undone.
As I thought, I have found the chest pocket totally useless. The opening to it is too small and awkward to put things in, and the position directly over the chest makes it uncomfortable for anything heavy anyway. I have just ignored it and it hasn't been a problem, but I think it would be better either removed or moved more to the side. Other than that I think the bag itself is really good.
The stuff sack still remains my biggest complaint with this bag, although even that has out-performed my expectations. As the stuff sack is not very generously proportioned I was really worried the seam would give out, but it has held up well. It is stretched slightly, but that is to be expected considering the number of times I have stuffed and unstuffed this bag. I like the fact that the stuff sack is longer and skinnier, as I can compress it to make it short and fat or keep it long and thin depending on the space left in my backpack. I still wish the straps were a bit longer, as it is difficult to put the parachute-style lid over the sack before compressing it, but I now just totally release one of the straps and then thread it back through afterwards and it works OK.
seams
The lengthwise stuff sack seam is starting to pull a bit, but not as badly as I expected.
Summary
Overall this is a durable, comfortable, 3-season sleeping bag. Although I have not used it in sub-freezing temperatures, I was never cold even at the low end of the comfort rating (and I am always cold!). The dimensions of the bag are really great for someone my size, a broad-chested, 5 ft 8 in (1.7 m) female. Even without the budget price tag I would recommend this bag, but at the suggested MSRP I think it is a really great deal.
Likes
Never felt even slightly cold in this bag.
Light, and packs small for a synthetic bag.
Deep hood and footbox make it cozy.
Fits me well.
Doesn't seem to retain odors.
Durable.
Stuff sack has convenient, parachute-type lid.
Stuff sack is long and skinny but compresses short and fat, so fits into a variety of spaces.
Good value for the MSRP.
Dislikes
Zipper tends to snag.
Stuff sack could do with being a bit bigger.
Stuff sack straps are too short.
Stuff sack straps aren't oversewn, so pull out of the buckles.
Chest pocket has too small an opening and is uncomfortable with anything heavy / bulky.
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