Companion forum thread to:

The North Face Beeline Sleeping Bag Review

Great review. That comparison photo with the Marmot Hydrogen is pretty damning. I have the Hydrogen and appreciate the sculpted hood - If I was going with a bag at 30 degrees, I would want a good hood. (quilts are another issue.)

I just finished a weeks trip in California's Emigrant Wilderness using my new North Face Beeline. Night time temperatures started out fairly warm but dropped quite a bit before dawn. I was sleeping on a NeoAir Short and had to use my LuxuryLight pack cylinders under my lower legs and feet in the early morning hours. I am bald and always wear a Mountain Hardware windproof fleece beanie. On two nights I had to add my Montbell Thermawrap jacket and at least partially close the Beeline's hood.

This is my second Beeline, the first being the original, zipless, version. I found the zipper on the new model to be more of a bother than not and I could well do without the footbox zipper too. You are correct about the Velcro patches being a nuisance. In order to keep them from scratching my cheek I had to make sure to align them perfectly; a difficult task without a light and my bifocals.

The bag would be greatly improved with even a moderately fitted hood. Though, in the five years I've been carrying Beelines, it has suited me well enough.

To give the new bag a fair trial I'll be using it a while longer, but, based on this latest experience, I may go back to my older Beeline. It does the job and isn't so fussy.

Just curious, but what's with the recent increase in North Face reviews? The down jacket last week, the bag this week...

Aside from my North Face DIAD jacket, I've never owned a piece of NF gear that I was happy with.

Also, Will, what is that piece of gear dangling in the photo taken outside the Meso 22?

"what is that piece of gear dangling in the photo taken outside the Meso 22?"

Looks like an atmospheric data center.

How can you give an above average rating to a bag with a zipper that only operates from outside? No way!

Will,
Thanks for this review. The numbers on this looked really great in the spreadsheet with your "Ultralight Three-Season Down Mummy-Style Sleeping Bags: State of the Market Report 2010". And looked even better when I just found it on sale for $213, making the value jump to the top of the chart. The devil is in the details! Glad I read this review first.

Edited by ijeff on 12/08/2010 21:37:03 MST.