How to Choose Sleeping Bags for Backpacking

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Marmot Never Summer sleeping bag is great for climbs and treks when subfreezing weather is imminent. Water-resistant 650-fill-power down ensures warmth amid the vagaries of shoulder-season weather.
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Best Use | Backpacking |
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Tested Lower Limit | -4.7 degrees (F) - EN |
Tested Comfort | 9.5 degrees (F) - EN |
Temperature Rating (F) | 0 degrees (F) |
Temperature Rating (C) | -17 degrees (C) |
Shell | 20-denier mini ripstop nylon |
Zipper Location | Left |
Insulation Type | Down |
Water-Resistant Down | Yes |
Fill | 650-fill-power duck down |
Lining | 20-denier nylon plain weave |
Sleeping Bag Shape | Mummy |
Stuff Sack Size | 9 x 18 inches |
Stuff Sack Volume | 16.8 liters |
Gender | Unisex |
Sustainability | Down certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) |
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[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I purchased a left-zip Never Summer zero degree bag from Hudson Trail Outfitters in 2000 back before I was even a retail employee there. 22 years later, it is still my go-to winter camping bag. Yes, I only winter camp one night each year, but I haven't missed a trip once in the past 20 years since a group of us started the tradition of a late-Nov to early-Feb trip annually back in 2000. this bag has seen nearly every peak in the GW&TJ National Forests and most of Dolly Sods. It has kept me comfortable in Fahrenheit weather down to the low teens and kept me safe and relatively warm to temps even lower still. The lowest I've experienced with this bag was -11 Fahrenheit overnight in Ramsey's Draft Wilderness, and many of my friends decided to upgrade their gear after that trip, but my Marmot bag not only held its own, but I was actually able to get several hours of sleep overnight while everyone else shivered and froze through the night. While I would say that taking a 22-year-old version of this bag into zero degree weather might not be perfect, the it is probably the best value for the money you will be able to find out there today. So, in sum, if the materials and upgrades over the past 22 years mean that this bag is even more formidable than my ancient version, then do yourself a favor and grab one for your next cold-weather excursion!!
I'm very disappointed. I bought this sleeping bag because of the great reviews. I opened it up when it arrived and feathers were everywhere. I found a few small holes where the stitching was missed. I returned it and got the same one shipped to my house. As it turns out, the second sleeping bag also had a small hole where the stitching was missed and feathers were coming out. I expect more from a $300 sleeping bag from REI. Hopefully this can be resolved otherwise I'm going to be going to Cabela's to purchase a sleeping bag for my backpacing trip this coming week.
I’ve had this bag for two years now and I have to say I’ve been very impressed. I’ve slept more than a dozen nights with the temperatures in the teens. And also once with -7F with the windchill. I have been really warm and still needed to poke my foot out of the bottom(you can unzip from the bottom up to use as a vent). For the money this is a very good bag. I had been looking at much more expensive low temp bags and decided to give this one a shot. Glad I did. It’s been plenty warm and I probably saved a couple hundred dollars over the other bags I was looking at.
I don’t often review, but I wanted to offset some negative ratings and help this bag’s reputation. It’s a great winter sleeping bag. It lofts up pretty well for being 650, and it’s incredibly soft. I have slept in below 20 several times, twice with frost covering the bag, and have stayed nice and warm. The zipper doesn’t snag, the baffle stays put, and the foot box is surprisingly roomy. I never used the older version of this bag, but it appears that Marmot made some changes from what it used to be. I think it’s marginally heavier, but generally warmer. The “comfort” rating is 9.7f as opposed to the old 12.7f. There is also more insulation weight in this model. Both models compress to the same size.
Shopped for years for a zero degree bag - I take too long with big buys. I always bumming ones from buds bc they’re such an investment, but I do a good deal of winter backpacking and skiing and wanted one of my own. I’m 6’1”, and a pretty big (46L coat, 36”waist). The long fits me quite well. It’s snug, but appropriately for a winter bag. I sleep cold, and first night I had it out it was in the single digits, went from rain> freezing rain> snow in an AT shelter. I slept great and hated getting out of the bag in the AM. Worth the $$ for the weight, material, size, pack-size, etc.
In a word, awesome! Sure, it’s a 0 deg down bag with 650 fill, blah, blah, blah. What separates it from all the others, though, is the second short zipper in the right side. It’s ingenious. It makes dealing with the hood so much easier. A hood, by the way, that uses 2 different styles of cords so you can tell the difference by feel which is which. The way the hood is cut also avoids having the chin cord going across your nose. It’s the simple things done well that makes this bag rock! It’s probably the best bang for your buck in a sleeping bag today
Great bag for the price. The lower temperature rating and lower fill rating means it's not going to compress super small, but it sleeps comfortably in a variety of conditions. I used it up on Kilimanjaro including a night in the crater and was quite comfortable, though I sleep warm. I'm 6'4" and the long fits great.
My partner and I bought 2 Marmot Never Summer -18 C sleeping bags in Canada. The bags were very disappointing. I used my marmot sleeping bag on 2 expeditions and went back to my 15 years old MEC bag which is still warmer and more breathable. On our first expedition using these Marmot bags, we were both cold at only 0 Celcius. The down kept moving to the sides and making clumps, leaving not much insulation above. The material was also very wet every morning in the Yukon which has pretty dry climate and where our MEC bags worked very well. The bags were very disappointing but Marmot has a good warranty though and took them back, which we really appreciated.
Perfect 0 degree bag and less expensive than most down bags out there. Took this bag into the Wind River Range for 2 weeks in late April and it kept me warm every night. Got into the low single digits a few times and I was never cold. Love the extra foot room the bag provides and extra room in general. I could have boot liners, water bottles and a jacket or two drying as I slept and not be cramped. Light enough and packs down well. Dried out very quickly from the condensation on the inside of the tent each morning and never got close to soaking through. All in all very impressed with this bag and the price is right.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I've had this sleeping bag for two winters now and have always been impressed by its warmth, comfort and compressibility. The warmth to weight ratio is impressive and zips, pockets and toggles are well placed and of good quality. I'm always pleasantly surprised with the size this sleeping bag can be compressed to, given its impressively low comfort temperatures. There is some leakage of down feathers but no more than should be expected. Very happy with this product overall.