REI Mojave +15 Down Sleeping Bag - Long - Special Buy

Comments about REI Mojave +15 Down Sleeping Bag - Long - Special Buy:

I have recently used this bag on a trip to colorado where we started with temps in the 60s and then ended up below freezing after a cold front came in. We woke up to temps in the 20s with a few inches of snow on the ground and with nothing more than a sleeping pad and a base layer or two, I was warm as could be. I was also just in the UP of Michigan bird hunting. The first night was in the low 20s with a few inches of snow on the ground and once again this bag kept me very comfortable.

I think a lot of people don't understand temperature ratings in sleeping bags. Being a 15 degree bag means that it is meant to be used with a base layer, socks and a hat. Some people want to be as warm camping as they are in bed at home. If its 15 degrees out, I hope you really don't plan to jump into a sleeping bag in just your undies and plan to stay warm. Another hint, if your feet are getting cold, stash some clothes in the bottom to take up air space (and give you warm clothes in the morning).

At 15 degrees, a few things need to be done to any down bag to ensure its going to be performing at its best. Using a footprint for your tent goes a long way when it comes to keeping the chill away from your body. That extra barrier helps keep out moisture and the temp of the frozen ground from reaching you. Next, using a sleeping pad (insulated is best) because it gives you one more layer between you and the frozen ground which will cool you down faster than the air. When you pull your down bag out of your pack (I always pack mine in a waterproof compression bag) you should fluff it to properly redistribute the down so that you dont get cold spots. And finally, you should be zipping it up and tightening the cords so that the face hole isn't a giant heat escaping window. You lose most of your heat through your head so just wearing a hat to bed and closing the hood will go a long way in keeping you warm.

This bag does suffer from leaking down. Nearly any down product is going to leak some down. Sleeping bags tend to lose the most because they get compressed the hardest in dry bags and compression sacks used for back packing. All of that pressure can pull the down out from time to time. This bag tends to lose it slightly faster than normal but I have yet to notice a problem in performance.

If this bag starts to fail either through losing down or whatever, I will be confident in knowing that I can always bring it back to REI no questions asked.

Comments about REI Mojave +15 Down Sleeping Bag - Long - Special Buy:

This is a nice bag, don't get me wrong. I just wouldn't suggest anyone purchase it unless you plan on using it in conditions greater than 50*.

I know the rating says 15*, but REI really missed the mark there. I took this bag on a 3 day fall hike in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas where the temps only dipped into the mid 40's and I was cold. My thighs and butt felt on the brink of becoming numb before deciding to get out of the bag in the middle of the night to layer up. I was pretty disappointed after my third night in this thing.

If you're not looking for a bag that will keep you all that warm (i.e early fall and late spring use), this bag will work fine. It's well made and I really like the feature around the mask draw string. There are two types of strings around the face; a flat string for shoulder compression and a round string for around the face. This is nice in the middle of the night when trying to cinch the bag up.

I'd suggest looking elsewhere if you need a bag to stay warm. I returned this bag to REI and replaced it with a Marmot Sawtooth. Now, THAT is a fantastic bag.

Comments about REI Mojave +15 Down Sleeping Bag - Long - Special Buy:

For the price it's hard to complain, but this bag leaks lots of down. So much in fact that you will want to wear a mask at night so your not breathing it all in. The zipper is also very difficult to close all the way, which can be frustrating when it's cold and you tired and just want to sleep. I'm planning on returning it and getting something made of higher quality materials.

Comments about REI Mojave +15 Down Sleeping Bag - Long - Special Buy:

This bag has served me well over the last few years. Most of my trips have been in the sierras with temperatures ranging from 20 - 50 degrees at night. The sleeping bag is really lightweight thanks to its thin nylon shell. Beware that the bag will leak some down, especial in the beginning of ownership. That hasn't really affected my love of this bag. I am 6'4" and the long just fits. If you are any taller than me, you might start to feel a little cramped in here unless you are a side sleeper. Overall, this bag isn't going to win any awards for innovation, but for the incredibly low price and its excellent performance this is a really smart choice for most backpackers.