ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy

Comments about ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy:

The Razor is the exact same product that was previously called The Butterfly. I have the Butterfly and swear by it. It's not just a bag cover to protect my down bag in wet conditions but it's also a bag liner that can keep the bag clean, keeps me warm in cold temps when used with my 25 deg down bag and it holds it's own as a light weight summer bag for tempuratures 60+ deg. I've used it in all of those situations and it never lets me down. I don't use it anymore as a bag liner because I prefer the feel of my silk liner compared to the fleece interior of the Butterfly/Razor. It comes with it's own stuff sack that doesn't compress but if you use a compression sack it will smash down to the size of a cantelope or large grape fruit. Tiny compression sacks are costly and hard to find so I use the low cost ones found at the store that begins with a W and ends with Mart. You stuff it from the top, roll the lip down, squishing out the air and clamp. You know the ones. So, if you camp in the heat of the summer this is all you need. If you camp year round this bag will keep you warmer. If you camp in damp conditions this will protect your down bag.

Comments about ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy:

Great price and warm to 50 degrees.If you are over 6' tall its tight as a mummy bag. I sleep in a hammock and I have been pleased. Packs to the size of a football which is plenty small for me. Very comfortable for 60-80 degree weather.I bought it as a summer sleeping bag not as a liner
I feel it would be a good liner but I don't camp in really cold weather. Thinking about using it at Philmont.

Comments about ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy:

Doesn't fit over even a relatively mild temp bag. It does fit inside a slepping bag and makes a good liner. Good as is for a light summer bag or when staying in an environmentally controlled location.

Comments about ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy:

I have carried a fleece bag in the past as part of my bug out kit in the military. While the bags I used packed well and did well given the conditions, I had to make sure I did not have a direct breeze over me. As it would blow through the bag and sap the warmth from it.
I retired from the military, but still make a habit of having a bug out bag, especially for travel in Texas and parts West. I tried the bag out on its arrival and found it quite comfortable in temps down to the 40's. It packs quite well and is now a part of my kit. Having bought it on sale made my smile a bit bigger. I would recommend it for use in moderate climes.

Comments about ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy:

I purchased the Razor primarily for the purpose of adding a protective outer shell to my 30 degree sleeping bag, however in use I found it makes an excellent summer sleeping bag by itself. I slept in the Razor with the addition of a bag liner (which I didnt get inside of but rather layed on top of) and found it was perfect for those high 50s nights (actually almost too warm!). It is well made and easily fits back into its stuff sack. I would have awarded it 5 stars if it had a compression stuff sack rather than just a stuff sack. I am very pleased with the Razor!

Comments about ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy:

Since my last review I used this bag on a camping/road trip with my kids as we returned to Texas from California via the Sierras, Grand Canyon, and New Mexico. There was one cold night at a campsite near Markleville, CA, but otherwise it kept me comfortable throughout the trip this August. I used it both in and out of a tent, so I can say given its weight and design it well satisfied my expectations. That cold night was not the fault of the bag, it was just too cold for the bag. It packs small so it is a very handy bag to have "just in case" when travelling. Still glad I got it. Just need to remember how cold it can get at altitude in the Sierras.

Comments about ALPS Mountaineering Razor Sleeping Bag Cover - Special Buy:

I spend lots of time backpacking in the Texas heat and thought this looked like a good early-Fall and late-Spring bag. I have multiple bags and bought this for the 55 to 65 degree range when I need less warmth and want a very light and small pack size.

It works as intended at the desired temp range and is fairly light. Fairly roomy when used as a bag and not a cover. The outside is more weather-resistant than normal sleeping bags and works even better if you spray a little fabric sealant on it from time-to-time. The zipper is not water=proof though, so beware.

I did put my Marmot down bag inside this cover once and it was just a little tight. It would not allow the down bag to fully expand, which would compromise some warmth. However, the cover adds its own warmth and would likely offset the loss. It would certainly help keep your down bag dryer, especially if you camp outside under the stars or in a hammock as I sometimes do.

I only had two minor concerns. First, as noted above, it has no compression sack to take advantage of how small it can pack (I bought a small 6oz size at REI that scrunches it down nice and small). Second, it does not zip all the way down. Only about 80%. That bugs me because in warm weather camping I often want to get my feet outside the bag and it is hard to do when it does not zip ALL the way down. Getting one foot in and out is fairly easy, but not two. Not a major concern, but just so you know.